Apostolic Women Religious in the United States and Their Legacy

Janice J Brown O.P.

Etd

Apostolic Women Religious in the United States and Their Legacy

Public Deposited

MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Janice J Brown O.P. Apostolic Women Religious In the United States and Their Legacy. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/21c1ac5f-c885-4661-a014-181663ba560b.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

J. J. B. O.p. Apostolic Women Religious in the United States and Their Legacy. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/21c1ac5f-c885-4661-a014-181663ba560b

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Janice J Brown O.P. Apostolic Women Religious In the United States and Their Legacy. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/21c1ac5f-c885-4661-a014-181663ba560b.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Janice J Brown O.P.

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Abstract

The legacy of Jesus has manifested itself among different populations, within different cultures, and during different times. This thesis-project looks at this manifestation as it unfolds as the legacy of apostolic women religious in the United States. The legacy of each participating congregation was described as a mission or more specifically as the mission of Jesus. It has also been the experience of these women religious that legacy is most tangible in the relationships and trust they built with their students, coworkers, and community members with whom they worked and partnered. The legacy of apostolic women religious is a witness to the gospel message that took root as Christianity two thousand years ago. The thesis-project begins by exploring the legacy of Jesus, as well as the historical context that furthers God’s mission through the lives of three historical women – Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, and Angela Merici. The research then flows into the brief history of the Ursuline Sisters in the United States. Reviewing the pre and post-Vatican II eras and their influence on religious life helps lay a foundation upon which apostolic women today have been formed.The primary data was gathered through focus group discussions involving seven congregations consisting of thirty-five apostolic women religious. Their comments are summarized first by congregation in order to maintain the richness within each discussion, then by main themes, and concluded with a reflection on the legacy of these women as it finds meaning through the Gospel of John.Legacy has many definitions, but what surfaced most prominently was legacy as ministry, and the ministries are what define the women. Legacy efforts included developing relationships, education, healing, inclusivity, and service. All of these works could be imagined as the ongoing narrative of the Gospels, epitomized in the Beloved Disciple.

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