Abstract
According to Dorothy MacDougall, “the charism of charity has transcended centuries and cultures to the extent that our foundresses and Community members and lay associates have been willing to break through biases of culture to reveal God’s love to the world.” The charism requires “inclusivity, imagination, and risk.” She offers examples from the history of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Kentucky that illustrate this. For instance, the Sisters removed segregation from their hospitals before the Civil Rights era. They also opened a hospital specifically for African Americans because they were not properly served or not comfortable going elsewhere; this also gave African American doctors a place to practice. They continued to combat racism in various ways throughout the twentieth century. They also worked in India and Nepal, meeting particular needs in those places while respecting the indigenous cultures. Elsewhere in the article, MacDougall explains how “loyal dissent” from officials or from the Church is sometimes necessary for mission.
Recommended Citation
MacDougall, Dorothy S.C.
(1997)
"The Charism of Charity Transcending Centuries and Cultures,"
Vincentian Heritage Journal: Vol. 18:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
Available at:
https://via.library.depaul.edu/vhj/vol18/iss2/2