U.S. women religious pass resolution for peace

Social justice news
September 2002

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U.S. women religious pass resolution for peace
(St. Louis, MO) August 24, 2002 – Less than 72 hours after the end of their 2002 National Assembly, the National Board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious has released a letter faxed to President Bush and his Cabinet members opposing military intervention in Iraq. This is part of a continuing LCWR “peace strategy” arising from a Resolution for Peace endorsed by the almost 1,000 congregational leaders representing 76,000 U.S. Catholic sisters at the LCWR August 17-21 annual meeting in St. Louis, MO.

“The goal of our LCWR Assembly Resolution for Peace and letter to President Bush is to emphasize just how seriously the Catholic sisters and leaders who are members of LCWR take the escalation of rhetoric towards war in Iraq by the Bush Administration,” stated LCWR President Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM. “ This war is not an option.”

“It is imperative that we seek a new paradigm for judging questions of war and peace today,” states the 2002 LCWR Assembly Resolution for Peace, the basis for the LCWR peace strategy. “ We must take seriously the Gospel challenge to seek, practice and pursue peace through just and nonviolent means. We realize we have a corporate voice and responsibility to educate, reflect and act on the principles of nonviolence and encourage the same in school, colleges and universities [operated by women’s religious congregations]….Through interfaith dialogue, education and prayer, we have the opportunity to promote and support efforts towards peace.”

Direct actions arising from this resolution include all LCWR member religious congregations committing to both public and private prayer and contemplation on the anniversary of September 11th to witness to and promote a nonviolent resolution to conflict and using every means to oppose military intervention in Iraq, including letters to President Bush, Cabinet members and Members of Congress.

“The National Board of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious writes to express to you our strong conviction that military action against Iraq with the intent of overthrowing Saddam Hussein’s government would be both ill advised and ultimately ineffective.”, states the LCWR letter faxed yesterday to President Bush, with copies to Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice. “We urge you to strengthen our country’s efforts toward a political and diplomatic resolution of the current threat. We oppose our nation’s engaging in a pre-emptive strike, causing great destruction in an effort to thwart the perceived threat of future destruction by another. Instead, we support continuing and deepening our non-military actions to promote peace and justice in that area and in the world.”

“We are very aware of the harm that Saddam Hussein has caused within his country and elsewhere, and of the serious risk of damage and destruction in the future. We do not in any way condone his actions. At the same time, we believe that military action would cause disproportionate injury and death without accomplishing its stated purpose. We believe that our country cannot depend on Iraqi dissidents to cooperate with U.S. goals, and American military strikes do not have the support of our allies in Europe and other areas.”, the letter continues.

The leaders argue for peace, knowing the great suffering of civilians in the event of a U.S. attack on Iraq. “ Our primary concern is the death and suffering the Iraqi people would endure as a result of military strikes. Since the onset of sanctions in 1990 Iraqi civilians have suffered severe deprivation in access to basic food and medicine. Clearly, this strategy has not brought about a change of government leaders, but has resulted in the death and illness of thousands of innocent people, many of whom are children.” A number of LCWR members have visited Iraq and have seen firsthand the effects of the sanctions.

"Our Conference consists of approximately 1,000 members who are in elected or appointed leadership positions in their communities of Roman Catholic sisters. The communities themselves include approximately 76,000 women religious.”, the letter concludes.” We express to you our profound concern to protect human life and to create and work within structures that promote social justice.” The letter is signed by the LCWR Presidency and the Board representatives of the 15 LCWR regions from across the U.S.

The LCWR Peace Resolution, along with the Universal Heath Care Resolution, was endorsed by LCWR members at the 2002 LCWR National Assembly, August 17-21, 2002, in St. Louis, MO. Each year, LCWR members adopt resolutions at their annual Assembly, which express the concerns of LCWR and provide direction and action for the Conference for the coming year. Previous resolutions have included actions regarding trafficking in women and children, immigration and other social issues. A full listing of LCWR resolutions may be found at the LCWR website, www.lcwr.org

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