Clinton — Sister Simone Campbell, SSS, the 2014 Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award recipient, will receive the 2019 Clare Award. It will be presented by the Sisters of St. Francis at a public program and reception on July 14 at 2 p.m. at the Tuscany Special Events Center, 2417 Cleveland St., Clinton. The community is invited to join in honoring Sr. Campbell.
“We are pleased to honor Sister Simone with the Clare Award,” said Sister Jan Cebula, OSF, president of the Clinton Franciscans. The Clare Award recognizes a woman who exemplifies the characteristics of Saint Clare of Assisi and the values of the Clinton Franciscans.
“In the midst of the shifting economic realities and inequalities of the 13th century, Saint Clare embodied another way of living, grounded in prayer and community, bringing healing,” said Sr. Cebula. “Today, Sr. Simone, grounded in prayer, is a tireless advocate for economic justice and the common good, bringing a message of healing and hope. Come be uplifted and inspired!”
Sr. Campbell has served since 2004 as the executive director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice — a federal advocacy organization founded by Catholic Sisters to lobby in Washington, D.C., for policies that mend the gaps in income and wealth in the United States.
Sr. Campbell is a religious leader, attorney and poet with extensive experience in public policy and advocacy for systemic change. In Washington, she lobbies on issues of economic justice, immigration reform and healthcare. She played a key role in convincing Congress to support the Affordable Care Act. Around the country, she is a noted speaker and educator on these public policy issues. She has led six cross-country “Nuns on the Bus” tours.
Sr. Campbell has been featured in national and international media, including appearances on 60 Minutes, The Colbert Report, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. She is the author of “A Nun on the Bus: How All of Us Can Create Hope, Change, and Community,” published in April 2014 by HarperCollins.
Past recipients of the Clare Award include Edwina Gateley (1993), poet, lecturer, and founder of Volunteer Missionary Society and Genesis House of Chicago; Dorothy Schramm (1996), founder of the Iowa Division of the United National Association-USA; Rev. Carol Richardson (1999), executive director of School of the Americas Watch; Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, (2003), sought-after [internationally known] speaker, author, and past president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious; Kathy Kelly (2012), noted peace activist, author, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee; and Sister Pat Farrell, OSF, (2016), past president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and advocate for poor and marginalized people.
There is no cost to attend the program and reception. For more information, call (563) 242-7611 or visit www.clintonfranciscans.com.
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