After one year, nuns see Pope Leo XIV advancing justice in his own way

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives to lead his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 29, 2026. (GSR graphic/Olivia Bardo; OSV News photo/Reuters/Remo Casilli)

A year into Leo XIV's papacy, Catholic sisters around the world are celebrating how the first U.S.-born pope is continuing to focus on issues near and dear to them.

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Basilian Sr. Emanujilla Vishka is pictured in a private audience with Pope Leo XIV on June 30, 2025 at the Vatican. The framed photo sits on Vishka's desk. (Courtesy of Emanujilla Vishka)

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Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the board of Ending Clergy Abuse, a coalition of survivors and human rights advocates working to end clergy abuse, enforce accountability and promote justice and truth, during an audience in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Oct. 20, 2025. Also present is Pedro Salinas, a Peruvian journalist and abuse survivor. (CNS/Vatican Media)

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(GSR graphic/Olivia Bardo; CNS/Vatican Media)

For peace activist nuns, Pope Leo's first year affirms anti-war mission

With decades of experience protesting war and nuclear weapons, Catholic sisters in peace activism said they see an ally in Pope Leo XIV, just a year into his papacy.

Pope Leo XIV smiles as he arrives at Bata Stadium in Equatorial Guinea, April 22, 2026, for a meeting with young people and families. (OSV News/Reuters/Kevin Thoma)

With Rome's gaze toward Africa, nuns reflect on Pope Leo XIV's first year

One year after the pope's election, religious sisters across Africa say his early visit affirmed the continent's place in the church and now challenges communities to turn his message of peace into lasting action.

Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives to lead his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 29, 2026. (GSR graphic/Olivia Bardo; OSV News photo/Reuters/Remo Casilli)

After one year, nuns see Pope Leo XIV advancing justice in his own way

A year into Leo XIV's papacy, Catholic sisters around the world are celebrating how the first U.S.-born pope is continuing to focus on issues near and dear to them.

Sr. Gladys Dimaku, a Sister of the Medical Missionaries of Mary, draws on decades of pastoral, medical and intercultural experience to serve those most in need at St. Teresa Clinic in Lagos, Nigeria. (Courtesy of Gladys Dimaku)

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Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives to lead his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 29, 2026. (GSR graphic/Olivia Bardo; OSV News photo/Reuters/Remo Casilli)

After one year, nuns see Pope Leo XIV advancing justice in his own way

A year into Leo XIV's papacy, Catholic sisters around the world are celebrating how the first U.S.-born pope is continuing to focus on issues near and dear to them.

Sr. Ana María Palomino, of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and St. Catherine of Siena, talks to a group of women in Huánuco, Perú March 20, 2026. Palomino, is the vice president of Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon, and participated in the gathering focused on Indigenous women leaders from the Amazon. (GSR photo/Rhina Guidos)

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Left: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters outside the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, April 13, 2026 (OSV News/Reuters/Jonathan Ernst). Right: Pope Leo XIV waves as he attends a Meeting for Peace at St. Joseph's Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, April 16, 2026 (OSV News/Reuters/Guglielmo Mangiapane).

Monday Starter: Leadership of US nuns stands with Pope Leo against Trump's attacks

Plus, the International Union of Superiors General collaborates on a webinar on the spiritual implications of AI. Dominican sisters in the U.S. offer an immersion experience for those contemplating joining.

On a recent visit to New York City, a group of Ukrainian Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great journeyed from Manhattan to the borough of Staten Island on the ferry. On the return to Manhattan, the lights of lower Manhattan were visible. (GSR/Chris Herlinger)

From Ukraine to New York, a Catholic nun carries war into moments of peace

As the sun sets over New York Harbor, Ukrainian Sr. Lucia Murashko is reminded of the violence shaping her daily life back home.

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Ministry

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Sr. Maria Madelene Le Thi Bich offers Bibles to newcomers to the group of former sisters in Hue, Vietnam, on Sept. 14, 2025. (Joachim Pham)

After leaving religious life, Vietnamese women find new vocations

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.

Sr. Gracia L. Suparti of the Daughters of Charity gets ready for a home visit. In 2019, Suparti founded the Migrant Family Association in Garum, a small sub-district near Blitar's capital, to help migrant families with their expenses and navigate poverty-related issues. (Courtesy of the Daughters of Charity)

Indonesian nuns help migrant families emerge from poverty

"Each family that moves out of poverty is a success story," said Sr. Cicilia Susi Indrayani of the Daughters of Charity.

Vilnius' hospice stands as a living work of Divine Mercy as city prepares to host global congress

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A roadside billboard welcomes Holy Father Pope Leo XIV to Bamenda, Cameroon, April 14, 2026. (AP/Welba Yamo Pascal)

Nuns in Cameroon hope pope's visit opens path to peace amid fragile ceasefire

After nearly a decade of violence in the Anglophone region of Cameroon, women religious and residents say Pope Leo XIV's visit could help extend a temporary truce and revive hopes for reconciliation.

GSR in the Classroom

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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.