Mary Ward For Saint!

Help us with our cause to have the trailblazer Yorkshire woman Mary Ward (1585–1645) declared a Saint by the Catholic Church. 

Mary Ward lived and worked for the good of the Church and for the dignity of women. She was a pioneer, a force of nature and a committed woman of faith despite the opposition she faced throughout her life.

She is the foundress of the Congregation of Jesus. They reside at the Bar Convent in York which is the oldest living convent in the UK and the home of her historic legacy. The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM Loreto), a sister Congregation founded from York, also counts Mary Ward as founder. 

Today Mary Ward’s vision of equality in education for women and access to apostolic ministry for religious sisters beyond the monastic enclosure, is thriving in 42 countries across five continents. She has hundreds of thousands of followers worldwide. There are now more than 200 schools in her name that have educated around 3 million children between them. 

Support for and belief in Mary Ward has not waned in over 400 years and her beatification and canonisation by the Church is long overdue.

This recognition by the Church would provide the women of our time with a fine example of the Church's willingness to promote the dignity of women in a world which badly needs such witness.

For Mary Ward’s followers worldwide, recognition by the Church would validate the belief that Mary Ward is a Saint for the modern world; she is needed as much by our 21st century world as she was in those dark days of opposition to women in the 17th century.

As part of our campaign, we need to collect evidence that Mary Ward and her vision remains relevant today. Please help us by signing, sharing and helping to spread the word of Mary Ward’s life work which her followers believe warrants recognition by the Church today.

You can also join the campaign online using #MaryWardForSaint.