|
In
the wake of Vatican II (1962 – 1965) new challenges and opportunities had to be
faced. Our ministries were gradually diversified to include health care,
counselling, retreat work, writing, spiritual direction, parish ministry, care
of immigrants, women’s development, justice peace and care of the earth. While education continues to hold high
priority among us, it is often now an outside-school ministry, using more
informal and flexible structures suited to our growing numbers of retired and
semi-retired Sisters. We retain trustee-ship of four St. Louis Secondary
schools in Carrickmacross, Dundalk, Monaghan Town and Rathmines, Dublin 6
The Story of the St. Louis Justice and Peace Group
Foundation Date : February 1996.
For many years St Louis Worldwide has been involved in Justice and peace
issues on an informal basis. However in February 1996 a formal justice and peace
group was set up in the Irish Region.
Founding members: Brid Rafferty, Fionnuala O’Hanlon, Agnes M. Devine, Eileen
Nolan and Colmcille Stephens.
Rita Greene and Rosita Brady joined at a later date
Coordinator with Central Team : Ann Matthews
Liaison with Regional Teams : Noreen Murphy.
Marie Celine O’Byrne
Anne Jordan
Marion Reynolds
Our Brief as we see it : To work for the promotion of justice and peace, taking
into account the need to channel our energies and focus on what we can do, while
realising our own human limitations and the enormity of the issues that concern
us..
Issues which concerned us from the beginning :
• Violence in the home.
• Homelessness, especially for women.
• Cancellation of world debt.
• Jubilee 2000.
• Debt and Development Coalition.
• Justice issues concerning the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the
G8 summits.
• Ireland’s treatment of refugees.
• Fair Trade
• Refugees.
• The trafficking of women in Ireland.
Steps taken by us to address the above issues :
• We signed petition sheets asking for the abolition of debt in poor countries.
• Eileen joined the human chain in Birmingham organized by the Debt and
Development Coalition in the Jubilee Year.
• We got slots at Regional Assemblies to promote Fair Trade. Agnes gave a very
enlightening talk at one of the assemblies explaining the Fair Trade project to
the sisters.
• We joined peaceful demonstrations in Dublin. Especially memorable was the one
against the war in Iraq. Also memorable was the rally at the top of Grafton
Street on June 8th 2004 asking for 100% debt cancellation for poor countries.
• Eileen and Agnes took part in a vigil outside Government Buildings on 22nd
September 1999 before the G8 meeting in Washington. Colmcille joined a
supportive Vigil in Dundalk.
• We sent letters to Charlie McCreevy and other politicians encouraging them to
support the cause of debt cancellation for poor countries.
• We raised awareness by recommending articles for reading in the communities.
• Colmcille and Rita attended a Justice Conference in Ammerdown, which was
organized by the English region.
• We marked the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights by sending a
copy of the declaration to each community in the region.
• Our Christmas card and calendar for the communities each year tries to
high-light justice issues. Fionnuala plays a major part in this effort.
• Eileen and Agnes attended the G8 meeting in Cologne in June ’99.
• On the kind invitation of Rory O’Hanlon we visited the Dail on 22nd November
2000, during a session which was of interest to our justice and peace group.
• Agnes Mary and Rita attended a Public Forum in Buswell’s Hotel on debt
cancellation in September 2000 prior to Charlie McCreevy’s visit to the G8
summit in Prague.
• We invited Sr. Breege Keenan of the Vincentian Partnership in Dublin to talk
to us about her work for refugees.
• We contributed two squares to the patch-work banner which was unfurled at the
G8 meeting in Genoa in July 2001 to highlight the debt cancellation issue. Agnes
Mary and Eileen attended the launching of the banner in St. Stephen’s Green on
July 18th. The banner was 350 feet long and stretched all the way around the
shopping centre. Other St. Louis sisters attended the launch. Four thousand
people signed the “Cancel the Debt” sheets.
• On 18th January 2002 Eileen wrote a letter to the US ambassador recommending
fair treatment for the prisoners in the US prison camp in Cuba.
• On the 11th February 2002 Miriam Brady shared with us her experience of the
interregional justice meeting in Brazil.
• We asked the Central Team to support the KMF group who make documentaries
about the developing countries for RTE. Central Team have contributed funding to
the makers of these programmes several times. The group needs funds badly. Their
programmes are excellent.
• We joined the Peace March in Dublin on 15th. February2003.
• During Ireland’s presidency of the EU Eileen wrote a letter to The Taoiseach
and to Brian Cowen asking them to strengthen their commitment to the debt
cancellation issue. Fionnuala provided prepared cards that we sent to the above
asking for the halt of arms’ sales to developing countries.
• We attended a Debt and Trade Conference organized by the Jesuit Justice group
on the 9th September 2004. There were speakers from developing countries, from
the World Bank, from IMF and from Development Cooperation Ireland. It was a
high-powered meeting.
• A few of us attend the Pobal Conference in Milltown Park each year. The themes
discussed are often about the poor and the marginalized.
• Fionnuala and Agnes attended a seminar in Manresa on “The Faith that does
Justice”.
• We took part in the “Make Poverty History” rally in Dublin on 30th June 2005.
• We invited Betty Dalton who works for the rights of refugees in Monaghan to
speak at our meeting on 4th October 2005. We were very impressed by the account
of the work she does.
• For Christmas 2005 we sent a Justice and Peace Quiz to all the communities to
test their knowledge of justice issues. There were 11 questions. We offered a
prize of 20 euro for the winning entry. There was a fairly good response to this
.The prize was won by Noreen Murphy.
• Agnes and Fionnuala displayed a poster about the trafficking of women at the
regional assembly in Emmaus on 10th June 2006.
• Ann Matthews gave us feed-back on the international JPIC meeting in England.
• Marion Reynolds keeps us informed about upcoming events and is always very
supportive.
• Agnes Mary with help from the group sold 4 dozen key-rings in support of
Ruhama at the Dundalk assembly on March 24th 2007.
• We joined the “ Footprints for Peace “ walk in Dundalk on the 13th May 2007.
Rosita followed the walk as far as Newry. The walkers were a small group of
colourful young people from many countries who greeted us warmly. They put our
picture on their web-site.
• We end each year by having a party.
|
