This special and final episode sees the return of Sr. Beth Fitzpatrick, who previously featured in her own episode “A House of Prayer: A Conversation with Sr. Beth Fitzpatrick, O. Carm.” Sr. Beth, as the Archdiocese of New Orleans’s vicar for religious life, served as a creative steward on the Flourishing Sisterhood project and podcast. She and Claire Gallagher, the Flourishing Sisterhood project manager, provide insight into the production of the podcast, and their heartfelt experiences listening to each sisters’ story. As it is the final episode, they express their gratitude for the listeners, the sisters who participated in the podcast, and all those who offered their support along the way.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

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This episode features Sr. Julie Marsh, a Sister of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who tells us about the roads she followed, with God’s guidance, that led her to religious life. Prior to her entry into the sisterhood, Sr. Julie worked as a music therapist across the street from the Sisters of the Presentation. Fate brought her closer to the sisters, which led to her entering their congregation in 1986. She became a university campus minister and formation director for her community. In 2014, she was invited by a fellow sister for a mission in Louisiana. After taking time to discern whether the invitation was right for her, Sr. Julie made the decision to move down south. She is now the Director of Operations for the non-profit organization Hotel Hope in New Orleans, an emergency shelter for women facing houselessness.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.

This episode features Sr. Kathy Overmann, a Daughter of Charity, who explores the ways in which she has served individuals in the margins across the midwestern and southern U.S. Sr. Kathy first discerned her vocation following her high school graduation when she felt God calling her to a life of service. She has wholeheartedly involved herself in ministries which require her to reach people through compassionate and empathetic dialogue. Through her missions, she has found the importance of embracing our shared humanity. Sr. Kathy feels confident and comfortable speaking to people of all walks of life. She says that she tries to see the presence of God and Jesus in each person she encounters throughout the day. Before returning to New Orleans for her most recent ministry, she was missioned in Chicago, Illinois, at Marillac St. Vincent Family Services, helping senior citizens during the pandemic. Now, Sr. Kathy volunteers five days a week at the Harry Tompson Center to provide for unhoused New Orleanians.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.

This episode features Sr. Leah Couvillion, a School Sister of Notre Dame, who shares her global missionary experiences. Sr. Leah heard her call to religious life as a fourth grader, and became particularly infatuated with the potential of becominga foreign missionary. Her formation experience was unique: at just fourteen years old, she embarked on a journey of independence—leaving Louisiana for St. Mary of the Pines in Mississippi, a school for young women aspiring to be sisters. At school, she grew close with the other aspirants as they grew spiritually and emotionally alongside one another. She fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a global missionary by ministering in Mexico from 1985 to 1996 and in Pakistan from 1999 to 2001. Her ministry in the United States has revolved around working with Spanish-speaking parishes in Texas and Louisiana. She has specialized in language instruction, since receiving her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and her master’s degree in Spanish Literature. In addition to being a language instructor, Sr. Leah has trained catechists and flourishing religious leaders across the globe.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.

This episode features Sr. Susanna of the Little Friars and Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary. She is from Sicily, Italy, and has been a part of her community for ten years. Currently, she is the Servant Superior of the formation house in the Houma-Thibodaux region. In her youth, she frequently attended mass with her grandmother, and was told Bible stories in place of fairy tales at bedtime. As a teenager, Sr. Susanna’s connection with the Church weakened as she attempted to discover what would bring her absolute joy. In college, she majored in philosophy and sought answers to her questions about life, death, and true happiness. She would find the answers through God. Sr. Susanna says that she has always been a “very radical kind of person,” which fits well with the radical evangelical poverty that her community embraces. The community, nonetheless, provides for their underprivileged parishioners.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.

This episode features Sr. Marie-Therese of Jesus Crucified, a Sister Servant of Jesus Crucified, who tells the remarkable story of her discernment. Her entire family experienced a reversion around the time Sr. Marie-Therese was eight years old. Following the birth of her younger brother, her mother endured a serious depressive episode, but God used this experience to bring the family back to the Church. In her teenage years, she carried out a radical act of love which led to her entering religious life immediately after graduating high school. First and foremost, Sr. Marie-Therese’s life as a sister is grounded in Eucharistic devotion and prayer, which provides sustaining grace through her active ministry life. Among many other missions and acts of service through her community, she accompanies others in offering their pain and struggles to the Lord through redemptive suffering, provides proper burial for the underprivileged through the community’s Bonne Mort Society, and provides love and support for local disadvantaged girls.

Trigger Warnings: brief mention of child death.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.

This episode features Sr. Giuliana Maria of the Most Blessed Sacrament, our youngest podcast guest and a novice with the Sister Servants of Jesus Crucified. As a self-proclaimed “wild child” and a romantic, Sr. Giuliana “reached for the sky” while growing up in the mountainous region of Colombia. As a teenager, she pursued a relationship she thought would lead to marriage and her ultimate happiness. The relationship did not last, but as a result, Sr. Giuliana began to explore her passion for the Church and helping others with a group of friends. She started attending weekly mass, and ministering to the neighborhood children. The friend group’s efforts were soon noticed by the Missionaries of Charity. Her ministry work would create opportunities for her to attend World Youth Day 2019 in Panama and a charismatic renewal retreat in Mexico. Both experiences were a part of Sr. Giuliana’s discernment. Her perspective on the sisterhood is unique as a young woman from Colombia called by God to St. Martinville LA, to the Community of Jesus Christ Crucified, an active-contemplative community rooted in redemptive suffering and meeting the needs of the poor and most vulnerable through their various missions and apostolates.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.

This episode features Sr. Celeste Larroque, a Sister of the Eucharistic Covenant. For twelve years, she was taught by the Sisters of Mercy in her small Louisiana town, which instilled in her the importance of religious women fulfilling their purpose through their missions. As a young adult, Sr. Celeste entered a convent which opened her up to the concepts of community and prayer life. In the early 80s, Sr. Celeste, with four other sisters, founded her current congregation, with a focus on the importance of a Eucharistic charism, after a period of discernment and discussion with their diocese. For over forty years, Sr. Celeste has ministered in civil and social services, as well as in congregational leadership. Most recently, she has ministered as the Diocese of Lafayette’s Delegate for Religious. Sr. Celeste says that she carries her family, her charism, her spirituality, and her congregation everywhere she goes in life; these essential parts of her identity have helped her to cultivate a positive and compassionate attitude in her ministry.

The Flourishing Sisterhood Project is supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Catholic Sisters Initiative. The podcast is produced by the Loyola Institute for Ministry and retained by the university’s Digital Humanities Archive.

Music and sound effects provided by distressbear and t2audio through Pond5.