By S. Francesca Po, Metta Strategic Advisory Council member and liaison to wisdom traditions.
Contrary to popular images, many contemporary Catholic nuns (or Sisters) no longer wear habits, live in cloisters, or slap mischievous schoolboys in the hand with a ruler. They are among the most socially active individuals committed to social and cultural progress out there, but tend to stay in the shadows of the bigger, male-dominated institution of the Church.
The best image of a Sister in popular culture that I can think of that best describes their actual involvement in the world is Susan Sarandon’s character in ‘Dead Man Walking’. Here, Sr Helen Prejean, a Sister of St Joseph committed to prison reform and the abolition of capital punishment, exemplifies the power of nonviolence through communication– in helping the death row inmate, Matthew Poncelet, through a dramatic conversion experience.
Sister Helen Prejean
The spirit of nonviolence and social justice continues to be in the very heart of the calling of being a Sister. Today, we see their strength and courage through direct and constructive action against fracking, nuclear weapons, and environmental issues, not to mention encouraging immigration reform (the ‘Nuns on the Bus’ campaign), and engaging in alternative forms of healing, risking their lives, going to prison, and even getting investigated by their beloved Church for their radical behaviour.
For examples on how women, wisdom traditions, and social justice can truly make positive social change, please do keep an eye out on current events, local and global, involving the Sisters.
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More resources:
Check out this article from Frida Berrigan about some more “Sister Activism.”
Read about Sister Teresa Forcades here.
Two books on the life of Sister Dorothy Stang:
Le Breton, Binka. The Greatest Gift: The Courageous Life and Death of Sister Dorothy Stang. 1st ed. New York: Doubleday, 2007.
Murphy, Roseanne. Martyr of the Amazon: The Life of Sister Dorothy Stang. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2007.
The New Nuns: Racial Justice and Religious Reform in the 1960s by Amy Koehlinger.
Review by Darra Mulderry (a historian who also works on Catholic nuns and justice.
“What Human Goodness Entails: An Intellectual History of the U.S. Catholic Sisters 1930-1980.” Dissertation by Darra Mulderry
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By: Metta Center
We provide educational resources on the safe and effective use of nonviolence, with the recognition that it’s not about putting the right person in power but awakening the right kind of power in people. We advance a higher image of humankind while empowering people to explore the question: How does nonviolence work, and how can I actively contribute to a happier, more peaceful society?
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Nonviolence Lifeline
A Palestinian’s Journey to Nonviolence
2021 Certificate Program
Cosmic Peaceforce SpaceMeet
Nonviolence Radio April 9, 2021
