The Office of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur were founded to serve people in poverty in the most abandoned places. We believe many aspects of today's society contribute to keeping people poor. We work to change these oppressive structures and to help people gain what each has a right to - food, clothing, shelter, medical care, and education.
Although we work on many local, regional and national social issues, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from the Ohio Province have three concerns that are of the utmost importance to us: immigration, human trafficking, and care for creation. We invite you to work with us. Please contact Teresa Phillips, Director of Office of Justice Peace and Care for Creation, at [email protected].
Prayers, Knowledge, Actions: Read Our Blog Posts
Mid-Atlantic Coalition Against Modern Slavery invites you to their Lenten Way of the Cross for victims of human trafficking on March 29th at 7:00 pm. Come share via Zoom the passion of Jesus and the story of Josephine Bakhita, the patron saint of victims of human trafficking.
There have been a few disappointments in immigration and climate change issues this past week. I invite you to say a special prayer for our elected officials, especially those in whom we have so much hope. May their hearts open.
God who created humans from the dust of the ground, we pray flights immorally sending families away would stay grounded. Remove policies that hold communities in fear, and instead may we fast in repentance for ways we have been complicit in feeding such fears. Hold us accountable as a nation for cruel separations of families and racist practices, and Strengthen us to grow your Force of Love until the oppressed truly become free. Amen
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) “Seeing with the heart is seeing the world and our brothers through God's gaze…Faith cannot be reduced to a series of theoretical beliefs, traditions, and customs. It is a bond and a path along which we follow Jesus, who renews our way of seeing the world and our brothers.” (Pope Francis, Feb 19, 2022)
Keeping in mind yet another mass shooting, this time on the campus of Michigan State University, can we pray for those among us who are so angry and afraid that they see mass violence as an outlet for their emotions? Usually, I pray for the victims, sensible gun laws, and more mental health care in our country. I often struggle to pray for the individual who is so lost, they see this as a viable option.
During Black History Month, NETWORK is adding a call to us to “level up” our advocacy with prayer. They invite all justice-seekers, to join in.
The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur Ohio Province has responded to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform by creating the Dorothy Stang Initiative for Laudato Si’ Action. While in the process of gathering data from sisters, associates, staff, donors and others in our circle, we were reminded that all steps we take are important - both big and small. We therefore introduce Your Little Bit of Good, a short weekly one-pager that focuses on some aspect of the environment. It is an attempt to bring forward small things we can do.
Teresa Phillips
Director of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation
Pack nothing. Bring only your determination to serve and your willingness to be free. Only surrender to the need of the Time— To love justice and walk humbly with God
Pack nothing. Bring only your determination to serve and your willingness to be free. Only surrender to the need of the Time— To love justice and walk humbly with God
Chocolate is bad for the environment. Well, some of it is anyway. Cocoa is a cash crop. It also happens to grow in places where rainforests grow. I think we all know what that means. Also, there is the problem of the things we add to cocoa beans to make them into the delectable stuff we love to eat. The biggest concern, not only for the environment but also for other justice issues, is palm oil.
I am grateful for those among you, who have trod the path before me. The work of Justice, Peace, and Care of Creation is in the DNA of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and it has grown outward to all who have encountered you.
Last week I talked about a few hopeful advances in technology that will be tools in the toolbox for our future fight against climate change. We need a lot of different tools in the toolbox. There is no single climate change cause. There is no single climate change resolution. There is no single tool that will fix it.
Lord, you have endowed human beings with the ability to search out your laws and have given them the freedom to apply their knowledge as they choose.
With you, we change lives
With the support of generous friends like you, we are able to continue our mission of educating and taking a stand with those in poverty— especially women and children.
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