GSR Today - A new Ebola vaccine is proving very promising in human trials in Guinea; Nigeria is closing in on becoming polio-free; and the world's first vaccination against malaria has cleared European trials and is ready for use. Lifting diseases out of the picture is good news.
by Richard Gaillardetz
Women religious in the United States have often led the way in calling for a more open conversation regarding controverted teaching, but they have done so not out of a disregard of the great tradition, but based on their wealth of pastoral experience. The move of women religious to the margins of society came long before Pope Francis made this pastoral option a central feature of his papal program.
This year’s gathering of leaders of congregations of women religious in the United States marks the first public discussion of two controversial Vatican investigations. The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is planning its annual assembly for Aug. 11-14 in Houston, Texas. Last year’s gathering was held under the cloud of both an apostolic visitation and a doctrinal assessment. Both investigations, however, ended in the past year with no findings of serious wrongdoing and with much praise for women religious and the work they do.
by Bridgid O'Brien
Contributor
Notes from the Field - The heart has a mysterious way of sending the most intimate of messages that the tongue cannot. Due to my status as a non-native, non-fluent Thai speaker, in the 10-and-a-half months I have lived in Thailand, in many situations I have needed to rely on entering into everyday conversations with my heart rather than with my words.
Becoming a sister has included many challenging adjustments. One aspect of religious life that I doubt I’ll ever be comfortable with, though, is other people’s expectations of me just because I am living my vocation. It never made sense to me that others would place in me in a different category just because I was doing what I was made to do. I am not more special than any other person who is living a life of commitment and love.
by GSR Staff
“Are you the one who is to come or should we look for another?"
Caroljean (Cj) Willie is a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, a master's degree in reading and a Ph.D. in multicultural education. She has extensive experience working cross-culturally throughout the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. She served two terms of office as the NGO representative at the United Nations for the Sisters of Charity Federation prior to her current ministries as the program director for EarthConnection environmental center, sponsored by the Sisters of Charity.
Kathleen Duffy is a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. She is professor of physics at Chestnut Hill College, where she directs the Interdisciplinary Honors Program and the Institute for Religion and Science. She is editor of Teilhard Studies and the author of Teilhard’s Mysticism: Seeing the Inner Face of Evolution (Orbis Books, 2014).
Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Sr. Elizabeth Tran Thi Quynh Giao is former provincial superior in Vietnam.
Catholic News Service
Sr. Mary Rose Atuu told Massgoers on a recent Sunday that she has "a lot of passion" for her religious vocation but challenged her listeners to remember that "we are all consecrated." The Little Sister of Mary Immaculate of Gulu spoke before a packed before a packed congregation at her own parish church, Immaculate Conception Church in Honolulu. The presentation by the African nun, who is a chaplain for St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii, was part of a "traveling exhibit" for the Catholic church's Year of Consecrated Life.
