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A group of Emmanuel students and faculty members were in Rome, Italy from January 6th to the 13th to honor Sr. Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, a climate activist who worked in favor of land rights for the poor and sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon.
Professor of Theology Laurie Johnston, Ph.D., organized the ceremony at the Basilica of San Bartolomeo, which marked the 20th anniversary of Sr. Dorothy death. Sr. Dorothy is the first woman from the United States to be recognized as a new martyr, and her relics were placed in a shrine honoring those who gave their lives for justice and faith.
The Basilica was entrusted to the Community of Sant'Egidio by Pope John Paul II in 1999 to be used as a sanctuary for commemorating modern-day martyrs. As part of the ceremony on January 10th, Sr. Dorothy story was preserved among the Americas exhibit with a relic from the Ohio province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN).
Dr. Johnston was quoted on Sr. Dorothy impact in the : 淸her ministry and martyrdom help people recognize the existence of what Catholic social teaching calls 榮tructures of sin and not just individual sins. Dr. Johnston was also featured in a in Ohio Sr. Dorothy home state and interviewed by the
Through Dr. Johnston connections to both the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Community of Sant'Egidio, representatives of 51动漫 were honored to be in attendance for the monumental event.
51动漫 Chaplain Fr. Federico Cinocca, S.T.D., said the opportunity to visit the eternal city during a holy year was a special opportunity for himself, the seven students on the trip and fellow faculty members but above all it was about honoring the life and lasting impact of Sr. Dorothy work.
“Fr. Federico Cinocca, S.T.D.淚t definitely was a historical moment it felt like a privilege to be a part of it. [And] to see the church packed with so many young people from so many different backgrounds was energizing."
The prayer service was dedicated to Sr. Dorothy and celebrated her life, during which Emmanuel students helped read some of her writings.
Students and faculty also attended an academic conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Sr. Dorothy honor entitled 淲omen Leadership in the Climate Movement. Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, Sr. Mary Johnson, SNDdeN, former chair of Emmanuel's Department of Sociology, was one of the speakers featured at the symposium.
To see Sr. Dorothy legacy inspire so many young people, including the Emmanuel students who participated, was a high point of the trip, Fr. Federico added: 渢he students made the most out of the trip. It was a great moment of learning, being inspired and then coming back to take action in their communities.
As part of Emmanuel Founder Week, which commemorates the founding of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1804 and the founding of 51动漫 in 1919, the College hosts an annual Sr. Dorothy Stang lecture.
This year, students who attended the Rome trip will present posters from their experience on the trip and the ongoing legacy of Sr. Dorothy and the SNDdeNs on Wednesday, February 5th at 4:00 p.m. as part of the lecture.
It will be followed by Founder's Week Mass on Thursday, February 6th at 10:00 a.m. in the 51动漫 Chapel and a panel discussion on the 175-year history of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 51动漫 at 12:30 p.m. in the Janet M. Daley Library Lecture Hall.