Dorothy Stang, SND de Namur, Apostle of the Landless Poor

This brave woman and all like her who live among the poor people they serve, willingly to sacrifice daily even to the point of experiencing hate, abuse, torture and death, are truly witnesses of what it means to be authentically Catholic. They set the bar at the highest level. Most of us will never even attempt to cross such a hurdle but there is no excuse for each of us not to be doing something in solidarity with our brothers and sisters to improve their lives of daily struggle and survival. Dorothy Strang was where she was because of her faith and what it called her to do. She should indeed be recognized as a Martyr by the universal church and recognized as a Saint.

Thank you Fr. Martin for reminding us of the Dorothy Stangs of the Church. In contrast to  what passes for Church in the precincts of the Vatican, amid the medieval pomp and ceremony, your post sustains many us who struggle with the ongoing myopia of the boys club. The Good Shepard will watch over his sheep.

WYD 2013 will be held in Rio de Janeiro.
http://worldyouthday.com/
May Sister Dorothy and ALL who have died in the rainforest for speaking TRUTH TO POWER be remembered both now and then...

Sr. Dorothy's profound witness of the Gospel, inevitably led to conflict with the powers of the anti-reign of God. The cross is the consequence of the struggle for justice. Sr. Dorothy is only one of a large “cloud of witnesses.” who gave their lives building the reign and struggled against the anti-reign of worldly powers. She is still present to the compesinos in their hearts . Que Viva Dorothy!

Thank  you, Fr. Martin.  You are right.  This video is affecting and Sister Dorothy is a saint.  She has the right qualities - faith, courage, simplicity, and an unassuming personality. A woman for all seasons. 

Thank you, Fr. Jim.  This should be shown over and over again around the world.

     Last year I was able to see the opera ''Angel of the Amazon'' which presented the life of Sr. Dorothy Stang, SND. The presentation was put on in a Church in Boston by the Boston Metro Opera Company. Dorothy's battle was on behalf of the landless poor and cost her her life. She was killed on the orders of a wealthy landowner. 
     Last November 15th Sister Valsa John, a Sister of Charity of Jesus and Mary, was shot and killed in in the Santal tribal region in the state of Jharkhand in Northeast India. As reported in Asia News, ''''Sister Valsa created a tribal organization to stop the expropriation of land sought by the powerful coal lobbies, including helping them to obtain compensation from companies. Six years ago, one of these lobbies tried to buy out nine villages and Sister Valsa mobilized the local poor people. These coal barons lodged 33 complaints against her and her supporters, and many of them ended up in prison''. 
     These women stood tall and stood with the poor and dispossessed. We remember them. We honor them. It is important for us to commit to memory the stories of those who have gone before. Only in that way will we recognize the parallels/calls in our own time: wealthy loggers, coal barons...corporate robbers, banking fraudsters? We have not come to the shootings yet, though we have had the beatings, the pepper-spray, the kettling, the tasering, the arrests. Where would Dorothy and Valsa stand? I hear no church voices being raised. Do you? Archbishop Dolan's letter to the US Bishops and all charged with pastoral leadership calling for sermons and education regarding poverty and unemployment seems to have fallen on deaf ears.