Viral Dominican Sisters Podcast Is Taking Over TikTok—And They Have No Idea
They don’t have personal phones. They don’t scroll social media. But the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist have captured the attention of millions on TikTok — and most of them had no idea it was happening.
Members of the Michigan-based religious order have gained viral attention after clips from their podcast, “Dominican Sisters Open Mic,” began circulating widely on the platform, drawing in both Catholic and non-Catholic audiences alike.
How the ‘Dominican Sisters Open Mic’ Podcast Came to Be
The podcast launched in January and is produced by Openlight Media, a production company connected to the sisters’ outreach efforts. It features Sister Miriam Holzman as a host interviewing other sisters about their lives, including education and personal conversion journeys. Sister John Dominic Rasmussen is also involved in the recordings, which take place in a studio in Michigan.
One widely shared clip features Sister Miriam complimenting another sister during a discussion about ultimate Frisbee. She said: “Sister, and you are so good at that,” a moment that gained traction online beyond its original context. The clips have since racked up millions of views on TikTok.
Marketing director Paul Dailey told the New York Times: “I think that the novelty of two sisters doing a podcast is enough to hold people’s attention for a second, which is what you need for TikTok,”
‘Dominican Sisters Open Mic’ Podcasters Are Sisters, Not Nuns
One distinction the order makes clear: its members are referred to as sisters rather than nuns, as nuns are typically cloistered. The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist engage in public-facing work and outreach — and their media presence is part of a broader effort to share their message publicly.
This isn’t their first brush with mainstream attention. Sister John Dominic said the group has previously participated in mainstream media appearances, including an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2010 discussing convent life.
The ‘Dominican Sisters Open Mic’ Podcasters Don’t Have Access to Social Media
What makes their viral fame especially striking is how disconnected the sisters are from the digital world that has embraced them. The sisters do not maintain individual social media accounts and rely on their production team to manage content distribution and inform them of online engagement.
“Something that’s really beautiful about our life is we don’t have a lot of screen time,” Sister Miriam told New York Times. “We don’t have personal phones unless we might need it for a work-related reason.”
She also described the division of responsibilities between the sisters and their media team to the New York Times: “They want us to pray and to do the work and to prepare the content,” Sister Miriam said. “And then they say, ‘OK, go home, sisters, and do what you do best, which is praying and living your life, and we’ll do this for you.’”
Beyond the ‘Dominican Sisters Open Mic’ Podcast
Openlight Media’s work with the sisters extends beyond the podcast. The company also produces other content, including YouTube series such as “Manners Monday,” religious educational videos and a prayer app called Torch, which is described as an alternative to social media distractions.
It’s a model that lets the sisters focus on their spiritual lives while their production team handles the mechanics of reaching a digital audience — an audience that, judging by millions of views, is eager to listen.
The podcast clips have resonated with viewers across backgrounds, suggesting that authenticity and warmth can cut through the noise of social media — even when the people at the center of it all aren’t watching.
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
