ADVOCACY
The Sisters of Charity stand in solidarity with all those who are oppressed, and align themselves with all those who stand together in response to critical human needs.
The Sisters have taken two Corporate Stances, an AIDS Stance and a Peace Stance. Each stance was taken after a period of social analysis which included study, reflection, and discussion. Both stances were approved by 2/3 of the voting members of our Sisters.
"Go forth on your path, as it exists only through your walking."
St. Augustine
AIDS STANCE
It was in 1987, at the height of the AIDS epidemic that the Sisters of Charity took the following stance:
Humankind is confronted with a new and fatal disease, AIDS. The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine believe it is important that AIDS be seen as a human disease that deserves the same care and compassion as any other illness. THEREFORE, WE PUBLICLY OFFER OUR UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSION AND ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE WHICH WILL DEVELOP SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PERSONS WITH AIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Shortly after the stance was taken, Sister Marian Durkin, CSA founded The Open House in Cleveland Heights. The Open House was a drop-in center offering services to persons with AIDS and their families. A prayer buddy program was also established which had individual sisters praying for a particular person with AIDS. Through a task force comprised of members of the congregation, the members of the congregation were educated as the AIDS epidemic continued to grip the nation.
For her work, Sr. Marian Durkin received the Jane Daroff Lifetime Achievement Award from PFLAG Cleveland on October 17th, 2023.
PEACE STANCE
It was 1990 that a peace stance was developed and passed by the congregation:
The Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine declare that our properties at Mt. Augustine/Regina Health Center, 3122 West Boulevard, 1307 Middle Street on Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina, 14812 Lake Avenue, and 2224 Maplewood Road are established as peace sites.
The implications of the Peace Site Stance included declaring our properties to be used for peace and promotion of the spiritual and material welfare of people; renouncing the right to be defended by nuclear weapons; not using our properties for the production, transportation, storing, disposing of or supporting nuclear weapons in any way; and the commitment of the individual sisters to be peacemakers.