International Solidarity Reflections

The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor reaches God’s heart and breaks open our hearts, challenging us to say “no” to violence that plagues our world and “yes” to human dignity and respect for the integrity of creation. We ought to confront our silence, complicity and indifference with a zeal for peace and nonviolence. “All of you, hear the humble appeal of the Successor of Peter who cries out: today too… peace remains possible. And if peace is possible, it is also a duty!” 

On July 30th, we recognize the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. More than 150 million children—one in ten, globally—are performing child labor, defined as “work that is hazardous, demands too many hours, or is performed by children who are too young.”

The Directional Statement and the Shalom – Focus and Commitments, 2018-2021, continue to shape the initiatives of Shalom and the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Europe and worldwide especially since the outbreak of the pandemic.

“From the beginning until now, the entire Creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth” (Romans 8:22). Creation did not happen all at once, and it is not drifting toward Armageddon. Creation is in fact a process that is still happening!

Amid crises that have shaken our world, we are awakened to the urgent need to heal our relationships with creation and each other.

The United Nations designated July 30 as the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons to “raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.” As challenging as this is ordinarily, it is that much more difficult during a global pandemic.

In October 2019, the “Pan-Amazon Synod” was held in Rome. It was convened by Pope Francis with the theme “New Roads for the Church and for an Integral Ecology”. Thirty-five women (religious, missionary, lay, and indigenous) had a particular role, participation and space.

We have just celebrated Christmas – the birth of our Lord. The words of the gospel “… because there was no place for them in the inn” (Lk 2:7) startle me. For many people, these words are still reality today: because … there was no room for them.

A child’s life is “for his good, for the good of the family, of society, of mankind as a whole. From this also derives the depth of the human experience of being son or daughter, which allows us to discover the most gratuitous dimension of love ….

As we consider Solidarity with All Creation, we are also celebrating the Season of Creation. The theme for 2019 is “Web of Life: biodiversity as God’s blessing.” We ponder how critical biodiversity is for the sake of the well-being of the whole planet, including humanity!

A common theme runs through our ministries:  Being there, first and foremost, in encouraging, empowering, and supporting girls and women. The directional statement of the 24th General Chapter culminates in the call for us to be women of peace, hope, and love in the heart of the world. Therefore, it is about both being and being there for others, especially for women who need our solidarity.