Congregations present 'Together, Creating a Culture of Peace'

Four congregations of Catholic sisters are pleased to present Together, Creating a Culture of Peace, a conference intended to spread the message of peace. The conference is scheduled for Saturday,
Aug. 1, 2009, in La Crosse, Wis. Sisters from the congregations plan to gather on Friday, July 31, for a Cultural Audit workshop. Their partners in ministry—affiliates, apprentices and associates—will join them Saturday for the conference. Their time together concludes Sunday with Mass and brunch.

The congregations—the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA), the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (OSF), the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist (FSE) and the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis (TSSF)-Cameroon, West Africa—are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Franciscan Common Venture, the 160th anniversary of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and 132 years of FSPA perpetual adoration.

Compelled by the Spirit’s promptings that emerged from the band of Bavarian Franciscan Tertiaries on Dec. 8, 1848, and through the three congregations of FSPA, OSF and FSE gathered on Dec. 8, 1995, a commitment was made. “We commit ourselves to celebrate 150 years of common heritage and to incarnate the Franciscan charism in new ways.” This statement of commitment is the mission of the Franciscan Common Venture. In 1998, this vision sparked a companion relationship with the Cameroon Province of the TSSF. United through diverse cultural expressions, they now move toward peacemaking in today’s world.

Together, Creating a Culture of Peace celebrates peacemaking in today’s world and brings five speakers to La Crosse.

Mae Chee Sansanee Sthirasuta is the conference’s opening keynote speaker. Venerable Mae Chee Sansanee Sthirasuta is a spiritual leader from the Thai Buddhist tradition. She is seen as a figurehead in Thailand and a world-renowned peace messenger. Committed to interfaith dialogue as a means of creating world peace, Mae Chee travels extensively around the world, involving herself in the political and religious arenas, working for change and justice and for a better world for all people, especially women and children.

Following Mae Chee is Janaan Hashim. Janaan is a native of Washington, D.C., and moved to Chicago in 1992. She earned her Juris Doctor degree cum laude from DePaul University College of Law, where she earned an academic scholarship her second year and was on a winning National Appellate Moot Court team. Before partnering at Amal Law Group, Janaan worked at the State Appellate Defender’s Office where she was an assistant defender. Janaan has shifted her focus toward her passion in civil rights law, while also taking on criminal defense cases. She maintains an active schedule in the community where she serves as spokesperson for the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago. She was a founding board member and executive committee member of CAIR-Chicago (Council on American-Islamic Relations); she currently chairs the advisory board of Radio Islam and sits on the board of directors of the Sound Vision Foundation.

Ilia Delio, OSF, keynotes in the afternoon. Dr. Delio is professor and chair of spirituality studies at Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C. She holds a doctorate in pharmacology from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)-Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and a doctorate in historical theology from Fordham University. She has written extensively in the area of Franciscan theology, with a particular emphasis on the theology of Bonaventure. Her books include Simply Bonaventure, The Humility of God and Care for Creation.

Following Ilia’s presentation is a panel discussion with the speakers. Joining the panel is Dr. Robert Zuber. Dr. Zuber is based in Harlem, New York City, and currently serves as director of the project for United Nations Emergency Peace Service and Global Action to Prevent War.

On this panel, Dr. Zuber will describe some of the major “culture of peace” activities currently being adopted or proposed by the U.N. and will discuss ways that religious congregations and other citizens groups worldwide can support, inform and impact those global priorities.

The panel moderator is Father John Heagle. Ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of La Crosse in 1965, Father Heagle has had more than 44 years of pastoral experience, including college teaching, campus ministry, justice and peace leadership, and almost ten years as a pastor. He is the author of seven books on spirituality and human relationships.

For registration information, visit www.franciscancommonventure.org or call 608-791-5287 to request a brochure. Registration is open to sisters from the four sponsoring congregations and their partners in ministry through May 1. Registration opens to the public in April.