Loretto Magazine – Summer 2026
Posted on July 10, 2026, by Loretto Community
Read Loretto Magazine
Loretto Spotlight Video – Beth Blissman CoL
A letter from President Buffy Boesen SL
Thank you for your steadfast support of Loretto. Your generous gifts of friendship, prayers, encouragement, time, talent and financial support this past year and throughout the years keep us actively engaged in ministries of service within Loretto and beyond. As faithful companions, you help ensure the care of our Sisters and the carrying out of our mission. Your generosity is more than heartwarming, and I am deeply grateful for your fidelity to Loretto.
Read Sister Buffy’s letter.
Impelled by Joy Jensen SL, vital Kentucky housing bill is signed into law
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is the grandfather of the “Yes in God’s Backyard” bill. I came across his bill, which was voted down in the U.S. Senate. It allows churches and college institutions to build affordable housing on their property, bypassing zoning regulations. Although Brown’s bill did not pass the U.S. Senate, it was passed in New York, California and San Antonio, Texas.
Read about the Kentucky housing bill.
Feeding those who are hungry; the Loretto Hunger Fund continues its work with the help of our friends
Through fundraisers in Kentucky and the efforts of Loretto Academy (El Paso) students, Loretto has been able to increase our efforts to help feed the hungry.
Read more about the Hunger Fund’s history and current efforts.
The story of Loretto is woven together with U.S. beginnings
The year 1776 was an important one in the American colonies; it was also a special one in the family of Sebastian and Petronilla Nerinckx in Flanders when their seventh child, John Henry, was born. Charles, his oldest brother, was, at the time, already beginning his Latin studies preparatory to the philosophy and theology programs at Mechlin and Louvain. Both boys were to be much affected by the revolutionary activities of their lifetime, and both were to become priests and to join in founding religious communities of women engaged in teaching; the one in England, the other in America.
Read the article paralleling Loretto and U.S. history.
Our commitment to care for Earth
Loretto’s longstanding, living commitment to care for and heal Earth includes numerous efforts, at Loretto Motherhouse and beyond.
Loretto has lovingly stewarded the land at the Motherhouse in the rolling hills of Marion County, Ky., for 210 years. Nearly 800 acres are cared for by the Community. The Motherhouse composts, recycles and is conducting an energy audit. Earth-wise installations include an electric vehicle charger as well as solar panels at the renovated barn now being used to host events.
Read about Loretto’s efforts to care for Earth.
Loretto Justice Fellowship empowers students to serve with heart and soul
The Loretto Justice Fellowship has risen to face the challenges of our times. Amidst federal funding cuts and policy changes that hit the non-profit sector and marginalized communities incredibly hard, our Fellows’ efforts have expanded. By the end of our current program year, 16 Loretto Justice Fellows will have contributed over 7,700 hours of service with eight El Paso-based social justice organizations.
Read about the work of the 2025-2026 Loretto Justice Fellows.
Loretto’s impact cascades through generations
Kathleen Fox, principal at St. Ann’s School in Chicago, was educated at Nerinx Hall High School in St. Louis, a Loretto-founded school, and served as a Loretto Volunteer at Marian Middle School in St. Louis in 2012. Her Loretto background has indelibly shaped her journey. Barbara Roche SL served as an early and lasting inspiration. When she got to know Barbara, Kathleen says, she was “struck by her humility.” She shares, “Here was this outstanding woman who led a top high school [Nerinx Hall] for over two decades and helped to found Marian Middle School to help break the cycle of poverty through education.
Read how Kathleen Fox’s Loretto background shaped her journey.
Lives of service blossom under Loretto’s consistent guidance, send out ripples
The Loretto Justice Fellowship is the latest program offered by Loretto to carry forward the Community’s values and mission by providing resources, guidance and community to those embarking on lifetimes of service. The seeds of the Justice Fellowship program were planted 37 years ago in Loretto’s rich, affirming soil.
Read about the legacy of the Loretto Volunteer program, in the lives of program alumni and in the Loretto Justice Fellowship, which developed from the Loretto Volunteer program.
Marian Middle School shapes women for life
Nancy Wittwer SL was the impetus behind the founding of Marian Middle School.
Read about Nancy’s dream that led to the reality of Marian Middle School.
Rooted at Marian … Rising at Nerinx
Marian Middle School was built on the belief that opportunity takes root early — especially for girls with immense promise and limited financial means. At Marian, that belief becomes a foundation. For Marian girls, education is a stepping stone to colleges, careers and lives of impact.
Read how the Sisters of Loretto’s educational legacy flows from Marian Middle School to Nerinx Hall High School, and beyond!
Sharon Kassing SL: The gift of learning
This is a profile in our “Loretto educates for the times” series. Here, and in upcoming issues, we’ll share stories of Loretto members who continue to educate. Some are in the heyday of their careers, while others, perhaps officially retired, remain lifelong teachers, in or out of the classroom.
“From the time I was first a student of the Sisters of Loretto at Nerinx Hall, I was witness to stellar teaching; education was exciting and fun. I never had a mediocre teacher. I have to admit though, being a teacher was never in my personal plans. I wanted to be an illustrator for Walt Disney, a veterinarian or own a hardware store.”
Read the interview with Sharon Kassing SL on her experience with education and art.
Loretto at the UN: Students encounter the global stage
Loretto at the UN, established in 1991, and now in partnership with the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, offers unique opportunities for students and recent college grads to experience the workings of the UN. Along the way, these young adults gain invaluable experience and explore potential careers.
Read the reflection from Beth Blissman CoL on her work with Loretto at the UN volunteers and interns.
Congratulations jubiliarians!
Read about our Loretto Community members celebrating their 50th jubilees in 2026.
Impact Report 2025
Thanks to our friends, we were able to positively impact so many lives. We are grateful.
Click here to access the Impact Report.
Memorials and Tributes of Honor: January 2026-April 2026
Obituaries
Postscript
Dear Loretto Friends,
As I write this, our Motherhouse grounds are in full bloom. It is a season that reminds us that while we are called to work for justice and act for peace, we are also called to be stewards of the life around us.
This issue of Loretto Magazine is a testament to that call. Within these pages, you will find our annual Impact Report — a visual snapshot of the footprint Loretto continues to leave on the world. From the halls of the United Nations to the classrooms of Chicago, and from our Justice Fellowship program to the daily care of our Sisters at the Living Center, our mission is not merely surviving; it is evolving.
As we see in our features on Loretto at the UN and the Justice Fellowship, the “Loretto impact” is increasingly intergenerational. We are not just carrying on a mission; we are passing a baton. That theme of endurance is why I was so struck by Florence Wolff’s 1976 article about Loretto and the country’s bicentennial, which we share in an excerpt in this issue. Writing during our country’s own 200th anniversary, Florence reminded us that Loretto’s legacy is timeless, even as the world around us changes.
In this spirit of stewardship, we also look toward our role in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform. While our approach to environmental work has shifted since the early days, the heart remains the same: We are one Community, serving one Earth. Whether through our commitment to regenerative agriculture at the Motherhouse Farm or the quiet sanctuary of Loretto Woods, we continue to find new ways to honor our common home.
Thank you for being part of this legacy. Whether you support us through a gift to the Justice Fellowship, a retreat at Cedars of Peace or by simply reading these stories, you are the reason our work continues. We are honored to walk this path with you.
With deep gratitude,
Lisa Smith
Director of Advancement
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