Chris Herlinger

The swift spread of the delta variant and the threat of new variants add new challenges for Catholic sisters and humanitarian leaders working in countries already facing difficulties, including hunger, social unrest and other longstanding health problems like malaria and HIV/AIDS.

The Leviticus Fund, a community development lender created by a group of religious leaders, has invested more than $142 million since 1983 in projects that address poverty. Its new Legacy Fund is creating a pool of capital based on donations, not investments, and will follow the same mission.

In agreeing to get vaccinated, "Catholic health care professionals working in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and in the community give witness to Christ's call to love one another," Mercy Sr. Mary Haddad, president of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, said in a July 23 statement.

The Daughters of Saint Paul actively embrace social media, using platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to evangelize. In a new book published by Simon & Schuster, eight sisters share reflections about living a spiritual life in a busy world.

Sr. Maryanne Loughry said the physical, economic, social and psychological toll of the pandemic has heightened awareness in the world about the need for kindness. She led a discussion during a webinar that addressed care as a mission of women religious.

Monday Starter – Sr. Helen Prejean among Catholics signing petition to commute sentences of those on federal death row; Franciscan Sr. Ilia Delio to deliver keynote at Laudato Si' conference; LCWR webinar will focus on human trafficking

The July 7 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse does not change sisters' belief that the Moïse government was an impediment to human rights and ongoing political and social turmoil continues to affect day-to-day life.

Violence and humanitarian challenges overshadow this month's commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the world's youngest country. GSR asked sisters who have worked in South Sudan to assess where it stands now.

Religious communities are at the forefront of the transition to a more sustainable world but must continue to set an example and expand their efforts, sister advocates say.

In the face of daunting global challenges, Catholic education must address the need for the flourishing of humanity and the protection of the planet, said sister educators at a June 3 webinar. 

GSR Today - The withdrawal of U.S. troops could threaten the small gains women and girls have made in the last 20 years. But the worries are also bound up with the maddingly complex reality that is Afghanistan.

Violence ripping through Israel, Gaza and the occupied territories will not likely end anytime soon, says a Comboni missionary sister with a long history of experience in the Middle East. "The situation here is very critical, and there are no signs of improvement," said Sr. Alicia Vacas Moro.

Catholic sisters and congregational representatives advocating at the U.N., as well as sisters involved in on-the-ground ministries, give U.S. President Joe Biden generally high marks for his first 100 days in office.

In the face of a pandemic that is worsening in some countries, it is up to the universal church and Catholic sisters to continue and intensify efforts to get people vaccinated against COVID-19, says Sr. Carol Keehan.

Monday Starter - Reacting to the conviction of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, U.S. religious communities said justice was served, but urged renewed efforts to combat systemic racism.

Catholic sisters have long led the way in caring for creation and promoting environmental awareness. Congregations around the world are participating in a campaign that showcases their long-term work to restore the Earth.

Monday Starter - Scientists honor Sr. Dorothy Stang; Bon Pasteur Kolwezi recognized for anti-slavery work; "Águilas" film follows those who search for lost migrants in the Sonoran Desert; cooking with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, California; GSR celebrates seven years

Monday Starter - One fact comes through after the 65th session of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women: This last year has been terrible for women and girls.

Monday Starter - Global Sisters Report launches Monday Starter, a blog to keep you updated on sister news you may have missed. This week: UISG, Talitha Kum, Sophia Housing and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines.

Participants called the 65th U.N. Commission on the Status of Women a success, with an estimated 25,000 people worldwide joining two weeks of online meetings. But they also noted a sense of impatience with the pace of progress.