'Women and Spirit' on Ellis Island Starting Sept. 24

The story of Catholic sisters in America is presented in an exhibit, "Women and Spirit" on Ellis Island, NY. This exhibit features the work, ministries and innovative works of Catholic sisters in America. You can view some of the exhibit here. The exhibit opens on September 24 and closes on January 22, 2011.

A bus ride to the exhibit is being organized by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Wilton, Connecticut, for Saturday, October 23. They can be reached at http://www.ssnd.org/. You may also phone Nancy Holland, coordinator for the bus, at 203-761-9732 for information and to reserve a space. See flyer below (click on images to enlarge.). Also, please note that the RSVP deadline for this trip is September 24.

"Women religious have made an incalculable contribution to this nation. Running schools, hospitals, orphanages from America's earliest days, these women helped foster a culture of social service that has permeated our society," said Cokie Roberts, News analyst and author.\\

Click here to view videos about this exhibit.

Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America is coming to Ellis Island, the port of entry for thousands of immigrants and the Catholic sisters who came to our country to serve them. This traveling exhibit, sponsored by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) will be housed at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Statue of Liberty National Monument from September 23, 2010 to January 22, 2011.

Women & Spirit reveals the mystery behind a small group of innovative American women – Catholic Sisters – who helped shape the nation’s social and cultural landscape. Even at a time when women didn’t have the right to vote, these pioneering leaders in their communities helped build American’s schools, hospitals, orphanages, and colleges. In ways both creative and compelling, the Women & Spirit exhibit illustrates the enormous impact the lives of these remarkable women have had on both our church and our nation’s history, and invites all to discover a world few have seen but millions have shared.

Visit the website here.

Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America

American Catholic nuns have been in the news recently regarding a Vatican investigation into the quality of their lives. Parallel to this story is a not-as-well-publicized look at their lives which spans their presence in America since the Civil War. This story is presented in a traveling exhibit, “Women and Spirit.” It captures the contributions of some American nuns in health care, education, and social justice.

An article about these sisters, written by Suzy Farren, appears in the September-October 2009 issue of Health Progress. For the full article, click here.