Mission and Identity

From the Mission and Identity Team

The Heart of Student Formation

At the core of our Loreto mission is the formation of young people who are compassionate, reflective, and committed to making a difference in the world. 

Student formation is not just about academic growth; it is about nurturing the whole person - mind, heart, and spirit. At Loreto, this formation is developed through meaningful experiences in liturgy, reflection days, and social justice initiatives.

Through liturgy, our students encounter the rich traditions and spiritual depth of our Catholic faith, drawing strength and inspiration for their daily lives. Retreats and Reflection days provide the space to pause, step away from routine, and consider life’s bigger questions, encouraging personal insight and growth. Our commitment to social justice empowers students to live out the Gospel call to serve, standing in solidarity with those in need and working towards a more just and compassionate world.

Already this term our students have taken part in our whole school mass celebrating our Loreto Heritage Day, Year 11 have celebrated Mary MacKillops Feast Day through their chapel mass and our Year 3s led a beautiful mass remembering the Assumption of our Lady, the oldest feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Our Year 12 Student have spent their final ‘overnight’ together on their retreat, a time spent reflecting on the person they have been shaped to be through their Loreto education. 

Together, all of these experiences shape our students into young women who are grounded in values, open to encounter, and ready to lead with integrity and purpose.

Announcing Mission Day 2025

 It is with great excitement that our student leaders announce the theme for Mission Day 2025 to be ‘Verity Villains and Heroes’! Each year Mission Day is a highlight of the school calendar, with students busily preparing fundraising stalls and costumes. Mission Day highlights the work of Mary Ward International and the tremendous work that they do to support communities in Australia and worldwide.  Last December we were lucky enough to visit the Loreto sisters in Vietnam and to see the life changing work that they do in the community.  You can access the online link here: https://mwia.org.au/mwia-news/latest-sustain-magazine-is-out-now/

• On page 12 – 13, you will see a feature on Loreto Vietnam’s Vinh Loc Learning Program which we will visit with 18 of our Year 11 and Year 12 girls in December.

Martina O’Connell 

Assistant Principal Mission & Identity 

Year 12 Retreat – Called to Live the Just Soul Today 

In the final year of their Loreto journey, our Year 12 students gathered at the beautiful Nunyara Conference Centre in Belair for their retreat, centred on the theme ‘Called to Live the Just Soul Today’. Inspired by Mary Ward’s belief that “Women should and can provide something more than ordinary” (1605), the retreat invited students into reflection, connection, and spiritual growth.

The word Nunyara, meaning “restored to health” in the Barngarla language, offered a fitting setting for the days of stillness, prayer, and community building. Through Acknowledgement of Country and reflection on the Kaurna people’s deep connection to Piradli (Belair), students were reminded of the importance of reconciliation and respect for all. Sessions explored Mary Ward’s values of freedom, justice, sincerity, verity and felicity, with activities such as journalling, sacred space creation, affirmation sharing, and gratitude letters. Students were encouraged to reflect deeply on their personal faith, relationships, and life direction. Guest speakers, Old Scholars Emma (Fitzgerald, class of 1998) Howison and Emma (Rollo, class of 2005) Radbone, inspired the participants with their witness to living lives of integrity beyond Loreto.

Creative activities, from mandala-covered journals to contemplative bracelets, allowed students to express their reflections in personal and meaningful ways. Guided prayer, labyrinth walks, and shared liturgies deepened the sense of unity and purpose; while they left their mark on our community with their interpretation of Gonzaga Barry’s “a row of goodly pearls”.

As the retreat concluded, students carried with them renewed clarity about how they might live as “seekers of truth and doers of justice,” embracing the challenge to offer the world something more than ordinary.

Nancy Rodi

Learning Leader Religious Education