"No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty."

Nuns on the Bus Blog - The sisters are in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the site of the Democratic National Convention.

"Interpret everything in its most favorable light." My adherence to this centuries-old maxim of the Sisters of St. Joseph is being severely tested right now.

Sr. Suso Kottirikal served as boarding school hostel warden for 16 years, but she quit more than two decades ago to work with people who have Hansen's disease, also known as leprosy, and their children. Unlike others who work with leprosy patients, the member of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ chooses to live with them, sharing her room with two patients.

Leaders of the United Nations say the global body's ambitious agenda to eliminate global poverty and other ills is off to a good start but are reiterating the need for common efforts involving governments, non-governmental groups, business and others — including religious bodies in which Catholic sisters play a prominent role.

See for Yourself - "Do you really like this stuff?" I remarked to the person next to me at a national conference for medical devices as I pointed at the program. "Do I like it? No. I don't like it. I love it!" crowed the young process engineer.

Anne E. Patrick, 75, a feminist theologian and Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, is remembered for quiet activism and scholarship on behalf of women in the church.

"Regardless of age, it's impossible to argue that women religious are behind on the times."

A project in Uganda supported by Microfinancing Partners in Africa (MPA) provides an excellent example of the interconnectedness of the SDGs. MPA was started by Precious Blood Sr. Toni Temporiti in 2006. Following a sabbatical traveling through multiple countries in East Africa where she had the opportunity to talk with many local people, she realized that the people she met were not looking for hand-outs, but simply the opportunity to improve their own lives.

Nuns on the Bus Blog - We need to do things differently, to act to shift the conversation in our local communities, in our nation. We even need to ask ourselves, "Who's controlling the conversations?"