Mother Agnes Mary Donovan of the Sisters of Life is set to receive the 2026 Fiat Award from the GIVEN Institute, recognizing her lifelong dedication to defending human life and supporting women in need. The announcement was made just ahead of International Women’s Day.
The Fiat Award honors Catholic women whose lives reflect the spirit of the Virgin Mary’s “fiat”—a faithful response of service, leadership, and love in the Church and the wider world. Organizers said Mother Agnes Mary is being recognized for her “extraordinary witness to the dignity of women, the gift of life, and the integration of faith and professional excellence.”
Mother Agnes Mary was among the first members of the Sisters of Life, a religious community founded in 1991 by John O’Connor. She served as the community’s first superior general from 1993 until 2021, guiding its mission of assisting pregnant women in crisis, offering healing retreats, and promoting the sacred dignity of every human life. Before entering religious life, Donovan earned a doctorate in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later taught at Columbia University.
She will receive the award during the Catholic Women’s Leadership Celebration on June 27 at the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law as part of the GIVEN Institute’s annual forum, where she is also expected to take part in a public conversation on faith and leadership. For many Catholics, the honor highlights a life devoted to spiritual motherhood, compassionate service, and the defense of life at every stage.