Students from Mount Notre Dame High School have crafted powerful reflections on justice, service, and faith in action as part of their application to attend the historic honoring of Sister Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, at the Basilica di San Bartolomeo all'Isola in Rome. Sister Dorothy dedicated her life to serving alongside communities in Brazil that were made poor and advocating for preserving the Amazon rainforest. Her ultimate sacrifice on February 12, 2005, standing firm in her commitment to justice, continues to inspire people worldwide. We will share one student's essay daily as we count down to February 12, 2025, the 20th anniversary of Sister Dorothy's martyrdom.
Elizabeth R.
My parents have instilled Christian values through their sacrifice of providing my siblings and me with a Catholic school education. In that time I have learned that Catholicism is not about blind trust, it is about questioning the world around us. We were made perfect by God and given free will. With that free will, we chose to leave the perfect world that God gave us. We are imperfect. Without God we are incomplete. He wants us to grow closer to him. We desire the unconditional steadfast love that God promises us, despite us being imperfect. I think that this is a unique perspective because people don't like to admit that they are imperfect but it is important for us as humans to realize that without God we can't be perfect.
Sister Dorothy was a courageous woman who lived out God's calling through her passion for helping others. She not only cared for all of God's people but all of God's creation. She worked to preserve the Brazilian rainforest and the people that were being displaced by loggers. She angered the loggers and received death threats by protecting the environment and helping the people. She was betrayed by people she was helping and martyred. Even through this betrayal, she trusted in God. She read scripture to her attackers before being shot. This gruesome death lit a fire in the hearts of the people she helped. Her life and ministry inspired many, including the Sisters of Notre Dame which is shown through their continued ministry to others and the environment. Her legacy lives on in the commitment to protecting the environment shown by the many people she helped.
Sister Dorothy was and continues to be an inspiration for conservation and preserving God's creation. In my life I see God especially in his creation. My dad often gave me the opportunity of camping and getting to experience God's wonders first hand. It has motivated me to continue with a degree in hopes to protect and preserve, similarly to Sister Dorothy. God's creation is how we can see his love for us. Sister Dorothy saw that and protected it with her life. Her recognition as a Christian martyr exemplifies her initiative that has continued to influence many people, including me, in hopes of safeguarding the wonderful world God has given us.