The idea of establishing a spiritual community of lay people at the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Loretto and the Shrine of Our Lady of Loretto had been maturing for many years. The need for it was recognised by successive boards of the Congregation. Lay people who were friends of the Congregation were looking for the possibility to associate with it. The Loretto Family lived to see its establishment on 10 September 1999 in Loretto – the place where Our Lady of Loretto is especially venerated. During the annual indulgenced feast – on 12 September – 50 people had already enrolled in the community. At present, the Loretto Family has several thousand members scattered all over the world, including Canada, USA, Russia and Ukraine. Among them, they are not only lay people, but also priests and religious sisters from other congregations.
The initiative of the Loretto Family was welcomed and the outline of the statute for it was approved on 21 January 2008 by the Shepherd of the Warsaw-Praga diocese, Archbishop Sławoj Leszek Głódz. Anyone who wants to be a helpmate of Our Lady of Loretto and commits himself to imbue his daily life with the spirit of the Gospel and to spread the kingdom of God – by promoting family life and supporting the truth in the social media in the spirit of Blessed Fr. Kłopotowski – can belong to the Loretto Family.
The essence of the Loretto Family is to consciously cooperate with Our Lady of Loretto by making spiritual sacrifices, combined with prayer for the universal Church, Homeland and Congregation. Each member shares in the spiritual fruits and prayers of the sisters and in the sacrifice of the Mass celebrated monthly for the intention of the entire Loretto Family. There are also monthly night vigils, prayer meetings and retreats when possible.
For further information, please contact:
s. Alojza Hornowska
Loretto 1, 07-202 Wyszków
E-mail: rodzinaloretanska@loretto.pl
Tel: (29) 741 17 87 or 37
