Article written by Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp published in the Vatican News

On Monday and Tuesday, Vice President of Strategy and Programs for the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Marc Holley, visited the Dicastery for Communication, along with Sr Jane Wakahiu, Associate Vice President, Program Operations and Head of Catholic Sisters Program. 

Since 2012 alone, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has given over $281 million to over 750 congregations of women religious in over 160 countries.

In an interview with Vatican News, Mr Holley explained Conrad Hilton’s vision and specific ways the Conrad Hilton Foundation funds women religious and their ministries.

Marc explained that “Conrad Hilton was a very religious man and from his earliest days, he was very prayerful and he was affected by the contributions of the Catholic sisters. So, in his last will, he specified that the sisters were especially deserving of the foundation's benefactions.”

The sisters have such a broad reach,” Marc continued when asked why the foundation continues to tap into women religious in order to promote the broader vision Conrad N. Hilton left. “They are the ones who accompany people living in conditions of disadvantage around the world. They walk alongside them, they comfort them. But not only that, they helped them build sustainable lives, they train them in job skills training, they help them to establish a way of earning for themselves. And that was consistent with Mr Hilton's entrepreneurial spirit as well. So, I think the sisters bring together many aspects of what was important to Mr Hilton.”