What's Happening

April 24, 2025, Adrian, Michigan – In a recent Global Sisters Report article, Catholic Sisters from throughout the United States paid tribute to Pope Francis in response to his death on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. He was remembered fondly for the inspiration and example he gave in reaching out to people who are marginalized, including immigrants; his support of women, and particularly of women religious; his call for care for Earth in his encyclical, Laudato Si’; his initiative to bring the Catholic Church together through the Synod on Synodality; and his efforts to bring about peace and justice.

Near the middle of the article, Adrian Dominican Sister Durstyne Farnan, OP, Dominican Leadership Conference representative to the United Nations, said she was inspired by Laudato Si’ and by the pope’s commitment to protecting the planet. “I am terribly grateful for him and his vision,” she said in the article.

Read the entire article by Dan Stockman and Chris Herlinger.  

Another Global Sisters Report article by Dan Stockman and Chris Herlinger quotes the statement by the General Council in response to the death of Pope Francis.

Sister Donna Markham, OP, former Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, met Pope Francis during his September 2015 visit to the United States when she was President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA. She accompanied him during his visit to a Catholic Charities soup kitchen in Washington, D.C., where he had lunch with the soup kitchen guests who were experiencing homelessness. 

The next day, Sister Donna had a private audience with Pope Francis in a local home. In an article published in the April 23, 2025, issue of The Daily Telegram, a newspaper serving Adrian and Lenawee County, she recalled noting tears in the eyes of other people who had just met privately with him. 

“I remember thinking that he represented absolute goodness and compassion,” Sister Donna was quoted as saying in the Telegram article. “And there was a certain genuineness about him, like I was the only person in the world for those few minutes that I was able to talk with him.”

Read the entire article by David Panian here. Please note that a subscription is required to read the article.

 

Caption for above feature photo: Sister Donna Markham, OP, then President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA, greets Pope Francis in a private meeting during the pope’s 2015 visit to the United States.

November 12, 2024, Adrian, Michigan – Catholic Sisters leading Michigan congregations that have collectively served the people of Michigan for more than 700 years are joining with other organizations and municipalities across the state in calling on state lawmakers to pass the Drive SAFE (Safety, Access, Freedom, and Economy) legislation pending in the legislature.
 
The Drive SAFE bill package would make non-commercial Michigan driver’s licenses and state identification cards available to applicants who do not have proof of U.S. citizenship or immigration status. The bill would allow undocumented immigrants to have driver’s licenses and reinstate the right to drive in Michigan, a right that was revoked in 2008 and that currently exists in 18 other states and Washington, D.C. The Drive SAFE bill package is supported by Strangers No Longer of Southeast Michigan, an immigrant advocacy organization.
 
“As women of faith we support this legislation because it honors the inherent dignity of all persons and supports the safety and welfare of all Michigan residents. We also support it as practical Michiganders because it makes common sense and is cost-effective,” the leaders stated.
 
Providing access to driver’s licenses and state IDs for all residents of Michigan – regardless of their documentation – gives residents the ability to care for their families and get to and from work and/or school without fear of being arrested, detained, and deported. It also enables residents to participate in daily activities in their communities that require identification. 
 
“These bills would benefit all Michiganders, making our roads and communities safer and improve our economy by adding to the state’s revenue,” the Sisters said.  
 
The legislation provides that all drivers be trained, screened, and tested and required to have auto insurance. In case of emergencies, officials would be able to efficiently identify all individuals. The legislation is estimated to increase revenues in the State of Michigan by up to $13.5 million within the first three years of its passage.
 
“We strongly urge our legislators to pass Drive SAFE legislation for the common good of all residents of Michigan,” the Sisters stated.
 

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The Michigan congregations whose leaders have issued this statement include Dominican Sisters of Adrian; Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids; Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monroe; Congregation of St. Joseph, Detroit; Sisters, Home Visitors of Mary of Detroit; Servants of Jesus, Detroit. The leaders of these congregations are members of the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and part of its geographic Region VII.