Global Sisters Report

With storms affecting Bangladeshis, Catholic nuns offer shelter, support

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(Global Sisters Report. Sumon Corraya).

After the severe cyclonic storm Remal made landfall in Bangladesh, May 26-27, more than a dozen people died, with the heavy rain and strong winds affecting about 3.7 million. During this natural disaster — as well as another severe storm that struck in April — the Congregation of Our Lady of the Missions Sisters arranged shelter and provided food in their school for people in the southern Bangladeshi village of Bagerhat, one of the areas most prone to such calamities. “For three days, my wife and I, along with our two children, took shelter at St. Joseph’s Primary School in Basabari, Bagerhat. The nuns and priests welcomed us warmly,” said Raton Banerjee, a 48-year-old cobbler and member of Our Lady of Fatima Church, Bagerhat. Like Banerjee, more than 400 Catholics took shelter in the nuns’ school in Bagerhat due to flash floods that affected their homes. The monthly income for people in this area is typically less than $100 USD.

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New media-training project empowers Kenya’s sisters to tell their own stories

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(Global Sisters Report. Doreen Ajiambo).

Dozens of religious sisters under the Association of Sisterhoods of Kenya (or AOSK) gathered on June 14 at the Radix Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, for the official launch of the Communication Network for Catholic Sisters. The project, CNCS, empowers sisters working in their ministries to tell their own stories through media such as print, broadcast and digital. Sponsored by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative, the project organized a two-day workshop before the launch to train 13 sisters who are already involved in communication and media. After completing the program, they can also teach other sisters to tell their own stories as well. Sr. Jane Wakahiu of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi lauded the project, saying it’s important to religious sisters in their evangelization, especially in an age where media plays a vital role in shaping public opinion and influencing people’s lives.

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Sisters attend Hilton convening in Zambia to network, share best practices

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(Global Sisters Report. Doreen Ajiambo).

More than 118 partners, the majority of them religious sisters from more than 15 countries worldwide, convened in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, May 29-31 in a gathering organized by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The convening allowed partners to continue networking, collaborating and learning from each other by sharing experiences and ideas to improve their various ministries. These include providing care to the vulnerable, educating children, spiritual ministries, fostering peace, and advocating for justice for those facing oppression. The convening theme was “Embracing a Shared Vision,” which is impact, learning and collaboration in service of the common good. Sr. Jane Wakahiu, a member of the Little Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, said the gathering also deepened partners’ understanding and practice of synodality, which is journeying together as the people of God. Synodality reminded partners that through the work of the Holy Spirit in each of them, they can work together to achieve their shared mission of helping humanity. “The convening’s goals [are] to work together, engage with each other and create a network and new connections,” said Wakahiu, who is the associate vice president of program operations and head of the Catholic Sisters Initiative at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

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Women bishops: An alternative pathway to church leadership and ministry

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(Global Sisters Report. Nameeta Renu).

Who is not familiar with the problem of male clericalism in the Catholic Church!? It is repeatedly mentioned by Pope Francis and never missed in any document that reflects the sensus fidelium. In fact, it has become a big challenge for formators in seminaries. An increasing number of feminists, especially those in consecrated life, do not seem to wholeheartedly support the possibility of the diaconate being extended to women in today’s church and world. They fear that women deacons would end up becoming the handmaids of priests. Even if they were allowed to preach, their homilies would be censored by some male authority. They would not have the final say in major decision-making processes in the church. On the other hand, I do not like the idea of doubling the problem of clericalism, which I think would be very likely if women became part of the same power system. I have personally experienced a lot of it, especially among women lay leaders (including feminists) who want to continue in their roles/positions at any cost, thus depriving newer persons of opportunities to serve. This is a known issue in India as women are the majority among lay leaders and have the potential to become deacons. So, the consequences of so many permanent deacons residing and serving permanently in the same parish are imaginable in the long run. This could probably be avoided if consecrated women who are accustomed to transfers became deacons, though.

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Sisters throughout Africa make pilgrimage to shrine for martyrs in Uganda

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(Global Sisters Report. Doreen Ajiambo).

Hundreds of religious sisters in Uganda and across other African countries are among hundreds of thousands of Christian pilgrims on their journey of faith to the Uganda Martyrs Shrine of Namugongo in Kampala, the country’s capital, ahead of Uganda’s Martyrs Day celebrations on June 3. Millions of pilgrims from around the world flock to the shrine every year on June 3 to honor the 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican martyrs killed on the orders of Kabaka Mwanga II, then King of Buganda Kingdom, between 1885 and 1887. Mwanga II, who wanted to wipe Christianity out of Buganda, murdered these Christians because they refused to renounce their faith. The Catholic sisters and other pilgrims are making stopovers along their journey at various parishes for devotions, rest and exercise sessions. The sisters are using the event to pray for themselves, their families, friends and even for their countries.

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Benedictine sisters denounce remarks by NFL’s Butker.

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(Global Sisters Report. Rhina Guidos).

The Benedictine sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, who co-founded and co-sponsor Benedictine College, have joined the chorus of voices denouncing remarks made by commencement speaker Harrison Butker. Butker, the kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs football team, gave the commencement address May 11 as 485 students graduated from the liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas. He started a firestorm of controversy after he said the women graduating should aim not for careers and success, but to be mothers and homemakers.

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Sisters play a vital role in educating Muslim Bihari refugees in Bangladesh

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(Global Sisters Report).

Mohammad Rabbi Ali, 25, lives with his family in the Bihari Refugee Camp in the Mohammadpur area of ​​the capital Dhaka, Bangladesh. Eight members of their family live in a room of 8 feet by 10 feet. His dream is to one day work in Bangladesh Civil Service and live happily with his family. “Since I was about 16 years old, I have been supporting my expenses and part of my family’s expenses in addition to my studies, which is a great joy and satisfaction for me,” said Ali.

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A sus 65 años, CLAR insta a la vida religiosa a “recuperar su voz profética”

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(Global Sisters Report. Rina Guidos).

Miembros de la Confederación Latinoamericana de Religiosos decoran una tela para un altar el 18 de abril de 2024 en el campus El Tabor de la Universidad Católica en Las Tres Rosas Honduras. Unos 60 secretarios generales, presidentes de conferencias religiosas y teólogos representantes de la organización más numerosa de religiosas y religiosos de América Latina y el Caribe se reunieron para su junta directiva anual y hablar sobre la vida consagrada en la región.

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