Serving the needs of the poor and less fortunate always has been at the core of a consecrated religious life.
Where nuns may be and what their venture looks like has changed. The heart of service has remained constant.
"The hallmark of a good religious life is you work yourself out of a job," said Sister Kathleen Wegman, chancellor of the Diocese of Jefferson City.
For sisters serving in the field of education, no longer do they work primarily with immigrants looking to build a new life in a new culture. Many have, in fact, turned over the role to lay teachers and administrators.
But as historical avenues of service take on a new chapter, so the sisters prayerfully have sought out the new needs of a 21st century America.