From Where I Stand: Once, I thought that this step of humility was so obvious it was embarrassing. Then I listened to modern political speech, and realized that this step may well be the most fundamental spiritual lesson of them all.

The June 12-16 forum by the Given Institute brought together diverse people with the common goal of empowering young women to invest their talents in leading initiatives in the Catholic Church. The participants, ranging from ages 21 to 30, developed individual mission plans as they worked together with a group of 25 laywomen mentors and 50 religious sisters.

Carolina offered to teach English free for the children in kindergarten. The sisters welcomed her happily, so that the children of poverty would have a chance to study a foreign language — and, hopefully, a chance for a better future.

Sr. Hellen Lamunu is the project coordinator of Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate Centre for Disadvantaged Children in Gulu, Uganda, which provides shelter, schooling and vocational training for vulnerable children and young people in an area of northern Uganda.Many of those the center assists are former child soldiers, and Lamunu is an advocate for assisting them and trying to reintegrate them into society. 

Our recent jubilee celebration happened in three acts with cheering, weeping and trembling, chord after emotional chord. In word, song, feasting and after-partying, we touched eternity and were "doing holy."

Public decrees denying Communion to politicians — such as a recent one by an Illinois bishop — do not change politicians' minds on issues and instead drive people away from the church, Social Service Sr. Simone Campbell said during a public interview with NCR at the June 9-12 Summer Spirituality Seminar at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana.

It's clear that communion between the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious is crucial for the future of religious life in the U.S. — and young sisters think they just might the generation called to bring that to fruition.

Chennai, India - Many of the girls at this house under the care of Salesian Sisters are abandoned, are orphaned or have a single parent. Most of them lived on the streets. "We try to create a homely atmosphere here to restore human dignity in them," says Marialaya director Sr. Soosai Muthu Arul. "They also get necessary opportunities and facilities to grow healthy in mind and body."

It is difficult to ignore ever-mounting evidence that the clerical system governing the Catholic church is in a significant state of decay. Yet, I can't help believing that the Holy Spirit — who loves creating something new out of chaos — is summoning us to build a new church governance.

Horizons - Last Friday, I joined my co-workers in wearing orange to stand for a future free from gun violence. The next morning, I logged on to social media only to discover that Anika Browne, my own high school classmate, had been killed, a victim of gun and domestic violence.