Women & Spirit

The recent pilgrimage by a delegation from South Carolina to visit the Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America exhibit in Cleveland was, in a word, exhilarating.  Having worked with religious women for 17 years now, I have a great appreciation for their work and a certain level of understanding of the culture.  It all came together for me during the two hour visit to the Maltz Museum to view the exhibit. Women in religious life are the world’s best kept secret.

Their work has touched millions of people in thousands of different ways and for centuries. I saw pictures of Sisters marching into battle with the Italian army ready to provide aid to the wounded. I saw them putting their lives at risk in the deep South in the 60s and in mission work in foreign countries.

I read about the tragedy of El Salvador and the death of those brave Sisters.  I listened to the story of the great hurricane and flood of Galveston Texas in 1910. It told of the nuns tethering young orphans to their side so they could all band together during the storm. It was a tragic ending and only three survived. When the bodies of the dead were recovered, young boys and girls were still connected to the Sisters by string. What a powerful image.

I was also inspired by the unique but wonderful partnership the Sisters and the Jewish community have developed around the exhibit in Cleveland. We were able to learn about the struggles throughout history in the Jewish faith which, in some instances, has certain similarities to the plight of women religious.

The religious women have built schools, started and run orphanages, created hospitals and nursing homes, cared for unwed mothers, started Alcoholic Anonymous, cared for the starving in third world countries, dealt with AIDS patients and so much more. I think about our own Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and how they have taken risks throughout their religious lives so others could benefit. Their sacrifices have helped thousands in Ohio, South Carolina and beyond.

The common theme, to me, with the Women & Spirit exhibit was humble service but a tenacious spirit and work ethic. In other words, we will get the job done but we are not going to boast about it nor do we need any praise for it. The Sisters are doing God’s work and that is all that matters to them.

The exhibit will be in Cleveland until the end of August and then move to another city in the U.S.  It is worth your time to see it.

One final note:  Our travel delegation representing the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina (11 of us, including six nuns) left the museum overwhelmed with emotion. Shortly after boarding the bus following the exhibit, a song was sung by the group.  These lyrics filled the air, “Praise God for whom all blessings flow: praise him all creatures here below: praise him above, ye heavenly host: praise father, son and Holy Ghost.”

Tom Keith is the president of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina