In Loving Memory...

Sister M. Loretto, CSC
(Mary Margaret Conway)
Birth: March 18, 1901
Profession: August 15, 1928
Death: February 18, 2004

Always a lady, always playing the role of “Martha,” from teaching second grade in 1932 to being responsible for the Saint Angela Business Office in 1993, Sister Loretto never seemed to tire. Holy Cross was her life wherever and whatever she was assigned to do. Mary Margaret Conway was born in Saint Joseph, Missouri, on March 18, 1901, to Maurice Conway and Mary Tracey. She was the third of six children. Educated by the Religious of the Sacred Heart in grades 1-12, Mary then took a secretarial position with the Chamber of Commerce. While there, she enjoyed flights over Saint Joseph in those days of open planes, as her employer was instrumental in bringing the first dawn-to-dusk transcontinental air flights in the United States. And so Loretto was a real pioneer from her earliest years.

Her sister Catherine (Sister Mauricita) had entered the community in January 1925 and in May of that same year, Mary came to visit her. She liked what she saw and in July she returned to enter Holy Cross. In her own words, “…but not before spending my last pennies on fireworks which Catherine and I and others from St. Joe took down to what is now Our Lady of Peace, and celebrated with a few bangs.”

Her missions were many and varied. From 1932 to 1945 she was the secretary and treasurer of the Eastern Province under Mother Bettina, Mother Rose Elizabeth and Mother Constantine. She was made superior of Dunbarton College in 1945, and Saint Mary’s College in 1957, when Sister Madeleva was president.

She was appointed provincial of the Eastern Province in 1962 and elected provincial of the Western Province. At the completion of her years as provincial, she supervised the planning, construction and furnishing of the present Saint Angela Hall. Daily visits were made to the site so that everything would be “just so” for the sisters. She was also superior at Cardinal Cushing College and supervised the sale of the property and equipment when the college closed.

In 1979 Sister Loretto came to Saint Angela Hall where she was responsible for the business office, management of the kitchen and many other day-to-day duties.

In her words, “…through all these many years of my religious life, I have enjoyed the goodness, support, care and companionship of many wonderful friends.” From her earliest years in the community, Sister Loretto was vitally involved and interested in what was “going on” in religious life, Holy Cross and the world. Sister formation, renewal, personal development and cultural and academic education of the sisters took top priority. She held double summer school sessions and was instrumental in the elementary teachers getting their degrees.

“I am a happy, cheerful, friendly and helpful person and a good listener,” she wrote. “I like to read, hear and tell stories about the great women of Holy Cross. And now in my 99th year there is time to be fully alive, to enjoy the blessings of creation. We have a beautiful campus here. Our windows look out on the daily changing skies, trees, flowers, birds, squirrels and an occasional cat or dog. We can watch the children come and go from the nearby schools, conducted by our sisters, and can hear the traffic speed along Strathmore Avenue. All this keeps us young at heart, in touch with life, nature and humanity.”

One only has to look at the beauty and splendor of the grounds at Saint Angela’s to realize her great love for God in creation, most especially the trees. Sister Loretto took great delight in sharing this love of nature with others. She graciously took any visitor or relative on grand tours of the house and grounds, explaining the history of each.

Being true to her life, she responded generously with her leadership abilities and energies. And now again, she has responded to her creator’s call: “Come my love, my dove, my beautiful one.”

Written by Sister Mary Ellen McGlynn, CSC

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Cross Ministry With the Poor Fund, Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556.