Press Room

PRESS RELEASE
May 15, 2009

PRESS CONTACTS: Chad Mertz, (513) 373-6592, cmertz@cincymuseum.org; or Sandi Padnos, (310) 231-1994, media@scoopseminars.com

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America premieres
at Cincinnati Museum Center
Worldwide tour begins Saturday, May 16

CINCINNATI - On Saturday, May 16, 2009, Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America will make its worldwide premiere at Cincinnati Museum Center in the Cincinnati History Museum. The untold stories of the innovative, action-oriented women who played a significant role in shaping the nation’s social and cultural landscape are the subject of this traveling exhibit, created by The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in association with Museum Center.

First arriving on America’s shores almost 300 years ago, Catholic sisters altruistically built and led schools, hospitals, orphanages, colleges, and other social institutions that have continued to serve millions of Americans in the intervening years. Remarkably, they created these enduring institutions at a time when most women had few, if any, professional opportunities.

"Few people are aware of the tales of the brave women who came to this country to help immigrants assimilate into the fabric of America," said Jane Burke, SSND Executive Director of LCWR. "Their heroic presence during many of the formative periods of our nation is an important part of American history and the legacy of the Sisters."

"This is an important and unique exhibit," said Douglass W. McDonald, President and CEO of Museum Center. "The artifacts and materials featured in the exhibit tell a compelling story. We are proud to both serve as the premiere venue and care for these historic materials as the institution of record and exhibit registrar."

Exhibit visitors of all ages will discover the pivotal presence of these very self-determined women at many of our nation’s dramatic turning points, including the Civil War, the Depression, the Civil Rights Movement and Hurricane Katrina.

The untold stories of these unsung heroes will be recounted through rare, heretofore unseen artifacts, vivid first-person accounts, photographs and both modern and archival video.

John Allen, Senior Vatican Analyst for CNN, says "The Women & Spirit exhibit brings to life the story of religious sisters in the United States. Against all odds, these largely anonymous women changed the country."

McDonald added, "The Sisters were contemporaries of the early American heroes recognized in standard text books. They made a significant impact on our country through selfless service to the pioneers, immigrant communities and America's children. Finally, their perspective is documented."

During the past several years, LCWR has researched the history and worked with communities of sisters to catalog significant artifacts. The exhibit was conceived by Bob Weis Design Island and produced by Seruto & Company.

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Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is a nationally recognized institution dedicated to sparking community dialogue, insight and inspiration. As one of the top cultural attractions in the Midwest, Cincinnati Museum Center has served as an educational, research and entertainment resource to millions of visitors from around the world.

Organizations within Museum Center include the Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural History & Science, the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX® Theater, and the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. These organizations combine to serve more than one million visitors annually, reaching out to nearly 400,000 young people through hands-on exhibits and programs.

Originally built in 1933 as a train station, Union Terminal stands as one of the last remaining grand-scale Art Deco style railroad terminals. The building is a National Historic Landmark and was renovated and reopened as Cincinnati Museum Center in 1990.For information, call 1-800-733-2077 or visit www.cincymuseum.org.

Cincinnati Museum Center gratefully acknowledges operating and capital support from the Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and the State of Ohio.

Women & Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America is organized by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), an association of leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States. LCWR represents about 95 percent of the women religious in the United States.

To insure that Women & Spirit fulfills expectations of museum visitors and academics alike, LCWR has assembled an expert advisory panel of scholars, historians, and museum and design professionals. These advisors will continue to be consulted on current scholarship, bibliography, and historical accuracy throughout the design development process. In addition, LCWR has assembled a committee of sister leaders to oversee and administer the exhibit. Visit www.lcwr.org for more information.

Seruto & Company is the Exhibit Producer managing design and production for such renowned touring exhibitions as Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs,Titanic: The Official Movie Tour, CSI: The Experience, and AmericaI Am: The African American Imprint.

Partners, Nancy Seruto and Robert Koval, each with over 25 years in the industry combine their complimentary talents in exhibition design, multi-media technologies, fabrication, production and project management. Formerly serving as principals in large scale design and production companies, they lead Seruto & Co. to the forefront of exhibition production. Their distinguished reputation for both practicality in project management as well as commitment to the highest level of creative product derives from the firm’s consummate dedication to values of inventiveness, expedience and excellence. For more information, visit www.seruto.com.