Mountainsisters

Founded in 1941, the Glenmary Sisters embraced a calling to serve rural Appalachian communities where few Catholics resided. The sisters, many of them seeking alternative to the choices available to most women at that time, zealously pursued their duties but soon became frustrated with the rules and restrictions of the Church. Church doctrine and rules, even styles of dress, made it difficult for them to interact with the very people they hoped to help. In 1967, after many unsuccessful attempts to persuade the Church to ease its requirements, some seventy Sisters left the security of convent life. More than forty of these people formed a secular service group, FOCIS (Federation of Communities in Service.) Many of them have worked as EAM and CORA (Commission on Religion in Appalachia) colleagues.

FOCIS members Monica Appleby and Helen Lewis tell the story of the women who stood up to the Church and joined the mountain people in their struggle for social justice. Their poignant story of how faith, compassion and persistence overcame obstacles to progress in Appalachia is a fascinating example of how a collaborative and creative learning community fosters strong voices. Mountain Sisters is a prophetic first-person account of the history of American Catholicism, the war on poverty and the influence of the turbulent 1960s on the cultural and religious communities of Appalachia.

Retired sociologist Helen Lewis, one of the founding members of the Appalachian Studies Association, helped establish the Clinch River Educational Cooperative and the University without Walls. She lives in Morganton, Ga. Monica Appleby was the first president of FOCIS and is currently the director of the New Enterprises Fund. She lives in Blacksburg, Va.

Caroline Kennedy says about the book “Mountain Sisters tells a story that resonates on many levels: with women, with Catholics, and with all those who are dedicated to social justice and individual empowerment. With few resources other than compassion, a sense of adventure, and a commitment to others, they accomplished great things, and have illuminated a path for other to follow. Ever since I met them nearly 30 years ago, I have been inspired by their example.