Goodworks WORLDWIDE MISSION: Making Known God’S Goodness
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GoodWorks WORLDWIDE MISSION: Making known God’s goodness Prophetic Witness: Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN “Whoever wishes to come after me must...take up the cross...” Matthew 16:24 Volume 16 No. 1 n March 2020 SNDdeN in Ministry SNDdeN CONGREGATIONAL LEADER SNDdeN in Ministry IN THIS ISSUE Dear Friends of Notre Dame de Namur, Front Cover: The cover depicts the 4 Prophetic Witness: ating back to 1804, 2 February, the day our middle panel of the Dorothy Stang, foundresses consecrated themselves to God; triptych, entitled D Mystic, Martyr and SNDdeN education has been and still is central to our Prophet of the Amazon, by Sr. Janet Mullen, ministry. The first three women dedicated themselves SNDdeN. This year, particularly to the instruction and service of poor Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur celebrate orphan girls, and to the work of preparing school-teachers for them. the 15th Anniversary Evolving over 216 years, creative forms of formal, folk, and of Sr. Dorothy Stang’s 7 Farming Families martyrdom in Anapu, Search for Land popular education prepare us and those with whom we serve to Brazil. Her life gives witness to the Mission “recommit to actions that lead to transformation within ourselves, society, of the Gospel, the Church Church and our Notre Dame de Namur Congregation” (Chapter Calls 2014). and our Congregation! Years before Pope Francis’ second Encyclical, Laudato Si, called all of us to “Care for Our Common Home”, Sister Dorothy Stang personally GoodWorks Published two times a year. 10 Steps Forward integrated words and actions in the love she had for the people of Brazil, into the Notre the land, and Planet Earth. She “poured out her life” in the effort to educate Publisher Sisters of Notre Dame Dame Mission the world to recognize the destruction concomitant with our behaviors. de Namur Congregational Sister Dorothy said, “The death of the forest is the end of our lives.” Mission Office Her life and ministry was an educational forerunner of the recent 30 Jeffreys Neck Road Ipswich, MA 01938 USA Sínodo Amazônico/Amazon Synod. Editor 14 SNDdeN Provide Dear Friends, we need each other “to live simply so that others may Anne Stevenson, SNDdeN Director of Communications Health Care: simply live.” Let us encourage and support each other daily in our Tambogrande, Photos small and large efforts and on-going conversion of life-style to care SNDdeN and Staff Peru for each other and the gift of the Planet we share with all of creation! Contact Telephone 1-978-356-2159 (ext. 214) e-mail 16 Stairway to Hope In God’s Goodness, [email protected] Website and Opportunity www.sndden.org Sister Teresita Weind, SNDdeN Congregational Leader 2 GoodWorks ~ March 2020 Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur 3 SNDdeN in Ministry HUMAN RIGHTS/SUSTAINABILITY “ Whoever wishes to come after me must deny Prophetic Witness: one’s self, take us the cross and follow me.” Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN Matthew 16:24 In 2004, Sr. Dorothy Way of the Cross in Rome Stang, SNDdeN, In October 2019, Pope Francis called celebrating the the Bishops to Rome for a Synod on 200th Anniversary the Amazon. On one Saturday during of the Congregation the Synod, the prayer was a Way of of the Sisters of Notre Dame de the Cross, originating from the Castel Namur, went on pilgrimage to Sant Angelo, down the Via della the birthplace of St. Julie Billiart Conciliazione to St. Peter Square. in Cuvilly, France. Before The Bishops with members of indigenous founding the Congregation communities from the Amazon in 1804, St. Julie had a vision reflected on suffering peoples who live in Compiègne; she saw many in the rainforest and throughout the Sr. Pat O’Brien joined the Way of the Holding a hand-crafted cross, following a wooden women dressed in simple world. Reflections on different Stations Cross with the poster of Sr. Dorothy cross in procession with Sisters Rosemary garb, standing around a cross. of the Cross included some martyrs on a map of Brazil. She heard the words: “These are Donohue and Cornelia Curran, SNDdeN, Sr. Dorothy walks down the stairs of the parish of the Amazon. The Eighth Station the daughters I will give you in Church of St. Eloi in Cuvilly in July 2004. focused on the “clamor of women,” and an Institute marked by my cross.” the procession stopped there to pray Often, St. Julie told those who asked to become her Sisters that she saw to our SNDdeN martyr, Dorothy Stang. them at Compiègne – a sign that these women would belong as SNDdeN Sisters Sandra Araujo dos Santos and in this Congregation, marked by the cross! Rebeca Spires from the Brazil Province, On February 12, 2005, only months after her pilgrimage to Julie country, in Rome for the Synod, participated powerful ranchers, coveting the land, hired assassins to murder in this moving prayer with members Sr. Dorothy, while she walked along a of our Congregational Leadership dirt road in Anapu, Brazil. Having Team (CLT)! Later, they joined our Leadership Team with the Sisters Srs. Sandra Araujo dos Santos (Brazil), advocated for the rights of landless farmers Maureen White (CLT), Pat O’Brien (CLT) for almost 40 years, Sr. Dorothy defended of the Good Shepherd at the Generalate and Rebeca Spires (Brazil) find a place for the rainforest also from devastation. for a special liturgy honoring the taking a picture, around the photo and In 2008, the United Nations recognized martyrs of the Amazon. poster of Sr. Dorothy at the Generalate. Sr. Dorothy’s outstanding contributions to protect human rights and fundamental Ohio Province Remembers The migrant communities respected Sr. Dorothy in her advice to them freedoms, and honored her posthumously The entire Notre Dame de Namur World, Sisters, Associates, Co-Workers, in protecting the land and the with the UN Prize for Human Rights. Students, Partners in Mission are remembering Sr. Dorothy in specific rainforest from the devastation This year, we remember Sr. Dorothy on events. In early February, the Sisters in the Ohio Province welcomed by rich cattle ranchers. the 15th anniversary of her martyrdom! to Mt. Notre Dame Convent three of Sr. Dorothy’s siblings, David, 4 GoodWorks ~ March 2020 Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur 5 Continued SNDdeN in Ministry RIGHTS FOR MIGRANTS Tom and Barbara Stang Farming Families Search for Land Richardson, to a presentation and film of Samuel Clements: By Sisters Jane Dwyer and Kathryne Webster, SNDdeN The Student, the Nun & the Amazon. Samuel described e, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN), follow and for his audience how his life W walk with the people in Anapu, Brazil. From 1982 until 2005, transformed and his career Sr. Dorothy Stang was herself the Pastoral Land Commission in Anapu. changed radically after his Since her brutal murder, we have been encounter with Sr. Dorothy, coordinating this work. We accompany farming families as they search for land, in filming her in the Brazil Samuel Clements fascinates audiences with his film rainforest. During his visit and descriptions of his journey with Sr. Dorothy in respect nature, improve their production in Ohio, Samuel fascinated the Amazon forest shortly before she was martyred. and life and their own organization. administrators, faculty and The right and responsibility to initiate students of Mt. Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati and Chaminade belong to the people with whom we Julienne High School in Dayton by his presence and film. journey. Since 2005, we have created the Committee in Defense of Anapu (CDA). Anniversary Project For the last fifteen years, we have met with this Committee for the entire day The SNDdeN Leadership in the United States has planned throughout Srs. Jane Dwyer and Kathryne Webster continue the journey and mission on one Saturday each month, to address this entire year a 15th Anniversary Project, a series of events, of Sr. Dorothy with farming families issues pertaining to the farming families, coordinated by Sr. Judith Clemens, who ministered with Sr. Dorothy for in Brazil. their needs, problems and threats. many years in Brazil. From February 12, 2020 through February 12, 2021, The people share their difficulties, reflect together on the causes, the project will aim at inviting and encouraging others to develop make collective and group decisions to change attitudes. Opening each projects remembering Sr. Dorothy and to consider ways for continuing meeting, our SNDdeN role is to provide an initial reflection; we call her legacy into the future. This project includes a brochure, entitled it a mística. This ecumenical experience helps the people to deepen Her Legacy Endures in Us, easily accessed on the SNDdeN Website their values and motivation for sustaining them on this journey. in the United States. www.snddenusa.org Martyr and Prophet in Brazil Workshops in 2020 During 2020, we intend to offer practical Sr. Dorothy’s influence lives on workshops, requested by the families, in Brazil and beyond! People on various ways of planting and cloning honor, imitate and pray to cacau in the forest, preparing and this prophet and martyr in planting crops without burning, land the Forest Pilgrimage each July. homeopathy, the extraction of oils and On February 12, 2020, the essences from the forest, economic 15th Anniversary of her death, organization of the rural family, and she is a strong witness to the other activities depending on the year’s Sr. Maria Vagner Souza Silva teaches Mission of the Gospel, the Church journey. We offer Biblical studies, Biblical Studies in the community and our SNDdeN Congregation. continually providing spiritual resources of Sâo Joâo Batista in Anapu. 6 GoodWorks ~ March 2020 Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur 7 Continued for motivation on the journey.