Topic archive
Authors and Artists
Each book written, each artistic endeavor demonstrates the vision of Loretto members as they share their artistic gifts with the Community and beyond. Learn more about our Loretto Authors and Artists.
Ann Manganaro SL: Poet
The out-shining, out-reaching sea-Strange mystery of life at lastBursting forth in us. Excerpt from “March 1981” Ann Manganaro SL wrote, “I sing of the light behind the sky” (1/1/1981). In her poetry, she sings, laments, shares life’s beauty and struggles.…
Loretto and the Arts
The Sisters of Loretto were founded in 1812 with a mission of teaching, but what were their schools like? To answer one aspect of this question, an upcoming exhibit at the Loretto Heritage Center explores how Sisters of Loretto taught…
Sharing Our Story: Celebrating Loretto Members’ Long and Vital Writing Tradition
The ability of writers to imagine what is not the self, to familiarize the strange and mystify the familiar, is the test of their power. American novelist Toni Morrison By virtue of what they produce, all writers are teachers. The…
Artist Residencies at the Motherhouse
The Loretto Community at the Motherhouse is partnering with the Kentucky Foundation for Women (KFW) to offer artist residencies of one to three weeks. The residencies are open to feminist artists who are residents of Kentucky and who have demonstrated…
Sister Gabriel Mary’s Artwork
Guess which artist is most represented in the Loretto Heritage Center? Sister Gabriel Mary Hoare! We have over 70 works by her in the collections here. People who have been to the Motherhouse have likely seen other pieces by her…
Residency leads to writing about family history
Published by The News-Enterprise on August 25, 2022 An interest in writing about her family history inspires a local artist to complete a residency in Loretto. In partnership with the Sisters of Loretto, the Kentucky Foundation for Women has created…
Artists find peace at Nerinx
Published in The Lebanon Enterprise on July 13, 2022 “For most Marion County residents, the property in Nerinx owned by the Sisters of Loretto is just a place for retired members of the order and elderly citizens to reside. But…
My Journey with WATER
It all began with a simple request from Kathleen Tighe, “We would love to have you join the Outreach Committee team that helps prepare the quarterly Zoom rituals for the equinox and solstice.” Next followed my first assignment to design…
The Good Ancestor: A Radical Prescription for Long-Term Thinking
This is how things come to be: A while back, in a Community Group, Kitty Madden mentioned this book, “The Good Ancestor,” by Roman Krznaric. Jessie Rathburn picked up on it, invited a group to read and discuss it and,…
Bringing Peace
David Edwards was a college student during the Vietnam War, planning to continue his studies in the seminary. He was thus exempt from the draft that threatened so many young men in the U.S. Soon he began to chafe under…
Loretto Artists, Authors Enhance Lives of Others with Their Talents
The Loretto Community celebrates the creative minds and hearts of its members. This week, we highlight authors, poets, artists and craftspeople. They enhance the life of the Community and the wider world with their works. Loretto friend Thomas Merton has…
White Fragility: A Conversation
By Ried Clark and Martha Crawley Nudged by the Spring Community Group discussion on race, six of us from Group 4 agreed to read and discuss White Fragility. We gathered to discuss the book shortly after George Floyd was murdered…