“Systemic and social sins fed by greed, individualism and abuse of power threaten to destroy the human family and the planet that sustains us. These signs of the times cry out for healing, wholeness and hope.”
The above words come from our Chapter Direction Statement written by the Sisters of the Holy Cross as we gathered in July 2024 and discerned the world’s needs and our work over the coming five years. Those words seem particularly prescient today. We have watched with growing alarm and dismay as political leaders abandon dialogue in favor of destruction, and innocents once again suffer the consequences. As Christians and as Catholics, we embrace the mandate to be peacemakers, and we proclaim a Gospel that demands that we love the stranger and treat others as we ourselves would wish to be treated.
sisters of the holy cross
Corporate Stand:
Called to be Peacemakers
Our hearts break for our sisters and brothers in Iran and other areas of the Middle East who are being plunged into a war not of their choosing. Our opposition to violence does not suggest an approval of oppression or tyranny. Our stance is rooted in our faith and in our recognition, supported by lived experience as an international congregation, that justice and lasting peace are not achieved through violent means. It is easier to escalate violence and to seek simple solutions through force than to embrace dialogue and deal with the complexities of diplomacy. Yet, we know that violence begets vengeance and further violence.
The urgency of this moment cries out for people of goodwill to come together and proclaim clearly that violence is not a solution and is not our choice. The Sisters of the Holy Cross join Pope Leo XIV in calling for the parties involved to “assume their moral responsibility to stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”
As Christians and as Catholics, we embrace the mandate to be peacemakers, and we proclaim a Gospel that demands that we love the stranger and treat others as we ourselves would wish to be treated.
This is not a time for triumphalism, chest beating, and flag waving. This is a time for humility, wisdom and true leadership that considers the good of all and the sacredness of human life. We pray that world leaders may have the courage to choose peace over violence and dialogue over destruction. The signs of the times cry out for healing, wholeness and hope.
Sisters of the Holy Cross General Leadership Team