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I’ve been thinking a bit lately about the vital role women religious have played in shaping communities throughout the country. My reasons are two-fold:

1. I’m working on a story about an upcoming anniversary celebration. That’s led to me reading about the early Arizona days of the Daughters of Charity.
2. I recently read on xt3 about a fascinating exhibit at the Ripley Center of the Smithsonsian.

Exhibit on display through April 25 at the Smithsonian.

“Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America” opened at the Smithsonian Jan. 15. Visitors can learn about more than 400 religious communities who began coming to America nearly 300 years ago to build schools, hospitals, orphanages and shelters. The exhibit, which runs through April 25, includes rare artifacts, photographs, videos and first-person narratives.

A few fascinating facts about exhibited items mentioned in the news release:

• a nurse’s bag from a Sister of Charity used on the front lines (both sides) during the Civil War
• a gavel belonging to the first woman religious to be elected mayor of an American City (Dubuque, Iowa–hometown of one of our former freelancers)
• the story of Mother Alfred Moes,  whose response to the destruction of a violent tornado in 1883, was “a significant milestone in the development of what is now known as Mayo Clinic”
• For a quick read about other items and facts at the exhibit, download the brochure.