In 'dying' Illinois town, sister becomes a lifeline for the city's poor

Sr. Julia Huiskamp drives past Bottoms Up, one of the four strip clubs in Brooklyn, Illinois. The strip clubs, a 24-hour massage parlor and a liquor store are the only businesses in the little town across the river from St. Louis. (GSR photo/Dan Stockman)

The "guardian angel of East St. Louis," Daughter of Charity Sr. Julia Huiskamp offers practical services as well as emotional support to the locals living in deep poverty.

Most Recent

Latest Columns

Editors' Choice

Sr. Maritze Torres explains the "triptica," a mural taking viewers through Trujillo's bloody past (on the right), to its present marked with struggles for justice (center), to its hopeful future, filled with abundance, education, good health and good fortune. (Tracy L. Barnett)

In Focus

Colombia's 'rebel nun' has led decades of spiritual resistance against state violence

At 82, this diminutive Dominican nun has spent more than half a century defending human rights and putting words to the horrors she has witnessed as a poet, an activist, a public speaker and an organizer. 

News

View all News
Four members of the Missionary Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Tanzania who tragically lost their lives in a road accident in the Catholic Archdiocese of Mwanza. (Courtesy of Suore Carmelitane Missionarie Italia Malta Romania)

Four nuns, driver killed in Tanzania road crash after celebrating vows

The Missionary Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus were returning from a profession ceremony when their vehicle collided with a truck near Mwanza.

Sr. Rose Hanna is pictured at an event of the Association Libanaise de Thérapies comportementales et cognitives - Lebanese Association of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy (ALTCC). Hanna was present at the ALTCC Annual Conference at Hôpital Psychiatrique de la Croix entitled "War and Peace: Adaptive Strategies." (Courtesy of ALTCC)

Q&A with Sr. Rose Hanna, breaking taboos of mental health care in Lebanon

A Franciscan Sister of the Holy Cross, Hanna is the director of one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in the Middle East, Hôpital Psychiatrique de la Croix.

50th anniversary celebration of Seton canonization highlights new 'Saints on Their Way'

As the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton marked the 50th anniversary of the 1975 canonization of its namesake on Sept. 14, the Emmitsburg, Maryland, campus hosted what was dubbed "A Day of Joy" as part of a three-day celebration attracting over 3,000 visitors.

Sr. Ruth Kuyumba, right, engages Memory Musonda and her son Joshua in a conversation during a home visit. Sr. Agnes Kateule, left, uses sign language to communicate with Joshua. Memory and Joshua were beneficiaries of the recently defunded Inclusive Family Strengthening project, formerly managed by the Sisters of Mercy with support from Catholic Relief Services. (Derrick Silimina)

Inclusive Family Strengthening project, now defunded, bolstered women in Zambia

"We recorded over 200 success stories," says Mercy Sr. Ruth Kuyumba, former coordinator of the project, which "also promoted fathers' participation in parenting and ensured every child has a home to grow up in."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

'Nuns on the run' case in Austria highlights plight of aging, dwindling religious

Q&A with Sr. Chioma Ahanihu, whose past led her toward research of 'global migrant sisters'

Jubilee of Consecrated Life celebrated in Paris shines light on communities shattered by abuse

Feature Series

LCWR 2025

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious' annual assembly will take place Aug. 12-15 in Atlanta. 
READ ALL ARTICLES

Out of the Shadows: Confronting Violence Against Women

"Out of the Shadows: Confronting Violence Against Women" is a yearlong Global Sisters Report series on the ways Catholic sisters are responding to this global phenomenon.
READ ALL ARTICLES

Arlington Carmelites in controversy

Fort Worth bishop takes over a Carmelite monastery and accuses cloistered nun of adultery with a priest. Discalced Carmelite Nuns say the bishop does not have authority over them and call his actions a land grab.
READ ALL ARTICLES
View all Feature Series

Religious Life

View all in Religious Life
Psychologist Crystal Taylor-Dietz leads the workshop "Candidate Assessment Through the Lens of Inculturality" at St. Mary's University in San Antonio Sept. 6, 2025. (GSR photo/Helga Leija)

Cultural awareness matters in assessing candidates for religious life

GSR Today - A workshop in San Antonio, hosted by the National Religious Vocation Conference, challenged members of religious life on how they assess candidates for their communities.

Psychologist Crystal Taylor-Dietz leads the workshop "Candidate Assessment Through the Lens of Inculturality" at St. Mary's University in San Antonio Sept. 6, 2025. (GSR photo/Helga Leija)

Cultural awareness matters in assessing candidates for religious life

GSR Today - A workshop in San Antonio, hosted by the National Religious Vocation Conference, challenged members of religious life on how they assess candidates for their communities.

Jubilee of Consecrated Life celebrated in Paris shines light on communities shattered by abuse

Spread between iconic churches of the City of Lights, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, St. Eustache and St. Sulpice, over 800 religious men and women, and members of institutes of consecrated lay people, gathered in Paris Sept. 6-7, for a National Jubilee of Consecrated Life.
 

Beatification cause for Minnesota Benedictine sister opens

Community News

Ministry

View all in Ministry
Sr. Nguyen Thi Son and others attend the Lunar New Year 2025 celebration with the Lovers of the Holy Cross sisters at the motherhouse in Hanoi. (Courtesy of LHC sisters)
Columns

Exaltation of the Cross also exalts God's people

The Lovers of the Holy Cross sisters — and all Christians — have a responsibility to become the extended hands, hearts, minds, mouth and feet of Jesus to continue His salvific mission. 

50th anniversary celebration of Seton canonization highlights new 'Saints on Their Way'

As the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton marked the 50th anniversary of the 1975 canonization of its namesake on Sept. 14, the Emmitsburg, Maryland, campus hosted what was dubbed "A Day of Joy" as part of a three-day celebration attracting over 3,000 visitors.

Sr. Ruth Kuyumba, right, engages Memory Musonda and her son Joshua in a conversation during a home visit. Sr. Agnes Kateule, left, uses sign language to communicate with Joshua. Memory and Joshua were beneficiaries of the recently defunded Inclusive Family Strengthening project, formerly managed by the Sisters of Mercy with support from Catholic Relief Services. (Derrick Silimina)

Inclusive Family Strengthening project, now defunded, bolstered women in Zambia

"We recorded over 200 success stories," says Mercy Sr. Ruth Kuyumba, former coordinator of the project, which "also promoted fathers' participation in parenting and ensured every child has a home to grow up in."

Sr. Lucy Kanjira leads a peer group training on gender-based violence in Meru, Kenya. Kanjira told GSR that they called a meeting for teenage mothers in the area. "To our dismay, 118 teenage mothers turned up in the first meeting. At each subsequent meeting, we welcome over 50 new faces. The most recent meeting last month had 459 teenage mothers." (Courtesy of Doreen Mukami)

Sisters empower Kenyan teenage mothers, raise awareness on gender-based violence

"When we empower a young mother, she's able to protect herself from abuse, care for her children and hopefully break the cycle of poverty," Sr. Lucy Kanjira said.

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.