In South Africa's coal belt, girls disappear — and Catholic sisters quietly pull them back

Steam comes from a coal-fired power station in Emalahleni, South Africa, Oct. 11, 2021. (AP/Themba Hadebe, file)

As illegal mining spreads through abandoned shafts in South Africa, Catholic religious women risk their lives to rescue girls coerced into sex and early marriages in communities the state struggles to protect.

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Left: The prophet Joel, depicted in a painting from circa 1481-87 by Martín Bernat y Miguel Ximénez. Right: Christ Salvator Mundi, depicted in a 1505 painting by Quinten Metsys. (Wikimedia Commons images)

Do I listen to Joel or Jesus this Ash Wednesday?

I have noticed that the readings we hear on Ash Wednesday send mixed messages about the observance of the holy season of Lent. This year, I invite you to join me in following both Joel's and Jesus' admonitions.

Horizons

Many ask: Is the church truly seeking to combat sex abuse?

rows of lit votive candles
Horizons

Community life provides blessings and challenges

Editors' Choice

Sr. Jannifer Hiuhu serves porridge to children outside the Incarnate Word Sisters’ convent in northern Kenya. For many students at the congregation’s primary school, the sisters’ "Porridge for Breakfast" program provides their only meal of the day, as nomadic families search for pasture amid a prolonged drought. (GSR photo/Wycliff Peter Oundo)

In Focus

In Africa, religious sisters step in as climate crisis deepens for the poorest

As religious sisters and others respond on the front lines, communities across Africa bear the cost of global delays on climate action.

News

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Gladys Madukwe, a nurse-midwife and member of the community advocacy team, dresses a patient's wound in the treatment room at Ancilla Catholic Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. The hospital is run by the Sisters of the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus. (Valentine Benjamin)

Nigerian sisters hold back tide of HIV crisis amidst USAID cuts

A "stop-work" directive issued suddenly by the U.S. government brought all USAID/PEPFAR-funded HIV programs to a halt in Nigeria. For clients at the Ancilla Catholic Hospital, run by the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus, the consequences were severe.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and a number of religious leaders are seen near Capitol Hill in Washington May 21, 2018, during a protest to demand elected officials take immediate steps to confront systemic racism. Jackson died Feb. 17, 2026. (CNS/Tyler Orsburn)

The Rev. Jesse Jackson had Catholic allies throughout a life devoted to civil rights

A longtime associate of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and a two-time presidential candidate, Jackson forged enduring alliances with Catholic priests, sisters and lay activists who marched, prayed and strategized alongside him in the struggle for racial and economic justice.

Sr. Mary Dipa, principal of St. Mary's Catholic Nursing Institute in Toomilia, Bangladesh, teaches students. The Sisters of Mary Queen of the Apostles founded the program three years ago. (Sumon Corraya)

Q&A with Sr. Mary Dipa, educating nurses and uplifting a community

"We emphasize politeness, courtesy, honesty, kindness, patience, trustworthiness and fairness," said the program's principal. "These are universal Christian values that make a compassionate professional."

Pope Leo appoints Vincentian sister as new deputy of Vatican press office

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Croatian Vincentian Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapic as the deputy director of the Holy See Press Office.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

When leaving a religious community isn't a choice, ex-nun's organization seeks to help

In South Africa's coal belt, girls disappear — and Catholic sisters quietly pull them back

Franciscan Central Archive to gather archives from 11 communities across US

Feature Series

Theologians' Corner

Welcome to Theologians' Corner, where each week a different woman theologian from around the world offers a fresh reflection on the Sunday readings. Because these reflections come from diverse voices and rich perspectives, they invite readers to see the Gospel in new and deeper ways.
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Sister Advocacy at UN

Global Sisters Report is covering Catholic sisters' advocacy at the United Nations.
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LCWR 2025

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious' annual assembly will take place Aug. 12-15 in Atlanta. 
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Religious Life

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Pope Leo appoints Vincentian sister as new deputy of Vatican press office

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Croatian Vincentian Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapic as the deputy director of the Holy See Press Office.

Columns

Many ask: Is the church truly seeking to combat sex abuse?

"Is the church truly seeking to combat sexual abuse, or is it trying to manage its consequences?" This is a valid, "honest and painful" question that many believers ask today, says Sr. Adriana Pérez.

rows of lit votive candles
Columns

Community life provides blessings and challenges

Our commitment to common life and to one another becomes a powerful witness to the world," writes Sr. Grace Marie Del Priore. 

The campus of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart is pictured in Frankfort, Illinois. The Franciscan Central Archive is planned to be built on the campus, southwest of Chicago. (Courtesy of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart)

Franciscan Central Archive to gather archives from 11 communities across US

The archive project is charism-based and open to any Franciscan community, regardless of location or whether they are men or women.

Community News

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Learn more about the InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiate

March 2, 2026 from 1 to 2:30 pm Central
The InterCongregational Collaborative Novitiat

ARGENTINA: Salesian vocational centers make improvements with donor funding from Salesian Missions

Feb. 17 2026
Students have greater access to internships.

Statement of Adrian Dominican Sisters Decrying Trump Administration's Inhumane Apprehension and Detention of Children

February 16, 2026
On behalf of Adrian Dominican Sisters and Associates, the General Council issued a statement
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Ministry

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Sr. Marie Magdalene Duong Thi Nguyet of the Daughters of Mary of the Immaculate Conception listens to high-risk individuals share their struggles at Kim Long Charity Clinic in Hue, Vietnam, on Oct. 11, 2025. (GSR photo)

Sisters serve on the front lines of Vietnam's shifting HIV crisis

Catholic sisters in Vietnam volunteer as nurses, counselors and emotional anchors for HIV/AIDS patients — many of whom arrive frightened, ashamed and utterly alone.

Sr. Anthonia Ibeh, a member of the Medical Missionaries of Mary Ibeh who leads the catechism class every Wednesday for two hours to inmates, poses in front of the sisters' convent in Benin City, Nigeria. (Valentine Benjamin)

Catholic sister leads effort to deliver support and hope to inmates in Nigeria

Sr. Anthonia Ibeh of the Medical Missionaries of Mary leads the work to offer free legal aid, social support, rehabilitation and spiritual care to inmates, many of whom are legally innocent and still awaiting trial.

Apostolic Carmel Sr. Maria Nirmalini of India, the congregation's superior general, visits a person affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. (Courtesy of Maria Ajantha)

Q&A with Sr. Maria Ajantha on the Sri Lanka cyclone

"Maybe God spared us [so that we could] reach out to the needy immediately after the disaster," Sr. Maria Ajantha said.

(Unsplash/Andrew Itaga)
Columns

'Una Caro': Why is the Vatican still getting Africa wrong on marriage?

A recent Vatican document on marriage revives troubling assumptions about Africa and polygamy. Sr. Leonida Katunge asks: Why is Africa once again being defined without Africa at the table?

GSR in the Classroom

Youth in a classroom raising their hands to answer questions

The project shines light on the mission and ministry of Catholic women religious around the world.

Each lesson connects articles about sisters or columns written by sisters to the good news found in scripture and church teaching. Action ideas and compelling prayer bring new learning alive. Teacher guides provide vital context and engaging activities to launch group discussions.