From May 26 to June 2, 2024, UISG held the Second Symposium of Women Religious Theologians in Nemi (Rome, Italy).

Designed as a platform for women religious theologians, the symposium aimed to nurture theological reflection on religious life by making it contextual and practical.

We asked some participants to share a personal reflection on the symposium through both video and written interviews.

Below, we present the one by Sister Patricia Santos, from the Congregation of the Religious of Jesus and Mary.

"My experience has been very positive in the sense that it was very difficult in the beginning – when I first started teaching – but I think being the only women religious in the faculty is a big challenge but it is also an opportunity to contribute in a very significant way.

So, I feel happy about it and it gives me many opportunities to connect at different levels. […] I feel we’ve a great mission: to try and encourage more sisters to take up theological reflection on issues concerning consecrated life. That it is an area I think we have not really worked much on.

Even for me personally, I do not think I have really given so much importance in reflecting theologically on consecrated life. And I think that is an area which I feel more and more called to write now."