Sister Loretta Bozich (Mary) was born on November 2, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois to a faith-filled couple who had emigrated from Croatia. As a family, they shared simple joys in a simple house with no luxuries but plenty of love and care.
Oldest of 12 Children
As the oldest of 12 children (6 boys and 6 girls), Mary helped in many ways with the younger children. After completing eighth grade, she took a train to the convent in Columbia, Pennsylvania to pursue her vocation. She found it difficult because she knew her mother needed her at home.
Yet, her parents were willing to make the sacrifice. Only a few months after Loretta left for the convent, her mother had another child. Three more children would follow.
Mary grew homesick but her parents encouraged her to stay in the convent.
Words of Strength for a Lifetime
Sister Loretta Bozich drew strength from words spoken by a priest at a conference she attended. The words would stay with her throughout her life.
“He spoke of the spirit of faith, of accepting, as God’s permissive will, the happenings in our daily lives and rising above our difficulties,” she later recalled.
“What a source of peace and moral strength it would provide! I was taken up with it, and the desire to live my life in that manner has stayed with me. Today we would speak of it as living the Paschal Mystery. The source and motivation is the same; the spiritual benefits are manifold!”
Sister Loretta Bozich lived those words throughout her life.
Novice Director
After teaching for 20 years, she was assigned as postulant and novice director.
She served before sweeping changes of the Second Vatican Council would relax the rules and structure of religious life.
Even with the structure and discipline, the postulants and novices loved Loretta and remembered her love and care for them.
Later in life, Loretta hoped the women she helped form as Adorers would realize her strictness was expected in the culture of the time.
Appointed Provincial
In 1965, Loretta was appointed provincial and led the province through the changes that came from the Second Vatican Council.
Loretta was a person of faith who lived the Paschal Mystery all her life. In spite of difficulties, she gave of herself to God through God’s people as she was called to do in obedience to her assignments.
I was one of sister Loretta’s postulants and novices. I remember her with great affection. She was a woman of deep and strong faith, with a deep commitment to the God she loved so deeply and served so well.