Bangladesh is a country often lauded by outsiders for its progressive policies towards women — at least on paper.

The country's 1972 constitution enshrines gender equality, and subsequent laws, such as a 2010 domestic violence prevention and protection act, are also on the books.

One touted point of pride is that women serve both as prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) and the leading opposition leader in the Bangladeshi parliament (Rowshan Ershad).

Holy Cross Sr. Maldeva Wolff established the first graduate theology school for women at Saint Mary's College while she was president there in 1943. In 1985, to honor Wolff, to spread her spirit, and to provide a forum for women's concerns, Saint Mary's initiated the Madeleva Lecture Series, an annual event that draws a prominent woman theologian to the campus to speak. In April 2000 the first 15 lecturers assembled at Saint Mary's and over three days drew up a 300-word manifesto, a "Charter for Women of Faith in the New Millennium."

“These are our sisters in whom we are well-pleased. May their efforts raise us all up to serve a new world with new and holy hearts.”

From a Nun's Life podcasts - How does your New Year's resolution rate on the spiritual-o-meter? In this Random Nun Clip, we discuss our New Year's resolutions and how Chloe the Convent Cat keeps keeps them accountable.

"Often we hear talk of diminishment  — but that is only the surface; underneath, we have begun to talk about identity. We have dared to share our deepest spiritual desires with all who share our ministry. We have listened to new insights from those new to the story. We envision ancient values in new contexts and we experience justice and love across all epochs."

Sr. Dora Nuetzi joined the Maryknoll Sisters in 1954. She taught in New York City and Hawaii until 1985, when she moved to the Marshall Islands and taught religious education for over 20 years. Nuetzi currently lives at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Ossining, New York, where she is working on a book detailing the history of the Maryknoll Sisters' work in the Marshall Islands. Brett Davis met with Nuetzi at the Maryknoll Sisters Center to talk to her about her experiences in the Marshall Islands for Brett's oral history book project about Catholic women religious.

Three Stats and a Map - Migration has been a big issue in 2015. Whether it’s the migration of Syrian refugees to places like Europe and Canada, effects of climate change presenting Pacific Islanders with threats of relocation, or talk of Donald Trump building a wall along the souther border of the US, the movement of people has been on most of our minds in some way or another this year.

Notes from the Field - I consider myself relatively informed about the humanitarian crises happening throughout the world thanks to my college education but the Catholic Committee of Appalachia meeting blew apart my confidence that I could even understand the environmental tragedies in my own backyard.

"Can my actions be directed by Love even when I am weary, doubting, disheartened and when the next steps require losing myself to extravagant and calculated, but sometimes foolish, sacrifices and vulnerable loving actions for life?”

Sr. Gwendolyn Hoeffel is a member of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and spent most of the last 50 years living and working in Japan. From the 1960s to the 1980s, she taught at the International School of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo, eventually serving as principal of kindergarten to fourth grade. She spent the following two decades working with immigrants, refugees and the poor in Nagoya. Hoeffel currently lives in New York City, where she is adjusting to life back in the United States. Brett Davis met Hoeffel at her apartment in New York City's Hell's Kitchen to interview her for his oral history book project about Catholic women religious.