From their very earliest days, the members of the Dominican Sisters of Peace were immigrants serving immigrants. Mother Mary John Flanagan, a Cabra Dominican nun from Dublin, came with six other Irish sisters to found a school for immigrant children in New Orleans. She also founded the Sisters of St. Mary’s, later part of the Dominican Sisters of Peace. Our other founded Congregation in New Orleans, the Eucharistic Missionaries of St. Dominic, helped teach and evangelize immigrants in Arizona.

Sisters ministering in China, Vietnam, and South America throughout the twentieth century welcomed Sisters from those nations to our congregation, creating what is today a multi-cultural foundation of Sisters from eight nations.

We recognize the value of each person to the Church and to the glory of God. In the words of the apostle Paul,

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Immigration Reform: Ratified 2011

We, Dominican Sisters of Peace, claiming our mission to preach Truth, stand in support of human rights for immigrants. Aligned with our third Chapter Commitment, we “Promote justice through solidarity with those who are marginalized, especially women and children, and work with others to identify and transform oppressive systems.” The current immigration system is so broken that it denies immigrants basic human and civil rights. We call for comprehensive immigration reform that would provide additional and viable legal avenues for immigration, reunite and legalize undocumented persons and establish opportunities for permanent residency.

Click here to see more about how our ministries around the world support our commitment to immigrants, women, and children.