Catholic religious sisters must no longer remain invisible in the public sphere, according to discussions at the World Congress of Signis. The final morning of the gathering focused on the foundational contributions of Catholic women religious to the Church and society, highlighting new media training initiatives designed to amplify their voices from the world’s peripheries.
Amplifying Voices Through Global Initiatives
To help religious sisters share their stories, the Church is investing in communication training through programs like the Pentecost Project and Wisdom Calls, according to Sister Jane Wakahiu. Speaking to communication professionals at the Signis congress, Sister Jane—who serves as associate vice president of program operations and head of the Catholic Sisters Initiative at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation—outlined how these projects aim to elevate the profile of consecrated women. The Pentecost Project was launched by the Dicastery for Communication to network, train, and value the voices of Catholic sisters, while Wisdom Calls fosters dialogue between religious sisters and commercial media.
Divine Origins of Communication
Communication is deeply rooted in God’s relationship with humanity rather than serving as mere information transmission, Sister Jane stated during her address titled “Prophetic Witness through Storytelling and Highlighting the Voices of Catholic Sisters in the Public Sphere.” Citing the prologue of the Gospel of John, she emphasized that communication creates, reveals, calls, and gives life. Through the Pentecost and Wisdom Calls projects, she noted that participants are called to listen and discern how they communicate in a world marked by conflict, uncertainty, and suffering.
Rewriting the Narrative on Consecrated Life
Media representations of Catholic religious sisters often rely on viral social media images rather than the reality of their daily missions, according to Sister Nina Krapić, deputy director of the Press Office of the Holy See. While lighter content may attract public attention, Sister Nina warned that it should not eclipse the work sisters perform daily in hospitals, schools, refugee communities, and disadvantaged areas. She noted that the Pentecost Project provides professional training and participatory journalism to help sisters document these realities alongside the vulnerable populations they serve.
Did You Know?
The Pentecost Project establishes a global network of religious sisters equipped with professional journalism skills to ensure their daily community work in marginalized regions reaches broader public platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pentecost Project?
According to the Press Office of the Holy See, the Pentecost Project is a global initiative launched by the Dicastery for Communication to provide professional training and participatory journalism tools to Catholic religious sisters.
What is the goal of the Wisdom Calls initiative?
Presented by Sister Jane Wakahiu, Wisdom Calls is an initiative designed to foster direct dialogue between Catholic religious sisters and commercial media outlets.
Who leads the Catholic Sisters Initiative at the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation?
Sister Jane Wakahiu serves as the associate vice president of program operations and head of the Catholic Sisters Initiative at the foundation.
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