American Catholic religious sisters have had a dramatic impact on the Catholic church. From building parochial schools to pioneering higher education for women, Catholic sisters have expanded their ministries since the Second Vatican Council’s called for renewal in the 1960s. Recently Fordham university hosted a panel discussion that examined how the sisters’ ministry has changed the face of the church and what they are called to do today. On this week's Fordham Conversations, we hear excerpts form "Call and Response": How American Catholic Sisters Shaped the Church Since Vatican 2.

Host and Fordham Alumni John Rogan recaps some of this week’s local elections. He then talks with Fordham University Political Science Professor Tom DeLuca about the national political scene in the wake of the Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives.