Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio

Justice & Peace

Sylvania Franciscan Peacemaker's Pledge

As followers of Jesus in the Franciscan tradition, we, the Sisters of St. Francis, Associates and Friends, acknowledge the reality of our world today:

The prevalence of war, violence, hostility, abuse and distrust between individuals and nations
The UN call to better relationships through the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World
The growing movement toward a new global reality among the peoples of the world and with Earth herself, expressed in the Earth Charter
Our own call, in our Sylvania Franciscan Mission Statement, to live our commitment as messengers of peace and seekers of justice

We, therefore, commit ourselves, as best we can, to become nonviolent and peaceable people, through working in our daily life, family, ministry/work, community, bioregion and country to:

Respect the life and dignity of every person

without discrimination or prejudice (Earth Charter #1);

Practice active nonviolence

rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable (Earth Charter #16);

Share my time and material resources

in a spirit of generosity, to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression (Earth Charter #7);

Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity

giving preference always to dialogue and listening rather than fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of others (Earth Charter #12);

Promote consumer behavior that is responsible

and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet (Earth Charter #7);

Contribute to the development of my community

with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles, to create together new forms of solidarity (Earth Charter #11, 13).

I will renew this pledge once a month for the next twelve months, so that I may become a more peaceable person and a more vibrant messenger of peace.

Signature _______________________________________________ Date _________________

Copyright © 2006 Sisters of St. Francis
Site Design by Modern Data LLC