2026 Jubilarian Celebrating 60 Years
After graduating from high school, Loretta completed a two-year business program at Moravian College. She worked first at Bethlehem Steel, and later moved to California, where she served as a secretary for a large firm. Though she excelled in her work, Loretta sensed that God was gently inviting her toward something more. A retreat experience opened her heart in a new way, and through the guidance of Sister Mary Jude, she was introduced to the Missionary Cenacle Apostolate. Loretta entered the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity on August 5, 1966, trusting that God would lead her where she was need the most.
Her early years of mission took her into the field of social work. In 1970 she began serving at Catholic Social Services in Birmingham, Alabama, and continued this ministry in Long Beach, Mississippi and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. These experiences deepened her compassion for families and individuals facing hardship, and strengthened her desire to serve the Church more directly.
Feeling drawn to parish ministry, Loretta pursued further education and earned her Master’s Degree in Religious Education from Boston College in 1983. She went on to serve in New England and Raleigh, North Carolina, where she discovered a deep joy in Adult Education. Her ministry later extended to Dublin, Georgia, and Newark, New Jersey, always marked by her gentle presence, her love for teaching, and her ability to accompany people in their faith journey.
Loretta had the pleasure of serving as a Pastoral Associate in New Mexico. She often spoke of how wonderful the people were and how deeply she cherished her time among them. The ministry required her to travel long distances- sometimes 25 to 50 miles between Sunday Masses- yet she embraced the journey with generosity and joy. She also served in an Apache parish and was welcomed into the tribal celebration, where she joined in the cultural dances with great delight. These experiences broadened her heart and deepened her appreciation for the beauty of diverse cultures within the Church.
Throughout her years of service, Loretta returned several times to the Motherhouse, offering intracommunity support to the Sisters and assisting in Fund Development. In 2008 she was assigned, once again, to the Motherhouse, where she found a local parish in need of volunteers. She offered Communion Services to parishioners who could not attend Mass, a ministry that touched her deeply. She shared, “Seeing the people light up since they were unable to attend Mass. I also enjoyed the comradery for those who took part in the Communion Service.”
For sixty years, Sister Loretta has lived her vocation with humility, dedication, and a tender love for God’s people. Her life continues to reflect the Missionary Cenacle Spirit- to preserve the Faith, to serve those most in need, and to bring the light of Christ wherever it is most needed.