Shalom / UN-NGO Newsletter
Volume 19, Issue 1April 2018

Love Gives Everything
By Sister Kathy Schmittgens, International Shalom Coordinator
Sister Rosemary Howarth said recently that one of the novices sent
her a message that put together Love Cannot Wait with Love Gives
Everything. It became Love Cannot Wait to Give Everything! Can
all of us take the cue from the zeal of this novice?
We have before us a challenge for this time, our time. We see aworld filled with fear, distrust, and violence; we feel at times that
we do not have the ability or the energy to fight the darkness. But toquote the author Clarissa Pinkola Estes, “We were made for thesetimes.”
We are alive NOW, we are dedicated to the Mission of God NOW. We are the ones called to makea difference NOW. Our Directional Statement gives us the program to be the “ones we have been
waiting for.” (Hopi Elders, June 8, 2000)
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Embracing Gospel Poverty gives us the freedom to risk and be transformed.
Deepening our understanding of the Triune God helps us to put ourselves in right relations inall our relationships.
Authentic community life gives us the support we need to be brave.
Growing in our understanding of what it means to be intercultural moves us to “that onenessfor which Jesus Christ was sent.”
Collaborating with others widens our view and strengthens our networks for good.
Communal discernment for the needs of today touches us back into Theresa’s vision ofworking for unmet needs in the world.

Of course we know that it doesn’t happen easily or quickly but to paraphrase Theresa’s words, “theroots will be sturdier and the flowering the lovelier.”

Human Rights Day
December 10, 2017
For the school in Szeged, Hungary, Sister Renata prepared a 30-minute presentation. She chose fourhuman rights: the right to life, the right to freedom, the right to education, and the right to equality.
First, she gave an insight into the reality of these rights in our world today. After that, she connected
these rights with the season of Advent. At the end of the celebration, the students prayed for those
who lack these basic rights and they learned to appreciate what they have. Each class then chose oneof these rights with a personal assignment (for example, the right to education was as follows: Choose
a lesson each day, in which you will participate actively and eagerly.) From the European Shalom
newsletter

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Youngpeople
inOpole,Poland,received information
leaflets, watched athematic film andlistened to testimonies
of people protecting
human dignity andrights.
Educational
activities were finishedby work in groups anda common prayer forthe victims of humantrafficking
Children in the Kindergarten of Blessed Mother Teresa inOpole, Poland gathered in the chapel of the Motherhouseto pray together for all people in the whole world so thatthey can live in harmony and peace, develop their talents
and interests, and work for the good of their family andcountry. They also prayed that all people may respectthemselves and their neighbors. In the class, the children
created a chain of human rights from the colorful strips ofpaper.

Recent Branch Meetings
By Sister Kathy Schmittgens, International Shalom Coordinator

North American Branch
The North American
Branch meeting was heldin
Novemberin
Waterdown,
Ontario,
Canada. A contemplative
spirit pervaded the meeting
helped by a beautiful
prayer each morning
createdbySister
Genevieve Cassani. The meeting was held shortly after the close of the General Chapter. It was agreat grace to look at the new directional statement together. North American plans for implementing
the Focus and Commitments were revised in light of Love Gives Everything.
Each of us had prepared a written report that was sent ahead of time. More was shared at the meeting
more was shared. Time was given for reflection, and then comments and/or questions. All agreed it
was helpful for growth. During the meeting, Tim Dewane was chosen as the new branchrepresentative for North America.
Sister Eileen Reilly led us in a process using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) similar tothe process used at the General Chapter. We looked at which SDGs seemed of greater importance tothe North American experience.
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A highlight of the meeting was our experience of the “Blanket Exercise” a process that illustrated theexperience of the native Canadian tribes as their territories and cultures were being threatened andobliterated by the encroaching Europeans. It was emotionally packed and helped to highlight howimportant the statement on interculturality in Love Gives Everything really is.

African Branch
The African Branch meeting was held toward the end ofNovember. It was held at the former Province of Africa
Novitiate in Sunyani, Ghana. There was great delight forthe branch members in returning to their spiritual roots!
The sisters shared their reality in the five countries of theprovince. It was a profound experience as they spoke ofpolitical and social issues that call for a Shalom response.
Sister Roxanne Schares was originally scheduled to speakat the meeting but her plans changed “a bit” in October. (S.
Roxanne was elected General Superior.) Fortunately, wewere able to view the talk she prepared for the Central
Pacific Province Days on “Nonviolence”. The discussion
was very rich.
We also spent time looking at the Shalom Focus and Commitments in the light of Love Gives
Everything. A new plan was developed for the next two years. Sister Helen Galadima was chosen as
the new branch representative.
We were able to attend Sunday Mass with the Students of Notre Dame Senior Secondary School.
Praying and singing with over 800 students was a blessing.

Migrants and Refugees
By Sister Eileen Reilly, Director of SSND UN-NGO Office
UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres (right)
talked of “Making Migration Work for All” inhis report.
As the number of refugees and migrants
worldwide continues to increase daily, theUnited Nations is engaged in a two-year
UN photo
process to develop a Global Compact on
Refugees as well as a Global Compact for Safe,
Orderly and Regular Migration. Both of these compacts are attempts to articulate norms for sharing
the responsibilities for refugees and migrants more equitably among nations.
When the process began in September 2016, Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein, the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights, challenged the assembled delegates at the UN with these words:“When millions of people see freedom’s invitation only through the flapping canvasof a tent. When they carry their children and possessions on their backs, walking
hundreds, perhaps even thousands of miles. When they and their families riskdrowning, and are kept cramped in appalling detention centers – and, once released,risk abuse by racists and xenophobes. There is no cause for comfort here.”

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The process begun at that meeting has resulted in two draft documents, one on refugees and one on
migrants; these will be finalized in the coming months.
One of the new elements in the discussions is the recognition of “Climate Refugees,” those who leave
their home because of the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels. The documents also
call for an end to the detention of children, stating that detention is never in their best interest. Inaddition, both documents recognize the links between forced migration and the trafficking of persons.
As the process continues, we are reminded that our faith tradition tells us: “You shall treat thestrangers who reside with you no differently than the natives born among you, have the same love
for them as for yourself; for you too were once strangers in the land of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

Together
Respect, Safety and Dignity for All
By Sister Eileen Reilly, Director of SSND UN-NGO Office
In launching the UN Together Campaign, António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations,said, “Our duty to the people we serve is to work together to move from fear of each other to trust ineach other. Diversity in all its forms is an asset, not a threat.” Click here for more information on
the six ways to become involved in the Campaign
As noted in our December newsletter, Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR), a new organization ofreligious congregations at the UN, is finding ways for congregations to collaborate more. InNovember, since I was in Africa for the African Branch meeting of Shalom, a Medical Mission Sisterand I, piloted a new model of working together.
We traveled to Ghana where, with theassistance of the SSNDs in Ghana, we offered
two workshops for all the religious in two
dioceses: Cape Coast and Sunyani. Women andmen religious gathered to become more familiar
with the UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) and to learn about opportunities in theircountry to contribute to the evaluation of thesegoals.

Centers of Prayer for Peace
At the North American branch meeting, we discussed the vitality of the Centers of Prayer for Peace.
The work in the Congregation for Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation depends heavily on the ongoing prayer support of these Centers of Prayer for Peace. We want to do all that we can to encourage
our sisters who are the prayer powerhouse. One suggestion is to send particular intentions for eachmonth so that each day those intentions are remembered.
If you have other suggestions to strengthen the connection to the work of Shalom, please share themwith us. The calendar of dates for the Centers can be found on the gerhardinger.org website.

Shalom/UN-NGO Newsletter is a triannual publication of the School Sisters of Notre Dame:
via della Stazione Aurelia 95, 00165 Roma · tel: +39.06.6652.01; fax: +39.06.6652.0234.
Shalom / UN-NGO Newsletter, April 2018

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