Nuns gather in support of 50th anniversary of Women's Ordination Conference

Attendees at the Women's Ordination Conference's 50th anniversary celebration wave multi-colored stoles May 22 in Detroit. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman)

"We're seeing more religious communities publicly stand true to their values," said executive director Kate McElwee. "We're grateful for those who have been bold and support the conference publicly, and we know many others are praying for us."

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At a Spanish convent, nuns breed rare giant rabbit

"We have to protect creation," Sr. Consuelo Peset Laudeña said. "We are Franciscans. St. Francis is the patron saint of veterinarians, and that is the source of the love we feel for the Spanish giant rabbit."

News

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Darrin Pufall Purdy, theater professor at Boise State University, fixes a replica of a habit the Sisters of Charity of New York wore in the 1950s in an undated photo. Pufall Purdy's research on the habits of women religious led him to advise and design costumes for Broadway. (Courtesy of Darrin Pufall Purdy/Priscilla Grover)

Theater professor's fashion interest in nuns' habits opened door to Broadway

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Religious Life

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A painting on the ceiling of St. Catherine Church in Spring Lake, New Jersey, depicts the Holy Spirit descending upon the apostles. (CNS/Octavio Duran)
Columns

Monastic life carries the genetic code of Pentecost

Horizons - Monasticism is an attempt to embody in the most radical way the ideal that was manifested in the first Jerusalem community immediately after the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Attendees at the Women's Ordination Conference's 50th anniversary celebration wave multi-colored stoles May 22 in Detroit. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman)

Nuns gather in support of 50th anniversary of Women's Ordination Conference

"We're seeing more religious communities publicly stand true to their values," said executive director Kate McElwee. "We're grateful for those who have been bold and support the conference publicly, and we know many others are praying for us."

Sisters pray in the chapel at the Monastery of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. (Justin Gomes)

Dwindling vocations strain Bangladesh's cloistered convents

Two decades ago, the Monastery of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Mymensingh, northern Bangladesh, had about 50 nuns. Today, only 20 remain.

Argentine Dominican Sr. María Lucía Caram Padilla is seen with Juan Carlos Cruz, Chilean member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Madrid Nov. 18, 2025. Zelenskyy presented Caram with the Order of Princess Olga, III class, for her efforts in providing humanitarian aid and support since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Cruz is a supporter of the nun's humanitarian work. (OSV News)

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Ministry

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Daughter of the Eucharistic Covenant Sister Agnes (right) handles paperwork, hospital visits and conversations with local officials for Paramprasad Ashram, a shelter home for abandoned women in Akhnoor, India. (Umar Manzoor Shah)

Indian nuns shelter abandoned women in India's northern region

At Paramprasad Ashram, most of the women are elderly. Some were abandoned at hospitals, and some were rescued from abusers and traffickers. "We are here to give them dignity," says Sister Jonamma, who serves at the home.

Silhouette of a woman (GSR graphic/Olivia Bardo)

Inside South Africa's femicide crisis, nuns step in to protect vulnerable girls

Catholic sisters in South Africa are protecting girls, accompanying survivors and challenging the culture of violence that turns homes into danger zones.

Sr. Maria Madelene Le Thi Bich offers Bibles to newcomers to the group of former sisters in Hue, Vietnam, on Sept. 14, 2025. (Joachim Pham)

After leaving religious life, Vietnamese women find new vocations

In Vietnam, where religious life is highly respected and often tied to family honor, women who leave convents can face emotional pain, social stigma and economic uncertainty.

Sr. Gracia L. Suparti of the Daughters of Charity gets ready for a home visit. In 2019, Suparti founded the Migrant Family Association in Garum, a small sub-district near Blitar's capital, to help migrant families with their expenses and navigate poverty-related issues. (Courtesy of the Daughters of Charity)

Indonesian nuns help migrant families emerge from poverty

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GSR in the Classroom

Youth in a classroom raising their hands to answer questions

The project shines light on the mission and ministry of Catholic women religious around the world.

Each lesson connects articles about sisters or columns written by sisters to the good news found in scripture and church teaching. Action ideas and compelling prayer bring new learning alive. Teacher guides provide vital context and engaging activities to launch group discussions.