Search Results for label/Donna Stites
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Poem: Human Violence
Tragic legacy pervasive pattern repeating itself through the ages a rippling effect on relationship at every level power over/against desecrating human dignity defiantly destroying creation violence literally in the water we drink. And God said “Whom shall I send? (Originally published in the Spring 2016 issue of HOPE magazine.)...
Poetry can tickle a funny bone!
Recently our Providence Associates coming to retreat were invited to bring professional clothing to donate to the Well Suited for the Job Boutique. These donations assist the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Career Development Office to prepare its students and recent alumni for job interviews and internships. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College senior Dulce Chavez is a Well Suited for the Job Boutique recipient. In 2015, during a summer fellowship at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, she wore some of the...
Write for Rights – YOU made a difference!
You made a difference! Last year, Sister Rosemary Schmalz initiated a letter writing campaign for Amnesty International. Both sisters and staff were invited to date and sign the written letters that Sister Rosemary provided. Across the world, Amnesty International supporters composed 3.7 million letters, messages, emails, tweets and so much more as part of Write for Rights 2015. Did it make a difference? YES! A total of 394,000 letters were written for the release of Phyoe Phyoe Aung, a student...
Reflecting on Leadership
“Whatever our personal choice was of nominee for president, it seems valuable to reflect on this moment.” As I took my morning walk down to the lake, I reflected on the moment of the first woman to be the presumptive nominee for president in this country. I was also reflecting on Sister Suzanne Dailey’s blog on our upcoming General Chapter and choosing a new leadership team for the Sisters of Providence. I began to reflect on the contrasts in the...
Eliminating the Death Penalty in the United States: A Work in Progress
The Sisters of Providence have been partnering with the Indiana Abolition Coalition, the Indiana Catholic Conference and Catholic Mobilizing Network to end the death penalty in Indiana. Currently, the United States is one of a handful of countries where most executions occur. Renewing a Culture of Life booklets were made available this summer at the General Chapter meeting of the Sisters of Providence. At that time, 19 states in the nation had banned the death penalty. The Catholic Mobilizing Network...
Called to be Peacemakers
When I was home to see my brother and sister-in-law recently, Becky and I went to the farmer’s market on Saturday morning. Becky was happy to see her jeweler who was there. Steve was born in India and began making jewelry at age seven. His creations are exquisite. But Steve had another kind of precious gem to offer us that morning. The conversation went like this: “My children ask me, ‘Dad, why do you smile at everyone?’” His reply was...
Thoughts on Hydraulic Fracking
This graphic offers a description of the Hydraulic Fracking process. As I write this, I just learned that the Supreme Court of Appeals in the District of Columbia has denied to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe the right to halt the North Dakota Access Pipeline. The tribe and their supporters are continuing to protest this decision because of their cultural respect for the land and the many harmful ecological effects of fracking. In many ways, fracking is the environmental issue...
December 10, Human Rights Day and This Little Light
I have a candle that I light each day but recently, it has become more difficult to light. Farther down in the wax, the wick has become shorter, it is hesitant. It seems an apt symbol for my spirit in this time of such hateful division in our country. It seems harder to let my light shine, wondering what difference it makes. Is it worth the effort to coax the wick of my spirit to rise to the occasion? In...
Responding to a rise in hate crimes
“The Hate Crime Statistics Act (28 U.S.C. § 534) defines hate crimes as “crimes that manifest evidence of prejudice based on race, gender or gender identity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.”… For a crime to be classified as a hate crime in the NCVS {National Crime Victim’s Survey} the victim must report at least one of three types of evidence that the act was motivated by hate: the offender used hate language, the offender left behind hate symbols, or...
Justice advocates and Providence Associates
Providence Associates Ben Kite, left, and Jeanne Rewa have found justice seekers, spiritual support and friendship among the Sisters of Providence. Jeanne Rewa and Ben Kite are both Providence Associates and members of the Sisters of Providence (SP) Justice Coordinating Commission (JCC). Jeanne works for a nonprofit, World Savvy. She’s an online learning and engagement specialist supporting K-12 teachers to help their students develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be change-makers on global issues. Ben is currently an independent...
Join the Return to Human Rights Tour March 16-29
“The Coalition of Immokalee Workers Fair Food Program is a unique partnership among farmers, farm workers and retail food companies that ensures humane wages and working conditions for the workers who pick fruits and vegetables on participating farms.” —– From the Coalition of Immokalee Workers For several years, The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has been pleading to no avail with fast food chain restaurant Wendy’s to join their fair food program. In fact, Wendy’s stopped purchasing tomatoes in the...
A new perspective on assisted living
“Are you in Assisted Living?” the voice on the phone asked. A reasonable question since at age 77, I was preparing for a medical procedure. “No,” I responded. After the surgery I was able to recover at home. But I did need assistance in my daily living, because temporarily I did not have the use of my right hand. However, it was on my morning walk to St. Joeseph Lake here at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods one day that the question of...