Peace & Justice Update
Leadership Conference of Women Religious Request
LCWR has established 100 Days of Prayer, asking each congregation of women religious to devote a day to pray, fast, and advocate for our country and our leaders. We pray that they may seek the common good and respect the dignity of each person. Tuesday, August 5 is our day to take part in this important effort. To find resources on the LCWR website, please click here.
Letters of advocacy may be sent to Sr. Gemma Doll, who will take them to the LCWR conference in mid-August.
Sr. Bridget Bearss, LCWR associate director for transformative justice, will hand-carry the letters to each Representative and Senator.
A Prayer for our Nation
As suggested by LCWR, each congregation has been asked to pray, fast, and advocate for our country and its leaders that they may seek the common good and respect the dignity of each person.
Click here for a musical picture video paraphrasing Psalm 58. We invite you to use this meditation for your prayer on the day our Congregation has chosen, August 5.
Events
Sr. Anne Killian's August 3 Profession
Please join us virtually as we celebrate the Rite of Perpetual Profession for Sr. Annie Killian, OP, Sunday, August 3 at 10 am EDT.
Please click here to view on YouTube.
In the Media
Standing Up for Earth and Faith
Sister Susan Leslie, OP, was one of a group of religious Sisters defending an Apache sacred site and religious freedom for Native Americans. Read about it in Global Sisters Report by clicking here.
Siena University Podcast Stars!
Sisters Ana Gonzalez and June Fitzgerald were the featured guests on the On The Fly podcast by Siena College alum Justin Kenyon. If you did not catch the podcast live, you can click here to listen to it on YouTube. Please note that the file is audio only; there is no video to watch.
Events
September Discernment Retreat
We are hosting another "Come and See Discernment Retreat” September 12-14, 2025, at the Columbus Motherhouse.
The retreat is for single Catholic women 18 to 45 interested in discerning a call to religious life.
You can help promote this retreat by:
- Copying and pasting this retreat flyer to your social media accounts
- Sending the link to your parishes and asking administrators to post it on the parish social media accounts
- Sending the flyer to women you may know who are discerning a call to religious life
- Printing the flyer and taking it to your parish or ministry site and posting it in a prominent place
Please pray that discerning women will be open to God’s invitation to discern and to attend this program.
Please also pray for our vocations team that is promoting vocations and preparing for the retreat.
You can contact Sr. June Fitzgerald or call/text 570-336-3991 with suggestions or comments.
Prayer Requests
- Sr. deChantal Lorenz (Columbus, OH, deChantal.Lorenz@oppeace.org) requests prayer for healing for her sister Mary, who was in a car accident and is seriously injured.
- Dennis Paonessa, OPA (Akron, OH, panesa57@gmail.com) requests prayer for an end to human trafficking in Akron and Green, and peace and freedom to those trapped in it.
- Marilyn Rhodes, OPA (Louisville, rhodesgrum@gmail.com) requests prayers for the repose of the soul of Dr. Carol Goldschmidt Hustedde, wife of Ron Hustedde, OPA (Lexington, rhusted@uky.edu). Carol died of a brain tumor on July 27. Please keep Ron and his son Michael in prayer.
- Staff member Ashley Apollonio-Hairston (Indianapolis, IN, ashley.apollonio@oppeace.org) requests continued prayer for her sister-in-law's younger sister, Logan. Logan has been hospitalized since July 4 and is in septic shock.
- Joyce Balfour Awuah, Nurse Program Coordinator at Mohun Health Care Center (Columbus, OH) requests prayer for her friend, Janet Williams, who passed unexpectedly in her home on July 31. Prayers for her family, her two sons and dear friends. May her soul and the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
Updates and Notes of Gratitude
- Sr. Anne Lythgoe (Columbus, OH, anne.lythgoe@oppeace.org) sends this message:
My heart is full of gratitude for all of your many notes and expressions of prayer and support for me and my family in my sister Marge's passing. I was blessed to be with Marge in her final days, an amazing way in which God took care of me and my family. We all have a deep peace and confidence that she is enjoying a happy reunion with all those who loved her in this life.