2025 LCRW Conference in Atlanta, GA at the Hyatt on Peachtree. Images take by SSNDCP
Catholic Sisters Week and Women’s History MonthCatholic Sisters Week began in 2015 as a part of National Women’s History Month. It is now an official component of Women’s History Month. It was authorized by Molly Murphy MacGregor, co-founder of National Women’s History Project, who was educated and deeply influenced by Catholic sisters. In 1981, Women’s History Month launched as a single week. By 1987, U.S. Congress formally expanded it to the full month of March.
About Catholic Sisters Week
Since the fall of 2019, Catholic Sisters Week (formerly National Catholic Sisters Week) has been under the direction of Communicators for Women Religious (CWR). The updated name reflects a broader vision, raising awareness of women religious not only in the United States, but around the world.
Fifty-two weeks a year, women religious stand with the poor and immigrants, teach children, fight injustice, heal the sick, share spirituality, empower women, defend the planet, promote peace, build community, and offer hope. During Catholic Sisters Week, we intentionally shine a spotlight on their Gospel witness and invite others to join in celebrating and supporting their mission.
Throughout the week, individuals and communities are encouraged to:
- expand and support the Gospel witness of women religious
- grow the service networks they have seeded
- share their spirituality, charisms, and community
- encourage young women to consider a vocation to religious life
- support their pastoral, teaching, and prophetic works
- and focus on the new world they help call into being
Catholic Sisters Week is both a celebration and a call to action, honoring the profound legacy of women religious while inviting the Church and the wider community to walk alongside them in shaping a more just, compassionate, and hope-filled world.Over time, Catholic Sisters Week has grown into a collaborative, nationwide effort, with congregations across the country participating through coordinated messaging, shared hashtags, storytelling campaigns, and local events. The unifying hashtag #LikeaCatholicSister has become a recognizable and powerful way to connect stories and amplify voices across congregations and regions.
Each year builds on the momentum of the last, allowing the celebration to evolve while remaining rooted in its core purpose: to honor Catholic Sisters, amplify their stories, and invite others to reflect on how faith, service, and love are lived out in the world.
2026 Catholic Sisters Week
In 2026, Catholic Sisters Week continues this tradition through the national theme Stories of Hope and Heart, centering the lived experiences that reveal the enduring impact of Catholic Sisters — not just through what they do, but through who they are.
Are you planning an in-person or virtual Catholic Sisters Week event or initiative for your own organization? Be sure to check out our planning resources, including social media and web templates.