Echoing the Call of LCWR

If one member suffers, all suffer together. (1 Corinthians 12:26)

The Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery in Rock Island, IL echo the call of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) as we respond to the recent release of the Grand Jury Report on Sexual Abuse:

“…We weep and grieve with all who over the decades have been victimized by sexual predators within the faith community and feel their pain as our own …

"We call upon the church leadership to implement plans immediately to support more fully the healing of all victims of clergy abuse, hold abusers accountable, and work to uncover and address the root causes of the sexual abuse crisis ... 

“The church leadership needs to speak with honesty and humility about how this intolerable culture developed and how that culture will now be deconstructed, and to create places where church members can express anger and heartbreak …

"Finally, we recognize that the vast majority of priests have not committed abuse and are suffering greatly because of the actions of some of their brothers.

"We offer them our prayer and support as they continue their ministries in these very challenging times.”  

The Catholic Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island will heed the call of Pope Francis to join together in prayer and fasting.

With Pope Francis, we trust that “this can awaken our conscience and arouse our solidarity and commitment to a culture of care that says ‘never again’ to every form of abuse.” 

We encourage you to join us in this action.

Sister Sandra Brunenn, OSB, Prioress and the Sisters of St. Benedict, Rock Island, IL