蜜桃交友

By Philippa Hitchen

Women religious, working in some of the world鈥檚 worst conflict zones, are sharing their stories on Wednesday at a seminar organised by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.

Jointly sponsored by the International Union of Superiors General and Solidarity with South Sudan, the encounter will highlight the vital, yet often unseen, work of sisters serving in some of the most deprived communities in countries across the globe.

Among those attending the meeting at the UISG headquarters is Italian Sister Maria Elena Berini, named as recipient of the U.S. government鈥檚 2018 International Women of Courage award.

The Vatican鈥檚 鈥榝oreign minister鈥�, Archbishop Paul Gallagher will address the seminar, which is also shining the spotlight on religious women working to combat human trafficking.

Among the promoters of the event is the executive director of Solidarity with South Sudan, Sr Yudith Pereira. She talks about the work that women religious are doing in that conflict-ridden country, where few other organisations are able to operate

Sr. Yudith says that people in South Sudan feel very close to the sisters, as they have also suffered attacks, some have been raped, others killed or robbed, 鈥渟o people feel we鈥檙e very near鈥�.

The role of women religious

She says women religious play 鈥渁 role of motherhood for many adults and young people鈥� who鈥檝e known nothing but conflict in their country. 鈥淲e offer an educational space, where they can find everything to be well and live and grow and change鈥�, she says.

Asked about what changes she would like to see to support her work, Sr. Yudith says it would be useful to create official structures within the church to collaborate better on joint programmes.

The importance of advocacy

Advocacy, she adds, is vital part of that work, finding ways of sharing their experiences, to 鈥渞eceive and give orientation to the hierarchy鈥�, so that together they can have a positive influence at different levels.

Another participant in the seminar is Argentinian Sr. Carmen Bandeo, who has extensive experience working in education, in prison ministry and in anti-trafficking efforts at UN level.

Building peace and promoting human dignity across the board 

She stresses that women religious work not only in conflict zones, but in all areas where they can help to build peace and promote the dignity of human life

Speaking of her own experience of prison ministry, she notes how 鈥渙ur presence restores the dignity of the prisoners鈥�, as well as offering the guards and police an opportunity to 鈥渄iscover their own humanity鈥�. Similarly, with trafficked women and those held in detention centres with their children, she says, women religious work to restore 鈥渞elations of life鈥� to all sides.