The War in Iran and Escalating Violence in the Middle East

A Statement from the Notre Dame Sisters

For Immediate Release (March 5, 2026) – Omaha, NE — As Notre Dame Sisters called to uphold the dignity of every human person, we grieve the escalating war in Iran and the widening violence across the Middle East. We mourn the loss of life that war brings, including the countless civilians and the service members whom we place in harm’s way. We hold in prayer the family, loved ones, and community of Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, of Bellevue, Nebraska soldier, who recently died in this conflict.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to be peacemakers. This includes our duty as citizens to hold ourselves accountable for the actions of our government. We will continue to pressure our national leadership to safeguard the lives of civilians, respect the agreements of international law, uphold the requirements of the United States Constitution, and pursue diplomatic solutions to conflict.

We commit ourselves to the practice of nonviolence and civil dialogue in all our dealings. We pray for our leaders and people of goodwill everywhere courageously to choose the path of dialogue toward a just peace.

About The Notre Dame Sisters

We are a group of consecrated Catholic women dedicated to serving God, each other and our world. Through our service and ministries, we strive to meet the unmet needs of those in our community and throughout the world. As we continue to respond to the call of Christ as women of faith and prayer, we commit ourselves to building a world Christian community in joyful, loving service to others. We have served in Omaha for more than 100 years, mostly as educators, nurses, and social workers.