by Jan Cebula
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Just as the news was breaking Wednesday, Sept. 2 that enough U.S. Senators have declared their support for the Iran Nuclear Deal for it to survive a veto override, U.S. women religious were weighing in. A letter, signed by over 4100 of us from more than 30 congregations, was being delivered to Senators and Representatives urging our support for the agreement.
We joined with the voices of so many others, urging Congress to risk peace at this historic moment. “While imperfect, the deal provides an extraordinary opportunity for the global community to risk peace in a region that continues to witness the ravaging effects of violence and war as a modus operandi for addressing conflict,” the letter stated.
If we don’t risk peace, it seems that we’d be careening toward a “military option” as the alternative. “As we have witnessed for the past 12 years, this proves to be no solution at all — just a surefire formula for inciting heartache, devastation, and new generations of young people filled with hatred bred from violence,” the letter continued.
We at Global Sisters Report are dedicated to watching and reporting on trends in religious life in this dynamic time. I was thinking about trends as I glanced through the list of signatories: how solidarity across congregational boundaries is growing; how the Internet is increasingly being used to connect us in our efforts of working for justice and peace and how our collective voice is rising.
And I’m sure sisters all across the globe (and others) would have added their signatures to this letter. No doubt that actuality is just around the corner. Global sisterhood is growing, as are collaborative movements for the common good and for our Common Home.
[Jan Cebula, OSF, is liaison to women religious in the United States for Global Sisters Report.]