Portmarnock Community School and the Loreto Sisters

Mary Ward Week

2012

Mary Ward and Portmarnock Community School

What is the connection?

The Loreto Sisters are Trustees of Portmarnock Community School along with County Dublin VEC and the Archbishop of Dublin

Trustees have many responsibilities including ‘ethos’

Ethos – the distinctive spirit of a group

Freedom, Justice, Sincerity, Joy

Who was Mary Ward?

An English-woman Born 1585 Died 1645 From a Catholic family of great faith Lived during turbulent times for Catholics in

England as the Reformation took place

Mary Ward

Had several offers of marriage Felt ‘drawn by another’ way of religious-life

involving women and education Gathered together a group of women of like

mind Women of Faith

“Women in time to come, will do much”

Nuns – women who dedicated their lives to God

Nuns different for their time

Mary Ward wanted her ‘sisters’ to educate the daughters of the rich who in turn would use their education to help the poor

She did not want her sisters enclosed or wearing religious dress

This difference was not appreciated by the Catholic Church of the time

Mary Ward and was imprisoned for constantly challenging the hierarchical church

She was not appreciated for encouraging women to think for themselves

1609

She moved to France in 1609 where she got an opportunity to open the first school

It was a school of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The school was in St. Omer , just across the English Channel

1609 - 2012

We celebrate 403 years of education in the tradition of Mary Ward this year

Ireland:

18 Secondary Schools 7 Primary / Junior Schools

5 Community Schools (as Trustees)

Freedom, Justice, Sincerity, Joy

Your first day

Student Council

Freedom

We pray for Freedom

Lord, we pray that in the true spirit of Mary Ward each one of us may have the desire to be men and women of freedom – a freedom that will help us to think for ourselves as individuals with the courage to stand on our own two feet.

Justice

We pray for Justice

Lord, we pray that the opportunities we continue to receive through our education here in Portmarnock may make us men and women who act in a spirit of justice and good living

Sincerity

We pray for Sincerity

“Be as you appear to be and appear to be as you are” was one of Mary Ward’s sayings. We pray that we may live lives of sincerity in all that we say and do as teachers and students.

Joy

We pray for Joy

We pray that as we unite with Loreto schools around the world this week that we may experience a sense of joy in being part of the Mary Ward tradition in Portmarnock Community School.