As we look back to International Women’s Day (March 8) and look ahead to the World Day of Prayer for Vocations (May 7), we celebrate “The Prophetic Presence of Women Religious”—by reflecting on the presentation given by Sister Marie Lucey, LCWR's Associate Director for Social Mission. Sister Marie accepted this award on LCWR's behalf, at a gathering in Columbus, Georgia on November18, 2005, at which Pax Christi USA honored LCWR for its pioneering work for social justice and peace.
In this year when the Leadership Conference of Women Religious prepares to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, I accept this wonderful award with deep gratitude on behalf of over 71,000 U.S. women religious in this country and around the world.
Tonight,we have heard moving testimonies about “prophetic presence or witness.”I believe that prophetic witness means speaking the truth discovered through prayer, discernment, social analysis, and theological reflection–speaking and living that truth even when it brings suffering, ridicule, criticism–and even death, as it did for the four women whom we especially honor tonight.
Women and men religious don’t have a corner on prophetic witness. Here at Fort Benning we have a courageous congressman; have had a highly acclaimed actor; and this weekend thousands of college, university, and high school students; and thousands more faithful women, men, and children who gather each year to call for the closure of this infamous school, and who:
- denounce the senseless war in Iraq
- hold vigils where executions are carried out, nearly 1,000 executions since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States
- call for 100% debt cancellation of impoverished nations and for fair trade agreements and practices
- cry out with indignation at federal budgets that take from those who have little and give to those who have more than enough
- remind our nation that all of us, except American Indians, came from somewhere else and must respect the human dignity and rights of today’s immigrants, migrants, and refugees.
These struggles for justice demand the spiritual, intellectual, and physical energies of all of us; but tonight Pax Christi USA honors the prophetic lives of four women whose names are as familiar to us as those of the scriptural prophets, and, because of them, the prophetic presence and witness of all U.S. women religious.
We women religious:
- remember our founders; we have amazing stories of faith-filled, determined women who often faced obstacles from church and/or state in beginning their communities and ministries,
- rise up strong women who built hospitals and established schools and colleges to serve the underserved long before women in the larger society held corporate power,
- praise the courage of LCWR presidents like Mary Luke Tobin, SL, who boarded a ship to Rome to be present at the Second Vatican Council–even before she was invited, and Theresa Kane, RSM, who, respectfully but clearly, urged Pope John Paul II to include women in all Church ministries,
- honor our martyrs: Maryknoll and Ursuline women celebrated here tonight, five Adorers of the Precious Blood murdered in Liberia in 1992, Dorothy Stang, SSND, killed in Brazil this year, and others,
- acclaim sisters who, when Vatican II called us to be involved in the Church in the modern world, wasted no time in marching beside sisters and brothers demanding their civil rights, farmworkers calling for justice, peacemakers engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience to urge an end to war, nuclear weapons, and U.S. government support for repressive regimes in Latin America,
- are inspired by our sisters who know in their souls that eco-justice is as necessary as political and social justice.
To all these movements and struggles, women religious bring, I suggest, two particular strengths: spirituality and community. Let me clarify: we have no more corner on spirituality than we do on prophetic witness, and sometimes the depth of spirituality of our lay sisters and brothers puts us to shame. The spirituality to which I refer is the particular charism of our respective founders which serves to focus and ground us in the face of multiple challenges. And we are blessed with community, sisterhood, knowing that whatever hard road we travel, we do not walk–or march–alone.
We are grayer and fewer than we used to be–but don’t count us out! We share our charisms and spirit with the courageous young women who do join us, and with our associates, partners, and coworkers. We share our material resources. And, as long as we are able and justice demands it, we’ll be here at the gates of Fort Benning and at the Capitol in Washington, outside prisons where executions are enacted; at vigils and protests in our cities, towns, and rural areas; laboring with others inthe vineyard; working and praying for God’s reign of peace, justice, and love on earth. And when our strength fails us, we’ll join our retired sisters who now pray for justice with peace, sign petitions, write letters to congress, and keep abreast of the issues.
A few weeks ago, the LCWR Global Concerns Committee held a meeting in the retirement facility of a committee member, and one day I was introduced to Sister Elizabeth, a frail, obviously ill woman in a wheelchair who wore on her blouse a large button stating “U.S. Out of Iraq!” The sister who introduced me explained that when Elizabeth retired at 80, she said that now she had time to go to prison. Twice, in her 80s, she was arrested, and spent some time in prison. Now, nearly 90, she has been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. As she was wheeled away to chapel, she waved and called, “Keep working for justice.” We will, Elizabeth, we will.
Sister Marie Lucey (formerly Sister Marie Christopher) grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, graduated from St. Ann’s School and Ursuline Academy, attended Georgian Court College (now University) and graduated from Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and received a master’s degree in English from the University of Notre Dame. She taught high school in Florida and Pennsylvania and was involved in full-time ministry in peace, social justice and corporate responsibility. She also spent a year, 1995 to 1996, working with Project H.O.M.E., a Philadelphia program begun by a Sister of Mercy toprovide services for mentally ill and/or addicted homeless and formerly homeless people.
Before joining LCWR in 2003, Sister Marie served the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in leadership positions twice: she served as a council member from 1978 to 1986, and most recently from 1996 to 2002 as Congregational Minister. She has served as her congregation’s Coordinator of Justice and Peace as well as its Director of Corporate Social Responsibility.
