Catholic officials in India are taking legal action against media who seem to be following a rising trend in defaming the Church, particularly priests and nuns. Father Michael Pulickal of the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council says the perceived increase in defamatory comments has seen priests and nuns lodge over 160 police complaints. All the complaints Read more
Seven women are among the new members Pope Francis appointed to the Roman Curia’s all-male Vatican Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. This is the first time women have been appointed to these Vatican departments. The women will also, for the first time, be able to have a say over Read more
On Monday, Philippine authorities arrested and detained a 71-year-old Australian nun because she had allegedly violated the conditions of her visa by engaging in illegal political activities. There is a possibility that she will be deported as an “undesirable alien”. Sister Patricia Fox, Philippine superior of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, was arrested at Read more
A group of Sisters formed a Latin pop and rock band in Peru three years ago and now find themselves with an international following. They go on stage wearing traditional black-and-white habits The Sisters, who come from eight countries and range in age from 20s to 40s, insist they aren’t rock stars. But they certainly Read more
A south Florida nun decided to forego divine intervention this week and picked up a chainsaw instead to join the cleanup efforts following Hurricane Irma. Sister Margaret Ann, wearing her nun’s habit, was caught on camera using the heavy equipment to help clear a tree toppled by the ferocious storm. Continue reading
The Catholic Church has a unique role in combating belief in sorcery and mob reprisal attacks against sorcerers, Bishop Don Lippert of Mendi says. He has described the nuns who venture into the worst areas of the country as incredibly and inspiringly courageous. Lippert says they are putting their lives at risk in a desperate Read more
Movies such as The Sound of Music, The Blues Brothers and Sister Act evidence the intrigue surrounding the life of a nun. Nuns in their 30s aren’t as common as they once were so the average person isn’t as likely to come into contact with one. In fact, according to Pew Research Centre data the Read more
It’s official: the deep Amazonas is more remote than Siberia. In all of the visits I have made to provinces of the Congregation of Jesus (CJ) all over the world, never have I been without a signal for my BlackBerry… until I visited one of our sisters living and working in a community along the Read more
I’ve recently returned from a visit to Kiribati. For those who don’t know, the Republic of Kiribati is a remote island nation straddling the equator in the Pacific Ocean. It’s also where a small group of Good Samaritan Sisters have been ministering since 1991. I was there to witness the perpetual profession of Kakare Biita as Read more
The image that surfaces when Sr Teresa Forcades speaks is evocative of spiraling energy, bubbling in spirit, and of being on the ground with the needs of the people of God. Forcades — a Benedictine nun, activist, feminist theologian and physician from Catalonia in Spain — and Francis — a Jesuit pope from Argentina — Read more