World Refugee Day
On Saturday, June 20, we honor the more than 70 million men, women, and children who have been displaced from their homes and are surviving and thriving despite experiencing conditions that are often inhumane. We pray for resilience and restoration for refugees and their families; we celebrate their many gifts; and we urge the global community to embrace refugees and welcome them with open arms.
Each commitment of the AMSSND province is especially significant to refugees. Please take a moment to review the brief resources developed by the JPIC office and committee members that highlight the relationship between refugees and water, immigration, and human trafficking. Each resource includes facts, action steps, and prayer.
Water and Refugees
Immigration and Refugees
Human Trafficking and Refugees
“I Can’t Breathe”: A reflection and resource for dialogue (In memory of George Floyd)
As School Sisters of Notre Dame and as the Atlantic-Midwest Province, we lament the death of Mr. George Floyd of Minneapolis, who died from inhumane and cruel treatment at the hands of local police. The cries of Mr. Floyd for mercy, and for breath, resound through our hearts, calling us yet again to repent our complicity in the scourge and sin of racism. – Province Statement
In this spirit, we invite you to read, reflect on, and engage others in conversation around our recently-developed resource in memory of George Floyd: “I Can’t Breathe.” This resource laments the tragedy of his death while offering us an opportunity to consider how white privilege intersects with the perpetuation of racism, and how recognizing this is critical to the work of dismantling racism. Please note that we are encouraging you to consider sending your responses to the resource’s reflection questions to the JPIC office aflaherty@amssnd.org. All comments will be read and considered as guidance for future JPIC resources. Please let us know if we have your permission to post your comment with your name on our province internet and/or Facebook. This is not necessary, but it allows us all to further our own thinking and reflections.
Additionally, the JPIC office has developed a series of resources that highlight the systemic inequalities that have been illuminated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The themes include race, wealth, education, and the environment, and resources are available for both the U.S. and Canada.
