“We must practice justice before charity" (Mother St. Pierre, co-foundress).

“We will exercise our personal and congregational corporate power and influence to work for systemic change, and will take a corporate stand against forms of injustice and violence" (Acts of Chapter, 2008).

Throughout the life and work of the Congregation, from the very beginning, we have advocated on behalf of justice and peace, as individuals, as communities, as Congregation, working singly and collaboratively, through our ministries and personal lives, alone and corporately.

In 1984 in General Chapter, the Congregation embraced the preferential option for the economically poor. In 1998, the Sisters in the United States adopted a corporate stance against the use of the death penalty. In 2006, we officially endorsed the Earth Charter.

In April 2006, the Congregation set aside 66-acres of our property near the "Blue Hole"-the headwaters of the San Antonio River-establishing the Headwaters Coalition. This initiative created an "urban forest" in the middle of the city of San Antonio. The land will be used for education, research, conservation, and spiritual development.

Corporate and institutional decisions have significant impacts. Personal actions and the daily choices we make also impact the world around us. We begin in contemplative prayer; we become peaceful women-within, and with one another. We seek to work on behalf of peace, through acts of justice.

Beginning in the fall of 2006, as the Congregation prepared for our 2008 General Chapter, we began together examining anew the questions of "justice and peace" and how we as individuals and as a congregation were working and living within the context of justice and peace. Guided by the "Justice and Peace Commission" and using the ten major themes of Catholic Social Teaching to direct our conversations, we reflected together in communities, other groups and regional assemblies, using Sacred Scripture, our Church documents, civil and political documents, and our own writings and documents.

This process helped us to articulate a common vision, and to commit again to supporting and challenging each other so that we truly live and act the mission of Jesus; to:

• sincerely consider the dignity of each person in all our decision making;
• take seriously that all our personal actions have global repercussions;
• be continually educated about particular situations, laws, resources, etc.;
• " respond by participation in specific actions that already exist, and to be proactive in establishing ways to act where none exist. These may be very basic: voting, for example. Or, they may be national: participating in the "School of Americas Watch" in the United States; witnessing at the "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" in Peru;
• " use our corporate power to stand against pressing issues concerning the human person (e.g., the death penalty, human trafficking, abuse, torture, immigration, etc.) and make alliances with other groups and organizations that are;
• constantly review our ministries and resources so that we reach the most needy, and that our projects benefit the poor;
• widen our vision of justice to include the Earth.

"We will give priority to ministry among immigrants, the elderly, and women and children who suffer violence, discrimination, poverty and homelessness" (Acts of Chapter 2008)..

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