Sister Stephanie Baliga, a nun in Chicago, once dreamed of becoming an Olympian. She started running at age nine, and it became her whole identity. As a student at the University of Illinois, she was one of the fastest freshman runners in the country, training for a professional career.
From Olympic Dreams to Devotion
During her sophomore year, Sister Baliga fractured her foot. This injury led her to spend more time in prayer. Through this, she realized she wanted to dedicate her life to God. She felt that Jesus saw her for who she truly was, not for her grades or running times.
Now, Sister Baliga uses her love for running to support her faith and community. For the past 15 years, she has run the Chicago Marathon to raise money for the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels (MOLA) food pantry.
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Start Your News DetoxFather Bob Lombardo, who founded MOLA, explained that the mission serves people in need, regardless of their background. He said, "We do what we do because we’re Catholic, not because the people we serve are Catholic." This mission inspires Sister Baliga and others to join Team OLA for the marathon each year.
Running for a Cause
Photo courtesy of Mission of Our Lady of Angels/Facebook
Between 2011 and 2025, Team OLA members have spent thousands of hours training. They have raised over $2.6 million. Sister Baliga noted that the food pantry serves 400 to 500 families in person every Tuesday. They also deliver about 300 meals to senior citizens each week. She said this work has completely changed her life.
The funds from the marathon were crucial for expanding the pantry from 2018 to 2020. They also helped the pantry continue its large-scale operations during the pandemic.
Sister Baliga is not slowing down. This fall, she and nearly 200 members of Team OLA will run the Chicago Marathon for the 16th time. Their goal is to raise $500,000 this year alone.
Photo courtesy of Mission of Our Lady of Angels/Facebook
To prepare, Baliga and her team recently ran the city’s half marathon on June 10, raising $16,000. So far, the full marathon team has raised over $184,000. Other nuns and supporters cheered them on with signs and a cardboard cutout of Pope Leo.
Photo courtesy of Mission of Our Lady of Angels/Facebook
The team's mission is to raise awareness and funds for MOLA. They also offer their time and effort as a sacrifice for the mission and those it serves, all while having fun. For Sister Baliga, her faith is what keeps her going. She believes that "God’s will is whatever is in front of you right now."
