Name/Title
Loretto Branch NovitiateEntry/Object ID
EW.0069Description
Painting of the first Loretto Novitiate in the United States located at 6550 Harvard Avenue in Englewood, Chicago. Opened in 1927, the Novitiate was moved to Woodlawn in 1933, and by 1946, was located in Wheaton. The name of the artist, Sister Hildegard Fischer, is at the bottom.
In 1892, IBVM Sisters established an education ministry at St. Bernard Grammar School in Englewood. The following year, Loretto Academy (later Loretto High School) opened as the second Catholic high school in Chicago. In 1962, Loretto High School closed and was merged with Loretto Academy Woodlawn. Five years later, the building and neighboring IBVM Convent were sold to the Chicago Board of Education. St. Bernard Grammar School continued operating until closing in the late 1980s.Context
Born in 1585 in North Yorkshire, England, Mary Ward founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1609. Focused on education, the sisters developed their ministry despite significant political, spiritual and material challenges. In 1880, the Canadian Mission of the IBVM established a presence in Illinois, and the following year, the IBVM North American Branch was created. In 1892, their ministry expanded into Chicago, and by 1896, the sisters had opened a school in Michigan. Over the following decades, further growth resulted in ministries in California and Arizona, both of which began in 1949. In the 21st Century, the IBVM and its companions are active in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, California and Arizona.Lexicon
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Religion, Religious Organizations, Sisters of Loretto, Photos, Photographs, Pictures, Historic SitesReproductions
Notes
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