Heart to Heart

Listening to others out of love: Age is no barrier for religious sisters

Although many religious congregations in Europe face the challenge of aging members, the heart of their vocation remains unchanged: to serve those in need with love and dedication. In Matera, in southern Italy, 93-year-old Sister Angela Sinopoli continues to do so on the streets of her city, living out her pastoral ministry of closeness.

Kenyan sister transforming farming into community development

Community empowerment through sustainable farming drives Sr. Josephine Kwenga’s work to help farmers in Kenyan villages develop viable farming practices in order to bring new life to families and the Church’s mission of care for creation.

The hospital boats continuing Pope Francis' legacy in the Amazon

On the sidelines of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, hospital boats are docked on the riverside, offering medical assistance to those most in need. The boats, inspired by Pope Francis, travel all along the Amazon River to tend to the needs to Indigenous communities and those who live along the river, far from cities. This is the testimony of Felipe, a volunteer doctor.

A glimpse into contemplative life: Sr. Elisabeth on the Carmel in Sweden

In Sweden, where Catholics make up less than two percent of the population and contemplative orders are underrepresented, Sister Elisabeth from the Carmelite monastery of Glumslöv offers an extraordinary look at a way of life that is almost completely unknown in Scandinavia.

'Among the discarded of the world': William Vollmann reflects on Dilexi Te

In L&rsquoOsservatore Romano, the renowned American writer William Vollmann - whose career has been dedicated to the wretched of the earth: the poor, the homeless, prostitutes - reflects on Pope Leo's apostolic exhortation 'Dilexi te'.

An advocate in a veil: Catholic sister defending justice in Kenyan courtrooms

When people picture a Catholic religious sister, they image a woman in a habit, perhaps teaching, praying quietly in a chapel, or caring for the sick. Few imagine a religious sister in a courtroom, dressed in professional attire, standing before a judge, and introducing herself not just as &ldquoAdvocate Immaculate Muthoni,&rdquo but as &ldquoSister Immaculate.&rdquo

Canossian sisters empowering Maasai girls to rise above tradition and poverty

In Tanzania's Arusha region, home to the Maasai and Meru tribes, the Canossian Daughters of Charity are pursuing their mission to rescue young girls from harmful cultural practices and empower them with education, dignity, and the ability to choose their futures.

Where despair meets mercy: Church’s mission in Colombian slum

In the south of Bogotá, in what was once a middle-class Colombian neighborhood, lies the “Barrio San Bernardo.” Today, this area bears the marks of marginalization and despair, but within it, seeds of hope are being planted by a young parish priest, Fr. Juan Felipe Quevedo.

From convent to haven: CPS sisters open doors to Ukrainian refugees

Amid Europe’s declining vocations, the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood (CPS) have revived their mission in the Netherlands by offering sanctuary to refugees, turning a historic convent into a home of hope for families fleeing war in Ukraine.

Mother Cabrini Institute Founder: We know immigrants and trust them with our lives

In an interview with Vatican News, Michele Pistone, law professor at Villanova University's Charles Widger School of Law, and founding faculty director of Villanova's just-launched Mother Cabrini Institute on Immigration, explains concrete efforts, also to help rediscover the humanity of immigrants whom we so often welcome into the most intimate areas of our lives, like caring for our children and elders.

Schwarzenegger: ‘Catholic Church a powerhouse for climate change activism’

Ahead of the ‘Raising Hope for Climate Justice’ conference in Castel Gandolfo, Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to Vatican News about the Church’s vast reach to 1.4 billion Catholics, who have the collective potential to help heal our common home.

Dominican sisters in Zimbabwe train young people in health sector

For over 60 years, the Dominican Sisters in Zimbabwe have run St. Theresa Hospital in Chirimanzu, making a profound impact on the lives of young people by training them to become skilled primary care nurses and registered general nurses. Their legacy of compassion, education, and healthcare continues to shape the future of nursing in Zimbabwe.

Religious sisters work for an indigenous Church with an Amazonia

In the heart of the jungle in Cuzco, Peru, Sr. Giovanna Llerena Alfaro, a Dominican Missionary of the Rosary, walks alongside the Indigenous communities of Bajo Urubamba, promoting an Indigenous Church and a form of evangelization that arises from contemplation.

Missionary Sisters bringing hope in Sudans Nuba Mountains

Despite wars and calamities in the Nuba Mountains, the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood continue to remain faithful to their service, providing critical services in education and healthcare, working in communities of need, and even contributing to a regional women's centre.

‘I desire silence:’ Sr. Veronica and search for lifes meaning at Swedish convent

Sister Veronica lived in a French lay order and was later sent to Sweden. In Rögle, she has met people who are not Catholic, but who nevertheless visit the Dominican sisters’ convent to find themselves and silence.

Sisters step forward in faith to uplift the marginalized in India

Inspired by their foundress, Blessed Mary of the Passion, the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in India are dedicating their lives to the service of the poor and marginalized. In the St. Francis Region, the sisters primarily serve children, adults, and women by providing education, rescuing individuals from trafficking, supporting rehabilitation, and bringing hope and transformation to their lives.

Benedictine nuns in Sweden offer ‘a place of prayer and silence’

Religious sisters of the Benedictine Order have offered a place of prayer and silence at the Sacred Heart Convent in Omberg, Sweden, since 1997, welcoming anyone searching for a way to draw near to God.

Kenya: Benedictine Sisters restoring dignity to the elderly

The Benedictine Sisters of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion have been reaching out to the elderly through their daily acts of compassion, sacrifice, and unwavering faith. They bring hope, joy, and dignity to the elderly at St. Catherine’s Home for the Aged and in the remote villages of Mundika in Kenya.

Twin brothers launch online platform to 'give a voice' to Eastern Christians

Digital missionaries Charbel and Giovanni use social media to share the culture and traditions of Christians in the Middle East in the midst of persecution.

Faith and service are ‘fuel to sustain Order of Malta for next thousand years’

Josef Blotz, Grand Hospitaller of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since February 2025, speaks to Vatican News about the Order’s priorities to help people in areas of conflict like Ukraine and Gaza, while combining spiritual mission with providing humanitarian aid.

Good Shepherd Sisters visit women in Polish prison ‘to offer hope’

The Sisters of the Good Shepherd of Divine Providence support detained women both spiritually and concretely, in cooperation with the Krzywaniec Prison Institute in Poland, seeking to offer hope, according to Sr. Krzysztofa Kujawska.

Sisters of Mary uplift Tanzania’s disadvantaged youth

In Tanzania, where financial hardship keeps many children and young people out of school, the Sisters of Mary are working to break the cycle by providing free, high-quality education and vocational training to secure a better future.

International Safeguarding Conference: Togolese religious nun encourages open discussion about abuse

This year's International Safeguarding Conference (ISC) 'Women of faith, women of strength' at the Pontifical Gregorian University, in Rome, dealt with the topic of women and safeguarding. One of the pioneers in raising awareness of the problem of abuse is the Togo nun Mary Lembo

Tanzania Catholic Association of Sisters combats human trafficking

As Tanzania faces increasing cases of human trafficking, particularly involving women and girls, the Tanzanian Government has called for a comprehensive response. This response foresees the active involvement and participation of Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) and civil society organizations, especially at the grassroots level.

‘These are the lucky ones’: The Gazan children in hospital in Rome

In Rome for Pope Leo XIV's inaugaural Mass, Varsen Aghabekian, Foreign Minister of the State of Palestine, pays a visit to a Roman hospital treating injured Gazan children.

Uganda: Catholic sisters offer trauma care to refugees

As South Sudanese refugees struggle with trauma and aid shortfalls in northern Uganda, a Catholic sister from a missionary congregation offers rare, holistic care—combining mental health support, education, and faith.

Sisters of the Sacred Heart: A lifeline for South Sudanese refugees

In Sudan’s sprawling refugee camps, where hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese have fled conflict and violence, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus live alongside the displaced, offering spiritual care, solidarity, and hope.

Sisters bring solar energy and hope to thousands in Malawi

Solar energy brings light and hope to thousands of families without electricity in Malawi’s rural areas. Sr. Bernadette Mnyenyembe, MSHR, describes her congregation’s initiative that has given over 9,000 households the empowering gift of light and better livelihoods.

New York family in Rome for Carlo Acutis renews faith at papal funeral

Vincent LeVien, his wife, Bridget, and their children, Sophia and Vincent Junior, were traveling to Rome for the canonization of Carlo Acutis, but found themselves instead remembering the late Pope, who they tell Vatican News, left a lasting imprint on the lives of countless people.

The Stories Will Not Leave the Man

Irish writer Colum McCann reflects on his encounters with Pope Francis.