Respected Loreto Ministries Board Chair, Peter Garling Resigns

Loreto Australia and South East Asia Province Leader, Sr Wendy Hildebrand ibvm has announced the resignation of the Loreto Ministries Board Chair, Peter Garling. For the past 17 years Peter has provided outstanding leadership in strengthening the Loreto education mission and will remain a valued member of our Mary Ward circle of friends.

Statement from the Loreto Australia and South East Asia Province Leader, Sr Wendy Hildebrand ibvm:

It is with both sadness and gratitude that I announce the resignation of Peter Garling as Chair of the Loreto Ministries Board.  Peter has played an active role in the Loreto education mission from 2002 and been Chair of LML for four years. Having successfully led the initial stages of LML development, Peter believes it is time to step down from this significant role and make way for the next stage of growth in LML.

Over these seventeen years of involvement in Loreto education, Peter held a number of roles including: Member Loreto Kirribilli School Council 2002 and appointed Chair  Kirribilli School Board  2004 – 2010,  a member of the Loreto Educational Council (2012 -2015) and Chair Loreto Ministries Board (October 2015 – December 2019).  

At a national level, the establishment of a formal governance body to oversee the Loreto Education mission began with the Loreto Education Board (LEB) which evolved into the Loreto Education Council (LEC) and this in turn became Loreto Ministries (LML). Peter played a key role in the development and operation of both the LEC and LML and his leadership has been critical in ensuring effective and values- based governance and stewardship. As inaugural Chair of LML, Peter made an extraordinary contribution – his vision, his unwavering commitment to the Loreto charism, his capacity to balance the needs of diverse stakeholders and his understanding of good governance set LML on a firm foundation and a path of growth throughtimes of significant change and transition both within the Loreto network and the wider educational and church landscape.

On a personal note, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Peter for these years of service and to say how much I have valued his support, leadership, generosity and wise counsel. I have greatly appreciated and enjoyed working with him and I know that this appreciation is shared by the members of the Province Council and by the Sisters, LML Board members, school boards and staff alike.

Peter will be greatly missed from LML but remains a valued member of our Mary Ward circle of friends.  He leaves LML and the Loreto education mission in a very strong position for the future and we  thank him sincerely for his vision, leadership and contributions.

Kind Regards,

Wendy Hildebrand ibvm

Feature Image: Loreto Ministries Board Chair, Peter Garling speaking at the 2019 Loreto Boards’ Colloquium.