BECOMING ONE

As Mary Ward’s vision of apostolic life for women on the Jesuit model was not accepted for centuries, we did not have an official name for many years, being known as ‘English Ladies’ or, by our enemies, ‘Galloping Girls’ or ‘Jesuitesses’.  When we gained recognition in the C19th we took the name Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary and kept that name for over 100 years.  This name is still held by the Loreto Sisters, who share Mary Ward as their foundress.  Mary Ward believed that God’s desire was for us to be called by the name of Jesus.  When we were granted the full Jesuit Constitutions in 2004, as she had always dreamed, we took the name Mary Ward had wished to give us.