The Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa announce the approval of a corporate stance for antiracism. A corporate stance is a public statement which is the result of prayer, study, reflection, and discussion by members of the congregation. It is taken in regard to an issue of human concerns, gospel values, and/or societal systems. In announcing the approval by the Sisters, Prioress Toni Harris, OP, said, “The pandemic sin of racism continues to require our consistent resistance and our commitment to transformation.”
“Our work for justice is an integral part of our identity as Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa,” said Peace and Justice Promoter Sister Reg McKillip, OP. “This corporate stance joins nine other corporate stances taken by the Congregation since 1986 on issues such as care of Earth, ending human trafficking, immigration reform, opposing the death penalty, and halting the use of nuclear weapons.”
The corporate stance for antiracism reads as follows:
Leaders of our Church in the United States of America have proclaimed racism as a sin that blots out the image of God among specific members of the human family (“Brothers and Sisters to Us” by U.S. Catholic Bishops, 1979). Twenty years ago, building on previous efforts, Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa formally committed themselves to become an antiracist congregation. Today, standing with Communities of Color across the United States, we join with all those dedicated to eradicating institutional racism and the belief system of White supremacy. We will live this by challenging ourselves to encourage and bring about the antiracist transformation of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa; to remove language, attitudes, assumptions, and behaviors within ourselves that offend the dignity of others; to create positive, informed conversations with a strong bias toward action that introduce and sustain antiracist ways of living; to stand up and speak the truth in the presence of racism; to recognize and change structures that support institutional racism and White supremacy; and to pray intentionally for justice and healing among all people. We will advocate for legislation which affirms civil rights for all and eliminates discrimination based on race and promotes just and fair access to housing, education, health care, employment, financial services, and voting rights. We will contribute to dialogue on the local, regional, and national level to create energy toward positive change.
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