By the Transforming Grace Committee: Sisters Nancy Citro, Phyllis D'Anna and Gwynette Proctor, SNDdeN and Michele Forte
In November 2023, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) launched the Transforming Grace: The Work of Transformative Justice initiative and invited its members to look at the 2024 U.S. national election campaign through the lens of transformative justice.
LCWR shares that the work of transformative justice is grounded in contemplation. It is an engagement in learning the skills and practices that will lead to decision-making and action that leads to being in right relationship with Earth and all human persons. LCWR invites us to engage our communities in the collective discernment on “What is ours to do in this time?” Transforming Grace encourages participants to take responsibility for the personal and collective responses we can make in the challenges we will encounter during the national election period. Throughout the year leading up to the election in November 2024, LCWR is sharing periodic one-page reflection guides with inspiring and interesting videos, brief readings, prayers and questions intended to deepen conversation.
The materials are designed for groups such as Sisters, Associates, staff and other partners in Mission. In response, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) East-West Province created the Transforming Grace Committee and have encouraged our community to use the reflections to engage meaningfully in the initiative. Sisters use prayer, meditation and discussion points from the reflections to guide discussion in their home communities and larger prayer groups. Sisters, Associates and staff were invited to gather via Zoom and in-person at the Sisters’ April Town Hall to collectively participate in a 60-minute Transforming Grace reflection and will continue to find ways to embrace the initiative as a community.
To learn more about LCWR’S Transforming Grace initiative, visit: lcwr.org/transforming-grace
Read Sowing Goodness – Summer 2024
Read more stories from our summer magazine about the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from the East-West Province, who are bonded in heart and spirit and strong in shared vision.