Martyrs of Hope

Join us for a discussion on Martyrs of Hope: U.S. Missionary Martyrs in Central America, Models of Spiritual Transformation on Sunday, August 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Motherhouse in Baden. The presentation will spotlight the lives of seven U.S. martyrs and how they might serve as models for the church today.

Speakers are Edward T. Brett, Ph.D., professor emeritus of history at La Roche University, and Donna W. Brett, M.A, who served as an academic advisor at the University of Pittsburgh. The program will include time for reflecting or walking on the grounds. Light refreshments will be served.

It is free and open to the public, but registration is requested. Call or email Toni at tdunlap@stjoseph-baden.org or 724.869.6525.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

First Presentation: Martyrs of Guatemala

The speakers will begin by explaining how the Second Vatican Council and the Latin American Bishops’ Conference at Medellin, Colombia, revolutionized the Latin American church by making social justice for the poor masses a primary goal. This will be followed by the stories of Father Stanley Rother and Brother James Miller, two missioners whose commitment to the poor transformed their lives and spirituality and eventually led to their martyrdom.

Second Presentation: Martyrs of El Salvador

The speakers will discuss the lives of Sisters Dorothy Kazel, Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and Carla Piette, and lay missioner Jean Donovan, who, adhering to the concepts of Vatican II and Gospel teachings, also immersed themselves in the lives of the poor. In so doing they grew in faith and trust in God to the point of heroic acceptance of martyrdom. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of how these seven martyrs might serve as models for a church in crisis.