Ongoing Research Session to Create Scholarly Network Examining Catholic Nuns’ Apostolate

“Catholic sisters often go unrecognized for their important contributions to education, healthcare, social services, environmental initiatives and so many other areas that help improve the quality of life for the people they serve,” the holder of a Doctorate in Social Sciences explained.

Bringing together lay and religious researchers from six regions among them Africa, the conference also offers the participants an opportunity “to learn about Catholic Sisters in a variety of regions and contexts,” the ASEC Executive Director who has been serving in her current position since September 2017 told ACI Africa September 26.

Additionally, the conference also aims at establishing what Catholic Siters are currently studying, Sr. Draru who is based in Pennsylvania, U.S. said.

The conference also aims at identifying and prioritizing areas of research still needed regarding Religious Life, brainstorming best methods for research funding, implementation and dissemination of the findings, as well as exploring opportunities for future collaboration and partnerships, she further said.

Sr. Draru hopes that upon its conclusion, “the conference will bring about innovative partnerships, new and thought-provoking research studies and a vibrant network of Religious and Lay individuals who are passionate about understanding and sharing the stories of Catholic Sisters and ultimately getting the word out on the important role Catholic Sisters play in holistic human development.”

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Among the participants of the conference are Sisters involved in research from seven African countries, including Cameroon, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Lesotho.

Established in 1999 by four Catholic universities in the U.S. and their respective Religious Orders, ASEC’s mission is to facilitate access to education for women Religious in Africa that leads to enhancement and expansion of the education, health, economic, social, environmental and spiritual services they provide.

In the last 21 years, ASEC has served over 53,000 Sisters through its various programs.

Meanwhile, CARA, the co-organizer of the ICR conference is a national, non-profit, Georgetown University affiliated research center that conducts social scientific studies about the Catholic Church.

Founded in 1964, CARA has three major dimensions to its mission, which include increasing the Church’s self-understanding, serving the applied research needs of Church decision-makers, and advancing scholarly research on religion, particularly Catholicism.