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Social Action Ministries:

“We commit ourselves as individuals and as a congregation to work for justice within the human family . . .”

These words of the CHM Mission statement have a long history as guiding principles for the community. From its beginning in Napoleonic France, their founder, Fr. John Joseph Begel, inspired a commitment to peace and justice and a priority of non-violence, including protest when appropriate.

As the community established itself in the United States, compassion and action continued to go hand in hand:

compassion for individuals caught in unjust conditions and
action to change the cultural, religious or political policies that create injustice in the first place.

Concern for Children
As early as 1896 the Sisters of Humility established St. Vincent’s Home in Davenport as a safe haven for orphans and children whose parents were unable to care for them. By the time it closed thousands of children had found solace, warmth, food – and a substitute mother’s love – in the compassion of the sisters.

Their work continues in CHMs like Sr. Johnelle Howanach who found herself, in 1988, the foster mother of a 6-year old Native American girl disabled from birth with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Although, told that the child was uneducable, Sr. Johnelle’s tutelage and love has allowed ‘Lissie” to grow into a confident young woman, founder of a gourmet dog-biscuit business (www.lissiesluvyums.com) and national speaker on FAS.

And Mothers, Too
Today every effort is made to keep struggling families together. And that usually means getting the parent(s), especially mothers, back on their feet.

Humility of Mary Housing, Inc., Davenport, Iowa – through the financial and staff support of the Sisters of Humility and the community, inner city apartments have been rehabilitated for use by homeless, single-parent families struggling with poverty, pregnancy and lack of education. Social service support and education programs assist the families until they are able to be self-sufficient.
A few blocks away, CHMs and Seeds of Hope volunteers staff the John Lewis Coffee Shop – part of John Lewis Community Services(www.jlcs.org)offering shelter and meals to the homeless along with computer and job training, a food pantry, counseling – and hope.
The Munoz sisters – Sr. Irene in Ottumwa, Iowa and Sr. Molly in Denver, Colorado – are pioneers in ministry to migrant families. Since the 1960’s they have been leading advocates for keeping migrant families together and ensuring that each family has the resources necessary to provide stable homes for their children.
In the heart of Appalachia, legal aid attorney Sr. Mary Rehmann specializes in the “tough cases,” representing the disabled poor of Morgantown, West Virginia. With Sr. Mary’s help, clients are able to receive Social Security, Medicare and SSI benefits to improve their health and to better provide for their families.

A Voice for Justice and Peace
From the early days of the Civil Rights and farm worker movements, CHMs have followed their founder’s example to stand publicly against exploitation and injustice. CHM’s have been among the thousands

protesting the School of the Americas
promoting humane immigration reform
walking for a cure for breast cancer
working to end hunger
promoting the end of the death penalty
cleaning up the environment
praying for peace and marching against war -- from Vietnam to Iraq

“Action” on these issues can take many forms. Sr. Jeanie Hagedorn, the CHM’s Justice/Peace coordinator issues weekly Action Alerts to notify the community about issue-oriented legislation pending in Congress and where to write to express their view. Members concerned about the environment participate in projects like the Mississippi River Clean-Up. Many sisters support the just resolution of issues through their prayer.

Non-violence as a Way of Life
Prayer is a powerful action – especially in a world where violence and the unequal distribution of the earth’s resources is destroying lives in big cities and small towns alike. In Davenport, a group of sisters, associates and volunteers “Bear Witness” by going to a site – perhaps an alley, a street corner or a parking lot -- where a murder has recently taken place. Quietly, without publicity or fanfare, they simply pray:

for the victim,
for the perpetrator,
for the grieving families,
for fairness in the investigation,
for an end to violence in our world,
for the healing of the site itself.

No bells ring. No reporters are called. But the message goes out loud and clear: Peace begins with each of us. Nonviolence begins in me.

"Promote non-violence as a way of life to bring about justice for all persons and creation."