Christian leaders in the Holy Land hope two new Palestinian saints will become intercessors for peace and a bridge among faiths: Blessed Marie-Alphonsine, born Soultaneh Maria Ghattas was born in Jerusalem in 1843 and is the founder of the Dominican Sisters of the Holy Rosary of Jerusalem, the first and still the only Palestinian women's religious congregation; Mariam Baouardy, a Melkite Catholic, was born in 1846 in the Galilee village of Ibillin and founded a Carmelite convent in India and one in Nazareth.

Kenyan officials are expecting more than 100,000 people at the May 23 beatification of Sr. Irene Stefani, an Italian member of the Consolata Missionary Sisters who cared for wounded and sick soldiers in Kenya and Tanzania during World War I. A Kenyan government official announced May 6 that the beatification would be a state function and would be accorded proper security.

On a recent visit to Rome, we received exceptional treatment because the papal winds have changed. During the previous two pontificates, there was not even any recognition for the lesbian and gay pilgrims I brought to papal audiences, let alone VIP seating. The special handling we received this time illustrates the Francis effect.

Women religious have a long, long history of following the radical call of the Gospel, a history that was only renewed – not begun – by the reforms of Vatican II. And following that call has almost always caused tension with church leadership, political leaders or those resistant to change, according to speakers at a symposium on Catholic sisters in the world. “The radical call to the poor can enforce some anachronistic beliefs,” said Anne O’Brien, associate professor at the University of New South Wales, as she was describing the backlash when sisters embraced liberation theology. O'Brien is among the scholars presenting at this week's “The Nun in the World: Catholic Sisters and Vatican II” international symposium in London.

GSR Today - When you hear things like the pope saying, “Who am I to judge?” and his calls for walking on the margins, one might even be tempted to believe that the very things women religious were being criticized for by the Vatican may soon become the blueprint for the church as a whole, and that when historians look back on this period, women religious will be seen as having led the way, instead of going astray.

"The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough."

Sr. Taskila Nicholas was on the road to Kathmandu when the earthquake began April 25. After arriving back in the city, she said, “That first night, we didn’t know if we were safe or not; we just slept in the hands of God.” Now, she and the other Good Shepherd Sisters are coordinating with the Salesian brothers and sisters, Caritas, the Sisters of the Congregation of Jesus, and the Nepal Jesuit Society, among others, for a unified Catholic response to the earthquake.

Three Stats and a Map - I don’t think any official data has been tallied, but if I had to guess, I’d say we’re talking about race in the United States more than we have in quite a while.

GSR Today - Jesus the Migrant! I never thought of Jesus as a migrant until I read the book review of Deirdre Cornell’s book by that title at the National Catholic Reporter site. But of course, he was. He was always crossing borders whether physical, spiritual or religious.