Loretto Sisters: Witnesses to God’s Faithful Love

“From our simple beginnings on the Kentucky frontier in 1812 and up to the present, we, as Sisters of Loretto, share in that mysterious yet pragmatic gift of the Holy Spirit which quietly and decisively brought Loretto into being and keeps it alive today.”

   — “I Am the Way,” Loretto Constitutions, #1

In the hollers of Kentucky in 1812, the uncertainty of Loretto’s future was a topic of conversation among the first Sisters of Loretto. But these women did not let an unknown future cloud their vision of loving God and serving God’s people. Instead, they relied on creating community to carry out their response to God’s call. They learned from each other the faith, desires and courage of each member. Quickly the community of Loretto grew to welcome new members.

The Sisters listened and learned the needs of those living in the rural area in nearby Kentucky and heard the requests of bishops who longed to have women religious come to their dioceses further west. Their journey in Loretto grew with a deep sense of identity and faith. This journey would take them beyond the known heartland of Kentucky to become teachers and healers of a wounded world far beyond their imaginations. In years to follow, the stagecoach, river boats, trains and planes opened up worlds the small but growing Community could never have imagined in 1812. The story continues.