Decades after the Sandinista revolution and 16 years after I first arrived in Nicaragua as a Jesuit Volunteer — recent testomonies from men and women religious in Nicaragua echo the fear and faith, repression and resistance of stories from the past that I heard during my time there. 

"To follow the way, to fish the waters, we need to clean our nets and prepare for what is yet to come."

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious issued a statement Aug. 20 in response to a grand jury report from Pennsylvania that more than 300 priests sexually assaulted at least 1,000 victims over 70 years, most of which bishops covered up.

Robert F. Kennedy's words and my religious formation experience coincided again June 6, 2018, at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., when his family and friends hosted a remembrance and celebration of his life. That day, 50 years earlier, RFK entered into eternal life, felled by an assassin's bullet.

At LCWR's 2018 annual assembly, St. Joseph Sr. Jayne Helmlinger became president-elect. Speaking with GSR, Helmlinger said that while in leadership, she'll combine her community's charism — "Unity in Reconciliation" — with her "ability to think systemically." She told GSR she is eager to connect LCWR with the rest of the world and reimagine the conference to fit a globalized future.

"Leaning on the beach this boat sits in solidarity for the day when small boats will not be overloaded with refugees and people will reach out to each other with compassion."

Network announced Aug. 20 that its popular Nuns on the Bus tour will travel the U.S. for a sixth time. This year's tour will begin Oct. 8 in Los Angeles and end Nov. 2 in Palm Beach, Florida, at the Mar-a-Lago resort owned by President Trump, where the sisters plan to present the stories they heard on their cross-country journey.

As identical twin sisters, Sister Judith and Sister Maristella Maldonado not only look exactly alike, but as members of the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, they dress alike, wearing that order's white habit and black veil with white trim.

GSR Today - The four days the Leadership Conference of Women Religious spent in St. Louis included a discussion of how to abolish the death penalty, reflections on diversity and asking hard questions about racist pasts, and a fidget spinner. Here are some more snippets we couldn't include in our full coverage of the assembly.