A call for peace – the Sisters’ response to the storming of the US Capitol

Yesterday we Notre Dame Sisters watched our TV screens in disbelief and horror. We are still in shock after seeing our US Capitol stormed by American citizens attempting to disrupt our democratic process, and it will take quite some time to understand the impacts of what happened to all Americans yesterday.

We must wake up to the reality that our devastatingly divided nation is a choice. Healing our divisions and loving our neighbor are also choices.

The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) issued this statement: “In our increasingly divided nation, we renew our commitment to the common good and pledge to take up the challenge to use our energy to repair our democracy and contribute to the work of building a more perfect union. We invite all people of good will to join us and we call on our elected leaders to point the way.”

We Notre Dame Sisters join the LCWR pledging to use our energy to repair our democracy and to contribute to the work of a more perfect union. We Notre Dame Sisters have resolved to educate ourselves further on issues of racism in the United States, and our Social Justice Committee is mobilized to support causes for the disenfranchised among us.

We thank our elected officials for continuing their work for our Democracy through the night. We thank the law enforcement officers who put themselves in harm’s way to secure the Capitol. We thank those who stayed home and prayed for peace.

Pope Francis spoke of this moment in his prayer for peace, “Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman.

We call on all Americans to pledge to protest peacefully, today, tomorrow, and every time you petition your government for redress of grievances.