Our Values
All Loreto schools in Australia share the same set of values: freedom, justice, sincerity, verity, and felicity. These values are at the heart of our educational philosophy and shape our identity as a school.
“Women, in time to come, will do much.”
– Mary Ward
Spanning more than 400 years, the Loreto education tradition was first inspired by the foundress of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM), Mary Ward, and established in the Australian context by Mother Gonzaga Barry ibvm in the late 19th Century.
Mary Ward was an inspirational leader, believing passionately that “women, in time to come, will do much” and that a strong education focused on girls and women would create “seekers of truth and doers of justice” to take action to improve the world for others.
Loreto schools encapsulate the beliefs and spirit of Mary Ward in delivering an education which inspires strong, passionate, and confident girls and young women. These characteristics can be seen most clearly in our girls and these traits differentiate us from other schools.
All Loreto schools in Australia share the same set of values which are at the heart of our educational philosophy and shape our identity as a school.
Freedom
Mary Ward’s understanding of freedom flowed from her personal relationship with God and her belief that each one of us, in our ordinary experience of life, has access to God’s loving care. This is the truth that set us free. It is an inner freedom, an acceptance of self, an openness to and with others, and a trust in life.
Justice
Justice, as Mary Ward describes, involves personal integrity based on harmonious relationships with God, with other people, and with the whole of creation. It is expressed in “works of justice”, in active participation in the struggle to bring about such harmony. We are challenged “to be seekers of truth and doers of justice”.
Sincerity
Sincerity is our communication and relationship with others – an essential characteristic of the personal integrity Mary Ward envisaged. Her ideal was that “we should be such as we appear and appear such as we are”.
Verity
Closely linked to sincerity is Mary Ward’s concept of verity. For her it means integrity and truth, particularly the profound truth of who we are and what gives meaning to our lives, a truth that centres fundamentally on the gift of life and mystery of God.
Felicity
Felicity is an attitude of mind, a disposition of the heart which manifests itself in cheerfulness, good humour, joy, happiness, hope, optimism, friendliness, courtesy, positive thinking, inner peace, self-acceptance, and courage.
Register for a College Tour
We encourage you to see how your daughter’s future can take shape at one of our upcoming College Tours where you will see our curriculum in action, tour our historic grounds, and hear from Ms Kylie McCullah, our Principal, on why a girls’ school is the best investment for your daughter.