Directional Statement No. 2: Inequality

There is a deep grief for the current situations of injustice in our world that calls us to be and become the face of an inclusive, welcoming, and merciful Church working for a just, equitable, and sustainable world in which all flourish.

We therefore commit ourselves to:

• being led by the spirit of God to listen to the people we have hurt and humbly acknowledge what we have done and failed to do
• reflecting in dialogue with all concerned on how our prejudices and biases are present in BVM policies and practices and making revisions that build relationships 
• confronting inequities we have caused and acting boldly in the company of others to repair injustices and make communal acts of reparation
• educating ourselves about systemic issues of injustice in all its forms, especially racism, and letting our study change us and move us to action
• exploring the abundance provided by our own privilege and evaluating our processes for making financial distributions from our abundance
• raising our communal voice for justice in collaboration with other women and men religious and other organizations in the US and internationally when appropriate

• engaging in a congregation-wide conversation around how much we are willing to risk by publicly challenging the continued exclusion within our Church of various groups (women; LGBTQ+; etc.) around language, governance, ministry, and sacrament.

Respectfully submitted by Pat Bombard and Mary Ann Zollmann 06.24.21, RV 06.25.21