Catholic schools with ties to a variety of religious congregations were well represented during the March 9-20 Commission on the Status of Women conference at the United Nations and a parallel event known as the NGO CSW Forum that marked the accomplishments, and noted the continued challenges, of women in the two decades since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Between them, the two events hosted topical presentations from a variety of women’s groups, including Catholic sisters whose work is trying to improve the status of women throughout the world.

Lenten mindfulness makes for an awkward dance. The past few years, I have tried to fast from technology during Lent in one way or another. During this season that invites consciousness and conversion, I have longed for freedom from the shame that I feel about spending most of my time interacting with machines. Whether it’s limiting my social media time or quitting it all together, I have tried to honor my cravings for less screen time and more soul-centered time.

See for Yourself - The extreme cold, snow, and overall harsh conditions across the United States during the past two winters of 2014 and 2015 really bring out the adjective “polar” as we described conditions to each other. Indeed, polar described it well. 

Statistically, I am one of the nearly 100,000 Catholic religious women spread over 244 congregations in India. I am also considered a youth since I am under 35 years old. Young nuns make up about 60 percent of the total number of religious women in the country. So, I represent categories such as Christian, Catholic, missionary, women, religious and youth. And each category poses its own unique challenges. As Christians are facing increasing attacks these days, I am made to be conscious of my minority status in India. Christians form only 2.18 percent of the country’s 1.27 billion people. Catholics are just 1.5 percent.

Holy Cross Sr. Joan Marie Steadman finds herself in a unique position: As the executive director of an organization, she must implement decisions, sometimes quickly. But Steadman is the executive director of an organization known for its contemplative, collaborative – and time consuming – process for making decisions. As of Jan. 1, Steadman is the executive director of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

The  feast of the Annunciation marks the beginning of Jesus' earthly sojourn. On Palm Sunday, we commence a weeklong journey remembering Jesus' passion, death and resurrection. And truly, as Sr. Helen Brancato's painting (above) eloquently reminds us, "it was the women who stayed." Yet Jesus' female disciples are all but invisible to most Christians. Often no more painfully so than during Holy Week, when preachers commonly emphasize that Jesus was "abandoned by everyone." Everyone, that is, but the women, whose presence must have meant a great deal to Jesus, if to no one else.

It was striking to hear the first 2014 Christmas songs rehearsed by the church choir of the Bamenda parish in Cameroon during the month of November. I immediately found myself chiming in – and then grateful that my few weeks in Cameroon would include the opening of the celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life. As I reflected and prayed about Pope Francis’ invitation to women and men religious “to wake up the world,” little did I realize that the “world” would be waking me up.