Members of the Healing Violence Committee, left to right, standing: Catherine Casey sp, Peggy Flanagan sp, Margo Shafer sp, Carol Groten pa, Barbara Baker pa (contact) left to right, seated: Marie Dundon sp, Council Liaison Frances O’Brien sp.
BY THE HEALING VIOLENCE COMMITTEE
On October 11, 2011 members of the Healing Violence Committee met at Marillac Villa to reflect upon our 1994 mandate, and upon a new direction to which our Provident God is calling us at this time in our history.
We concluded that we no longer have the energy to offer conferences and workshops to the broader public, but will network with other organizations that identify with our mission of compassion and vision in addressing issues of violence in society at large. Some of the topics we considered important to address are: Violence in the Church, Bullying, Mental Health Abuse, and Project Hospitality in the Motherhouse.
We continue to meet regularly and keep committed to promoting awareness and healing in our congregation and in our diocese. Currently, we have been offering to facilitate healing sessions to help all those affected by allegations of sexual abuse in our diocese. This healing gathering has already been well-received by the congregation, by the Motherhouse Sunday Eucharistic Community and by St. John’s parish, Kingston.
We ask you, Sisters and Associates, to pray for us as we strive to be faithful to the following new mandate: Rooted in the words of our Mission Statement, i.e.
- in response to the needs of the times
- to empower others, especially the poor and oppressed, to achieve a quality of life in keeping with their human dignity
- through promotion of structures and relationships of equality and mutuality we move to concrete actions to eradicate violence, especially against women and children.
We aim to raise awareness, to change attitudes and to take action to promote healing at three levels: personal, congregational, and societal, through education, networking and bursaries.