Frances Mary Teresa Ball facts for kids
Mother Frances Mary Teresa Ball (born in Dublin on January 9, 1794; died May 19, 1861) was a very important Irish nun. She started the Irish branch of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM), which is a group of religious sisters.
Frances Ball's Early Life
Frances Ball was born in Dublin, Ireland, on January 9, 1794. She was the youngest of six children born to John and Mable Clare Bennet Ball. Her father was a wealthy silk weaver.
At this time, it was difficult to be a Catholic in Ireland. Because of this, Frances was sent to England for school when she was nine years old. She attended the Bar Convent in York. This school was run by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM). The IBVM was founded by Mary Ward to give young women a good religious and regular education.
Frances was described as a "bright, quiet, high-spirited girl." Students at her school stayed there for holidays like Easter and Christmas. They lived like religious people until they finished school, usually in their late teens.
In 1807, Frances's oldest sister, Cecilia, became a nun. Frances traveled from Dublin to Cork for the ceremony. There, she met Mary Aikenhead, another important Irish nun. When her father died in 1808, Frances returned to Dublin. People expected her to marry a rich Catholic merchant's son.
However, Frances felt called to a religious life. In June 1814, she went back to York. She joined the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. She trained there and became a nun in September 1816. She took the religious name Mary Teresa.
Founding the Loreto Sisters
In 1821, Archbishop Daniel Murray of Dublin asked Mother Teresa to return to Ireland. He wanted her to start an Irish branch of the IBVM. This new branch would focus on teaching children.
Mother Teresa came back to Dublin with two other nuns. They stayed with the Irish Sisters of Charity while a new house was being prepared. In 1822, she opened the first Loreto school in Ireland. It was in Rathfarnham House, about four miles from Dublin.
Mother Teresa decided to call the house 'Loreto'. This name comes from a village in Italy. People believed that the house where the Holy Family lived in Nazareth was miraculously moved to Loreto, Italy.
Mother Frances was a very religious and skilled leader. She worked hard to open many schools and grow the sisterhood. The Loreto Sisters now have members in many countries. The first new school opened in Navan, County Meath, in 1833. In 1840, the first church in Ireland dedicated to the Sacred Heart was built at Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham. Besides boarding and day schools, the sisters also ran orphanages. Her sister, Anna Maria, helped by giving money to buy the Loreto school on St Stephen's Green.
Loreto Schools Around the World
The nuns started to be called Loreto Sisters. This name came from the shrine at Loreto, Marche in Italy. This was a special place where Mary Ward, the founder of the IBVM, used to pray.
For almost 40 years, Mother Teresa Ball worked to spread the IBVM in Ireland. She also helped establish convents and schools in other countries. These included India, Mauritius, and Canada.
After a long illness, Mother Mary Teresa Ball passed away at Rathfarnham Abbey in May 1861.
