Mary Ward International Australia

Mary Ward International Australia We work with women from all backgrounds to provide the essential building blocks for their growth. Because strong women equal strong communities 🌏

Strong women equal strong communities. We are inspired by Mary Ward to work towards equal education and employment opportunities for women and girls across the globe, transforming communities and creating a just and equitable society. By investing in the power of women, we are supporting communities in their efforts to lift themselves out of poverty and contribute to a more just and equitable society. To learn more about Mary Ward International, visit www.maryward.org.au

Mary Ward International is pleased to announce the appointment of Sr Natalie Houlihan CJ to our Board.Sr Natalie brings ...
17/09/2026

Mary Ward International is pleased to announce the appointment of Sr Natalie Houlihan CJ to our Board.

Sr Natalie brings deep experience in leadership, education, and mission across the global Mary Ward family.

She has served on the Province Council in Australia and on the Institute Leadership Team in Rome, where she helped guide the journey that brought the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Congregation of Jesus together as one united congregation.

Her ministry has also taken her across the world, including eight years living and working in Timor-Leste and time spent teaching in South Africa.

Grounded in Ignatian spirituality and the vision of Mary Ward, Sr Natalie brings a deep commitment to accompaniment, connection across cultures, and responding to the needs of communities with courage, compassion, and hope.

We warmly welcome Sr Natalie to the Mary Ward International Board.

Over 400 years ago, Mary Ward imagined a different future.Born in England in 1585, Mary Ward lived at a time when women’...
15/09/2026

Over 400 years ago, Mary Ward imagined a different future.

Born in England in 1585, Mary Ward lived at a time when women’s lives were tightly restricted, and their roles in the Church and society were limited. Yet she believed women were called to serve with freedom, courage, and purpose.

Mary Ward was inspired by her deep relationship with Jesus, who taught us, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Giving her life to Christ, she came to defend the rights of all to compassion, solidarity and dignity, especially women.

She founded a community of women who would serve God in the world through education, justice, and care for those most in need. Her vision was bold for its time. She believed women should be educated. She believed women could lead. She believed in a more just world, where dignity, freedom, and opportunity were not reserved for some, but shared by all.

“Women in time to come will do much”- Mary Ward.

From Mary Ward’s vision grew a global tradition of faith, education, and service. Over time, this tradition was carried forward through the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Congregation of Jesus, two branches of the same Mary Ward family.

The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary became widely known as the Loreto Sisters, a name now deeply associated with education and service around the world. Through Loreto schools, ministries, and community partnerships, Mary Ward’s belief in the capacity of women and the power of education has continued across generations.

Today, the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Congregation of Jesus are united as one congregation, the Congregation of Jesus. This unity strengthens the Mary Ward mission worldwide, bringing together Sisters, schools, ministries, partners, and communities shaped by the same charism.

For Mary Ward International, this story is not only history. It is the foundation of our work today. We continue Mary Ward’s call to faith in action by walking alongside women, children, and communities through education, justice, and locally led change.

Our work connects people across countries, cultures, and contexts.⁠⁠Communities lead change from within, knowing their n...
09/09/2026

Our work connects people across countries, cultures, and contexts.⁠
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Communities lead change from within, knowing their needs, strengths, and priorities best. Sisters and partners build trusted relationships and provide local insight and practical guidance. Schools, donors, and volunteers help sustain this work through advocacy, funding, and long-term support.⁠
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Across the network, projects are not isolated. They are connected by a shared commitment to education, equality, and justice in action.⁠
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This is how change is carried forward: through listening, trust, and the leadership of those who know their communities best.⁠
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In Kibera, Kenya, women are building practical skills, confidence, and pathways to income through the Street MBA program...
07/09/2026

In Kibera, Kenya, women are building practical skills, confidence, and pathways to income through the Street MBA program.

In 2025, the program supported 72 women across three training streams: building and construction, business, and cookery and housekeeping.

The results were significant. 84.2% of participants started or strengthened a business, or accessed employment as a result of the program.

All graduates from the construction training secured jobs, with women stepping into spaces traditionally closed to them.

When women gain skills and economic independence, families and communities grow stronger.

Mary Ward International remembers Sr Anne Byrne CJ with deep gratitude.Sr Anne was a generous supporter of our work and ...
04/09/2026

Mary Ward International remembers Sr Anne Byrne CJ with deep gratitude.

Sr Anne was a generous supporter of our work and a faithful friend to communities in Timor-Leste, particularly in the early years of Loreto’s presence there.

Her life reflected a quiet and steadfast commitment to service. Through education, music, creativity, and care for others, Sr Anne shared her gifts with humility and purpose.

We give thanks for her friendship, her generosity, and the many ways she supported the mission of Mary Ward International.

May she rest in peace.

As we celebrate Happy Week at Loreto Toorak, our Captains of School, Zara and Amelia, invite our entire community to uni...
03/09/2026

As we celebrate Happy Week at Loreto Toorak, our Captains of School, Zara and Amelia, invite our entire community to unite in support of Mary Ward International.

This year, all funds raised through our Feast Day fete and wristband purchases will directly benefit the Human Rights in India project. Through vital initiatives such as Landing Pad, Bringing Light to the Sundarbans, and Barefoot Lawyers, our students are helping empower women and girls with essential resources, education, and dignity.

Families can purchase student wristbands for thirty-five dollars via TryBooking, with every dollar contributing to our fundraising tally. We also welcome any additional donations to further support this transformative work. Link in bio.

Thank you for your continued generosity and commitment to the values that define Loreto Toorak.💙

We are very pleased to share that Mary Ward International’s 12-hour appeal for children in South Sudan raised just over ...
03/09/2026

We are very pleased to share that Mary Ward International’s 12-hour appeal for children in South Sudan raised just over $58,000, exceeding the $57,600 needed to support this important work.⁠
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With a generous donor matching donations up to $25,000, our community came together in just 12 hours to make it possible.⁠
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The funds raised will support the Loreto Mary Ward Primary Health Care Centre and the healthcare workers who travel to remote communities around Rumbek to deliver life-saving vaccinations and essential healthcare to children and families.⁠
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To everyone who donated, shared our appeal, or helped spread the word, thank you.⁠
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Your generosity will help ensure more children can receive the healthcare they need.⁠
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There is just one hour left to support Mary Ward International’s 12-hour appeal for children in Rumbek, South Sudan.Thro...
20/08/2026

There is just one hour left to support Mary Ward International’s 12-hour appeal for children in Rumbek, South Sudan.

Through our partnership with Loreto Rumbek, healthcare workers travel directly to remote villages to deliver life-saving vaccinations and essential care to children who might otherwise miss out.

Just $20 can help deliver an essential vaccination to one child.

And until the appeal closes, every dollar donated will be matched, up to $25,000.

If you have been thinking about giving, this is your last chance to make your donation count.

Help us make this final hour count.

Donate now: mwia.org.au/urgent-appeal/

There are only a few hours left to help protect a child in South Sudan.In the remote communities of Rumbek, distance, fo...
20/08/2026

There are only a few hours left to help protect a child in South Sudan.

In the remote communities of Rumbek, distance, food insecurity, and limited access to medical services can mean children miss out on essential healthcare during the most critical years of their lives.

Through Mary Ward International’s partnership with Loreto Rumbek, healthcare workers travel directly to remote villages to deliver life-saving vaccinations, monitor children’s health, provide nutrition support, and give mothers practical advice to help their children thrive.

While vaccines are provided by the World Health Organization, trained healthcare workers are still needed to reach these communities and deliver them.

Just $20 can help deliver an essential, life-saving vaccination to one child.

For the remaining hours of our appeal, every dollar donated will also be matched, up to $25,000.

You still have time to make a difference.

Donate now: mwia.org.au/urgent-appeal/

We’re halfway through Mary Ward International’s 12-hour appeal, and there is still time to help protect children in Rumb...
20/08/2026

We’re halfway through Mary Ward International’s 12-hour appeal, and there is still time to help protect children in Rumbek, South Sudan.

Just $20 can help deliver an essential, life-saving vaccination to one child, connecting them with a healthcare worker who can also monitor their growth and development and identify health concerns early.

And today, every dollar you donate will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $25,000.

Thank you to everyone who has already supported the appeal. If you haven’t yet, there are just six hours left to have your donation doubled.

Donate now: mwia.org.au/urgent-appeal/

Address

Level 4/117 Camberwell Road
Hawthorn East, VIC
3124

Telephone

+61388320411

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