The collaborative governance model helps congregations in need of financial and leadership assistance. The civil corporations from two or more congregations create a third corporation, which handles insurance, human resources, property management, legal issues, and all other tasks the congregations require. This frees up congregations' leadership to focus on spiritual issues.

In Conversation - Global Sisters Report's Chris Herlinger on anti-trafficking efforts in Haiti and at the U.N.; Srs. Sarah Kohles and Susan Francois talk about their new book.

See for Yourself - "I'm raising a felon. He's only 7 months old but he's already perfected the art of stealing." I responded to friend Mimi, "Sounds like you have a new dog."

I have long known that love is a package deal, complete with overflowing tenderness as well as overwhelming vulnerability to pain. What caught me up short was the sheer capacity of a single heart to hold equal portions of joy and pain simultaneously.

"God does not dispense the grace of healing from the heavens. We — God's incarnate presence on earth — are responsible to bring God's healing to our brothers and sisters in pain."

Charity Sr. Louise Akers came to national prominence in 2009, when Cincinnati Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk ordered her to publicly renounce her support for women's ordination. The attempted silencing was painful, but "she didn't bend to pressure. She held on to her convictions, and it made all the difference."

Santiago, Chile - Inside the chapel of the San Joaquín central women's penitentiary in Santiago, Chile, the handful of female inmates who met Pope Francis gathered to discuss their awe of and gratitude for the personalized Jan. 16 encounter. And nearly every woman who shared her experience with the Chilean media surrounding the inmates also thanked Good Shepherd Sr. Nelly Leon, head of the country's pastoral efforts in the jail system.