By Ceil Roeger, OP

The month of February found the Dominican Sisters of Houston working for justice in unexpected ways. Feb. 10 found Sisters Annette Francis Marie, Lydia, Sharon, Wanda, Rosie and Ceil at Lucky Strike Bowling Lanes supporting Catholic Charities and the United Way. Sister Lydia Delgado is a social worker at Catholic Charities serving senior citizens in need of assistance. Catholic Charities is a United Way Agency, and the bowling activity was one of many fund raising events they had for the United Way. One of Lydia’s co-workers told her that a friend wanted to support the fundraiser by having Lydia invite her sisters to come out and bowl. Since most of our bowling balls rolled off the lane into the gutter, we were happy to be there to have fun and not worry about our scores. The sisters and Catholic Charities are grateful to their benefactor.

The following Thursday, Ceil and Rosie were joined by Carol, Eleanor and Maureen at the V-Day Dance in support of One Billion Women Rising sponsored by the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition (HRRC). Joining the global movement to “strike, dance, rise up and demand an end to violence and exploitation of women in all forms,” HRRC held a Sock Hop Against Violence. The evening included music from the “swing age” through today, dancing and Fair Trade treats. Getting into the “sock hop” theme of the 1950s many of the participants wore poodle skirts, pony tails and saddle oxfords.

The fun evening was not without an educational component to remind us why we were there. One in three women on the planet will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. One billion women violated is an atrocity. A video illustrating the fact ended on the positive note of women rising and standing up against the violence.