The Congregation of Notre Dame International Justice Network has determined that a major focus of our Justice efforts in the coming year throughout the Community will be Climate Change. We have a unique opportunity to participate in an historical movement to draw attention to the effects of Climate Change. While September 21 is International Peace Day and this year marks the 30th Anniversary of the General Assembly’s Declaration of the Right of People to Peace, September 21 also marks the day for the Climate Change March in NYC. As the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network stated, “..the People’s Climate March seeks to ‘bend the course of history, drawing global attention and exerting direct pressure on attendees of the UN Climate Summit. WECAN encourages everyone who is able to march with us on this momentous day as we mobilize for the rights of women, indigenous peoples, nature, and future generations.” I hope our Province will be well represented in this March. Let us make every effort to do our part to bend the course of history.
(L-R: Sisters Mary Anne Foley, Mary Anne Powers, Eileen Good, Kathleen Murphy, Kathleen Deignan)
On August 10th, we gathered for brunch to celebrate our 45th year of Profession. Sharing of present events in our ministries, lots of memories and laughs were all a part of our gathering. We are most grateful to God and to the CND for all that has happened over these many years and look forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary of entrance in 2016 and, of course, our Golden Jubilee-which we can't quite imagine has come so quickly. 2019 seemed like the end of the world in 1969!!!
Nine Associates and two Associate Candidates participated in the Summer Gathering, July 10-13 in Wilton; six from the mid-west and five from the east. Some of their dynamic realizations about their experience were:
Congregation of Notre Dame vitality for mission is lived by both Associates and Sisters but in different ways.
Seeing Congregation of Notre Dame Sisters and Associates faces all around me made me feel so welcomed and my commitment more real.
Associates are fellow travelers with the Sisters; together we are keepers of the charism.
During a final session, some remarks of Sisters about Associates presence and interaction at the assembly were:
There is a new “us” – Sisters and Associates, a movement of the Spirit. How do we respond and work together?
Could more of us, Sisters, individually reach out to Associates?
How do we collaborate together, Associates and Sisters, around issues, especially immigration?
