Sister of Charity of Nazareth Paris Slapikas was among 200 religious sisters who attended Hope 2025, a conference which drew women religious from various communities and six continents to Rome, Italy June 3-7.
“To see this amazing bonding happening, transcending borders, is an amazing thing to be a part of and to witness,” said Sister Slapikas, who serves as director of Catholic Charities of Louisville’s Sister Visitor Center in West Louisville.
While the global sisterhood is rooted in shared vows and spiritual commitment, the women also share an appreciation for their distinct charisms, she noted.
“It’s inspiring to be with women from around the world, to see their energy, passion and commitment to ministry and service,” said Sister Slapikas.
The Rome conference — the second to be held — was organized by Leadership Collaborative, a global organization that “fosters transformational leadership for religious life and the Gospel mission, now and into the future,” according to its website. The first conference was held in Chicago in 2024. In addition to the women who gathered in Rome, more than 100 took part virtually.
“The heart of the gathering is connection,” Sister Slapikas said in a recent interview. The collaborative seeks to build connections among younger religious sisters — those 65 years and younger — with the belief that the future of religious life is built on relationships and collaboration, she noted.
In Rome, the women had opportunities to worship together and talk about the things that made them hopeful as well as the challenges they faced.
The sisters’ mission is to “serve the marginalized, work for justice in our communities worldwide. We’re carrying with us the wounds of our world, steeped in polarization,” she said.
The sisters discussed some of the challenges to their work, including wars, exploitation, human trafficking, migration issues, global warming, racism, gun violence and famine, Sister Slapikas said.
They also discussed some of the “pains” of religious life — burnout, mental health challenges and an aging religious population.
“We shared and listened. There were lots of vulnerability, lamentation. It was one of the most powerful pieces of our time together,” she said.
One of the sisters in attendance reminded the gathering that religious women are humans who have to permit themselves to “welcome” their humanity, said Sister Slapikas.
Sister Slapikas said that humanity includes walking with individuals who are vulnerable and suffering. She and the staff of the Sister Visitor Center serve needy individuals and families, primarily from West Louisville, through a choice food pantry, case management and emergency financial assistance.
Since returning from Rome, she said she’s been thinking particularly about how to “reconcile addressing the needs before us with what our capacity is. The people we serve are incredibly vulnerable and have tremendous barriers,” she said. “As we’re on the cusp of getting legislation passed and how it’ll affect clients with food commodities being reduced. People will have greater needs.”
Sister Slapikas said even with the challenges ahead, she is hopeful. The women religious in attendance said they were hopeful in many things, including the energy volunteers contribute to their ministries, the election of Pope Leo XIV and the relationships formed at the global gathering.
Sister Slapikas said the gathering gave her a “deeper sense of hope and renewed energy for the future.”
“Women religious need to be people imbued with hope and transformation who are willing to bring fresh perspectives,” she said. The event was a reminder that women religious are bridge builders who lead with vulnerability, “offering love, faith and renewed vision to those we serve,” she said. “I hope I come away being able to do that to the best of my ability.”
