“As communities of faith in mission we respond to God’s gift of a new heart and a new spirit. With the courage of Angela, we dare to be the change we wish to see in our world. In solidarity and compassion, and compelled by the Gospel, we open our hearts to the cries of our earth and its people.” General Chapter, Ursulines of the Roman Union, 2013.
“Act, move, believe, strive, hope, cry out to God with all your heart…” St. Angela, Prologue to the Counsels, 17
As Ursulines, we choose to be actively engaged in the transformation of society, and we open our hearts to undergo a transformation of our own consciousness and actions. As a community and as individuals, we recognize our capability, opportunity, and responsibility to work with organizations and groups to promote justice, peace, and the integrity of creation. We share a vision with other men and women of faith, and in the tradition of the prophets, we have a voice to speak the truth in love.
• The Ursulines of the Roman Union, based in Rome, sponsor an International Commission of Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC), comprised of six sisters from different areas of the world.
• The Ursulines of the United States sponsor regional offices of Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation, to carry JPIC initiatives to the local level. In the Eastern U.S.A., the office is located at the Provincial Center in New Rochelle, NY.
• The office of JPIC networks with other groups:
Religious Organizations Along the River (ROAR) – concerned with ecological issues such as water and land use.
North American Ursuline Justice Committee – comprised of all Ursuline groups in North America.
Investor Advocates for Social Justice – advocate to influence corporations to promote human rights, climate justice, racial equity and the common good.
The NGO Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons (CSTIP) – dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking in all forms through education, advocacy, and monitoring compliance with UN protocols.
The Working Group on Girls, (WGG) – a coalition of over 75 national and international non-governmental organizations with representation at the United Nations dedicated to promoting the human rights of the girl child in all areas and stages of her life, advancing the inclusion and status of girls and assisting them to develop their full potential as women.
JPIC information is electronically disseminated through a newsletter, Connecting, which addresses significant social issues, their nature, and responsive activities. Activities include, but are not limited to, letter writing to elected officials of government, demonstrations, information gathering and exchanging, e-mail alerts, prayer services, personal participation, and group meetings.
No one of us can do everything, but all of us can do something.
Alice Marie Giordano, O.S.U., Director
Office of Justice Peace and the Integrity of Creation
1338 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 10804-2121