The witness of religious women and men impacted by acts of war or civil violence gives me pause to wonder, are we ‘being neighbour’ on our own terms, asks Congregational Leader Sister Catherine McCahill.  

“Stand up if you live in a place affected by war or civil violence.” I looked around at my companions, one woman in my group of ten seemed reluctant to stand but around the room a significant number of women were getting to their feet. The moment was too poignant for me to count them.

I was praying at the Assembly of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) in Rome in early May. Of the world’s 1900 congregational leaders of women’s congregations, 950 were present from almost every country of our globe, along with executives and staff of UISG and a few representatives from the men’s congregations.

The prayer continued, “Stand up now if you have Sisters in a place impacted by war or civil violence.” Many more women stood. As I looked around, I realised that ’being neighbour’ takes on a very different meaning for these women and their congregations.

And the prayer continued, “Stand up now if you have Sisters working with people on the periphery of society.” Most of us rose to our feet. In every corner of the earth, religious women are responding to the divine invitation that Jesus issued to “love your neighbour as yourself”. Describing the “neighbour” as the Samaritan traveller who stops and renders ongoing assistance to the man robbed, bashed and abandoned on the wayside, set the benchmark for all his followers.

As Sisters of the Good Samaritan, the love commandment and the parable determine our mission. ’Being neighbour’ wherever we are, and in every context, we endeavour each day to be good neighbours to those around us, those with whom we live and the earth itself.

Yet, in the context of this UISG Assembly, I found myself deeply challenged to reimagine my neighbour, to ask myself, are we really among the most vulnerable of God’s people.

Sister Simona Brambilla MC, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (DICLSAL) delivered the first paper. While she did not speak explicitly of ’neighbourliness’ she challenged us to humble service.

Using a parable from the Makua people of Mozambique, she presented service using a metaphor of the moon, which reflects the light of the sun (Christ). As religious, we are called and choose to reflect this light not our own, to be women engaged in humble collaboration, not putting up our own signs. Our neighbours too shine in the space because their light is not extinguished.

Over subsequent days, we explored the theme, Consecrated Life: A Hope that Transforms. Women from across the globe spoke of hope: witnessing to hope in the face of warfare or violence, protecting the natural world, standing beside displaced persons and victims of some of the world’s worst atrocities.

The witness of Sister Margaret Maung RNDM from Myanmar touched me most poignantly. One of her examples of hope was the action of a Religious of St Francis Xavier, Sister Ann Rose Nu Tawng. I had seen photos with news reports of Ann Rose kneeling between heavily armed police officers and the children in her care.

However, seeing the same image and hearing the testimony of Margaret, who knows her personally, made the incident present in a profound way. Margaret wondered, “Where and how did she get this courage? The answer is straightforward; love, just as it is described in 1 John 4:18: ‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.” This is ’being neighbour’. Some of the police joined her in kneeling and the children were saved. My perspective is changed.

Over the course of that week, I heard leaders describing and discussing their fear for members of their congregations in violent parts of the world. One asked Sister Simona, “What do I do when they won’t leave this place of terror and come home?” There was, and is, no answer.

I am in no position to critique the question or the response. Nor do I know how I would react, respond, plead, question or support any of my Sisters if they were in this situation. However, it did give me pause, to wonder, are we too comfortable? Are we neighbour on our own terms, in places and circumstances where we are safe, in control, not confronted physically or emotionally?

Of course, I want my Sisters to be safe; to undertake their ministry without fear. However, I also know that ’being neighbour’ as Jesus showed us, can bring disapproval, discomfort, and require sacrifice and setting aside my own needs, desires, and opinions.

The closing remarks from the outgoing president of UISG, Sister Mary Barron OLA, stay with me as I continue to hear myself called, and to call my Sisters to “be neighbour”:

“We are called to boldly, fearlessly and lovingly accompany people made poor, marginalised and invisible around the world, and protect the earth our common home.”