Peruvian Dominican theologian Sister Mila Diaz Solano provides a bridge for understanding I was born Catholic, my parents are Catholic, my grandparents, and great-grant parents were Catholics as well. I grew up in very Christian, committed family and before I joined my Dominican sisters, I was an active parishioner in my hometown city, La Oroya, …
Sister Marcelline Koch Signs National Call To Keep U.S. in Global Agreement About the photo: Dominicans at COP25. From left, Sister Cecilia Espinella, Laurence Blattmer, Sister Marcella Zambrano, Father Xavier Gomez. A strongly-worded letter to delegates attending this week’s UN Climate Change Conference in Geneva includes the signature of Springfield Dominican Sister Marcelline Koch, who …
Dominican Justice Promoters: Oppose U.S. Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement Read More »
Springfield Dominican Sisters Pat Stark, Georgiana Stubner, and Marcelline Koch were joined by other Dominican Sisters and hundreds more people at Fort Benning, Georgia, Nov. 16-17 to participate in a vigil at the gates of the fort where for nearly 30 years the faith-based SOA Watch has worked to end training programs for Latin American …
Among 1300 Catholic Sisters Nationwide to raise voices against harmful climate policies The leaders of the Dominican Sisters of Springfield join the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in expressing dismay over the start of the Trump Administration’s formal withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, signed on to by nearly 200 nations in 2015. Echoing …
Springfield Dominican Leadership Expresses Dismay over U.S.
Pull-out of Climate Agreement Read More »
Sister Marcelline Koch, OP was one of the signatories of a statement by the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace about taking action to counter climate change. The statement went out to all the Dominican communities noting the extreme possibility if no action is taken: droughts, migrations, strange weather phenomena. The statement gives a proposed …
Climate Justice: A Statement by Justice and Peace Leaders You Need to Read Read More »
Assisting and advocating for immigrants in Springfield The volunteer labor of area citizens, including several Springfield Dominican Sisters, our partners and associates, was honored Sept. 21 with an award that recognized the importance of supporting human rights. The Springfield Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union honored the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network with its 2019 …
Who was there: Row 1: Roy Williams, Veronica Espina, Patricia Kloppenburg, Sister Marcelline Koch; Row 2: Sarah Scheufele, Anne Hilofsky, Sister Sharon Zayac, Sister Simone Campbell, Sister Mila Díaz Solano, Ana Manrique, Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma; Row 3: Leahy Bennet, Teresa Bennet, Dave Steward, John Freml, Sister Elizabeth Wrenn, Jim Dixon, Wesley McNeese, Erica Smith. …
Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network (SIAN) Calls City to Stand Together and Strengthen Immigrant Support As members of the Springfield Immigrant Advocacy Network (SIAN), the Springfield Dominican Sisters join the call to all community organizers, faith, civic organizations, and advocates and partners in the city to stand with local immigrants and refugees as Immigrant and Customs …
Sisters Join SIAN;
Call for Solidarity
With Local Immigrants Read More »
This is one of life’s challenges: When we realize the magnitude of danger facing humanity and Earth because of climate change, it seems sensible to hide under the covers rather than get out of bed. When we notice our values and freedoms being eroded everyday by people who purport to protect them, it is easiest …
How to Avoid the Paralysis Trap:
What to do when you think
You can’t do anything Read More »
Sister Marcelline Koch, OP, during the January 2019 Associate Candidate session, “Catholic Social Teaching” examining the parts of Luke 4:18 in detail. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of …
This story was first published in the Fall 2018 edition of JUST Words. Passions for justice Among my Springfield Dominican Sisters there are many varied passions for justice. A quick review of the community directory brings to mind certain sisters who are passionate about or ministerialy engaged with the following concerns: immigration reform access to …
Seeking the Global Common Good:
Seeing, Connecting, and Sustaining
Life-giving Change Read More »
Today is International Migrants Day. People are fleeing record violence in Central America, crossing thousands of miles in nearly unimaginable conditions to seek asylum in the United States. We can respect their right to migrate and welcome them while having a secure border. The militarization of the southern border is a waste of taxpayer dollars …
An NPR Illinois Interview with Sister Marcelline Koch. Sister Marcelline Koch, standing center, above, invites US citizens to do two things when it comes to grasping what’s happening at the US-Mexico border: See the immigrants as people who are frightened for their children. Do the analysis necessary to understand why mothers and fathers are compelled …
We received this message from Sister Marcelline Koch regarding her experience volunteering at Annunciation House a Catholic Charities-sponsored ministry serving families who arrive in El Paso, Texas, seeking asylum. Sister Marcelline, Sister Anita Cleary, and two of their friends, Kathryn Raistrick and Julie Wullner, volunteered at Annunciation House Nov. 13-19, 2018. She wrote on Sunday, …
A week of service at an immigrant shelter in El Paso helps ease the burdens of desperate families Springfield, Ill.—On Sunday, Springfield Dominican Sisters Anita Cleary and Marcelline Koch will travel to El Paso, Texas to volunteer at a Catholic shelter for families called Annunciation House. “We’re going because Annunciation House and other shelters like …
Dominican Sisters Head to the Border to Serve Children & Families Read More »
