monasticism and religious orders for women

History of Catholic nuns in the Western world, from the dawn of Christianity to the late twentieth century, discussing how the convent community has allowed women to evolve spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally, and looking at their continued struggles against the male church hierarchy and the cultural and historical forces of change.

Examines the role nuns have played in the building of American society, discussing how they became the nation's first group of independent professional women.