November 2015 “As Dominican women we claim our power to nurture mutual relationships that offer healing and courage to a broken world. Vulnerable ourselves, we choose to stand with the poor, to accompany those on the margins, and to work toward systems that promote life.” Together – Birthing Anew, Chapter 2014 Doctrine of Discovery • The 1452 papal bull Dum Diversas, The 2014 General Assembly of the Leadership authorized Portuguese King Alfonso "to Council of Women Religious passed a invade, search out, capture, vanquish and Resolution asking Pope Francis to formally subdue all Saracens and pagans... and repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery. The other enemies of Christ.” resolution also encouraged LCWR members to • A follow-up decree in 1454 also directed study this issue and follow up with the general that the land and possessions of these membership. The purpose of this article is to people be taken away and that non- begin to provide the Sisters and Associates of Christians be "reduced to perpetual the Springfield Dominicans with information on slavery." this topic. Future issues will expand on this and • The 1493 Inter Cetera papal bull decreed suggest further action. that "barbarous nations be overthrown" and Introduction: Ever since those nations the Emperor Constantine "discovered" be decreed Christianity as subjugated and reduced the official religion of the to the Catholic faith "to empire in the 4th century, propagate the Christian the interests of the church religion." and state were equated, Subsequent bulls in the and the Catholic Church 1500’s and 1600’s tried to actively tried to spread retract and remedy the Christianity throughout the decrees of the 1400’s. By world. This has had this time, however, the consequences throughout ideas and intent of these history, going beyond papal bulls were deeply trying to convert people rooted, became the spiritually, to also foundation for legal establishing control over decisions, and came to be their lands. known as the Doctrine of What is the Discovery. This led to Doctrine of Discovery? the conquest of non-Christian lands and people The Doctrine of Discovery stemmed from a in every corner of the world. series of papal bulls, or decrees, that gave Why does it matter? Christian explorers the right (theologically and Repercussions from the Doctrine of Discovery legally) to lay claim to any land that was not still negatively affect millions of Indigenous inhabited by Christians and was available to be peoples. In nearly every case of western “discovered.” If its inhabitants could be colonization, civilizing the Native peoples, often converted, they might be spared. If not, they by force, has led to a decimation of native could be enslaved or killed. cultures and peoples. In addition, the Terry, our maintenance man, discoverer also gained sovereign governmental helped me prime and paint rights over the native peoples and their this sacred circle. The governments, which restricted tribal medicine Wheel colors are international political relationships and trade. black, red, yellow and white This transfer of political, commercial, and – for the four races of people property rights was accomplished without the in the world. This knowledge or the consent of the Indian people. combination of colors is used In the U.S. these papal bulls became the in much of their art work and crafts. It is not foundation for legal decisions regarding land unusual to see people walk to the church taken from American Indians. Forced removals property just to walk the Prayer Circle and then such as the Trail of Tears, the seizure of go on their way. We hope to plant some more natural “resources,” the destruction of perennial plants and have pavers put down for traditional languages and cultures, the a walkway from the sidewalk to the Prayer sterilization of Indian women, and the Circle. The pavers will have names engraved disruption of Indigenous communities are on them. We will share more on this project as examples of implementation of the concepts of it takes shape.” “discovery” and “dominance.” Paris 2015 and Counting… Even in the 21st century, the Doctrine of Libby Comeaux, a Loretto community co- Discovery, either explicitly or implicitly, is still member and lawyer working on awareness of used to disenfranchise, displace, and ultimately the Doctrine of Discovery, suggests that the devastate Indigenous peoples around the Doctrine of Discovery set up the very problems world. As recently as 2005, a U.S. Supreme that Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical Court justice cited the Doctrine of Discovery in Laudato Sí aims to solve. Hoping to address a land-claim ruling against the Oneidas, one of many of these issues, the United Nations the six nations of the Haudenosaunee. Conference on Climate Change (COP21) begins at the end of this month (November 30 – December 11) in Paris. The stakes are high: the aim is to reach, for the first time, a universal, legally binding agreement that will enable us to combat climate change effectively and boost transition towards resilient, low- carbon societies and economies. Join us in study and prayer in preparation for the conference. Fact sheets and prayer materials as well as other resources are available at http://paris2015andcounting.org/ Our Personal Connection Creator God, we thank you that you have Sr. Barbara Ann Bogenschutz ministers with called us to share in your creation. We see the Native Americans at Our Lady of the Sioux glimpses of your renewal and new birth in parish in Oglala, South Dakota. A recent your cleansing rains and fields ripe for project at the parish was the renewal of their harvest. Bless us as we listen obediently prayer circle. Sr. Barbara Ann writes in her to you, to our most recent newsletter: neighbor, and to “A project on the back burner for a long time Earth herself, and was to clean, prime and paint the prayer circle. work to recover The Medicine Wheel is a symbol sacred to the what we have lost. Lakota people, whose culture teaches Amen. mitakuye oyasin which means ‘we are all related.’ .