Loretto Community

As Sisters of Loretto and Co-members of Loretto, we work for justice and act for peace because the Gospel urges us.

We believe that each person is called by God to love and serve God’s people. Loretto welcomes inquiries about becoming a Sister of Loretto, Co-member or Volunteer. Other options include becoming part of a Loretto Circle or joining us via other forms of connection, including emerging forms of membership. We welcome you to get to know Loretto and to help you discover where you see yourself belonging. Let’s talk!

“My commitment is to share concern which all members have for each other, extend and share Loretto’s vision, and to gift personal talents and ministry.”

The Rev. Peter Urban CoL

priest in residence, St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Denver

Sisters of Loretto

As vowed Catholic sisters, we commit ourselves to generous love and personal initiative in following the Gospel. We pledge ourselves to living simply by sharing all things in common in a spirit of trust.

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Co-members of Loretto

Co-members are people who share the values and mission of the Sisters of Loretto. The Loretto co-membership program welcomes people of all backgrounds, faith traditions, races, genders, and sexual orientations.

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“I greatly appreciate Loretto’s stance on living the Gospel and in so doing, working for justice and acting for peace. I believe that, through the faithful living of my vows, I contribute to the building of justice that the world so desperately needs. ...I know that my membership in the Loretto Community is the concrete way that God is calling me. Together we stand with Mary at the foot of the cross and help transform the world’s suffering into Easter joy, one relationship at a time.”

Liz Deines SL

Loretto Justice Fellowship

Investing in the next generation of social justice leaders

Loretto Circle

Opportunities to connect with Loretto

Mission

“We work for justice and act for peace because the Gospel urges us.”

Faith & spirituality

We profess reliance upon God and each other

About us

Learn about our spirituality, history, Motherhouse and leadership

Recent posts

Four warmly dressed women of color pose for a night photo on the edge of a lake. Illuminated city buildings can be seen in the background, on the other side of the lake.

‘My kind of town, Chicago is!’ Loretto novices take the Windy City!

A photo of Loretto Sister Agnes Marie (formerly Sister Cordula) Hagan

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Agnes Marie (formerly Sister Mary Cordula) Hagan SL

An angel and a cross are profiled in front of the setting sun.

Loretto expresses its deep gratitude for all those who have gone before us

Meet the sisters in the Together Program

Photo of Loretto Co-member Patricia McShea

Remembrance of the Life of Patricia ‘Pat’ McShea CoL

New Ways Ministry Brings Transgender, Intersex, Ally Catholics for Dialogue with Pope Francis

A photo of Loretto Sister Mary Ann Cunningham

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Mary Ann (formerly Sister Ann Michael) Cunningham SL

Remembrance of the Life of Sister Mary (formerly Sister M. Susan Jean) McAuliffe SL

At UN Summit of the Future, sisters highlight root causes of poverty

Remembrance of the Life of Leonard Urban CoL

The Loretto Community consists of the congregation of the Sisters of Loretto and Loretto Co-members. The congregation of the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross was founded in rural Kentucky in 1812. Today, our Sisters and Co-members continue to live out the Loretto Community’s mission to “work for justice and act for peace because the Gospel urges us.” In the United States and throughout the world, Loretto Community members serve in many fields, including education, healthcare, elder care, environmental stewardship and advocacy.