Feature

Loretto Celebrates International Peace Week

Loretto Community
September 30, 2026
Features

An elder woman with white hair and a colorful red and grey jacked and black pants sits on a folding chair on a street corner and holds up a sign that says "Honor Peace" — Lydia Peña SL holding a sign at the Wednesday Witness.

Last week was International Peace Week and the Motherhouse Peace Committee was busy planning events and activities.

On Peace Day, Monday, Sept. 21, they honored the day with music at the Loretto Motherhouse Church. Musicians included St. Dominic Handbell Choir, Mid-Kentucky Arts (choral ensemble), St. Dominic Student Choir and piano duet performances by Teresa Tedder and Janice Smotherman. It was a joyous evening for all.

St. Dominic Handbell Choir. Photo by Donna Mattingly SL

St. Dominic Student Choir. Photo by Donna Mattingly SL

All week the city of Loretto, Ky., marquee displayed signs of peace and the bell tower played peace songs. Additionally, there were peace displays at Marion County Library and student art at Lebanon Middle School.

A woman with short hair and glasses and a blue, white and red dress standing next to a display of peace at the library for International Peace Week. — Peace display at Marion County Library with librarian Jamie Collins.

The city of Loretto, Ky., marquee displaying a sign that says "International Peace Day" — Peace display at Marion County Library with librarian Jamie Collins.

Of course, no Peace Week would be complete without peace signs at the Wednesday Witness in downtown Lebanon Ky., where sisters, co-members and Marion County residents gather on a street corner holding signs every Wednesday rain or shine in order to invite passersby to open their minds and hearts.