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Masses will honor murdered sister
By Sylvia L. White, The Catholic Sun
February 7, 2008
Three years ago gunmen assassinated Sr. Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN, because she fought to defend the Amazon rainforest and the rights of rural peasants.
Her death, some have said, “planted seeds of change” by bringing international attention to the exploits of Brazilian landowners and loggers.
Priests at Most Holy Trinity Parish will celebrate Masses in honor of the life and witness of Sr. Dorothy, one of the founders of the parish school.
While in Phoenix, Sr. Dorothy was known as Sr. Mary Joachim. She was a teacher and principal at the school from 1953 to 1966, the year she began her missionary work in Brazil.
“Her mission was to help people live in the rainforest and sustain it, living in harmony with the land, instead of destroying it,” said Sr. Jan Bohn, SNDdeN.
Sr. Dorothy’s central belief was that God is good and she found that goodness in others, in the poor and in the environment.
According to testimony given at the gunmen’s trial, Sr. Dorothy met with her later-assassins the day before they killed her. She explained her actions to them, but they told Sr. Dorothy they were going to kill her anyway.
That night, the two assassins went searching for Sr. Dorothy. At first they couldn’t find her because she’d given up her hammock to another person and was sleeping on the dirt floor.
Most Holy Trinity Parish will remember her life of service with a bilingual Mass that will be celebrated at 7 p.m., Feb. 12 — the anniversary of her death. Light refreshments will be provided after Mass and Sr. Roseanne Murphy, SNDdeN, author of “Martyr of the Amazon,” will be signing her book.
At 8:30 a.m., Feb. 15, students and teachers of Most Holy Trinity School will attend a Mass in Sr. Dorothy’s honor.
The parish is also organizing an afternoon of prayer and reflection on the life of Sr. Dorothy from 2 to 4:30 p.m., Feb. 16. Some who knew Sr. Dorothy personally will tell stories about her, and Sr. Roseanne will be available to sign books.
For more information, call (602) 944-3375.
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