For 20 years, the Sisters of St. Joseph in Philadelphia have welcomed their neighbors, whether they are immigrants or people experiencing drug addiction and homelessness.
Catholic sisters from different congregations — along with lay people, interreligious and community leaders, priests and bishops — participated in a march in El Paso, Texas, supporting the dignity of immigrants.
Working with Holy Cross Ministries — a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit created by the Sisters of the Holy Cross to aid Utah's marginalized community members — these sisters dedicate their very full days to helping this underserved population.
Women religious haven't been spared the suffering the Catholic Church is going through in Nicaragua, said a sister GSR correspondent Rhina Guidos met with in January while visiting El Salvador. At a moment's notice, she'd had to prepare to welcome a group of nuns forced to leave their ministry behind in Nicaragua.
Sisters from various congregations journeyed from San Diego via the cold desert toward Mexico, to see what the landscape, migrants and the Holy Spirit had to say to them during a five-day border pilgrimage.
In the desert Jesus awakened to who he was and his new way of seeing the people around him and the time he was in. Lent invites us to take the time needed to become more aware of who we are and to see others in a new way.
Leaders of migrant shelters in Tijuana say they are enduring violence and organized crime. One director, a Catholic sister, told GSR her shelter had to change its facilities and "close everything" to keep migrants safe.
Horizons - As we've kept in touch with graduates of the program, we hear sisters share about their presentations and articles. Sisters are building infrastructure to welcome migrant families at their own motherhouses.
Sr. Maria Luisa Silverio Cruz has been the coordinator of la Casa del Migrante El Samaritano for the past 5 years. She remains committed, at 51 years of age, to her struggle to support migrants.
