Peace

“Because of our awareness that unjust structures deny people their dignity, we study the relatedness of global issues. We also join others in an effort to build peace and to search for an end to social evils, particularly war and the preparation for war, world poverty, racism, and the discrimination against women.”

— Constitutions of the Sisters of Notre Dame

From the beginning, Sisters of Notre Dame have worked in various ways to bring about God’s kingdom of justice, love and peace especially through education. In recent times, with the threat of wars using weapons of mass destruction, we have united with other groups in the Church to work for peace and for nonviolent solutions to conflict in a variety of ways. SNDs have been involved in peaceful protests against the Vietnam War, the war in the Persian Gulf and the proposed war against Iraq. In the U.S., they have advocated for an end to these wars. In their ministries they raise awareness among their colleagues and students about the issues of peace.

Several examples of these activities: an SND was one of the leaders in picketing the White House every day during the Gulf War, a group of SNDs have formed an advocacy group that regularly sends letters to Congress and the media protesting the violence of the war on terrorism and in particular the proposed war on Iraq. Sisters have taken individual and corporate stances in favor of peace and nonviolence. Each congregational unit has a justice and peace coordinator or team which keeps the Sisters aware of issues of peace that need a response from us.

Related activities for peace include the caring for refugees and victims of war, especially in Africa but also in other continents. Our Sisters have worked in refugee camps, in refugee centers where refuges are given legal advice, resettlement advice, and assisted with basic needs such as shelter.

Our foundress, St. Julie Billiart, reminds us, too, of the connectedness of our religious life and world peace: “It is the prayerful lives and self-immolation of religious that obtain the peace and tranquility of nations, the calm happiness of families, and a spirit of content among people.”