LCWR pledges to work with Administration to heal the nation
(posted from lcwr.org)
 

November 9, 2020
The presidency and staff of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) congratulate President-elect Joe Biden, and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris and promise to work with them to build a society worthy of the values to which our imperfect union aspires.

After a difficult election season, it is time for us to take up the twin tasks of reconciliation and healing. In these challenging times it is critically important that we break through that which divides us one from another, repair fractured relationships and reclaim our essential unity.

The people of this pluralistic nation form a diverse community characterized by different beliefs, experiences, and interests. We know that our differences can be our greatest strengths; our disagreements, opportunities to seek the truth. Our challenge is to embrace those differences and together seek the common good lest we rend the bonds that unite us.

Now is the time to make space in our hearts and our communities for the needs and concerns of all God’s people, the undocumented mother, the Midwest farmer, the unemployed steel-worker, the suburban business woman, and the children and elders consigned to live in poverty. It is time to tear down the walls, real or imagined, which divide us by gender, race, class, geography, lifestyle, ideology, political party, and religious belief and to make room in our body politic for all who have been disaffected, disenfranchised, and discarded.

Now is the time to banish the fear that infects our souls and diminishes our hope. There is no room in this nation for fear of the other; no need to fear change; no reason to fear the future. This is a nation built on the dreams of our ancestors and the visions of our children. Our task is to make room at the table for every voice and every vision.

We thank those who turned out in record numbers to exercise their right to vote in a peaceful and respectful way. Their clear commitment to this democratic experiment of ours bodes well for the success of the difficult task that lies ahead.

We know that the work will be slow and arduous, and yet with Catholic sisters across this nation we renew our commitment to exercise courage in the face of injustice, fear and division. We will not shrink from the challenge before us to protect the sacredness of all human life, to dismantle white supremacy, welcome the stranger, care for creation, and to stand with those who have been exploited and marginalized by our throwaway culture.

We promise once again to be the healing presence of God. We pledge to hold the needs and concerns of all in the heart of a loving and ever faithful God. We recommit ourselves to the sacred task of building the Beloved Community of which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke so eloquently and we invite all people of good will to join us.

LCWR is an association of leaders of congregations of Catholic women religious in the United States. The conference has more than 1300 members, who represent approximately 80 percent of the more than 40,000 women religious in the United States. Founded in 1956, LCWR assists its members to collaboratively carry out their service of leadership to further the mission of the Gospel in today’s world.

Prayer After Election

Healer of Our Every Ill,
Breathe in and among all of us who dwell in this land.
Soothe our wounds. Calm our fears.
Mend our divisions.

Hope of All Tomorrows,
Open our deaf ears and fill us with Compassion.
Tender our hearts.
Inspire creative ideas to address the cries of our sisters, brothers and Earth itself.

Send forth your Spirit of Love and Unity
Transform pointed fingers of blame into hands open in reverence to receive one another.

Fan into flame the gift of our founding
And let us be known again as a people
United for the goodness, justice and peace of all people forever.
Amen

Composed by Pat Bergen, CSJ
2016
Used with Permission



 

We will join with more than 175 congregations of women religious who will pray for peace for 24 hours on Election Day, November 3, 2020. The idea originated following a day of prayer for the provincial council of the School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province (SSNDCP). Sister Mary Kay Brooks, council member, said, “Toward the end of the day our facilitator asked, ‘Which needs are immediate and which ones are ongoing?’ I went back to our vision statement and read “responding to urgent needs and living the Gospel call to justice and peace. I was overwhelmed with the call for peace, especially as we inch our way toward election day on November 3.”

“I encourage our Sisters, associates, employees, colleagues, and friends to take a few moments throughout the day on November 3 for prayer," said Sister Maureen O'Connor, OSF, Provincial Superior.

PRAYER:
God of all, in this year of election, in these days of discernment, IGNITE us with the fire of your love. ENFLAME our hearts with courage to embrace dialogue that transforms and truth that frees. KINDLE our love with kindness to heal divisions and reconcile relationships. LIGHT our imaginations with insight to envision and create a world where all are one. STIR our actions with justice and peace to engage critical concerns and cherish all of life. FIRE our lives with audacity and hope to risk all for God’s mission.

On October 4, we will be united with our Franciscan brothers and sisters throughout the world as we observe the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226).

In these challenging times in our nation and world, it is our prayer that all may follow Francis' example and be an instrument of peace especially through our words, deeds, and actions.

This brief video is provided by the Northern Lights Chorale of Bethel University (St. Paul, MN) in their 2017 recording of Mary McDonald's "Make me an Instrument of Thy Peace."
 

Out of an abundance of caution concerning the Corona virus (COVID-19), the St. Francis Convent property will be closed to visitors beginning March 16.

Please join with us in prayer for our nation and world. Submit a prayer request here.