5 Common Elements - US Region
By Sister Bernadette Sullivan, SFP
This is the result of the 5 month study done in the U.S. Region on the Declaration for Peace and Earth Charter.

RESULTS OF 5 COMMON ELEMENTS PROJECT IN THE U. S. REGION

First Elements

DECLARATION FOR PEACE, #1
EARTH CHARTER, #12, a., b., c.

COMMENTS from communities:

1. To Challenge Discrimination wherever we encounter it.
2. Prayer for respect of life.
3. We decided to live our lives with a "both and" rather than an "either or" attitude. As we pray together each day, we will pray for the intention for ourselves and our SFPs(especially since we are brought up with an "America is better" attitude). *
4. We have decided to read and reflect on points 1 and 2 and respond to both in June. We are praying for peace and acceptance within ourselves.
5. Being aware of racism/discrimination, we will try to be understanding and listen to stories. It is not the same for us as it is for the person who is being discriminated against. Discrimination and racism is more than skin color. We will strive to meet each person where they are and respect them for who they are. Working together, in ministry together, healing the wounds, we can overcome/prevent racism. **
6. We discussed the plight of undocumented people and people seeking citizenship in the USA. We decided to become more informed about the resources available to help them and to support legislation that favors them. We will invite a resource person to speak to us and invite others to learn from the person. We will review what we have learned and are doing at community meetings.**
7. We have been influenced and blessed by our past experience.
   Practice: Motivated by the realization that Jesus lives in everyone, we will make a conscious sincere effort to bridge the gap between us and all persons we would not ordinarily greet.
8. We will pray for all the issues of Justice and Peace.
9. As Franciscans and as a local community, we do not share the struggle for power or money. We try to live with less so that others can have more.
10. Respect upholding the rights of all peoples. From where, how, can we grow in these fundamental principles? When we believe in our sisterhood with all peoples, then we grow in unity and respect. Living our Franciscan call, diversity dissipates within my/our hearts. Practice: develop a teaching course on these principles, our Franciscan call and share with others.
11. We have supported our young people in the Parish by helping them and supporting them financially- We got our cars washed by them to assist the 8th graders in their project. We will look for other ways to help our youth. SHALOM
12. We have all experienced discrimination in one form or another and we know how it feels. We want to be sensitive to the way we discriminate against others, even unknowingly and be respectful of all peoples as St. Francis and Mother Frances were. We pray especially for our City and a peaceful resolution to the racial unrest that has been haunting us for well over a year. **
    
    Summary: *There is diversity in the responses, but some common commitments, e.g. prayer, respect people for whom they are.
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JUNE - Second Elements

DECLARATION FOR PEACE, #2.

EARTH CHARTER, #16, a.,b.,f.

1. We will challenge each other to appreciate the earth and recognize our responsibility to care for our environment.
2. We will order a year's subscription to WATER magazine and will be attentive to environmental issues regarding the Hudson River. We will write letters/advocate on pertinent issues that come to our attention through these updates.
3. We had chosen as a practice on World Environment Day to walk together in the Nature Preserve close to us, but instead we went together to the Butterfly Exhibit and enjoyed the beauties of God's natural environment. During the month of June, whenever we went outside for our "power" walks, we brought a bag with us to collect all the trash that had been carelessly thrown and prevented our environment from being the beautiful place God made it to be. As we picked up each piece of trash, we thanked God for Gods goodness and beauty.**
4. It is one thing to discuss peace and discrimination in theory. It is quite another to live in neighborhoods with people whose race, behaviors, work ethic and values are different from yours. We will encourage ourselves and others to be open and accepting of individuals and try not to form judgments beforehand.
5. Respect nature, go outside, hug a tree and enjoy the beauty of nature and thus praise God.**
6. Our everyday actions and reactions have a powerful influence on tolerance, nonviolence, respect and peace in visible and invisible ways in the world. Being attentive, we can see that our everyday life presents us with many opportunities.
7. We combined our response for May and June. We think the sections for both months relate to our Franciscan teaching that we are all "brothers and sisters" and that all creatures human and nonhuman are made in the image of God. Our on-going program at CHIPS, especially with the guests and youth groups from all over the U.S. give us the opportunity to respect and teach respect and reverence to a variety of persons. We also try to educate ourselves to a deeper understanding of the various cultures and stories of others. These are attitudes we try to implement in our ministries and relationships everyday.**
8. Use every opportunity to talk with people to help them understand what it means to live in freedom. To realize that freedom requires individual responsibility. It's not a free ticket.
9. Our communal practice is to maintain inner peace through all the trial and tribulations of our illnesses. We are trying to have a more self-awareness of our self and be mindful of the needs of our body, mind and spirit. By being aware of our own responses, we can be more tolerant and understanding and peaceful with ourselves and other people and groups.
10. We have downloaded the information from the Nonviolence.org web site and plan to study it. We celebrated earth day but we also celebrate this day everyday with our flower garden and vegetable garden. We try to be in right relationship with Mother Earth and are grateful for the beauty provided to us and the nourishment it gives to us in such a wonderful manner.
    
    Summary: There was much diversity and some common elements, e.g. Enjoy the beauty of nature, educate oneself and others m seek understanding
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JULY - Third Element

DECLARATION FOR PEACE, #3

EARTH CHARTER, #9,a., b., c.

1. To encourage and support agencies such as the Child Development Program in Ashland where children are picked up each day to enable the parent (usually a single mother) to pursue educational
   opportunities. **
2. We view the earth as voiceless and will be a voice for its unjust treatment by avoiding clutter, producing less waste, following recycling procedures, advocating for a just treatment of the earth and sharing our concrete practices.**
3. We plan to keep abreast of what the situations are in the various organizations that serve the ignored, vulnerable, suffering and oppressed in our nation. We plan to continue to serve in the Terrace, the ignored vulnerable and suffering as the occasion arises
4. Wherever our Sisters are, there is an SFP Ministry. Sister Dorothy Ann has asked to move in with me, so that she could continue to work at St. John's. That is a concrete way for me to support this ministry.**
5. We were attentive to the requests that came to us through e mails and internet for support in the areas of social justice and took the time to sign on in support of various issues. **
6. This is our life. We hold within us the power of the Charism of Healing. There is no compromise. All we can do is to simply do our best, the rest is up to the divine. Our practice: We commit to daily meditation on what it means to enflesh this reality.**
7. Through membership in the Santa Maria Community Services Board, we work with poor people in the Price Hill and Sedamsville area of the city (extremely poor neighborhoods) to develop the Neighborhood Support Organizations that will make life more endurable for them and will get political representatives to work to better these neighborhoods. For the May elections, we increased the number of people voting to almost 50%. **
8. As we reflected on the sections for July, the two areas that became a focus for us were the importance of "distributive justice" and we were recalling the visit of Pope Paul VI to the UN when he said "there is no shortage of food, it is just not distributed equitably. The other was to cultivate an attitude of "enough rather than more". We hope to deepen our understanding and practice of both of these.
   
   Summary: Much diversity and some common elements, e.g. ministry to poor and voiceless.
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AUGUST - Fourth Element

DECLARATION FOR PEACE, #7
EARTH CHARTER, # 4, a.,b.

1. We planted a garden of eggplant, tomatoes and bell peppers. We are now enjoying the vegetable of our labors. During this time of illness, we are aware of the beauty of God's creation that surrounds us and nurtures our spirits with these beauties of creation. We will attempt to have flowers in our home to nurture our spirits, either from our rose garden or the local grocery store.**
2. Half of our community already belong to the SFP Advocacy Group and follow up on issues. We also keep informed with the Daily news and newspapers and Time and Newsweek magazines. We also belong to Network and keep up with their Newsletter and web site. We have both a flower garden and a food garden that supplies much of our needs. We also recycle paper and plastic goods.**
3. We will advocate for the Clean Air Act wherever and whenever possible. The Natural Resources Defense Council web site will be a source. We will also limit the use of aerosol sprays.**
4. We will be alert and aware of occasions, needs and opportunities to serve the Sisters, and anyone we meet, whenever we meet them.**
5. Listen to Chabot (US Rep in Congress), to thank him for his work on ending Partial Birth Abortion. Taking care of everything we do and respect for what we have. We support the work that Sr. Frances Rose is doing at Assumption Church in Cinn. And pray for peace. Watched TV and saw how illegal trees and other vegetation is taken from the Brazil tribes.**
6. We discussed the material presented to us for discussion and were at a loss as to how to incorporate the principles into our local community. We empower one another by supporting each other in our ministry, listening to and uplifting one another in the nursing and hairstyling ministry.
7. I am in transition and discernment at the present time, relative to Community and so submit the following personal reflection. For some time, I have been involved with a "Hands On" ministry of helping to provide daily lunches and food for our needy, homeless and poor at St. John's in over-the-Rhine area of Cincinnati, Ohio. We serve the immediate, specific needs of persons, with a long range goal of a variety of Programs to enable them with a betterment of living conditions, housing and basic needs. I plan to stay involved at St. John's and hopefully bring God;'s peace and healing presence to this very troubled area of inner city in over the Rhine. I have focused on becoming more aware of God's gifts and goodness in nature so as to respect and appreciate them, promoting the same attitudes in others so that together we share earth's gifts/harmony.
8. After reading the proposals in preparation for the Franciscan Federation Assembly, I decided that a very important practice for peace and our earth would be to educate myself further regarding these proposals. I did so and intend to speak for them at the meeting and do all I can to vote for and encourage voting for them.
9. As a practice for this month, we took the words of St. Francis, "I have done what is mine to do. May Christ teach you yours." We will listen more carefully to the teaching of Christ through our own personal prayer and presence with Him each day. Are we aware of what He is teaching us each day? We reflected on how we need to remove the clutter from our lives so that we can truly listen...and see with the eyes of faith.
10. Our prayers are daily focused on our leaders and the leaders of various organizations, and we keep up on what is happening through the national news on TV and the radio. We are sensitive to and respect the gifts of nature by watching and being alert to the use of water, food, electricity and recycling whatever we can and thereby, being sensitive to the common good and promoting respect for our Sisters on Planet Earth. **
    
    Summary: There was diversity and some common elements, e.g. gardens and ministry to the poor.
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SEPTEMBER - Fifth Element

DECLARATION FOR PEACE, #8
EARTH CHARTER, # 1, a., b.

1. We experienced interfaith dialogues in our various ministries, both at communal and personal levels. We are going to continue to do so in order to support, respect and learn from people of different nationalities. We will study and experience various religions and participate in interfaith gatherings or conferences at the United Nations and other available forums.**
2. On Sept. 21, we will join the Interfaith Prayer Service for Peace in Cinn.. We thought this would be appropriate because it is held in an area where there is commonly violence, inter-racial injustice and misunderstanding; all members of the Franciscan family are witnessing to openness and dialogue with all since non-Christians are part of the service; it helps us recognize our interdependence; it
   affirms faith in the dignity of all human beings and it follows the example of St. Francis who dialogued with others not of the same faith.**
3. We respect and reaffirm our faith in all human beings, and respect every form of life. We plan to continue in our efforts to update and educate ourselves through reading and dialogue, as we have the opportunities. Also, we are united in prayer for international peace in the entire kingdom of God.**
4. For the month of September, we participated in the International Day of Prayer for Peace, prayer service at Pinecroft. The prayer included a remembrance of all the people who have suffered terrorism, death or any violation of human rights. Terrorism has been inflicted on almost every aspect of the Globe. No one is exempt or excluded. The prayer service directly named the many nations where there is fear, death and plight of people. **
5. A. We experience a variety of cultures in our changing neighborhoods, raising an awareness of our own prejudices - in contrast to our desire to be accepting and welcoming.
   B. We respect the faith traditions of others; have participated in an experience of the Jewish faith and will participate in a Unitarian Service in the future.
   C. We experience a greater awareness of our need to care for the earth on our small level - minimizing our use of paper, recycling, sorting trash, reusing items, etc.**
6. In addition to the readings we did which gave us a better understanding of the issues and practices related to Islam, we made a Holy Hour for Peace on the first Friday and a Holy Hour for Peace this past Sunday.**
   
   Summary: There were common elements and diversity. Several participated in the Intenational Day of Prayer for Peace; prayer was mentioned often; conservation efforts as care for the earth; overcoming prejudice by interfaith worship, study and dialogue were mentioned by several.
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   **Practice given is relevant to the suggestions made by the Committee, e.g. celebrating particular UN days; planting a garden, reading, interfaith dialogue, etc.
   
   
   

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