Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph Michele Morek is sharing her unique vision of the role women play in uniting and serving others this week as the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women takes place in New York City.

She has an article published on the Global Sisters Report titled “United in one hope: Religious at the United Nations,” which can be read by clicking here. And the organization she serves as coalition coordinator, UNANIMA International, held a side event March 9, the opening day of the Commission on the Status of Women, bringing together three women with amazing stories of courage to inspire those around them. One of those women was Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint
Joseph Dianna Ortiz.

In the photo at right, Sister Michele, standing, is joined by two of the three speakers for the side event,  titled “Three Stories: Women of Courage.” At right is Ursuline Sister Dianna Ortiz, and left is Jasmine Marino. The third speaker, Rose Mapendo, delivered her talk via video.

Sister Dianna survived abduction and torture in Guatemala and later founded TASSC, Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition. She now ministers with the Education for Justice Project at the Center for Concern in Washington, D.C. Jasmine Marino is a survivor of human trafficking in the United States and now helps other victims of trafficking and prostitution. Rose Mapendo escaped from a Congolese death camp and founded the Mapendo New Horizons Foundation to help vulnerable survivors of trauma brought on by extreme violence.

“The three women were awesome,” Sister Michele said.

UNANIMA International is a nongovernmental organization of the United Nations made up of 19 women religious congregations. It seeks ways to combat human trafficking, to support poor women and children and improve environmental conditions, especially concerning clean water. The Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph are one of the founding communities of UNANIMA.