Daughter of Divine Love Sr. Mary Brendan Ezigbo says catechesis to inmates is "a call I received from God to reach out to these poor souls. ... I am called to work among the least of Jesus' brothers."
As Ebola spreads through eastern Congo's war-ravaged communities, religious sisters confront fear and deepening suffering while struggling to protect displaced families living in overcrowded churches and camps.
In Malawi, families have been left without food after recent years of drought and cyclones. Responding with a traveling feeding program, Presentation Sisters have become more deeply aware of communities' struggles.
At a Catholic-run home in western Kenya, sisters take in children with severe disabilities who have living parents, meeting needs that persist even as Kenyan care reforms aim to prioritize family-based support.
At Paramprasad Ashram, most of the women are elderly. Some were abandoned at hospitals, and some were rescued from abusers and traffickers. "We are here to give them dignity," says Sister Jonamma, who serves at the home.
Catholic sisters in South Africa are protecting girls, accompanying survivors and challenging the culture of violence that turns homes into danger zones.
In Vietnam, where religious life is highly respected and often tied to family honor, women who leave convents can face emotional pain, social stigma and economic uncertainty.
Thousands of pilgrims are expected to gather in June in the Lithuanian capital for the sixth World Apostolic Congress on Mercy, or WACOM, a five-day event that has previously been held in cities such as Rome, Kraków, Bogota and Manila.
