Catholic Sisters Week celebrates diverse roles of women religious

Catholic Sisters Week 2025 is set to honor the contributions of women religious with a variety of virtual and interactive activities. The event, running from March 8-14, aims to highlight the diverse roles that Catholic sisters play in society today. This annual celebration began in 2014 as part of Women’s History Month.

Susan Oxley, communications and membership manager for the Religious Formation Conference, emphasized the importance of recognizing these contributions: “The sisters don’t toot their horns,” she said. “They’re too busy doing what they do. And so we’ve got to do that for them.”

Mikaela VanMoorleghem from the Notre Dame Sisters in Omaha has introduced a campaign called #LikeaCatholicSister. She explained its purpose: “The purpose is to get different congregations from across the country in a unified effort to challenge these outdated stereotypes of what a Catholic sister is — and shift perceptions of religious life by showcasing the diverse and dynamic and impactful ways that the sisters actually serve today.”

Dominican Sister Beth Murphy highlighted her congregation's contribution through stories of four sisters who exemplify their charism, each with an informative tag such as Dominican Sister Sharon Zayac (“Changing the narrative”) and Dominican Sister Mila Diaz Solano (“Elevating different voices”).

In Colorado Springs, the Benedictine Sisters at Benet Hill Monastery have chosen "Doing Hope and Letting Love Flow" as their theme. Ruth Roland noted their goals include raising awareness about environmental issues in Peru along with supporting Minga Peru.

Kathy Williams from Louisville’s Ursuline Sisters spoke about combining Catholic Sisters Week with other significant anniversaries through an interactive map titled "Walk with Angela," which allows users to virtually follow St. Angela Merici's historic journey.

Julie Kresge discussed how Felician Sisters are focusing on Águilas del Desierto’s mission along the U.S.-Mexico border: “Felician Sister Maria Louise Edwards...is based there, and she helps Águilas with anything that they need,” she said.

Sister Erin McDonald participated in voter engagement efforts last year, reflecting ongoing advocacy work by women religious.

Ultimately, Sister Murphy summarized Catholic Sisters Week's goal: “The purpose...is to present to women some role models in which they can hopefully see possibilities for their own lives.”

Kimberley Heatherington reports for OSV News from Virginia.