‘We always tell people, ‘We do this peacefully, respectfully,’ ” says one of the activist nuns in this inspiring documentary. “But we never take no for an answer.” Indeed: In their gentle, tenacious manner, these modern women of the Catholic Church are making great strides in social justice. Mary Fishman’s film focuses on their work in affordable housing, prisoners’ rights, war protests and environmental protection.
My perception of nuns has generally been along the lines of the ones portrayed (and critiqued by my colleague Kyle Smith) in “Philomena” — punitive, terrifying figures in starched habits. So “Band of Sisters” is a real eye-opener. First off: no more uniforms, per Vatican II, the council in the mid-’60s that redefined many church rules. Second, their compassionate bent is decidedly more New Testament than Old.
The one deflating take-away is how few young faces you glimpse here. Who will carry on their work in the next generation? Then again, advanced age seems a definite asset: It’s said older women are all but invisible in society — and, thus, underestimated — and these righteous nuns are using that superpower to their full advantage.