Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Myanmar…
The wounds of our world are plain to see: faces marked by pain, homes destroyed, communities torn apart. Women and children are often those who suffer most.
“We cannot wait. Peace must be built—and it must be built together,“ said Megan McElroy, OP, prioress of the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids.
In response to the violence and suffering, Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids are joining a worldwide day of fasting and prayer for peace on August 14, 2025, the eve of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary.
“We invite Dominican Associates, Sunday Assembly, and friends to join us in Chapel of the Word at Marywood, 111 Lakeside Drive. Our chapel will be open for all who wish to pray for peace: stay for a short visit, a holy hour, or as long as you like,” said Teresa Burns, Associate Coordinator for Spiritual Formation & Liturgical Life.
“Our Congregation is responding to this worldwide appeal from the International Union of Superiors General (UISG), a worldwide membership of leaders of congregations of Catholic sisters,” said Sister Megan, a UISG member.
International Union of Superiors General (UISG)
“As women of peace, present in the peripheries of the world and immersed in the suffering of humanity,” the UISG Sisters declare, “we feel the urgent need to raise our voices, unite our hearts, pray and take action.”
The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids are committed to:
- Pray together and reflect on the Word of God, in the light of current wars and humanitarian crises.
- Call for justice and reconciliation, urging civil and Church authorities to pursue paths of peace, disarmament, and the protection of human rights.
- Engage in concrete solidarity, by supporting those who suffer through networks of welcome and humanitarian assistance.
In a world marked by violence, UISG continues to believe that the light of the Gospel, justice, and fraternity can still shine through.
With Mary, Mother of Hope, the Sisters unite in prayer, and in witness.
