Thursday, December 2, 2010

Remembering Four Brave Women


Today, December 2nd was the 30th Anniversary of the murders of Sisters Maura Clarke, Ita Ford, Dorothy Kazel, and lay woman Jean Donovan, in El Salvador. Both America magazine, and the National Catholic Reporter websites have columns remembering it.

When I heard of this tragedy, I was with the Franciscan Friars in New York City. Maybe it was because I was a regular contributor to the Maryknoll Society, two of the sisters were members, and this event really touched me.

These American women served the poor in a foreign land, striving to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this, they were considered a threat to the established order, and were kidnapped, assaulted, and killed.

They offered themselves totally in the service of others, with courage, patience and perseverance, despite the threats, and dangers. They should be an example to us all.

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