Dan Stockman

COVID-19 has exposed how unprepared the world is — even wealthy nations — to work together to stop an urgent crisis, Daughter of Charity Sr. Carol Keehan told a World Health Day symposium on health equity.

While "the associate movement is alive and well," board members of the North American Conference of Associates and Religious announced the decision to dissolve the nonprofit, citing financial strains and a lack of volunteers.

Sr. Simone Campbell will step down soon from the helm of Network, the Catholic social justice lobby she has led since 2004. A lifetime of following the Spirit has prepared her for whatever comes next.

"We're letting go — this is how we live our vow of poverty," said Mercy Sr. Mary Ellen Howard. "In this kind of process, you learn what's important, and it's not things. The things can go. In fact, please take them."

Sr. Maxine Kollasch will step down as executive director of A Nun's Life, the ministry she co-founded 15 years ago to spread the joy of religious life.

Coronavirus: One Year Later - At least once a week, it seems, another sister dies from COVID-19. Sometimes, there are horrible strings of deaths, or shocking bursts of them all at once. But how many others will we never even know about?

Members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious have been challenged to address food insecurity, especially in activities integrated into the eighth annual Catholic Sisters Week, which runs March 8-14.

Ursuline Sr. Dianna Ortiz, who not only survived kidnapping and torture in Guatemala but used the experience to become a voice for torture victims everywhere, died of cancer Feb. 19. She was 62.

Associates have a spiritual connection to the sisters of their congregations that sets them apart from other volunteers or friends. But how can communities maintain that spiritual connection during a pandemic?

With Mardi Gras events canceled because of COVID-19, artists who create floats were out of work. Someone had the idea of decorating houses to create a stationary parade, and Presentation Sr. Mary Lou Specha signed up.

Six women religious communities and a federation of congregations of women religious have added their support to "God Is on Your Side: A Statement from Catholic Bishops on Protecting LGBT Youth," released last month.

Serving one in seven U.S. patients, Catholic Health Association members are signing on to a "We Are Called" initiative that puts health equity at the center of how they: administer care, prioritize COVID-19 treatment, build diversity in staffing at all levels, and strengthen trust with minority communities.

The documentary "Rebel Hearts" tells the story of the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary whose commitment to Vatican II renewal in the 1960s would lead them to defy a cardinal and form a new community.

Catholic sisters see the incoming Biden administration as a relief. Sisters interviewed by GSR want policies more in line with Catholic social teaching; yet all of them came back to the issue of character.

Brian Kane, senior director of ethics at the Catholic Health Association, is the organization's point person on the vaccine. "Sisters are probably high up on the list. First is health care workers, of course, but then, basically, it's people at higher risk of catching it, and certainly, advanced age and whatever health conditions they have would be factors."

Catholic sisters and their communities across the nation responded to the Jan. 6 attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, calling for prayers, peace and, in some cases, new leadership.

"This is the DNA of our community, healing women." Sr. Terry Gauvin of the Good Shepherd Sisters of Quebec helps shepherd the anti-trafficking program CourageLIVES in the Diocese of Portland, Maine.

The number of hungry people is soaring, and federal support of food banks may end soon. Sisters spoke to GSR about adapting ministries to increased need, fewer resources and diminished relationships.

Many communities of women religious are considering or have already begun changing their structures to meet their changing demographics and needs as members age and the number of new vocations drops. Here's a look at how that can go.

Congregations of all sizes are learning that while it hurts not to be able to be together physically, virtual gatherings allow them to include many more sisters than ever before — even those too infirm to travel.