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Celebrating Loretto’s Social Workers!

Posted on March 20, 2023, by Loretto Community

A woman with a beaming smile holding a young infant on her lap sits in the green space of an apartment complex.
Sue Kenney CoL beams as she hold her great-niece.
Submitted photo

This week, we will highlight some Loretto social workers, who, like St. Katharine Drexel, have dedicated their lives to doing inspiring work on behalf of others. Loretto can identify with so many of the ideals of saints like Katharine, from providing quality education for all to serving the marginalized and those cast aside. 

Who of us at one time or another have not read about the inspiring life of St. Katharine Drexel — the first canonized female saint born in the United States. Pope John Paul II canonized her in 2000. We just celebrated her feast day on March 3.

St. Katharine was a member of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. Her biography speaks so eloquently to the needs of today, particularly her love for those who were marginalized, especially the Black and Native American communities. Her efforts were particularly focused upon enabling these groups, especially, to achieve a quality education. She worked throughout her life with courage and initiative to address social inequality and all the egregious actions by others who perpetuated this inequality. Katharine was truly what we call today a “social worker.” 

This week on Loretto’s Facebook page, we invite you to take a closer look as we highlight a few of the many, many impressive Loretto social workers, including Agnes Marie Hagan, Mary Margaret Murphy, Vivian Doremus, Pat Geier, Mary Gutzwiller, Judy Popp, Sue Kenney, Jean East, Buffy Boesen, JoAnn Gates, Anna Koop, Jacqueline Diego, Linda Gonzalez and Jeanne Orrben. These are just some among the Loretto members who truly emulate the powerful statement, Article #36, in I Am the Way, Loretto’s Constitutions: “Loretto works for justice and acts for peace because the gospel urges us.” Let this inspiration and the lives of Loretto’s social workers encourage us to do the same.

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Loretto welcomes you

Learn more or plan a visit to the Motherhouse!