Becoming One Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary to merge with Congregation of Jesus
14 October 2025
On 4 November 2025 the promise of Mary Ward’s vision for an Apostolic Order of Women
Religious stands to be fulfilled with a historic merger, whence the two branches of her
followers - the Congregation of Jesus, and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM),
known worldwide as the Loreto Sisters, will emerge as one. 580 IBVM sisters will merge
with the Congregation of Jesus, 1300 sisters, to make a total of 1880 CJ sisters.
From the very beginning, Mary Ward’s desire was for a unified Institute, but circumstances
dictated otherwise. Severely affected by political turmoil, prevailing societal norms, and
religious intolerance and diktats, by the middle years of the nineteenth century, the Institute
had grown into a world-wide organization of several thousand members, but was by no
means a unified, juridical entity.
However, progressive efforts at unification resulted in gradual consolidation of Mary Ward
branches, and by the early years of the 21st century there were two world-wide branches of
the Mary Ward sisters - the Roman and Irish. Both had as their law the Ignatian
Constitutions, and both had their Generalates in Rome. The time was ripe for the last step in
unification.
On June 9, 2019, Sister Noelle Corscadden, Superior General of the Irish Branch, and Sister
Jane Livesey of the Roman Branch, wrote to both branches stating that both leadership teams
were filled with a growing conviction to examine the possibility of Union. On December 8,
2020, members were informed that the Union of the two branches would be achieved through
a fusion/merger of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Congregation of Jesus.
And in October 2022, the petition for merger was ratified, and the leadership teams of the
IBVM and CJ were charged with the responsibility of guiding the Institute founded by Mary
Ward in 1609, into one true Union of hearts and minds.
It is worth mentioning here that the name “Loreto Sisters” will stand forever and Loreto
school names will not change. Province ministries will continue uninterrupted, and offices
will continue as before.
The journey towards Union has been simultaneously challenging and rewarding. May the
efforts of generations of Mary Ward sisters bear fruit in the move to Become One.
Dr. Nilina Deb Lal
Archivist, Loreto House Education Society