Thank You, Sisters: Stories of Women Religious and How They Enrich Our Lives

Since the April 2012 announcement of the Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, there has been considerable media attention focused on Catholic Sisters.

The first report, and the consequent naming of bishop-oversight and guidance of LCWR for the next five years, has resulted in an outcry of support for U.S. religious sisters from much of the Church, and a concurrent outcry of support for the Holy See and criticism of sisters from other parts of the Church. There has not been much reliable analysis of this reaction yet: Is it liberal-conservative? Young or old? Neither is the point of this book.

Thank You, Sisters highlights the positive impact that sisters have had on a cross-section of Catholics. It steps back from finger-pointing and position-taking and simply tells inspiring, true stories of Sisters and the people they have influenced. The book shows the effect religious women have had not only on the U.S. Catholic Church, but on the nation as a whole, in areas such as health care, education, social justice, and pastoral ministry.

The contributors to this book are prominent Catholics who write from a wide range of experience. They include: James Martin, S.J. Cokie Roberts Mary Fishman— producer of Band of Sisters Adriana Trigiani Binka Le Breton, on Amazon martyr Sister Dorothy Stang Maureen Orth Liz Scott, on Sr. Helen Prejean Teresa Gardner and Sr. Chris Kenney Maurice Nutt, C.S.S.R. on Sr. Thea Bowman Teresa Wilson on Sr. Joan Chittister Dan Horan, O.F.M.