On Jan. 28, Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration Laura Nettles received the Iverson Freking Ecumenical Recognition Award. In its 39th year, the honor is given to individuals in the La Crosse, Wisconsin area to community leaders who demonstrate profound commitment to ecumenism, community building and fostering unity across religious faiths by Bethany St. Joseph Corporation.
Marta Martinez, who serves families navigating resources like health care, housing, education and legal matters with the Coulee Region Immigration Task Force, was also honored with the award.
Sister Laura, currently an FSPA mission councilor, has served the ministry of social justice far and wide. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate (ABD) in Moral and Systematic Theology at the Chicago Theological Seminary, researching topics within the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition, Catholic Social Teaching and the inter-textual connections between Medieval Franciscans, Jews and Muslims. Most recently, Sister Laura has been exploring the connection between Christianity, Catholicism and racism. She regularly teaches courses in introductory Christian theology, World Religions, Franciscan theology, Catholic Social Teaching and Womanist, Mujerista and Asian feminist theologies. Sister Laura is also the author of multiple articles and book chapters and speaker of topics like Franciscan theology and spirituality.
In addition to her ministry of education, Sister Laura serves the congregation in the ministry of justice and peace, primarily as a member of the FSPA Unified Justice Team, missioned to authenticate unity in diversity by fostering the growth of FSPA to celebrate authentic unity in diversity by challenging white privilege and work toward equity and inclusion of all. Sister Laura also serves as co-chair of the La Crosse Interfaith Shoulder to Shoulder Network, a group dedicated to the eradication of islamophobia. Prior to joining the FSPA Leadership Team as mission councilor, she served as the Executive Director of Mission and Social Justice as well as an associate professor in Religious Studies and Theology at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
At the award banquet, Steve Spilde, Franciscan Spirituality Center spiritual director and board member of Bethany St. Joseph Corporation, introduced Sister Laura, counting himself “blessed to have witnessed her presentations of Saints Francis and Clare. She “has a unique ability to bring these 13th century saints alive in her own time, making her stories vital for understanding the challenges and opportunities in this moment in history.”
Sister Laura spoke to those gathered, expressing the “deep honor” the acknowledgement is for her. However, “in truth,” she shared, “I do not feel worthy of this award, but I humbly accept it as a promise to you that I will spend every day trying to live into the ecumenical spirit that it honors.
“For at its heart,” she continued, “ecumenism is the defiant assertion that our primary identity, woven into the very fabric of creation, is that of family. It is a dangerously beautiful idea that we are bound to one another, inextricably.”
La Crosse news outlets WXOW and WKBT News 8 covered and reported the event, and Bethany St. Joseph shares this recording which includes Sister Laura's powerful award acceptance speech at the 5:10 mark.
Scroll to 5:10 to watch Steve Spilde's introduction to Sister Laura, who then addresses the crowd.
Pictured above: Sister Laura, center, celebrates with Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Mary Ann Gschwind, Kathy Stuttgen, Celesta Day and Maralene Weisesnbeck, all among nine FSPA who have received the award in the past.