Citizens of Faith

A Catholic Call to the Common GoodFinding new meaning in an old concept

Discovering Ourselves in ScriptureReading the Bible with new eyes

Shareholder AdvocacyUsing investment power to affect social change

Citizens of Faith

January | February 2008 Bimonthly publication for sisters, associates and companions of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

F E A T U R E S

5 Discovering Ourselves in ScriptureBy William O’Brien

8 A Catholic Call to the Common GoodBy Alexia Kelley and John Gehring

13 Shareholder Advocacy: Strategy for Socially Responsible InvestingBy Sister Valerie Heinonen, osu

C O L U M N S

2 Spotlight | Blessed By CommunityBy Sister Rita Valade (Detroit)

4 Justice | On Practicing Faithful CitizenshipBy Sister Susan Severin (Institute Justice Team)

7 Vocation and Incorporation | Roles of Novices and Professed SistersBy Sister Carol Mucha (Institute New Membership Office)

12 Ministry | Silent Motion: The Story of Mime-InkBy Sister Gloria Heese (Omaha)

D E P A R T M E N T S

3 Community UpdateSubmitted by Mercy Communicators

16 NewsmakersCompiled by Sister Patricia Kenny (Institute Communications Office)

17 Spice of Mercy LifeBy Sister Patricia Kenny (Institute Communications Office)

january| february 2008

Table of Contents

page 5 page 8 page 13

Bimonthly publication for Sisters, Associates

and Companions of the Institute of the Sisters of

Mercy of the Americas

Publisher

The Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas8380 Colesville Road, #300Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-6264 tel 301.587.0423 [email protected]

Features Editor Sister Patricia Kenny [email protected]

Columns Editor Sue [email protected]

Design and Production Sue Carroll

TranslationElsa Valdiviezo

Advisory BoardSisters Eileen Campbell, Joy Clough, CamilleD’Arienzo, Kathleen Erickson, Diane Guerin,Patricia Kenny, Patricia McDermott, LarrettaRivera-Williams and Ellen Smith. AssociatesKris Reich and Kathleen Wade. Anne Boyle, SueCarroll, Will O’Brien and Trish Vanni.

Manuscripts may be submitted electronically.For detailed writer’s guidelines, e-mail [email protected]. The editorialstaff reserves the right to edit submitted mate-rials. Articles or portions thereof are protectedby copyright laws and therefore cannot bereproduced or reprinted without the permis-sion of ¡Viva! Mercy and/or the author.

Visit www.sistersofmercy.org for highlighted articles from this publication.

¡Viva! Mercy is printed on acid free, elemental chlorinefree paper containing 50 percent recycled contentincluding 15 percent post consumer waste.

In this issue, Alexia Kelley and JohnGehring of Catholics in Alliance for theCommon Good explore the concept of thecommon good as the foundation of moralleadership. See story on page 8.

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january | february 2008 ¡Viva! Mercy 1

Dear Sisters, Mercy Associates and Companions in Mercy,

The poet David Whyte believes we are constantly making home too small forourselves. He says, “On the homeward journey we take shelter for awhile andthen we forget the very path before our door.” In our time, we are beingnudged to step out of our doors and learn new skills for the unknown journey ofthe twenty-first century. What will it take to move beyond what is familiar,what we have become accustomed to and settled into? Could we look forguides in our own members who daily risk seeking new homes and offeringfresh responses to the needs of this time and place? What do our wisdom fig-ures want to say to us as Mercy seeks its place in a world and church undergo-ing massive disruption.

Reimagining ourselves in a reconfigured Institute brings us face to face andheart to heart with what “home” means. Jesus invites potential followers tocome and see where he lives. Jesus also says that he has no permanent placeon which to lay his head. By the profession of our vows we commit ourselvesto make our home only in God and together love one another and serve thosemost in need. Two recent decisions can bring new understandings of home andits geography of land, heart and identity.

In August 2007 the congregational leaders of Mercy International Association voted to expandthe House of Mercy at Baggot Street. What we have known as Mercy International Centre willeventually include Catherine’s original House of Mercy and the building around the corner onHerbert Street. New staff will be hired to focus Mercy efforts on the U.N. Millennial Goal to eradi-cate global poverty. Catherine’s expanded home will continue to invite us in for inspiration as wellas mission us out to address the root causes and local manifestations of poverty worldwide.

In November 2007 the ILT decided to continue to locate the U.S. novitiate in Laredo, Texas. Aftera thorough review and consultation process the choice of Laredo seems both the best fit for thevalues and goals of the novitiate and a call to all of us to consider how our personal and communallives might better demonstrate that which we describe in our Constitutions, Direction Statement andrecent Chapter Acts. We must ask of women in the novitiate the same that we ask of more sea-soned members; to be vibrant women of contemplation and action with a preoccupation to beamong those who suffer poverty and loss of dignity. New dreams for Laredo might invite us to thenovitiate home for inspiration and mission similar to that which we find at Catherine’s home onBaggot Street.

Our precious homes are indeed changing. What remains is our commitment to be centered inGod as we serve a crucified Redeemer in a world of tremendous human and ecological suffering.What must we do?

In Mercy,

A From the Institute Leadership Team

THE INSTITUTE LEADERSHIP TEAM (FRONT): SISTERS MARY WASKOWIAK AND ANNE CURTIS. (BACK): SISTERS EILEEN CAMPBELL, LINDA

WERTHMAN AND PAT MCDERMOTT.

Join Our Conversation

We invite you to offer yourfeedback on the the memberarea ofwww.sistersofmercy.org, bytelephone, mail and in per-sonal interactions with us.

A discussion board is avail-able on the member area ofthe website for sharing yourcomments.

2 ¡Viva! Mercy january | february 2008

I have been gifted by andimmersed in a variety of communi-ties in my life. To be committed toliving community means to becomeknown by and come to know manydifferent persons. Right there is thechallenge that is offered us on adaily basis. While I have been overlyblessed by many positive experi-ences, I would be remiss to implythat life is only bliss. Comm unity isnot only about the warm fuzzymoments. Community is about con-version and growth.

Currently I live and minister inLouisville, Kentucky, but remainvery connected with the RegionalComm unity of Detroit. My affectionfor my regional community can belikened to my family bonds. Wher -ever I may travel, Detroit Mercy is inmy bloodstream and therefore myheart. My Community has helpedshape and “grow” me into who I amtoday… from my kindergarten yearsto the present.

I moved to Louisville ten years agowhile working in vocation ministryfor the West Midwest New Member -ship Team. Covering the states ofMichigan, Ohio and Ken tucky, Iquickly became enamored of DaySpring, a residential community ofadults with intellectual disabilities.While working in the area, I wouldstay with Sister Debbie Kern(Cincinnati), Day Spring’s executivedirector who has lived in its housingsince its founding 14 years ago. Sheand the residents invited me to sharecommunity with them and I havebeen here ever since. Day Spring issynonymous with community. We

share our lives very closely on a dailybasis, and God’s grace has beendynamically operative in more waysthan I can articulate. For the firsttime in my life, I feel that I havebecome known. My struggles withimpatience, control issues andimperfection have become moreintegrated with some of the morepositive gifts God has given me. Thatis a huge gift this community hasoffered me.

For the past few years, my min-istry at Spalding University, a smallCatholic university sponsored by theSisters of Charity of Nazareth,Kentucky, has also offered me anexperience of community. I am priv-ileged to work with students, facultyand staff who are focused uponaddressing the injustices of oursociety at all levels. Through thesupport of those with whom I work, Ihave grown in my administrative,managerial and personal capacities.

The Sisters of Mercy in Louisville(Regional Community of Cincinnati)have offered me a second Mercyhome. I have become intimatelyinvolved in their daily lives andcommunal activities and have foundrich friendships and support. I amnow part of the collective Mercy“we” in Louisville.

Of course there are struggles.

There are many times in which Idesire to be less known by so manypeople. Being known is the greatestjoy ... and fear ... of my heart. Beingknown means that my darker side isbrought into the light. It is about real-izing that a self-imposed definition ofperfection is not what relationshipsor community is about. Being knownis akin to the experience that August -ine once reflected: Where sinabounds, grace abounds even more.

As our Direction Statement states,“ We as Sisters of Mercy... call our-selves to continual conversion inour lifestyle and ministries.” It is mycall to be open to the multi-facetedexperiences of community availablein my life at this moment and it iswithin this context that this contin-ual conversion occurs.

—Sister Rita Valade (Detroit)

s p o t l i g h t

Blessed By Community

Issues in the SpotlightAs ¡Viva! Mercy enters its second year, we’d like to use our spotlight column forreflections on issues—not only around reimagining and reconfiguring—butissues that impact our lives in Mercy. The issues are at times disparate butalways unifying. If you’d like to suggest a spotlight topic or write an article,please contact Sister Pat Kenny at [email protected].


Caribbean, Central America, South America

T H E L E A D E R S H I P (Governance)Commission, coordinated by SisterAngelina Mitre (CCASA/Panama), is refin-ing the final draft of the government plan tobe presented for approval during CCASA’sinaugural Assembly in February.

Sisters from Chile, Argentina andHonduras joined Sister Mary Waskowiak(Institute Leadership Team), members of theMid-Atlantic Community and the sisters inPeru for the celebration of Sister JanetFernandez’ perpetual vows on December 9.

The work of the CCASA commissions con-tinues with special emphasis on legal andfinancial planning. Local communities aredeveloping budgets for 2008-2009 with thehelp of Sister Mary Kelly (Institute IntegrationTeam) and financial coordinator, Patti Nisco.

Mid-Atlantic

O N D E C E M B E R 3 1 , 2 0 0 7 , sisters andassociates gathered in prayer at ten differentsites to welcome the new year and celebratethe Community’s one year anniversary.

In November, the leadership team askedfor volunteers for the spiritual life, ministryfund and retirement advisory committees.

The leadership team also announced theplanning of a convocation to advance thedevelopment of the Mid-Atlantic Comm -unity. A committee of seven to 11 sisters willhelp plan this event to be held in Dallas,Pennsylvania, from July 8-12, 2009.

New York, Pennsylvania, Pacific West (NyPPaW)

T H E F I R S T O F T H E Y E A R marked thestart of the New York, Pennsylvania, PacificWest Community. Four regional communi-ties—Buffalo, Erie, Pittsburgh, Rochester—

and the Philippines are now integrated intoa community of about 500 Mercy sistersand associates.

The Community Leadership Team (CLT)includes: Sister Nancy Hoff, president; SisterPatricia Prinzing, vice president; and coun-cilors Sisters Jo Anne Courneen, GeraldineRosinski and Guadalupe Lumantas.

Recently, the CLT appointed local lead-ers for specific geographic areas who tookoffice January 1, 2009. Appointed wereSister Mary Ann Schimscheiner, Buffalo;Sister Domenica DeLeo, Erie; Sister MarieImmaculee Dana, Pittsburgh; SisterVirgencita (Jen-jen) Alegado, Philippines;and Sisters Joyce McGinn and CarolWulforst, Rochester.

Northeast

M O R E T H A N 5 0 0 participated in thefirst round of Mercy Circles held earlier thisyear throughout the Community. In conver-sations, participants discussed the chal-lenges and tensions of being in communityas well as different experiences of communi-ty living; diversity of cultures; new ways ofbeing community; fiscal responsibility andrelationship to the church.

Feedback on mission and ministryincluded the importance of responding tothe needs of the time particularly in rela-tion to environment, trafficking, immigra-tion, world poverty, church structures/roleof women, spirituality, co-ministry, collabo-ration for systemic change and sponsoredministries and the Mercy charism.

The second round was held fromOctober 27-November 17, 2007.

South Central

T H E S O U T H C E N T R A L ElectionCommittee met in December to review andfinalize the design process for a discern-

ment weekend in February for potentialcandidates for South Central leadership. OnDecember 5, the South Central presidents;Mary Trimmer, COO; and Donn Groene,CFO; welcomed Lois Artis, Institute ChiefFinancial Officer and Bryan Pini, InstituteChief Investment Officer for a Communityorientation. The same group met withSouth Central finance officers to reviewrequests for proposals on banking, com-pensation, technology and insurance.Database, the budgeting process and otherreports were also discussed. The JointLeadership Team will meet in February for areview and final approval of policies andprocedures recommended by the taskforces for inclusion in a South CentralMembers’ policy manual.

West Midwest

A F T E R B E G I N N I N G their positions inNovember 2007, COO Kim Kinsel and CFOCarol J. Kelley attended the Novembermeeting of the Community LeadershipTeams (CLTs) in Burlingame, California.They also toured the headquarters of eachregional community in November andDecember. In collaboration with the region-al community leadership teams, Kim willbegin to create an administrative structurefor the Comm unity; and Carol will establisha system for financial management at thelocal and Community levels.

Those members nominated for WMWCommunity leadership positions met inBurlingame in January for a discernmentweekend. Elections will take place during theWMW Assembly in March. During thatmeeting delegates will also affirm the WMWgovernance plan and the issues that will chal-lenge the new leadership.

Community Update

I have many memories ofthe Sisters of Charity of the BlessedVirgin Mary who taught at myparish elementary school inOmaha, Nebraska. We called themthe “BVMs” and assumed theirlives were confined to convent andclassroom. But one day I saw thesisters walking two-by-two to thepublic school across the street. Iasked my mother, “ Why are thesisters going to the public school?”And Mom responded, “ The sistersare going to vote.”

I was so surprised. The sistersvoted just like my parents andneighbors? Did they really knowanything about political office? Didthey care about national and stateissues? How did voting fit withtheir lives as reli-gious?


The answers to those questionswere lived out before me as I pur-sued my education and thenentered religious life myself. Thewomen religious I have met alongthe way cared about many thingsbesides the convent and classroom.

Catherine McAuley set an exam-ple of civic engagement for her sis-ters by her concern and involve-ment in the life of Dublin. She triedto address the root causes of thepoverty and suffering she witnessedin the homes and streets of Irelandand to advocate with the powerfulto change conditions that perpetu-ated injustice and inequality.

The campaigns for the 2008elections in the United States inviteInstitute members, associates,companions and volunteers to lookat and beyond our countriesthrough the lens of the 2005 Chap -ter’s Critical Concerns: immigra-tion, Earth, racism, women’sequality and nonviolence. Werecognize that votes cast by citi-zens of every country and terri-tory address global issues: war,global warming, hunger andviolence against women. Theoutcomes of every electionaffect us all.

For example, the recentnegotiations for Free TradeAgreements between theU.S., Peru and Panamawill affect millions of peo-ple. These agreementsinclude regulations onworking conditions, the

environment and price controls.In past agreements such as the

North American Free TradeAgreement (NAFTA), goods import-ed from the U.S. have been sold atcheaper prices than goods pro-duced locally. Local farmers havelost their land and had to lookelsewhere for employment. Thustrade agreements have become amajor cause of migration whenpeople’s jobs are eliminated andthey must move in order to survive.

In preparation for the U.S.debates, primaries and elections,the Institute Justice Team preparedElection 2008: A Practical Resource(www.sistersofmercy.org/pressandresources/resources). The resourceprovides questions to consideraround each of our CriticalConcerns and facts to documentthe importance of the issues. Theresource can be used as a journalfor reflection or for taking noteswhile watching debates or readingarticles. The resource can also beused for reflection discussion onuniversal social issues.

—Sister Susan Severin (Institute Justice Team)

j u s t i c e

On Practicing Faithful Citizenship

Resources • Voting the Common Good

(Center of Concern):www.coc.org/election2008

• Forming Consciences forFaithful Citizenship (U.S.Conference of CatholicBishops)www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/FCStatement.pdf

The Battle for the Bible—how we interpretand apply it to our lives and our world—has been wagedfor at least 2,000 years. History is replete with the casual-ties of that battle. The Word of God has been used as pro-pagandistic fodder for slavery, subjugation of women,even ethnic cleansing.

Yet that same Bible is profoundly life giving. Millionshave been empowered by the biblical vision of justice,peace and human dignity. Sacred Scripture, sometimeswielded to oppress and exploit, has also inspired healingministries and freedom movements. To open ourselves tothe truth of the biblical revelation, we may need tounlearn much of what we’ve been taught.

One of the obstacles in our reading of the Bible is indi-vidualism, perhaps the most pervasive and powerfulforce in American culture. As a bulwark of our politicaland economic systems it is a main ingredient in many ofour values. While individualism is an outgrowth of theteaching on the dignity of each person bearing the divineimage, it also fuels the alienating effects of consumercapitalism and quickens the deterioration of community.

Individualism functions as a filter for our interpreta-tion of Scripture. Whether in private reading or even incommunal worship, listeners usually hear the biblicaltext addressed to them personally and uniquely. They actas private consumers of the text, discerning its meaningfor themselves and applying it to their lives.

The Hebraic culture understood each individual asbelonging to and fulfilled in a community. The radicallyindividualized person apart from community would be ananomaly to the biblical mindset. The biblical writings areaddressed to a community: in the Old Testament it was theIsraelites; in the New Testament, the church. The narra-tives are part of a culture and history shared and shapedby a people. The commandments, teachings and liturgicalpractices make sense only within a covenant communitywith a common life. Certainly, each individual makes apersonal choice to participate and respond but thatchoice is not separate from life in the community.

The communal paradigm helps us overcome distor-tions in our reading of Scripture. The “hard sayings” ofJesus: “turn the other cheek,” “take no thought for what


Discovering

ourselves

in Scripture

By William O’Brien

in Scripture


you are to eat or wear,” “leave your family” and “loveyour enemies” strike us as unrealistic. In fact, suchteachings are absurd in the context of an individualistparadigm. But Jesus is imparting an ethic for a group ofdisciples who are to witness to the world, not as isolat-ed persons, but as a community.

We cringe when we hear the story of the rich manwhom Jesus counsels to sell all his possessions (Mark10:17-22). Only a handful of saints could ever do that. Butthis story is teaching a new way of communal economicsharing that Jesus insists is both practical and possible.Gospel economics are not a matter of heroic individual-ism but are rooted in ancient covenantal practices.

The testimony of Paul has been particularly skewed bythe individualist paradigm. Paul is reduced to nothingmore than a theologian of personal salvation with a min-imal and conservative social viewpoint. To the contrary,many contemporary biblical writers are illuminating themission of Paul as a builder of communities very muchrooted in a radical vision of Jesus, living by values thatwere subversive of imperial values in the dominantGreco-Roman culture around them.

A second obstacle to biblical literacy is our tendency toover-spiritualize scriptural texts. Early Church doctrinewas heavily influenced by Greek thinking which, unlike theholistic world view of the Hebrews in which the natural anddivine were indivisible, tended toward a separation of spir-it and matter. The undertow of this spiritual-material splitled to a belief that the Christian life is primarily about therealm of the Spirit as opposed to our material, earthly life.

Under the sway of this theology, church leadersstressed biblical texts as symbolic or allegorical. Biblicalimages drawn from ordinary human life and creationwere read as pointing to “heavenly things” and matters ofthe soul. As a result, the overwhelming biblical testimonyregarding matters of money, power, possessions, justice,violence and community relationships is often marginal-ized, allegorized away or rendered invisible.

This over-spiritualizing of Scripture has often playedinto the hands of ecclesiastic powers. While urging theirflocks to “obey” the Bible, these same powers could tram-ple on biblical ethics, taking on secular trappings of hier-archy, wealth and princely supremacy while entreatingthe poor to look for “riches in heaven.” Jesus’ own prayeris instructive: “on earth as it is in heaven.”

The complex narratives about covenant and kingshipin the Hebrew Bible are not mere foreshadowings of theheavenly reign of Christ, but genuine struggles overpower dynamics in human governance and community.Jesus’ parables, while yielding many textures of meaning,fundamentally address basic issues of land and food as

expressions of God’s will. Jesus’ crucifixion, while theo-logically understood as part of God’s salvific plan, wasalso very clearly the execution by the state of a politicalrebel who challenged the status quo.

Our Scriptural literacy is also compromised by limitedfamiliarity with the whole biblical narrative. Many of usconsume the Bible in fragments, even through theLectionary. We know a few famous stories, some choicepassages and quotes, but we are far less aware of how therevelation of Scripture functions as a whole.

Such fragmentation causes us to interpret passagesout of context. For instance, the famous story of “thewidow’s mite,” (Mark 12:41-44 and Luke 21:1-4) ispreached as a tale of heroic self-sacrifice. But when readin a broader context (Mark 12:38-13.2) and understandingthe Torah commands to economically protect widows, itis clear that Jesus is excoriating the religious leadershipfor exploiting vulnerable widows. Preached once a year,extracted from its context, this widow is offered as amodel to encourage giving to the church. In its context itis a condemnation of religion victimizing the powerless.

Some allusions are less obvious. In the story of Jesusfeeding the thousands in the desert we focus on themiraculous multiplication of loaves and fishes. We fail tosee what would have been starkly obvious to the early lis-teners. Stories of “feeding in the wilderness” explicitlyevoke the Exodus 16 account of manna which is both atale of divine provision and the beginning of divineinstruction on economic principles and practice of thecovenant community. By not understanding the cleanli-ness codes of Torah, we cannot grasp the full import andprophetic dimensions of Jesus’ healings, his table fellow-ship and his challenge to religious authorities.

If we are serious about being biblical people, we mustimmerse ourselves in the whole Bible. We cannot affordto settle for a splintered version of God’s revelation. Wemust gain a fundamental understanding of the broad arcof the biblical story so we can be more open to the powerof the biblical revelation in our lives.

The good news is that communities of committed dis-ciples around the world are gathering around Scriptureand gleaning fresh meanings, new vision and profoundrelevance to the challenges of our times. May we be apart of that Good News!

William O’Brien worked for several years on the editori-al staff of The Other Side, an independent progressiveChristian magazine. Since 1993 he has coordinated theAlternative Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He

also serves on the ¡Viva! Mercy editorial advisory board. Will can bereached at [email protected]


As we continue to studyand review our vocation and incor-poration program in the UnitedStates “For the Love of Mercy,”examination of the incorporationsection reveals the ways in whichour lives can be transformed byreflecting on how we incorporatenew members into the Institute.

In developing the new program,we began by using the Constitutionsto help us identify the critical ele-ments of Mercy life: mission andservice, prayer and spirituality,community and public vows. Wethen determined what new mem-bers would need to nurture thesecritical elements.

During incorporation, newmembers dedicate significant timeto developing relationships, learn-ing, finding time for prayer, pro-viding service and living in com-munity. Their reflections on theirexperiences allow them the free-dom they need to commit to takingperpetual vows.

Incorporation is also a time ofdiscernment for vowed sisters.Our role is to, “witness to theintegrity of word and deed in theirlives.” Relationships betweennewer members and professedsisters develop in candidacythrough the sharing of the livedexperience of being a Sister ofMercy, learning the traditions ofCatherine McAuley and theCommunity and in participating ina variety of experiences througheach stage of incorporation.

As they enter the novitiate weare called to support them through

communication—asking abouttheir experiences. This sharing andexchange enriches the lives of allsisters. During temporary profes-sion, we can assist the newly pro-fessed in the integration of prayer,community and ministry, encour-aging them and ourselves to con-tinued growth in the living of thevows. Throughout the process wecan offer our own gifts to assistingour incorporation ministers.

The “local community” sectionof our new program serves as areminder to us all to renew ourcall to commit to sharing skills forcommunity living with new mem-bers. Even if we do not have new

members living in our midst, thevalues expressed in this sectionchallenge us all to examine ourcommunity life and ask ourselves:Can we be a welcoming, hospitableand realistic environment for awoman to test her call? Am I will-ing to move into a community—tobegin again and see what gracesGod has in store?

To view the entire vocation andincorporation program, please visithttp://www.sistersofmercy.org/vocations/program. To share yourthoughts, please contact us [email protected].

—Sister Carol Mucha (Institute New Membership Office)

Roles of Novices and Professed Sisters

v o c a t i o n a n d i n c o r p o r a t i o n

I N C O R P O R A T I O N

St. Louis Sisters Miriam Nolan and M. Dianne Ferguson spend some time review-ing the new vocation and incorporation program in the United States, “For the Loveof Mercy.”


��A Catholic Call

�


Victor Hugo, the nineteenth century French writer,famously remarked that nothing is more powerfulthan an idea whose time has come. The common

good—a classic theme of moral and political philosophywith deep roots in Catholic social teaching—is an oldidea that has found new life in contemporary politicaldiscourse. Rick Santorum, for example, a formerRepublican senator from Pennsylvania and a Catholic,has written a book titled It Takes a Family: Conservatismand the Common Good. His one-time opponent, RobertCasey, Jr., a Catholic and currently a Democratic sena-tor from Pennsylvania, made the common good a defin-ing theme in his campaign. Several 2008 presidentialcandidates including Senator Hillary Clinton have pep-pered their stump speeches, talking points and posi-tion papers with language about the common good.

Appeals to the common good resonate particularly ata time when war, corporate scandals, the government’sbungled response to Hurricane Katrina and anxietyabout globalization have left many feeling adrift in arapidly changing world. “ Things fall apart; the center

cannot hold.” William Butler Yeats wrote in his 1920poem, “ The Second Coming.” This could describe ourown fractured and alienated era.

Despite the flurry of references to the common goodin public discourse, however, the term often twists inthe rhetorical wind and comes across as a vague idea,so unthreatening that it is about as controversial asclean drinking water. The common good has beeninvoked in sound bites and catchphrases to supportboth liberal and conservative arguments. But anauthentic understanding of the common good—oneenriched by its particular connection to Catholic socialthought—has practical implications for public policyand defies conventional ideological and political cate-gories. Indeed, Catholicism’s long history of definingcommon good as rooted in the dignity of the humanperson and the specific demands of justice makesCatholics especially well-suited to challenge societalleaders to embrace a more energetic public agendarooted in the common good.

��to the Common Good

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�BY ALEXIA KELLEY

&JO H N G E H RIN

G

Theory and Practice

For centuries, the Catholic tradition has emphasizeda call to the common good as the centerpiece ofCatholic social teaching. Building on concepts articu-lated first by Aristotle, St. Thomas Aquinas spoke aboutthe good sought by all as intertwined with the reality ofGod. In the 16th century, the earliest followers of St.Ignatius Loyola were among the first Westerners totravel beyond Europe, inspired in part by a globalvision of the common good. Pope Leo XIII, in hisencyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), was the first to makeformal use of the concept of the common good as thestarting point for the church’s social analysis.

According to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine ofthe Church, “ The principle of the common good, towhich every aspect of social life must be related if it isto attain its fullest meaning, stems from the dignity,unity and equality of all people.” Yet there is a stunningfailure to connect the clarity of these ideals and therealities of a world in which poverty, war and racismtear apart the human family. As globalization dissolvesborders and shrinks our world, for example, the bur-

Catholicism’s long history of defining

common good as rooted in the dignity

of the human person and the specific

demands of justice, makes Catholics

especially well-suited to challenge

societal leaders to embrace

a more energetic public agenda rooted

in the common good.

dens and benefits of global capitalism undermine thecommon good by widening the chasm between rich andpoor, hope and despair.

The chasm was evident in a New York Times story,“ The Richest of the Rich, Proud of a New Gilded Age”(July 15, 2007), in which billionaire tycoons boastedabout their personal accomplishments, bemoanedtaxes on their fortunes and had little to say about whymore than 37 million Americans live in poverty in theworld’s richest country. A few months earlier, the NAS-DAQ launched a private stock market for elite investorswith assets of more than $100 million. Meanwhile, inmany towns and cities, the blue-collar jobs that oncesupported the middle class have disappeared as corpo-rations pursue cheap labor, minimal regulation andhigher profits outside the United States. Traditionalcommunity bonds are fraying. A commitment to the“commons,” public spaces that benefit all, has givenway to private, gated communities where strangers ofdifferent classes or complexions can live apart at acomfortable distance.

Our political culture both mirrors and shapes thesetrends. While government has often been an instru-ment of social good during epochal changes inAmerican history, several decades of ideologicalassaults have branded “big government” as antitheti-cal to freedom and individual responsibility. The mar-ketplace, privatization and the primacy of choice havebecome a secular trinity. While Catholic social teachingvalues the importance of personal achievement, it alsoinsists that government take on responsibilities thatthe market or individuals alone cannot or will not meet.The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes thecommon good as “the reason the political authorityexists.” Furthermore, the church’s social doctrineinsists that “ownership of goods be equally accessibleto all” and that the “universal destination of goods”requires a moral economic system in which workersearn living wages and resources are distributed equi-tably. Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical Deus CaritasEst, writes that love of God and love of neighbor areinseparable and that “justice is both the aim andintrinsic criterion of all politics.”

The 2008 Election

As a presidential election year begins, campaignerswill again rank Catholics among the most coveted vot-ers. Since Catholic social teaching is broad and deep,Catholics should insist that our national debate on val-ues reflect the fullness of this rich tradition. Building a

culture of life requires economic and social policiesthat help women choose life. It requires ending anunjust war, ensuring that poor children have health-care and taking seriously the threats of global climatechange. A renewed common good narrative in our pub-lic square has the potential to inspire a civic and moralawakening, one that Martin Luther King, Jr. envisionedwhen he spoke of the “beloved community,” a societywhere all of us, not just a few, have the opportunity toshare in the abundance of creation.

No political party has a monopoly on moral values.Both Republicans and Democrats have an equalopportunity to succeed or fail in living up to the obli-gations of the common good. As Catholics, our faithinspires us to help reshape our culture and politics notsimply as another interest group, but as members of aglobal church that seeks justice for the most vulnera-ble because it recognizes our common humanity aschildren of God. We should take up this struggle withhope, insisting that our public officials treat the com-mon good not as another catch phrase in a campaignplaybook, but as the foundation of moral leadership.In this way, we speak from the heart of our traditionwith a message as old as the Beatitudes and as power-fully relevant for this election as it will still be a centu-ry from now.

Reprinted from America, October 15, 2007, with permission ofAmerica Press, Inc. All rights reserved. For subscription informa-tion, call 1-800-627-9533 or visit www.americamagazine.org.

“The principle of the common good, to which

every aspect of social life must be related if it is

to attain its fullest meaning, stems from the dig-

nity, unity and equality of all people.”

—Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church

Alexia Kelley is the

executive director

a n d a p r i n c i p a l

founder of Catholics

in Alliance for the

Common Good, a

non-partisan, non-

profit organization

dedicated to promot-

ing the fullness of the

Catholic social tradition in the public square. She has

served in non-governmental organizations commit-

ted to poverty reduction, social justice and the envi-

ronment. Alexia is also co-editor of Living the Catholic

Social Tradition: Cases and Commentary (Sheed &

Ward).

John Gehring is a

senior writer and

media specialist

for Catholics in Alliance

for the Common Good

and a former national

education reporter for

Education Week

newspaper.

He also served in

media relations at the U.S. Conference of Catholic

Bishops where he provided media outreach and com-

mentary writing on international justice and peace,

immigration and other social justice issues. John can

be reached at [email protected].


It was almost 50 yearsago when I chose the motto “ Tolove and to serve.” Today I try tolive out this motto in a new, cre-ative way through miming. SisterJanel Sawatzki (Omaha), and I havedeveloped a ministry we callMime-Ink.

Mime is a combination of writ-ten words and gestures that deep-ens meaning, touches hearts andpromotes reflection. We offer daysof reflection, theme enrichment for

meetings and other gatherings aswell as presentations for youth.

When I mime I go to a place whereI feel no tension or worry or stress, aplace where I can touch hearts. I amsimply within the flow of my actionsmuch like a dancer who loses herselfin the freedom of movement. Thevisual component seems to allow theaudience to go beyond the spokenword and move to a deeper level ofunderstanding and engagement withthe message. I can capture atten-

tion, use freeing actions that showand develop a relationship with God.This is my service.

I like to work out movements forwhole groups to do together.People like to move to meaningfulphrases. It brings the whole selfinto the spirit of a prayer. In Julyof 2006, when West Midwest hadits inaugural gathering in Chicago,Illinois, I worked out movements to“Stitch our lives anew…quilt usinto one.” As I stood on the stageand saw over 500 sisters, associ-ates and companions raising theirhands in a weaving motion, reach-ing out to each other and inter-twining their fingers, a sense ofwonder and pride swelled up in methat I won’t forget. We were actingout in symbolic form the unity wehope to create. It was an experi-ence of the Spirit, a powerful forcewithin everyone in the room.

The cosmology of Matthew Fox,Brian Swimme, Thomas Berry andDiarmuid O’Murchu is my inspira-tion. Prayer and meditation aremajor components of my spirituallife and I have the luxury of time tofocus my energy without the over-whelming pressures of administra-tion as in past ministries. I amvery appreciative of our leadershipin the Omaha region who have sup-ported and encouraged our min-istry and enabled me to live mybliss. My creativity, spiritualityand need to serve have found ahome through mime.

For more information, visitwww.mime-ink.com.

—Sister Gloria Heese (Omaha)

m i n i s t r y

Silent Motion: The Story of Mime-Ink

Sister Gloria Heese (Omaha) performs a pantomime for a local parish.

co

ur

tesy

of s

ister

glo

ria

heese

This article is the second in the series on Mercyinvestment. VALERIE HEINONEN, OSU

explains how, through shareholder activism,investing gives Mercy voice and leverage in the

marketplace as well as ways to use our resourcesto serve the interests of persons in need.

Attention to providing funds for the spe-cial needs, housing, healthcare of the elderly, infirm ordisabled members of the community and financial sup-port for ministries led many religious orders to invest incorporate stocks and bonds by the 1970s. At the sametime two historic issues confronted some mainlineProtestant denominations: questions about profitingfrom investments in corporations supplying the war inVietnam and requests from sister churches in SouthAfrica that U.S. partners put an end to the role and prof-its of banks and corporations propping up theapartheid government. The impact spurred debate onconnections among theology, justice and investmentsand this drove the founding of the Interfaith Center onCorporate Responsibility (ICCR).

Today ICCR is a faith-based member coalition of 275Jewish, Protestant and Roman Catholic institutionalinvestors who use their rights and power as shareholdersto change companies from within. These institutions holdinvestments valued at more than $120 billion. Whensocially responsible unions, foundations, universities,public and private pension funds, and investment man-agers are added in, the estimate climbs to over $2.1 trillion.

Shareowners in all companies have the right to ques-tion management, to attend annual shareholder meetingsand to vote on proposals recommended by managementand other investors; and some, including the Sisters ofMercy, actually exercise these rights. As socially responsi-ble investors we hold ourselves accountable for ensuringthat corporations offer a good return on our investmentand respect the common good.

T H E S I S T E R S O F M E R C Y A SS H A R E H O L D E R A D V O C AT E S

Shareholder advocacy is one of four key approachesto socially responsible investing. The others are screen-ing to include or exclude corporations based on theiractivity, proxy voting and community investing (see the

ShareholderAdvocacy

Strategy for socially responsible investing

ShareholderAdvocacy


November-December 2007 issue of ¡Viva! Mercy for moreon community investing). Advocacy is a powerful tool forencouraging corporations to improve social, environ-mental and governance performance. Strategiesinclude sponsoring shareholder resolutions, meetingwith corporate management, testifying atCongressional and other public hearings, divestingstock, proxy solicitation and organizing/joining actionssuch as vigils and letter writing campaigns.

Shareholders, as owners of a corporation, have theright to submit proposals for inclusion on the proxy ballot.These resolutions (written requests to management) mustcomply with certain regulations. A shareholder must own$2,000 worth of a company’s stock for at least one year.Text may not exceed 500 words nor contain materiallyfalse or misleading statements. Subject matter must berelevant and may not address ordinary business.Management may ask the Securities and ExchangeCommission (SEC) for permission to exclude a proposalthat it believes does not meet all requirements. The filershave the right to respond to the company’s challenge andusually do so through legal counsel.

The resolution is published in the proxy statement, abooklet that contains governance and financial infor-mation, e.g. the board of directors’ biographies, execu-tive compensation packages, the number of times boardcommittees met and member compensation. The proxystatement, proxy voting ballot and annual report aremailed to all shareholders.

During the company’s annual meeting, the sharehold-er or the institutional investor’s representative moves theresolution, usually with a statement outlining the reasonsfor filing. Often the chair will make a response and may

engage in a brief exchange with that person or otherstockholders. A resolution does not have to get 51 percentof the votes to “win.” The Detroit Regional Communityrequested transparency on General Dynamics’ corporatepolitical contributions. The 21 percent vote led the chairto offer a meeting resulting in the report posted at thecompany’s website. A series of resolutions, averagingabout 7.6 percent, filed by the St. Louis RegionalCommunity brings Monsanto Company to the table forannual discussions on costs, sustainability, health andinternational impacts of genetically modified seeds.

The SEC rules on percentages of votes required rec-ognize the imbalance between amounts of stock held byinvestors such as the Sisters of Mercy and the blocksheld by insurance companies and large financial insti-tutions. A proposal must get at least three percent ofthe vote in its first year, six percent in its second and 10percent in its third year to remain eligible for resubmis-sion. This is important, particularly when we are raisinga new issue. For example, the Merion RegionalCommunity asked DuPont to report on use and phase-out of PFOA, a chemical with potential health and envi-

ronmental consequences used to produce Teflon. Shareholders may need time to understand potential

business liabilities and human and environmental risks.This is especially true for weapons-related resolutions.Since 1976, the Sisters of Mercy have been a consistentand visible presence urging Department of Defense con-tractors to include the values of justice and integrity ofcreation in ethics codes and to apply them when biddingon contracts for foreign military sales, weapons produc-tion and militarization of space. The RegionalCommunity of New Hampshire took such action withTenneco, Inc.; the Regional Community of Brooklyn didthe same with Textron Inc., both of which are highly

As socially responsible investors we hold

ourselves accountable for ensuring that

corporations offer a good return on our

investment and respect the common good.

Other Mercy Shareholder Advocacy Issues:• Affordable housing• Access to and affordability of drugs• Depleted uranium • Diversity and violence in the workplace• Executive compensation• HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria drug affordability• Human rights• Sales to Israel/Palestine• Toxics in personal care products• Trafficking of children for sex• Trafficking of laborers• Water scarcity


diversified multibillion dollar, global companies today.Perhaps the two most rewarding shareholder out-

comes have been the campaigns to end apartheid inSouth Africa and to promote global environmental stan-dards. The first social policy resolution filed by a reli-gious institution—the Episcopal Church in 1971—askedGeneral Motors to withdraw from South Africa.Shareholder resolutions, demonstrations, student pres-sure on college trustees to divest from corporationsdoing business in South Africa, and other disinvestmentactivity ultimately ended the apartheid government.Almost immediately, investors urged those same banksand corporations to reinvest in the country to ensure asuccessful transition to democracy. Shared Interest, a

Mercy Partnership community investment, helped laypractical economic foundations by making loans avail-able for housing and small businesses.

Early environmental resolutions raised concernsabout nuclear power plant construction and pollutionfrom nuclear warhead production. Exxon’s oil tankerdisaster on the Alaskan coast gave rise to the Valdezprinciples. Now known as the CERES (CaliforniaEnvironmental Resources Evaluation System) princi-ples, the objective was to create environmental stan-dards that corporations would be asked to accept andimplement. Today investors are asking homebuildersand big box stores for energy efficiency and green-house gas reports. The Burlingame RegionalCommunity requested that Chevron publically adoptgoals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions fromproducts and operations.

Environmental justice led Mercy InvestmentProgram (MIP) to a joint venture with two South Bronx,New York, agencies: Mercy Center and SustainableSouth Bronx (SSB). The non-profits purchased stock inSynagro, the parent of New York Organic FertilizerCompany (NYOFCo), a solid waste processing plant inthe Hunts Point section of the Bronx. MIP and SSB fileda resolution asking Synagro/NYOFCo to engage with the

community to produce a facilities report. The 31 per-cent vote in favor of the request plus the Mercy involve-ment persuaded management to engage in a nine-month process with the investors; public officials; thelocal community board; teachers and organizations ofyouth, mothers and environmentalists. The printedreport contains a joint action plan, a commitment toimprove plant operation and explanations/diagrams ofplant functions. All problems are not resolved butchanges are taking place at the plant, the oversightagencies are coordinating and both sides are listening.

As with all struggles to improve human, environmen-tal and governance conditions, shareholder advocacy isone mission among many. The difference is the motiva-tion for using stock portfolios to hold corporationsaccountable for societal impact. The Sisters of Mercycontinue the witness of Catherine McAuley who animat-ed those at centers of wealth, power and influence toshare in her efforts to connect the rich to the poor, theinfluential to those ignored by society and the powerfulto the powerless so that together God’s work on earthmay be accomplished.

Sister Valerie Heinonen is a member of the UrsulineSisters of Tildonk, a consultant on corporate socialresponsibility and former staff at the Interfaith Centeron Corporate Responsibility. For 30 years, Valerie hasbeen a familiar participant in shareholder meetings

across the country representing a number of congregational invest-ment programs, including Mercy Investment Program and Sisters ofMercy, Detroit Regional Community, the Dominican Sisters of Hopeand the Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk. She can be contacted [email protected].

Advocacy is a powerful tool for encourag-

ing corporations to improve social, envi-

ronmental and governance performance.


Sister Canice Johnson (Detroit) receivedthe 2007 Everyday Hero Award from theRARE Foundation in recognition of herinspiring work in founding the MercyEducation Project and the new DetroitCristo Rey High School. RARE’s mission is to inspire Michigan’syouth to see possibilities and make the connection to fulfillingfutures and meaningful lives through the real-world examples ofeveryday heroes. Mercy Education Project serves girls and womenin Southwest Detroit through after-school tutoring, summer enrich-ment, GED preparation and life skills support.

Sister Mercy Cervantes (CCASA/Belize)was awarded the Order of MeritoriousService by the National Honours andAwards Advisory Committee in Belize forspending her life devoted to her God, hercommunity and her country and for herservice and commitment to education. Ateacher and later principal at St. CatherineAcademy in Belize City, Mercy went on to

become Dean of St. John’s Junior College and now serves as FieldDirector at State University of New York (SUNY) International pro-grams in Belize.

Sister Marguerite Buchanan (Burlingame)received the Jefferson Award for publicservice by the San Mateo, California,County Board of Supervisors. She was hon-ored for the creation and ongoing manage-ment of Catherine’s Center, a home forwomen leaving prison, sponsored by the St.Vincent de Paul Society of San MateoCounty. Marguerite has helped women find positive life patterns asthey reenter the world through drug and alcohol programs, jobtraining, spiritual direction and reconnection with their families.

The National League for Nursing (NLN) recognized St. XavierUniversity’s School of Nursing in Chicago, Illinois, as a center ofexcellence in nursing education. This distinction honors schools thatshow innovation in all programs, conduct ongoing research to docu-ment the effectiveness of such innovation, set high standards forthemselves and are committed to continuous quality improvement.

St. Xavier will carry the designation for three years.

In honor of the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Sisters ofMercy in St. Louis, Missouri, St. John’s Mercy Medical Center pur-chased a commemorative brick outside the Cardinals BuschStadium to honor the sisters’ dedication to service in the St. Louisarea. The inscription reads: “Sisters of Mercy Arrival in St. Louis,June 27, 1856. Cardinals Fans Ever Since!”

Sister Suzanne Toolan (Burlingame), in col-laboration with Elizabeth Dossa, director ofcommunications for the Burlingame region-al community, recently completed a com-memorative book titled, I Am the Bread ofLife. The title is the same as that of thepopular hymn Suzanne wrote 41 years agoshortly after Vatican II. The hymn has beentranslated into 25 languages and performedin congregations around the world. In her book Suzanne shares thestory behind her most famous composition and introduces an origi-nal hymn, “I Will Sing of Your Faithfulness.”

Sister Marilyn Wallace (Omaha) was recently honored with mem-bership in the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars. This organizationsupports the renewal of the Catholic Church undertaken by PopeJohn XXIII, shaped by Vatican II and carried on by Pope John’ssuccessors.

Sister Mary Roch Rocklage (St Louis) has been awarded a LifetimeAchievement Award by the St. Louis Business Journal for her work inhealthcare. Sister Roch has served as chair of the Sponsor Councilfor the Sisters of Mercy Health System since 2004. She served aschair of the board from 1999 to 2003 and as CEO and chair of theboard from 1986 to 1999.

Sister Maria Elena González (St. Louis) and the MexicanAmerican Cultural Center (MACC) of which she was executivedirector in San Antonio, Texas, have been selected as recipients ofthe Archbishop Patrick F. Flores Medal for Leadership in HispanicMinistry. The awards were presented in Baltimore, Maryland, inNovember, 2007. Maria Elena served as president of MACC from1993 through July 2007. She has also served as Chancellor for theDiocese of Lubbock, Texas.

Newsmakers

Sister Canice Johnson

Sister Marguerite Buchanan

Sister Suzanne Toolan

Sister Mercy Cervantes

Winning Hearts and Minds in Kansas

When the Sisters of Mercy came to FortScott, Kansas, from Big Rapids,Michigan, in 1886, they found a

busy hub for four railroads. Accidentswere frequent, fatalities not uncommonand a new hospital, staffed by sisterswith a reputation as able nurses, wasbadly needed. The early days were quiteprosperous but difficulties of manykinds tried the courage and patience ofthe growing community.

As so often happened however, theirperseverance prompted the interest ofneighboring towns also anxious to pro-vide quality healthcare for their citizens.In Independence, Kansas, a hospital waspurchased in 1917 by a group of physi-cians. Within 10 years they found thathospital management and medical prac-tice did not mix well and offered thefacility for sale. The Sisters of Mercy fromFort Scott agreed to purchase it but, fromtheir very first days, they realized that,in addition to management problems,they were the targets of considerableprejudice.

The Ku Klux Klan had settled inSycamore, a town not far away, andheld regular meetings on a nearby hill-side where a burning cross could be seenfor miles around. One morning one of thedoctors came to the hospital admission office toadmit a patient who had been struck by a car notfar from Sycamore. He was badly injured but thedoctor felt he had to explain the circumstances toSister Mary Madeline.

“Sister, if I were to bring one of the worst Ku-Kluxers into the hospital, what would you say?” With atwinkle in her eye she replied, “Bring him in; I’ll givehim a pill.” The doctor said that was just what this manwas afraid of. Nonetheless after much resistance andfinally conditional consent, the man was admitted buthe steadfastly refused any medication from the hospi-tal drug supply, sure he would be “done away with.”

His resistance melted away however as he was treat-ed well and kindly. Sister Madeline visited daily and

even joked with him about his fear ofbeing poisoned. At one point she said, “I would ratherhave poured the water of Baptism over your head, youknow.” As he left the hospital, he turned to SisterMadeline and admitted he had been “a big fool” but hewould now make things right. And so he did: for thenext 30 years he brought his family, friends and him-self as well several times to Mercy Hospital.—PKSource: “Mercy in the Heartland,” by Sister AnnreneBrau (St. Louis)

november | december 2007 ¡Viva! Mercy 17

s p i c e o f m e r c y l i f e

Artwork by Sister Joyce Jacobs (Mid-Atlantic)

2008JANUARY 30–FEBRUARY 3Institute Leadership ConferenceBurlingame, CaliforniaContact: Sister Rita Parks301.587.0423

FEBRUARY 14–18CCASA AssemblyCasa McAuley, Buenos AiresContact: Sister Estela Gomez54.237.4.68.5143

PRESORT STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE

P A I DSilver Spring, MD

Permit #3347

Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

8380 Colesville Road, Suite 300Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-6264

Calendar

Artwork by Sister Estelle Martin (NyPPaW).

MARCH 2–6Mercy Conference of NewMembership PersonnelBurlingame, CaliforniaContact: New Membership Office314.909.4664

APRIL 17-19Mercy Action Board Meeting Silver Spring, MarylandContact: Clara Callahan301.587.0423

APRIL 23–27Institute Leadership ConferenceDetroit, MichiganContact: Sister Rita Parks301.587.0423

APRIL 28-MAY 2Mercy Regional ArchivistsNetwork (MRAN) 8th ConferenceWashington, D.C.Contact: Sister Susan Nowalis301.587.0423

JUNE 9–14Candidate ConnectionMexican American Cultural CenterSan Antonio, TexasContact: New Membership Office314.909.4664

Documents

Citizens of Faith