Commission for Justice and Peace Sister Lucianne appointed co-promoter for North America

The Coordinating Council for Dominican Sisters International (DSI) has appointed Sister Lucianne Siers, OP (Grand Rapids) to the International Dominican Commission for Justice and Peace (IDCJP) as regional co-promoter for North America. Sister Lucianne will serve a three-year term with her colleague, the Rev. Charles (Chuck) Dahm, OP.

Nominations for a new regional justice co-promoter for North America were solicited from congregational leadership and other justice co-promoters in October 2010. Sister Rose Marie Riley, OP (Springfield), DSI Coordinating Council member for North America, presented the list of nominees along with her recommendation to the DSI Coordinating Council. In February, Sister Lucianne received a letter from Sister Maria Fabiola Velasquez Maya, OP, informing her of the appointment and expressing gratitude for her willingness to serve. Membership on the IDCJP and designation as a regional co-promoter comes as an appointment from the DSI International Coordinator for sisters, and from the Master of the Order for friars.

Sister Lucianne is the director of the Partnership for Global Justice and serves as an NGO representative to the United Nations. She has also served in parish and diocesan ministry. From 1992 to 1998, Sister Lucianne coordinated the program of U.S. volunteers to Central/Eastern Europe through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. A native of Michigan, she currently resides in South Bronx, New York.

Regional justice co-promoters are responsible for:

• Receiving and sharing justice and peace news and information among the general co-promoters and the provinces and congregations in their region;
• Organizing and/or promoting opportunities for formation regarding justice and peace issues;
• Initiating and/or supporting appropriate action regarding peace and justice issues.

Sister Lucianne replaced Sister Durstyne (Dusty) Farnan, OP (Adrian), who served for six years as regional justice co-promoter for North America. Sister Dusty also received a letter from Sister Maria Fabiola, expressing gratitude to her for her service and also to the Adrian Dominican Sisters for their support and encouragement of her ministry. “We especially appreciate your committed work… You have been collaborative, creative and enthusiastic. You have strengthened the Dominican Order’s structure for justice and peace work.”

Sister Dusty spoke of some of the highlights of her experience: attending the Dominican Order’s 800th anniversary celebration in Fanjeaux, France; the Immigration Conference in Juarez, Mexico; and serving as chair of the Iraq Coordinating Committee. “It has been a privilege and honor to be able to collaborate and work with Dominicans in North America,” she said. “I’ve met Dominicans from around the world as a result of this ministry. Who could ask for more?”

Sister Dusty will continue in her ministry as vocation director for the Adrian Dominican Sisters. “I will continue to follow the events that I have a passion for—Iraq, immigration and Palestine—as a regular citizen of the U.S. There are some things you never separate from, and justice is one of them.”