She helped create Mujeres Caminando por la Verdad (Women Walking for Truth). The group transformed grief into action, working for justice and the search for relatives who remain missing after an era of violence.

"Myanmar is like an isolated country with everyone feeling insecure and frightened with repeated natural calamities and civil unrest," said Servite Sr. Josy Mary, whose congregation has been involved in humanitarian works since the March 28 earthquake.

As the so-called One Big, Beautiful Bill made its way toward congressional approval last month, U.S. Catholic bishops signed their names to not one but two letters to senators on the same day, both airing misgivings. The existence of dueling letters, church observers say, offered a rare public glimpse of a rift that's been years in the making.