The Catholic Messenger
For the first time in the history of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), more than leaders were invited to the spring gathering held March 15-17 in Dubuque, Iowa, for Region 10. Sister Ann Scholz, SSND, LCWR Associate Director for Social Mission, facilitated the meeting and proposed inviting social justice promoters and communicators employed by their congregations, to gain a deeper understanding of justice as a part of ministry presently and in the future.
Clinton Franciscans Sister Eileen Golby and Sister Anne Martin Phelan pose for a picture with Sister Ann Scholz, SSND, associate director for social mission for Leadership Conference of Women Religious earlier this month.
Social justice promoters and communicators explored avenues for better promoting the important ministries of women religious while the leaders met for business matters. The entire group then gathered to brainstorm about past and present ministries such as human trafficking, immigration, care of the earth, establishing economic justice, abolishing modern-day slavery, ensuring immigration rights, promoting nonviolence and protecting the earth.
“We have the power to change danger into opportunity, to build a more just community,” Sr. Scholz said to attendees from Davenport, Clinton, and Dubuque, Iowa, as well as St. Louis and Omaha. Included among the attendees were the Sisters of St. Francis-Clinton and the Congregation of the Humility of Mary-Davenport. Singling out the Clinton Franciscans for their Franciscan Peace Center during the introductions, Sr. Scholz said “Clinton Franciscans really do amazing work for justice, for God’s creation and God’s people for a congregation of your size. It is really amazing to me that you, as a congregation, have made such an investment in justice.”
LCWR is made up of 15 regions and has about 1,350 members, who represent nearly 80 percent of the approximately 49,000 women religious in the United States, according to lcwr.org.
