News and Stories

This month, the University of Dayton presented SRW COO Kelly Mallon Young with the 2025 Christian Service Award. This award celebrates Dayton alumni who are devoted to extraordinary self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.

There’s nothing quite like a “Lunch with Purpose” to spark meaningful conversation, and that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday, September 16, when Garth Flint and Mike Skillman of Beacon Pointe, one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms specializing in financial and wealth management, hosted an inspiring luncheon for Sisters Rising Worldwide.

Sr. Florence Muia lives in Naivasha, Kenya, where she runs ASN Upendo Village – a local lifeline providing services for those living with HIV/AIDS and other community members in need. She grew increasingly concerned as she witnessed a rising tide of political manipulation stoking division and hatred among the young people in her country. At the national level, “Gen Z” protests erupted across the country over proposed tax increases, eventually turning violent and leaving multiple people dead and injured. In her own community, Sr. Florence witnessed many local youths, often struggling with unemployment, caught in violent acts, as both perpetrators and victims.

When your names are literally Mary and Joseph, maybe it’s only fitting that your lives are marked by compassion, generosity, and service. For Molly (Mary) and Joe Bodewes, giving back isn’t just a value; it’s a calling. And in true Sisters Rising Worldwide spirit, they’re using their hands, talents, and resources to uplift others alongside Sisters around the globe.

This fall marks the return of Help Sisters Run the World, our third annual virtual event where together we’ll log miles to reach 24,901—the distance around the globe.

Monica Murphy has long admired the quiet power of Catholic Sisters and how they move through the world with grace, integrity, and impact. “From grade school to college, the Sisters were always there,” Monica reflects. “They were smart, dedicated women who were making the world better—quietly, but powerfully. I didn’t realize at the time how much they influenced me. But they did.”

Sr. Christine Unveils her School’s First Computer Lab in Zambia

In a quiet classroom, a woman in a simple habit teaches young children how to read, opening a door to a life of possibility. In a humble clinic, another sister calmly tends to patients who would otherwise go without care. In a small community centre, a sister gathers women to teach them skills that build independence and dignity. These scenes may feel ordinary—but they hold the power to change the world.

When Anna Ellis first heard about Sisters Rising Worldwide, it was through a spark – two, actually. Her neighbor at the time, Kelly Mallon Young, and Sister Irene O’Neill had recently connected and were energized about an idea that was just beginning to take shape. “They’re both spark plugs,” Anna said. “You just know if the two of them are involved, something incredible is going to happen.”