February 27, 2009
Dear Friends,
Anniversaries call for celebrations! You have to admit it—the more years being celebrated, the more excitement is generated. Think of a married couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary or an employee being honored for years of dedicated service. A recovering alcoholic or reformed smoker takes great pride in telling you how many months or years have elapsed since their last drink or final cigarette.
 Anniversaries afford us an opportunity to look back over the years, to rejoice, to give thanks and to celebrate. That’s what we, the Sisters of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, invite you to do. Come, journey with us, as we celebrate our 400th anniversary!
Some of you have already begun the journey. On January 4th, the feast of the Epiphany, our neighbors celebrated Sunday morning liturgy with us at Loretto Convent in Wheaton. Rosemary Lynch, IBVM, introduced them to the three “wise women” who led us on our journey in our earliest days.
On January 18th St. John of the Cross Parish in Western Springs, IL, welcomed the IBVM Sisters, their families and friends to an afternoon prayer service and reception. Over three hundred joyous people gathered to experience “A Celebration of Thanks and Praise.” Pat Murray, IBVM, spoke to the gathered assembly on the topic, “Mary Ward Today: A Call for Bold and Creative Imagining.”
On February 2nd Sister Pat left for Rome to assume her new position as Director of the Southern Sudan Initiative. She will be challenged to use bold and creative imagining in addressing the needs of a people who have been plagued by war, violence and total disrespect for human life. Her project will involve working with teachers, healthcare professionals and pastoral ministers to assess the needs of the people and to set up programs that will address those needs.
Later that same week Loretto High School in Sacramento, California, gathered as a school community to recognize and honor the impact Mary Ward and the IBVM Sisters have had on Loretto High School. Maria Bierer, IBVM, a former teacher and principal opened their eyes to “Celebrating a Dream Fulfilled.” She urged all present, especially the Loretto girls, “to live lives that are creative, daring, dynamic, courageous, committed to justice and serving others for the glory of God.”
Our IBVM Sisters in Phoenix also hosted an anniversary celebration. On January 24th the Sisters, IBVM Associates and teachers from SS Simon & Jude School gathered with Father Mike O’Grady and Pat Murray, IBVM, to honor Mary Ward’s 424th birthday and our 400 years as a religious institute.
 Mary Ward established the first foundation of our Institute in 1609. From humble beginnings we have grown from a tiny community of six young women facing tremendous obstacles to an international religious community of women ministering on six continents in 45 countries throughout the world. One of my favorite paintings from “The Painted Life of Mary Ward” is that of our founder sitting in a semicircle with her five companions. To me it is a circle that is open and welcoming. That speaks to me of our 400 years.
 We in the U.S. Province look to our history with a sense of pride and deep gratitude. Our early beginnings were very difficult and extremely painful. Our founder’s courage and determination laid the groundwork for our presence today. She was a woman of deep faith who believed wholeheartedly in God and God’s presence in her struggle to bring about a new form of religious life. Mary envisioned her Sisters being free from enclosure, eager to serve the needs of the times, focused on ministry to women and children and rooted at all times in God.
As an Institute we have endured throughout the years, strengthened by our God who has promised to be with us always and by you, our loyal family, friends and benefactors. Our founder was imprisoned as a heretic because of her beliefs and strong convictions about a new form of religious life for women. Our Institute was suppressed for many years but the members worked “underground” to continue living out Mary Ward’s dream. There is much to celebrate, but we also realize that there is much “unfinished business” that we must be about.
Mary Ward was passionate about the need to educate children, women and men. You have encouraged us to do that. Our ministry in schools, parishes, literacy centers and pastoral settings must continue. Your donation enables us to reach out to women struggling with homelessness, addictions and the responsibilities of being a single parent. We need you to accompany us on the journey.
As we move forward into our 400th anniversary year, we pray in gratitude to God for you, your continued support and the tremendous blessing you have been to the life of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We pray for your continued health and well being. In the days ahead let us remember the message from our Christmas Gift of Prayer: “A promise was made and continues to be kept…God is with us!”
In gratitude,
Kay Foley, IBVM
Director of Development
(Copyright: The Painted Life, Geistliches Zentrum Maria Ward Augsburg, Foto Tanner, Nesselwang)
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