by Kathleen Duffy

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I'm excited about a project that I would like to share with you. I'm working on an honor for a friend of mine — Jesuit Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955). Although I have never met Teilhard in person, his writings have been one of the greatest inspirations in my life. I have come to know him during my own long search for how to be both scientist and believer. Without his help, my faith and spirituality would never be as strong as they are.

"I, little brother Francis, wish to follow the life and poverty of Jesus Christ our Most High Lord and of His Most Holy Mother and to persevere therein until the end. And I beseech you all, my ladies, and counsel you, to live always in this most holy life and poverty. And watch yourselves well that you in no wise depart from it through the teaching or advice of any one."

An extraordinary blessing of Australians are our aboriginal indigenous peoples. These peoples cherish the Earth; their unique "Dreaming" spirituality reflects this. "The Dreaming" is their timeless way of interpreting creation, relating to their ancestors, and passing on their knowledge, stories and laws for existence.

This story appears in the HIV/AIDS Ministry feature series. View the full series.

by Teresa Anyabuike

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Sr. Obehi Ogbeide is a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur who studied nursing and midwifery and works in the health care field, coordinating the HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis program in the Diocese of Kroonstad. "To be able to contribute to the health and well-being of any person is a thing of joy," she says.

From the sisters on the road: We followed along Oct. 2 as about 20 people, including at least five sisters, biked100 miles from just east of Erie, Pennsylvania, to Niagara Falls, Ontario, for the Communicators for Women Religious annual conference Oct. 3-6 there.

It's National Midwifery Week in the United States, but for many international health organizations, midwives are the answer to the world's continuing maternal health crises. Since 2008, the U.N. has been actively trying to increase the number of midwives worldwide, believing they have the ability, not only to prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, but also to provide the overwhelming majority of reproductive and maternal health services. And Catholic sisters are heeding the call.