"Their deeds of love are the surest signs that they, in fact, do belong to God, and that in spite of sin and the human condition, the human-divine relationship is not irreparably broken."

Sr. Maureen McGowan, is the province leader of the New York-Toronto Province of the Good Shepherd Sisters. The sisters' first ministry in Manhattan has grown into Good Shepherd Services, which today serves over 30,000 children and families. McGowan spoke with GSR as the community prepares to celebrate its 175th anniversary.

"And even in the world I felt very intensely that if people only sought God in all earnestness they would find Him. And if all would only make use of the ordinary duties and trials of their state in the way God intended, they would all become saints."

Sr. Alphonse Raj, a member of the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, ministers to those living with HIV/AIDS, who are often neglected and ostracized by their families and society after contracting the virus. If infected couples have children who are born with the virus, Raj's New Dawn center adopts the baby. About 50 such children now stay at the center, which provides basic needs and education. In addition, New Dawn's campaigns and programs in the past decade have helped many shed their fears.

"Will we continue to turn a blind eye to these global realities until we have no other choice? Are we as women religious willing to choose sacrifice and self-limitation in the ways that we travel, eat, purchase, pray and interact with the world?" 

Sr. Evelyn Hurley lives on the assisted-living floor of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth motherhouse in Kentucy, but she doesn't really need to. Hurley, who is 103, chose to live on the assisted-living floor because she wants to make sure the older sisters are well taken care of.

I had a notion to rest in the newly-arrived experiment of green.
That's when the happy ideas started.

Sr. Patricia Fox, the Australian nun whose missionary visa was revoked by the Philippine government in April, said the government has "no right to define and delimit the scope of our missionary and apostolate works."

We are among those who contribute the most to climate change, and we are the least affected. Are we willing to choose sacrifice and self-limitation in the ways that we travel, eat, purchase, pray and interact with the world?