Religious Women as Global Migrants: The Changing Face of Religious Life in the US
About the Session
The Catholic Church is experiencing a global paradigm shift. According to Vatican statistics, Africa, Asia and Latin America now represent over 70% of the worldwide Catholic population, a trend which has profounds impact and implications on religious life in the United States. In her new book, Religious Women as Global Migrants to the US: Critical Conversations About Spirituality, Mental Health, and Vocational Identity, Sr. Chioma Ahanihu, SLW, explores the phenomenon of migrant women who have decided to become religious women in the US, and how their integration into religious life affects them and their host communities.
Join Sr. Chioma and the United States Catholic Mission Association for this important discussion on the current reality and future viability of religious life in the United States.
Sr. Chioma Ahanihu, SLW
Sr. Chioma Ahanihu, SLW, is a member of Sisters of the Living Word in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She was born and grew up in Nigeria and has lived in the US for the past two decades. Sr. Chioma earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Misericordia University and a master’s in social work from the Catholic University of America. In her quest to combine mental health and spirituality, she obtained a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and a doctorate in ministry with a concentration in spirituality from the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, IL. She has been involved in different nonprofit organizations in the field of social work. Sr. Chioma contributes her gift of reflecting the Word with various organizations to living out her charism, a term used in religious contexts to refer to a particular spiritual gift or grace given by God. Her charism is to give life through the Word of God.
Join Sr. Chioma and the United States Catholic Mission Association for this important discussion on the current reality and future viability of religious life in the United States.