Davos: 'Sister Project' presents 'successful projects'

By Mario Galgano - Davos

"We, women religious, live and work close to the people, especially those who are on the margins of our society," said Sr. Patricia Murray at the public debate in Davos. In front of numerous guests at the "Goal 17" center, she spoke with representatives of international companies, such as Google or Unilever, about today's global problems.

As women religious, she said, we are dealing concretely with the "greatest challenges" facing society.

These include areas such as health, education, support for migrants, and care for victims of human trafficking. "We seek structural change at the local, national and international levels, with and for those who are among the most forgotten and ignored," she said.

Drawing from our faith

Sr. Mary John, a religious sister from India, agreed with Sr. Murray, highlighting that courageous leaders have a clear purpose and vision, "which we as sisters draw from our faith and our lives consecrated to the good of others."

At the Davos Summit, she presented the audience with concrete examples of successful projects that women religious have initiated and that are part of the Sister Project, noting they are often only small gestures, but they have had a great impact.

At the moment, she reported, the situation of women in Ukraine is the main focus of their activities.

Guaranteeing a full and dignified life

"Our Gospel vision means that we want to create the conditions for every person to live a full and dignified life," said Sr. Ruth Pilar del Mora, the third "Sister Project" participant who spoke at the roundtable in Davos.

She emphasized in her speech that women religious do not exclude anyone: "We do not leave when violence and conflicts break out," she added.

Sr. Patricia Murray cited some specific examples: "We've all seen the photo of Sr. Ann Rose Nu Tawng walking on her knees in front of the military in Myanmar; I also think of the sisters in Sri Lanka who protected people protesting cuts in electricity, gasoline, and medicine; or Sister Gloria Cecilia Navarez, a Colombian woman I met when she was freed after five years in captivity in Chad."

These are "incredible examples" of courageous leaders, she said, but often this courageous leadership is lived in secret and in silence.

"Courageous leadership requires humility, openness to new things, acceptance of the risk of failure and new beginnings," Sr. Patricia Murray said as she concluded the roundtable.