Oblates and Sisters gathered at the monastery and virtually for the most recent presentation in the Oblate Enrichment Series offered on September 20 by Michelle Sherman, program director for nonviolence and campus outreach at Pax Christi USA. Her presentation was, “Peace in our world at this time: how can we be a healing presence?”
Recognizing that it is all-too-easy these days to get bogged down in the violence, division, and misinformation that characterizes our news today, Michelle began on a positive note by reminding listeners of the good news that is also happening all over the world but that does not appear on the front/home page of our news media. She shared stories of hope that are often overlooked.
Michelle was drawn to the words “a healing presence and a prophetic witness for peace and justice” that is central to the corporate commitment of the Erie Benedictines and Oblates. She offered two examples of individual healing stories in the scriptures, Luke 5, the healing of a paralytic, and John 11, the raising of Lazarus, to illustrate that Jesus heals with the help of the community. Michelle also considered another story, John 8, the woman caught in adultery, as an example of how Jesus de-escalated a violent scene and so that the bystanders were moved to a non-violent response and left peacefully.
She also cited the many hopeful and inspirational voices including Dorothy Day, Pope Leo, and Sister Joan Chittister, voices that lift us up and encourage us not to become weary in dark times.
The Oblate Enrichment Series provides ongoing learning, community building, and a deepening of monastic commitments for oblates and sisters. The four sessions offered throughout this year explored: What does a monastic presence look like, monasticism through the ages; examining a notable monastic, Hildegard of Bingen; considering the call of the Erie community and living the corporate commitment; and examining the ways in which monastics can respond to the challenges in the world today.
