Gospel Justice
Proclaiming the Reign of God through ministry for justice
“Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church's mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation.”
- Justice in the World, Synod of Bishops, #6, 1971
Areas of Focus
When our founder Alice Thorpe came to New York in 1872, she lovingly and compassionately responded to the plight of poor women and children. Today, we embrace our Dominican charism of Veritas (“truth) which compels us to search for and preach truth as it impacts the lives of people and planet—to be a voice that focuses attention on the cry of Earth and the cry of the poor.
Our action for gospel justice includes prayer, education, and advocacy. In addition to the “hands on” efforts by our Sisters and Associates, we also take Corporate Stances on justice issues—public statements that result from prayer, study, and discussion by members of the congregation.
Dominicans have a long history of advancing the understanding of human rights and the economic, social, and political systems that influence and shape the lives of people.
In the early 13th century, the young theology student Dominic de Guzmán sold his schoolbooks to help those who were starving and destitute during a time of famine. His subsequent impassioned preaching led to the founding of the Dominican Order of Preachers to bring the truth of the Gospel to the world. Sixteenth-century Dominican missionaries shared their experiences of accompanying native peoples with the Dominicans at the University at Salamanca, Spain. Those Dominicans then reflected, wrote, and called for justice for the native people oppressed by the system of colonialism.
Today, as members of the worldwide Dominican Family, we continue that work, committed to the promotion of gospel justice, the defense of human rights, and protection and care of Creation. These efforts are amplified in our NGO presence at the United Nations in New York and Geneva.
In our justice efforts, Dominicans throughout North America are focused on five areas:
Knowing that everything is embedded in the web of relationships, we note the reality of racism and its impact on all these issues. Our commitment to justice demands that we work to dismantle racism in all its forms.
