Sister Loretta Schafer, S.P., (April 17, 1917 – February 19, 1998) was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1976 to 1981. In 1977, she worked with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop and construct the Maryvale Retirement Complex at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.[2]

Sister Loretta Schafer, S.P.
Sister Loretta Schafer
Born(1917-04-17)April 17, 1917
DiedFebruary 19, 1998(1998-02-19) (aged 80)[1]
Burial placeSisters of Providence Convent Cemetery, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Nationality United States
TitleGeneral Superior of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
PredecessorMother Mary Pius Regnier, S.P.
SuccessorSister Anne Doherty, S.P.

Schafer served as Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the first woman to serve in this position.

In 1978, she sold Chicago's Providence St. Mel School, which had been property of the Sisters of Providence, to principal Paul Adams after the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew financial support. The story of the community's rallying spirit to keep the school open gained national attention and press, including a Reader's Digest article "A School That Wouldn't Die".

References

edit
  1. ^ "Sr Loretta M Schafer". Find a Grave. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Maryvale board approves step toward building". Terre Haute Saturday Spectator. 9 December 1978. Retrieved 6 November 2014 – via Find My Past.
  • Logan, Eugenia (1978). History of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods: Volume II. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana: Sisters of Providence.
Catholic Church titles
Preceded by General Superior of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
1976 - 1981
Succeeded by