Together: Cases and Principles for Collaboration for Elder Sisters’ Care

The Anna Trust Foundation Publishes Report on Care of Elder Sisters "Together: Cases and Principles for Collaboration for Elder Sisters’ Care"

ROME, Nov. 2, 2026 – The Anna Trust Foundation today released "Together: Cases and Principles for Collaboration for Elder Sisters’ Care," a new report featuring six case studies on inter-congregational collaboration from around the world and practical principles to support Catholic congregations exploring collective approaches to the care of their elder sisters. The report is being launched to coincide with the opening of the Resource Center for Religious Institutes (RCRI) Assembly in St. Louis, Nov. 2–5, and the November 2026 release of "Walking My Sister Home," a documentary examining the challenges of caring for aging Catholic sisters on Public Broadcast Service (PBS). 

Spanning Canada, Kenya, Mexico, the United States, and Zambia, the case studies explore both the challenges involved in bringing congregations together and the transformative potential of a shared path forward. The report highlights how collaboration can move beyond logistical necessity to become a prophetic and strategic choice, allowing congregations to share resources and experiences, bring together their distinct charisms, and respond effectively to the needs of elder sisters while strengthening the long-term sustainability of their communities and ministries.

“Sisters have always led where care was needed, in education, in hospitals, and in social welfare. Now we are doing it again with care for the aged,” said Sister Patricia Murray, CJ, chair of The Anna Trust Foundation.  “Because we are doing this for our own sisters, we have real experience to bring to the healthcare field in different countries, and models of care to show to governments.  The greatest leverage lies in helping congregations come together, work together, and learn from one another.”

The publication grew out of a workshop convened by The Anna Trust Foundation in Rome in July 2026, where religious sister leaders featured in the case studies reflected together on their experiences and shared approach to collaboration. 

The Anna Trust Foundation recognizes and grateful to the sister leaders and congregations whose experiences made this publication possible. The six case studies featured in Together highlight initiatives led by:

• United States: Sr. Patricia Wolf, RSM, Religious Sisters of Mercy, Marian Woods.
• Kenya: Sr. Agnes Wamuyu Ngure, FES, and colleagues, Franciscan Elizabethan Sisters, Care for Aging Sisters Association.
• Canda: Sr. Christine Gebel, OLM, Our Lady’s Missionaries, in collaboration with Sr. Georgette Gregory, CSJ, Sisters of St. Joseph, and Sr. Anna McNally, SOS, Sisters of Service, Presentation Manor.
• Zambia: Sr. Edith Sokosi, LSMI, and Sr. Dorothy Chongo, LSMI, Little Servants of Mary Immaculate, Centre for Catholic Sisters Wellness Elderly Care Network.
• United States: Sr. Judith Dieterle, SSL, Sisters of St. Louis, Los Angeles Sisters Aging Well Network.
• Mexico: Sr. Brenda Hernández, HMIG, and Luis Fernando Falcó, MSpS, Hijas de María Inmaculada de Guadalupe and Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, Development and Healthcare for Women Religious.

“The experiences gathered in this report show what can become possible when congregations come together with a shared understanding of their needs, a willingness to listen, and the trust needed to shape a common path forward,” said Susan Raymond, Ph.D., executive director and editor of "Together".

Together: Cases and Principles for Collaboration for Elder Sisters’ Care is available in digital format HERE.