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“We work actively, especially in our local situations, to eliminate the root causes of injustice in order to realize a world of peace, justice, and love.”
YOU ARE SENT, C17
Our Work
As School Sisters of Notre Dame, we believe all people are made in the image and likeness of God. Racism violates the dignity and respect each of us is entitled to, and it rejects the unity and oneness which our Creator has intended for all life.
Through structures, systems and policies that have functioned to uphold racist ideology and practices, white privilege and white supremacy have been fortified. Decades of segregation, discrimination and racial injustice, manifesting in poverty, police brutality, poor education and economic opportunities, poor health care and unsafe streets, must be addressed and repaired.
Acknowledging the history of racism and our participation in it as individuals and as members of groups; taking collective action to establish justice; educating ourselves; and inviting others to this dialogue, is the work of dismantling racism.
We are guided in this work by the vision of You Are Sent, the constitution of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, especially GD 33: “We call ourselves to embody Gospel values and to live the social teachings of the Church. Working toward the enablement of persons and the promotion of human dignity, we contribute to positive systemic change in society.”
We invite you to join us in the work of dismantling racism and promoting racial justice.
Racial Justice is the systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all. Racial justice — or racial equity — goes beyond “anti-racism.” It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures.
Racism is racial prejudice, hatred or discrimination involving one group having the power to carry out systemic discrimination through the institutional policies and practices of the society which are shaped by cultural beliefs and values that support racist policies and practices.
Racism can be individual, when persons fail to recognize certain groups as created in the image of God and equal in dignity, or it can be systemic, where practices or policies treat certain groups of people unjustly.
Learn more about racial justice through through this list of recommended resources for your ongoing education.
- CP Province Solidarity Summer Webinars and Materials
- AM Province Statement on Racism
- CP Province Leadership Statement on Racism
- From slavery to sainthood series: https://atlanticmidwest.org/posts/road-slavery-toward-sainthood-series-next-steps
- Becoming Human: Online educational series toward dismantling racism from St. Thomas University (MN) https://www.stthomas.edu/theology/becominghuman
- 21 Day Challenge –Daily email prompts with resources, Debby Irving, FSNE
- The Racial Wealth and Income Gap Workshop/Simulation, NETWORK
- Open Wide Our Hearts (USCCB) – Document, study guide, educational resources, four-session process for faith communities (IPJC)
- I Can’t Breathe, AM Province Prayer/Engagement Resource
- U.S. sisters take up call to examine their role in systemic racism, NCR Global Sisters
- The assumptions of white privilege and what we can do about it, Rev. Bryan Massingale in NCR
- What Critical Race Theory is and Isn’t, YES
- Critical Race Theory Articles, Education Week
- How the church can combat racism and white privilege, Rev. Bryan Massingale
- A Theological Reflection on Racism, Catholic Apostolate Center (CAC)
- Racism in Our Streets and Structures, CST Georgetown
- Anti-Racism Tools, a Collection of Resources – Together We Rise/Karen Tillis
Prayer resources