Topic archive
History
Two hundred years and counting! Loretto has responded to the call of God to serve God’s people. From children to adults, from elementary to graduate-level education, from eldercare to advocacy for the homelessness and underserved, Loretto has left its mark on the world as it seeks to “work for justice and act for peace.” Learn more about the history of Loretto.
Making Movies: Loretto Captures Closings of Three Beloved Locations
Using high-flying drones, video and still cameras, interviews, photos and documents from the Loretto Heritage Center, Neil Tucker and I have been making movies about the closings of three well-loved Loretto places: the St. Louis Loretto Center, Nazareth Hall in…
Like Trees, Loretto’s Deep Roots Thrive in Denver and Beyond
Trees speak a lot about our lives, our growth, our rootedness. When I look at the grounds around Loretto Center in Denver, I am surprised and humbled by the many trees that tower above us. I think of the change…
Loretto Denver Center Now Havern School
May 1, the Denver Loretto Center officially became Havern School. Loretto’s 2015 Assembly made the decision to sell the Center to a group that shared Loretto values and would be in sync with the Loretto land ethic. The Havern and…
The Sisters of Loretto and the Great Flood of 1937
By Laurel Wilson Sister Nerinckx Blincoe SL, Superior of Loretto High School in Louisville, found herself in a predicament on Saturday, January 23, 1937. The Ohio River was flooding at record levels, and Louisville had been hit with 15 inches…
A Tribute to Nazareth Living Center
It is with mixed emotions that the Loretto Executive Committee announces that on April 1 the sale of Nazareth Hall was finalized. We honor the many years of service by the Sisters of Loretto as directors, nurses, staff and volunteers…
Loretto in Taos
The late August numbers of the Taos newspapers in 1913 carried the following, in Spanish and in English: GOLDEN JUBILEEThe Sisters of Loretto Spend Half a Century in Taos, New MexicoEarly in 1863, Rev. Father Gabriel Usell, the then parish…
Our First Registered Nurse
By Katie Santa Ana While the Sisters of Loretto are well known for the hundreds of teachers in their history, many Sisters also chose medical professions. While Sisters of Loretto served early on in nursing roles – such as during…
Agnesetta Reid’s Only Solace
By Laurel Wilson For today’s LOREtto blog post, I’d like to highlight the life of Sister Agnesetta Reid SL, whose personal papers I recently processed in the Archives. Though Agnesetta’s life was short and often full of suffering, she was…
Loretto History Through Comics
By Laurel Wilson Throughout their 200-year history, Lorettos have seen the importance of sharing their past. Numerous Sister of Loretto have used their writing talents to record the history of their community through books, articles, pamphlets, and more. One unique…
Our Second Archivist, M. Matilda Barrett
By Katie Santa Ana In June of 1968, author Paul Horgan wrote to Sister Mary Luke Tobin SL: “I have never forgotten the kindness and generosity of my reception at Loretto; and Sister Matilda’s lovely enthusiasm, her warm eagerness to…
“A small spot of land …” (Part 1)
By Betty Lyn Parker The Heritage Center has a beautifully conserved print of Little Loretto, the original home of the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross. My second encounter with this engraving began around 2014 at my…
Imelda Wallace and Old Mrs. Sullivan’s Curse
By Laurel Wilson As I process the personal papers that sisters donated to the archives, I learn about the varied lives and careers that Sisters of Loretto have had. One sister whose story has fascinated me recently is Sister Imelda…