And Religious Are at the UN Because…?
Sometimes we NGO sisters walk up 42nd Street saying “what am I doing here?” Sometimes the visible rewards are skimpy (an “s” on the end of a word, or the word “demand” in a UN document). We represent a sacrifice for our member communities in this time of scarce resources. But Pope John Paul II called us “the conscience of the UN.” S. Joan Kirby (an “old-timer” at the UN) said there is a new respect and openness here to what we have to say, especially in the area of human rights. We belong here because
- We are faith-full and faithful
- We are for the poor
- We are “in it for the long haul”
- We represent the Church in a different way, “without portfolio”
So thank you, member communities, for having the courage to invest in a global ministry, in a push for systemic change.
