Nuclear Free Zone Declaration

STATEMENT OF CORPORATE STANCE:
Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart

Affirmed: May 5, 1990

Because we believe in the holiness of all of creation and are committed to stewardship of the earth and its resources,

Because we want to use our energies and resources to promote peaceful solutions to conflict,

Because we recognize that spending for the nuclear arms race seriously threatens the nation’s economic stability and diverts resources from programs needed to provide services and assistance to people and communities,

Because we are responsible for ensuring that our property and resources are dedicated to educational and socially constructive purposes,

Because we wish to follow in the footsteps of our foundress, Saint Marguerite d’Youville, who, for the sake of her mission to serve those in need, was willing even to challenge government policy,

We, the Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, declare our properties to be Nuclear Free Zones.

We oppose any research, testing, production, deployment, or transporting of nuclear weapons on our properties.

We commit ourselves to collaborate with others to replace nuclear weapons systems with human sharing, understanding, and negotiation.

We choose life for ourselves and our world.

An Ad Hoc Committee to Study Nuclear Free Zones appointed by the Administrative Council of the GNSH worked from 1988-1990 on a proposal to declare our properties Nuclear Free Zones. The Congregation voted in favor of this corporate stand in 1990. On May 5, 1990, the declaration was read in the context of a public prayer service at our Motherhouse in Yardley, Pennsylvania.