The sisters in Peru empower young women, care for people in vulnerable situations, and fight for human rights through comprehensive education and personal and spiritual development.
The mission in Peru was founded from Spain in October 1981. Seven sisters came and established themselves in Chiclayo, on the northern coast of Peru and in Lámud, Department of Amazonas in the mountains. In Chiclayo they lived in the Retreat House run by the Jesuits and participated in their mission at the service of youth.
The following year Irene (a nurse) began a Health Centre. She is the only one from the first group still living in Peru. In Lámud they worked in education, health care, parish pastoral services which included the training of rural catechists – challenging missions which were very life giving and involved great contact with the local people.
As the years went by other sisters came from Spain, Ireland, Australia and India. Besides, some lay missioners joined us, also contributing to the mission. There was great life, enthusiasm and commitment. Some sisters returned to their country of origin after a time of committed service here. There were also some Peruvian vocations of which only one is with us today. As the years went by other missions were opened and closed, the apostolate covering the same areas more or less, with some variation according to people’s gifts and the needs of the times. An inter cultural identity has always been distinctive of the IBVM mission in Peru.
In 1998 the Peru Mission became a Region and continues as such today. All the nine sisters work now in peripheral areas of Lima – San Martín de Porres, Jicamarca and Huaycán. The apostolate is focused on social justice and the SDGs, be it in the Faith and Joy School, the two Health Centres, the Women’s Centre and/or parish pastoral services, retreats, in prisons, and networking for JPIC/ HT, workshops etc. The members of the Mary Ward Family in each area follow a formation programme in this line, thereby responding to the desire of Mary Ward for women in the future.
In recent years the Peru Region has come closer to the sisters in Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
We are an international multicultural congregation of around 1,800 sisters present in more than 40 countries around the globe. Founded in 1609 by the Venerable Mary Ward, we are a group of unenclosed apostolic religious women, rooted in the Ignatian Spirituality.
We are working in different areas and projects – not out of ourselves, but because we allow ourselves to be sent by God. We form our sisters to be mobile and available, willing to go wherever they are sent. We expect them to strive, like Mary Ward, to have that inner freedom to respond to the call to leave all and follow Christ with passion and compassion.
“Vocation” – a word that tastes of MORE, of what Saint Ignatius of Loyola called “THE MAGIS”: Longing, meaning, fullness of life, a task and the experience of being needed. It sounds like someone who is calling me personally and with whom I can give my life a unique shape.
People all over the world are inspired and enthusiastic about Mary Ward and her way of following Jesus. There are different ways to join our network and become part of the wider Mary Ward Family.
Mary Ward once said: “I listened to God’s deep dream for me and felt a longing to respond.”
In this spirit, we invite you to pray with us. We offer a variety of prayers and material for reflection.
