Cultural Diversity & Conflict Management Program -- 2016-2018

In fall 2015, the Design Team from different congregations and countries gathered in Le Puy to develop a curriculum for a series of five 10-day sessions for formators on Cultural Diversity and Conflict Management, a project funded by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.

“The project was developed in response to what global leaders of the Sisters of St. Joseph describe as their most pressing concern, helping new sisters incorporate into communities that are rapidly becoming more ethnically and culturally diverse,” said Sr. Patty Johnson, the Director of the US Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph and a member of the Design Team.

“In some countries, sisters are living in community with sisters who are from ethnic factions that are warring and killing each other. Modeling non-violent conflict management in their community life is both an unprecedented challenge and timely transformational opportunity.”
 
Sr. Irene O’Neill, from St Paul-Carondelet, another of the grant developers noted that “Women religious have the unique call to bridge gaps between opposing cultures.  They understand the interconnectedness of life itself.  Globalization and migration intensify this diversity among the sisters and those with whom they minister.”
 

Conrad Hilton Foundation

The Cultural Diversity program was made possible by a grant from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation of Agoura Hills, CA. The foundation is committed to funding religious organizations that work to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world. It has taken a special interest in supporting the development of Catholic sisters.

"Catholic sisters contribute to human development through their spiritual witness and service to those in need," states the foundation's website. "More than 700,000 sisters around the world educate our children, care for the vulnerable, stand with the oppressed, promote peace, and advocate for justice. Like our founder, Conrad N. Hilton, we recognize sisters as resourceful, efficient, and powerful agents of social change."
 

Countries Represented 

May 2016 – Sr. Janet Gagnon and Sr. Gloria Philip
October 2016 – Sr. Janet Gagnon, Sr. Gloria Philip, and Sr. Marie Louise Ralisoa
May 2017 – Sr. Lorraine Delaney and Sr. Elisa Zuanazzi
September 2017 – Sr. María del Pilar Sordo Linares (Pepis) and Sr. Griselda Morales
May 2018 – Sr. Gloria Philip and Sr. Elisa Zuanazzi

Sr. Griselda Martínez Morales is with the Mexico Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon. She currently serves as a theology professor at Escuela de Teología de la Conferencia de Religiosos en México (Theology School of the Religious Conference in Mexico). She is also the director of the Cultural Diversity Program. From 2009-2014, she was United Nations NGO Representative of the Congregations of St. Joseph, which represents nearly 14,000 sisters around the world. She served on the UN's Economic and Social Council in New York and lived with the Brentwood sisters. Sr. Griselda is the coordinator of all five stages of the program.



Sr. Janet A Gagnon from the Maine (USA) Province, has been a Sister of St. Joseph of the Lyon Congregation since 1954. Her ministries include: elementary school teaching, religious education in parishes as well as retreat and spiritual direction. She served as Novice Director for her province and was twice elected to the Provincial Council. She was Provincial for 6 years followed by 12 years as General Superior in Lyon, France. During that time, she served as President of the International Centre Board for 7 years and was a member of the Global Coordinating Group for 3 years. Most recently she led sessions at the International Center with Gloria Philip, the Deepening Our Global Hearts program, and she served on the team for Hilton Foundation Program in Cultural Diversity.
 

Sr. Gloria Philip has been a member of Congregation of Religious of San José de Buenos Aires in Argentina since 1971. She has worked in education and in diverse ministries in communities in both Argentina and Bolivia. She has served as Superior General. She gave programs at the International Center from 2013 to 2018. She speaks Spanish, English and understands Portuguese.




Sr. María del Pilar Sordo Linares (Pepis) is with the Mexico Province of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Lyon. She was a high school principal and professor of theology and Spanish language and literature. For 10 years she served as mistress of novices and postulants and 12 years as a member on the General Council in Lyon. For 5 years she lived in Rome where she served the Union of Superior Generals as a translator for the Spanish people. Over the past 9 years she has lived in Egypt for 6 years as a companion and a presence for the 14 Lyon sisters there. This year she will do the same work in Lebanon.






Sr. Marie Louise Ralisoa is a member of the Aoste Congregation in Italy. She is a missionary in Madagascar. She served as a leader for the October 2016 Cultural Diversity program.




 

 

 

Sr. Lorraine Marie Delaney of India entered consecrated religious life as a Sister of St. Joseph of Chambéry in 1968. She has served in the ministries of leadership at both  national and international levels. Her perseverance, dedication, commitment, and good humor led her to being elected General Superior for two terms from 1997 until 2009. She was the first Asian to hold this office. She also held the office of Provincial Superior of the Province of Nagpur in India. Later in 2020, she became the chief mission officer in Hyderabad, India, which is linked to Providence St. Joseph Health in California. 
 

Translators

             
      

Sr. Mary McGlone (US Federation--Carondelet) -- English and Spanish
Sr. Maria del Pilar (Lyon Congregation) -- French and Spanish
Sr. Elisabete Reis (Chambéry Congregation--Brazil) -- English and Portuguese
Sr. Elaine Hollis (US Federation--Rochester) -- English and Portuguese
Sr. Simone Saugues (Institut St. Joseph) -- French and English
 

Research Team

Avila University Professors Carol Coburn and Ken Parsons have been working with the sisters to design, refine and evaluate the Cultural Diversity & Conflict Management curriculum, which is part of a three-year grant funded by the  Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Carol is a professor religious studies and women's & gender studies while Ken is a professor of Philosophy and the director of the Center for Global Studies & Social Justice. Avila University in Kansas City, MO, is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.