Mary celebrated her vows in the Church of the Annunciation, Rathfarnham and the Mass was celebrated by a family friend Fr Michael Maher, msc.

Mary’s Final Commitment – Her Commitment to the World

Mary professed her vows before an International congregation with friends, family and Loreto sisters from different parts of the world having travelled to celebrate this day with her. Mary’s conviction of our God being one God came through in her ceremony with the liturgy including prayers and hymns in different languages and from different religious traditions.

Mary chose to weave the rite of religious profession into the whole of the Eucharistic celebration. Near the beginning of the mass, Mary made her formal request to make her final profession in the IBVM. The celebrant for this mass is a family friend since their time in Jerusalem. In his homily he gave a realistic yet hopeful comment on the church in which we find ourselves today. As in Mary Ward’s time, one needs to be strong in faith, hope and love.

In true Ignatian fashion, Mary professed her vows at communion time. To her, the three vows she professed give her freedom to be available to the world, allow her to be in solidarity with people and help her discern God’s desire for her in her life.

The profession rite came to a close after communion when Mary signed the vows she had just professed, received the ring of commitment and the formal welcome in the Loreto community. The motto Mary chose for her ring is 'Faithful Love and Constancy', may she continue to know God’s love and fidelity everyday for the rest of her life. 

Something about Mary!

I joined the Irish Province of the IBVM in 1994. Joining a religious order wasn't something I had seriously thought about since school in the mid nineteen seventies. Having spent the eighties working and enjoying the buzz, being stretched and making things happen, I found that I was looking for something more from my life

I was feeling increasingly less satisfied with my work. One day I sat back at my desk, looked out the window and thanked God for giving me such a great life. I considered myself to be the luckiest person on earth. Then this thought came through my head that what I have, what I saw God as giving me, wasn't just for myself. I had no idea what that meant and began a journey that led to my joining IBVM.

Since joining Loreto, I have had the opportunity to study the church and theology, to explore our Mary Ward charism as well as my own spirituality. Discernment helps me with my decisions and I value the regular time spent in silent listening and reflection. A lot of my ministry up to now has been with women prisoners and ex-prisoners but recently I changed to the work of school chaplain in Loreto Secondary School, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

I have lived in many parts of the world; these have included the Middle East, the U.S. and Ireland and my life has been enriched by each culture.

I am a bit of an oddity, a religious in a culture that isn't used to us anymore. There is a general sense of alienation from our church. I don't have the answers, I just know, in my heart, that love is not another four letter word. That we need to know love, if we are to engage with God in life to 'have a life', I guess it is about love. About being loved, giving love, knowing love, living love. It is about being alive and living and sharing that Life, in all its moments.