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A letter from Loretto President Barbara Nicholas SL

Posted on September 18, 2024, by Barbara Nicholas SL

Head shot of Sr. Barbara Nicholas taken outside on a sunny day.

Dear Reader,
Is this how it is with you? We are entering the season when nature’s way is to let the sap recede. That takes energy, of course, but a restful energy. In actuality, we are gearing up in so many ways. This issue of Loretto Magazine brings forward some of the many ways that we continue to work for justice and act for peace as the Gospel urges us.

Near the conclusion of the Loretto Assembly (July 5-10), I took the opportunity to lead us in the Rite of Missioning, a practice that acknowledges the gift that each one of us brings to the reality of being Loretto, wherever we find ourselves, day by day. Being missioned means being sent from the Assembly to continue our Loretto lives, blessed to do good works.

Having just completed the process of electing new leaders for the Sisters of Loretto and Loretto Community, I invited president-elect Mary E. “Buffy” Boesen SL to join me as we spoke these words to those present, those on Zoom and to all sisters and co-members:

“It is our privilege and responsibility in the name of the whole Loretto Community to mission you with grace, to send you forth to embrace your particular work of mercy, charity, justice and love in a spirit of informed openness to the deep needs facing us in the church, in our countries — the U.S. and Pakistan — on Earth, in our Cosmos. This is fruitful mission where we meet the Spirit of God, not bound, but revealed in the lives of everyone.”

In the months ahead, you will become acquainted with Buffy and the newly-elected leadership team. It has been an honor and privilege to have served as Loretto’s president, to have become acquainted with many of you, to have received your generous blessings of time, and service, prayer and most generous contributions to Loretto. I am forever grateful!

And now, let’s gear up, enjoy and be inspired by the Loretto lives featured in this Loretto Magazine.

With love,

Barbara Nicholas SL
President of Loretto

To read all the articles in the Fall 2024 issue of Loretto Magazine, click here.

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Barbara Nicholas SL

Barbara has been a Sister of Loretto since 1961. For 37 years, her professional career was as a registered nurse in Oncology at Baptist Health Louisville where she served as "bedside nurse," cancer program coordinator and community educator in cancer prevention and early detection. Currently, she is President of the Sisters of Loretto and Loretto Community. Barbara resides in Louisville.