Congregational E-News ~ Jan. 15, 2021
What is it that makes us who we are—who we will become? God’s grace and God’s gifts are part of who we are from our very beginning. The goal of our life is to nurture both the grace and the gifts—aware always that both are to be used not only for ourselves but for the good of God’s people. Both the grace and the gifts are part of the “Godness” that dwells within—making each of us a unique individual, a special gift of God.
A Justice- Seeker’s Journey

In high school art class—and in life--
I stayed within the lines.
“Timid soul,” the teacher branded me.
In English class I stood—green girl
in more ways than uniform--
to argue with the wiser nun
that men were more intelligent than women.
(Forgive me, God, and sisters!)
How did I get from there—a lifetime ago--
to here?
Over time layers of knowing peeled away,
core truths revealed.
Cries of people suffering—oppression,
injustice, human cruelty,
and my own dark nights,
insisted that I stand up, speak up, act up,
kneel down, reach out, reach in,
march, be cuffed and fined,
and even jailed just once.
Neither brave nor timid
I try to follow Jesus
who walked outside the lines.
 
Marie Lucey, OSF
January for Justice - Help Stop Human Trafficking

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It is a key time for us, as individuals, to educate ourselves about human trafficking and to learn to spot the signs of trafficking. It is also a time for us to share what we learn with our coworkers, our church members, our school staff and students, our representatives, and everywhere else. Human Trafficking (Labor/Sex etc.) is one of the largest challenges that we as a global human community must face and address. It is the third most profitable criminal activity behind Illegal drugs and arms. Don’t be afraid to speak up.

According to the U.S. Department of State, approximately 800,000 to 900,000 victims annually are trafficked across international borders worldwide. Between 18,000 and 20,000 of those victims are trafficked into the United States. The FBI reports that in the U.S. alone trafficking and slavery generate 9.5 billion dollars a year.

If you commit to do just one thing to mark National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January 2021, the single best action you can take is to learn how to spot the signs of trafficking. Educate yourself and others! Visit our website to learn more: https://osfphila.org/justice-and-peace/human-trafficking/.
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 18, 2021, is the 26th anniversary of the day of service that celebrates the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy. Observed each year on the third Monday in January as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

In the past, the Sisters of St. Francis have coordinated a day of service with our sisters, staff, and members of the local community. Unfortunately this year this is not possible but we still encourage you to find a way to make January 18 a day of service to help your community.

Another way to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is to recognize and address how racism continues to be rooted in our culture, our country, our churches, and in us as a people. As Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, we invite ourselves, our companions, and coworkers, along with our elected officials and church leaders to address the atrocities of this issue on all levels. While we are long overdue in directly confronting the reality of racism, we recognize the need to look within our own hearts as we meditate on the words, “to change the world I must start with me.” One suggested action step encourages us to engage in conversation around an identified local, regional, national, or global issue rooted in the intersection of racism, migration, and climate crisis and to examine its effects, explore the underlying causes, formulate a common response, and report on strategic initiatives taken in pursuit of justice.

World Day for Consecrated Life
In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2 and is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed, symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So, too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church. (Source: USCCB)

Mark your calendar! February 2 is World Day for Consecrated Life. Parishes will be celebrating the special event on February 6-7, 2021. The following websites provide excellent resources including: videos, vocation prayer cards, and bulletin inserts that highlight and honor our way of life.

Vocations: Become a Sister
Why Become One of Us? Use your unique gifts to serve in the gaps and margins of our world. In a community of prayerful Franciscan women living the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, you will join us in loving relationship with all that God has created. Be a part of something greater than yourself and respond to the spiritual and physical emptiness God calls us to fill. Learn more on our website: https://osfphila.org/become-a-sister/.

Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia | 610-558-7726 | communications@osfphila.org | www.osfphila.org