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The Remarkable Mary Ward

Mary Ward was an amazing woman whose vision for an active religious community of women was realized in the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary–the BVM sisters.  She modeled the BVMs on the Jesuits.   I was one of the horde of boomer Catholic children whom they taught in the Midwest in the post-war years.

Tim Muldoon wrote about Mary Ward a few years ago.  Lisa Kelly has an appreciation  here.

Jim Manney
Jim Manneyhttps://www.jimmanneybooks.com/
Jim Manney is the author of highly praised popular books on Ignatian spirituality, including A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer (about the Daily Examen) and God Finds Us (about the Spiritual Exercises). He is the compiler/editor of An Ignatian Book of Days. His latest book is What Matters Most and Why. He and his wife live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

5 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks for the reply. Theese communities with similar intials have a joke among themselves that goes like this:
    The BVMs….the regular, plain version
    The IBVMs….the Improved BVMs
    The PBVMs…the Perfected BVMs. (Sisters of the Presentation of the BVM)
    So much for light hearted trivia. Take care.

  2. Neil — You are correct. My mistake: the IBVMs and BVMs are two separate groups. The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) were founded by Mary Frances Clarke in the 19th century. Mary Ward founded the Sisters of Loreto (IBVM) in the early seventeenth century.

    • It’s worth noting, by the way, that both the IBVM’s and the BVM’s (of which my mother’s sister is a member! Hi Aunt Mary!) have been influenced by the Ignatian tradition.

  3. I’m a bit confused here. I thought the initials for the Institute Mary Ward founded (The Sisters of Loretto) are IBVM, while the initials for the Institute Mary Frances Clarke founded (the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary) are BVM. Would you check that out? Thanks.

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