This book was written to highlight the extraordinary, diverse, and often unseen contributions of Catholic nuns in religious and state service. It illustrates that nuns not only spent time in prayer within their convents but also actively engaged in the secular world. Their services included education (teaching in Catholic schools, educating children, and providing moral guidance), health (establishing and managing hospitals and caring for the sick), and social work (serving the poor, the elderly, and the marginalized (orphanages and soup kitchens). This book is a valuable historical document of the role of religious women in building social and educational institutions in the United States in the early 20th century.