A group of Emmanuel students and faculty members were in Rome, Italy from January 6th to the 13th to honor Sr. Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, a climate activist who worked in favor of land rights for the poor and sustainable development in the Brazilian Amazon.
Professor of Theology Laurie Johnston, Ph.D., organized the ceremony at the Basilica of San Bartolomeo, which marked the 20th anniversary of Sr. Dorothy’s death. Sr. Dorothy is the first woman from the United States to be recognized as a new martyr, and her relics were placed in a shrine honoring those who gave their lives for justice and faith.
The Basilica was entrusted to the Community of Sant'Egidio by Pope John Paul II in 1999 to be used as a sanctuary for commemorating modern-day martyrs. As part of the ceremony on January 10th, Sr. Dorothy’s story was preserved among the Americas exhibit with a relic from the Ohio province of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN).
Dr. Johnston was quoted on Sr. Dorothy’s impact in the Boston Pilot: “[her ministry and martyrdom help people recognize the existence of what Catholic social teaching calls ‘structures of sin’ and not just individual sins.” Dr. Johnston was also featured in a local news segment in Ohio – Sr. Dorothy’s home state – and interviewed by the Vatican News.
Through Dr. Johnston’s connections to both the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Community of Sant'Egidio, representatives of Emmanuel College were honored to be in attendance for the monumental event.
Emmanuel College Chaplain Fr. Federico Cinocca, S.T.D., said the opportunity to visit the eternal city during a holy year was a special opportunity for himself, the seven students on the trip and fellow faculty members – but above all it was about honoring the life and lasting impact of Sr. Dorothy’s work.