SIMPLE. EASY. IMPACTFUL.

By Vice President for Mission and Justice Andrea Stapleton, Ph.D.

These times are characterized by cultural division, with political discourse fueling tension among people, creating conflict in communities and even within families. Many people are saddened by this. Many wonder what we can do to restore unity among us.

This is a challenge and an opportunity. For Christians, it is an opportunity to respond to our gospel call to build unity through compassion.

As a university sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, we are guided by some fundamental principles of the sisters. One is unity. The SSND constitution calls upon the sisters to “proclaim the good news as School Sisters of Notre Dame, directing our entire lives toward that oneness for which Jesus Christ was sent.”

Thus, they lead their educational institutions by the principle that the world can be changed through the transformation of persons.

We at Mount Mary are guided by this principle, that we serve to transform persons to change

What an opportune time for Christians to reflect on Christ as the unifier. Fully human and fully divine, Christ unites us to God and to each other in solidarity as one human family. During Jesus’ life and ministry, he modeled and taught unity through compassion, primarily in loving people who have been cast off as sinners or outcasts, even those whom the leaders of his faith rejected.

The parable of the Good Samaritan is but one of Jesus’ teachings on unity through compassion. Each character in the parable belonged to a different identity group. This was Jesus’ way of showing the harm in “othering” people, as we say in our time. He made this point to show us that compassion overcomes disunity and that everyone is worthy of care and love. He illustrates this in other parables, in which people are cast out of society because they are judged as sinners, even though, he points out, no one is without sin.

His stories point to the tendency for people to alienate others by joining in a common judgment against them. But Jesus admonishes those casting judgments and then ministers to, befriends and accompanies the outcast. Jesus consistently adheres to teaching of his own Jewish faith, to care for those who are marginalized.

Unity in practice

He models unity and solidarity with the outcast when he explicitly calls for care for the “least” among us,

A Gift To Mount Mary Reaps Multiple Rewards

If you are like many individuals, your IRA has increased in value over the years, and you have more income than you may need.

If you are over 70½, you may roll over up to $100,000 from your IRA to charity without increasing your taxable income or paying any additional tax.

Tax-free charitable rollover gifts could be $100, $1000 or any amount up to $100,000.

The gift may satisfy your required minimum distribution for this year.