“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Leadership Team and the Social Justice Committee of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis refuse to be silent. We condemn the killing of George Floyd and call for a quick and fair legal process for all involved.

As Franciscans centered on the revelation of the emerging Cosmic Christ, contemplating and celebrating this Divine action in our lives, our deepest desires are to:

• BUILD life-giving, trusting communities that cherish each one's personal gifts,
• EMPOWER one another to live the truth of Gospel values,
• BOND with others in ever widening circles of compassion and peace,
• SPEAK to the Church and to the world from our common understanding that there be no outcasts in our experience of life on this earth.

For too long, people of color have been treated as outcasts in this society—their society. This cannot continue. We pledge to raise our voices against all acts of racism. We also call for efforts by our government, police departments and society to address systemic racism which has been left unaddressed for too long. 

Leadership Team of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis Sisters Marge White, Judith Wood, Michelle Wronkowski, Barb Krakora

Social Justice Committee

Sisters Cecilia Marie Morton, Donna Wilhelm, Dorothy Pagosa, Rose Grabowski, Shannon Fox, and Ms. Jennifer Dillon

May 20, 2020

Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop of New York
452 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10022

Dear Cardinal Dolan,

We write to you as the Congregational Leadership Team and the Social Justice Commission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis. We are aware of the tremendous responsibility you carry especially during this time when the Coronavirus is ravaging New York.

We feel we must express our profound disappointment at the reports about your phone call with President Donald Trump and your appearance on Fox News on April 27, 2020. You stated your praise for the President and called him a “gentleman.” During a reelection year, this could be construed as encouraging Catholics to vote for Donald Trump in the next election.

As a 501© 3 not-for-profit corporation, we are prohibited from endorsing any candidate for office. We inform our Sisters of this responsibility. It is assumed that the same rules apply to the Archdiocese of New York.

At our 26^th General Chapter we developed and approved a document called “Deepest Desires” to direct our future as a religious Congregation. One of the desires is to:

“Speak to the Church and to the world from our common understanding that there be no outcasts in our experience of life on this earth.”

During this White House administration there has been an explosive reaction directed at those who are considered as outcasts in our country such as:

• Muslims from countries that are banned from entering the United States
• The ill treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers who travel through Mexico and those children who feel terrorized when they are separated from their mothers and fathers and detained in cages and other facilities
• Those who live in poverty caused by the increased income inequality that has escalated to new levels during this coronavirus pandemic.

As we observe the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si,” we are reminded of the many protections for our good earth that have been reversed during this administration. Therefore, we ask you to reconsider your statements and call attention to those issues that are not in keeping with Catholic Social Teaching and the Scriptures.

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A Statement of the Sisters of St. Joseph-TOSF Leadership and Social Justice Committee

This is what the LORD says: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." Jeremiah 31:15

As a Franciscan Religious Congregation of Women, we demand that the current federal administration and Congress provide the necessary supplies (including nutritional food, hygiene products and blankets) and legal assistance for children being held in detention camps at the border and in Florida. More efforts to contact family members and release them into their care are imperative.

We cannot remain silent at this time in our country’s history in which our foundational values are being tested and found to be inadequate. The stories of children trying to provide comfort and health care to other children is heartbreaking. Too many children have already died. Others are ill and held in quarantine. The U.S. is better than this.

One of the deepest desires of our congregation is to SPEAK to the Church and to the world from our common understanding that there be no outcasts in our experience of life on this earth. We do this now and will continue to do this if these horrible conditions continue.

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