“How about the next time we meet, each of us bring one more person?” That’s what Sister Carroll Ann Kemp suggested to Sister Carol Ries and the other women meeting to learn more about the issue of human trafficking. That group continued to grow, evolving into the Mid-Atlantic Coalition Against Modern Slavery (MACAMS). And that’s how grassroots organizing happens: passionate people share with each other and band together around a cause. In this episode, Sisters Carroll Ann and Carol share their experience combatting human trafficking through public education, advocacy and supporting organizations that aid victims.
Sister Catherine Ferguson, SNJM discusses the work of UNANIMA International to advocate for human rights. The collective of women religious groups has lobbied at the United Nations to provide a unified voice on access to water, homelessness and social justice issues that affect women and children around the world.
Could growing older be a richer experience? Sisters Rosemary Thielman and Roberta Lamanna were convinced it could, and they started Wisdom Works to elevate “eldering” into a more meaningful and spirit-filled process. In this episode, you’ll learn about the healing and support experienced by mothers, abuse survivors and others who continue to be blessed by Wisdom Works.
The Sisters of the Holy Names are dedicated to reaching out and responding to people who are impoverished, abandoned or living at the fringes of society. Sister Cathy Beckley shares how she was called to start the Women’s Drop-In Center in Spokane, WA, creating a safe environment for women to heal in community.
During the COVID pandemic, Our Place Community Outreach has served over 25,000 people and distributed over 600,000 pounds of food to meet the increased needs of their community. Sisters Joan Dixon and Carol Frances Lee share how the harmonious missions of Our Place and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary led to community in Spokane, WA, and support for all its residents.
How do you start a college? It would take a miracle. “But maybe a miracle can happen,” Sister Kathleen Ross said to herself, inspired by Mother Marie Rose and by the community in the Yakima Valley asking for access to higher education. Sr. Kathleen worked with Martha B. Yallup and Violet Lumley Rau to found Heritage College and oversaw its growth from 85 students to more than 1,400 during her tenure as President. In this episode of Holy Names Sisters: Women on a Mission, she reflects on how the college was built to empower transformational, student-centric education.
