Yesterday we remembered some important teachings from Oscar Romero, who died a martyr in the struggle for justice in his country of El Salvador, gunned down while celebrating Mass.  He has been declared a saint by Pope Francis.

The martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero became a saint in a ceremony at the Vatican on October 14, 2018, and is a patron of Caritas Internationalis.

Another American who died a martyr in our time for causes of love and justice, the environment and the poor is Sister Dorothy Stang.  The day of her martyrdom was February 12, 2005 and there is a gathering planned for February 11 on Zoom and/or in person at Belmont College which her Sisters of Notre Dame operate.  Learn more HERE.

She attended our Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality and came to love Hildegard of Bingen and other creation mystics and activists.  Like Oscar Romero, she too knew she was a target for powerful interests–powers trying to exploit the Amazon, the forest and its peoples.  Forces like those that thrived under the recently defeated Bolsonero regime in Brazil which did so much damage to the indigenous peoples of the Amazon, who tore vast amounts of rainforest down in order to grow cattle and make fast bucks.

Sister Dorothy Stang Memorial. photo by Roberto de Vasconcelos on WikiMedia Commons.

The threats against her life did not deter Sister Dot and she went about her work supporting the peasant farmers and those defending the forest. 

One day, while walking alone down a dirt path in the forest, two hired assassins intercepted her.  She had just enough time to pull out her Bible and read the Beatitudes to them before they gunned her down on the spot.

Like Romero, she lived and died by the love Jesus had preached: “No greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  Sister  Dorothy’s friends included the peasant farmers and their families with whom she constructed schools for their children as well as the forest itself and Mother Earth.

Shortly before her death she wrote a letter to the two foundresses of her order which included this passage: 

“They Killed Sister Dorothy.” Trailer of the documentary covering the trial of Sister Dorothy’s assassins and the issues behind her martyrdom. First Run Features. NOTE: This video may take some time to load.

Our mission is to be at the side of the people makes it urgent, as never before, to live the challenges of the Gospel and together enter into the third millennium with plans for an alternative society that gives LIFE….May many courageous people join us.  I ask that God deepen my faith so that I not lose my enthusiasm for the struggle of the people.

She reported to authorities (who rarely did anything) names of loggers who were devastating the forest illegally and treating their workers like slaves.  She testified before the State Senate: “Have you ever heard a monkey sobbing in pain as his trees are being burned?”*

This too is love.  This too is non-dualism.


*Roseanne Murphy, Martyr of the Amazon: The Life of Sister Dorothy Stang, pp. 114, 116.

Adapted from Matthew Fox, Confessions: The Making of a Postdenominational Priest (2015 edition), pp. 341-343, 433, 448.

To read the transcript of Matthew Fox’s video teaching, click HERE.

Banner Image: Deforestation for cattle pasture, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Photo by Icaro Cooke Vieira for CIFOR on Flickr.

Queries for Contemplation

Have you ever heard a monkey sobbing in pain as his trees are being burned?  Is eating hamburgers and steak worth destroying the Amazon rainforest?  What lessons do Sister Dorothy’s life and death teach you?

Recommended Reading

Confessions: The Making of a Post-Denominational Priest (Revised/Updated Edition)

Matthew Fox’s stirring autobiography, Confessions, reveals his personal, intellectual, and spiritual journey from altar boy, to Dominican priest, to his eventual break with the Vatican. Five new chapters in this revised and updated edition bring added perspective in light of the author’s continued journey, and his reflections on the current changes taking place in church, society and the environment.
“The unfolding story of this irrepressible spiritual revolutionary enlivens the mind and emboldens the heart — must reading for anyone interested in courage, creativity, and the future of religion.”
—Joanna Macy, author of World as Lover, World as Self


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13 thoughts on “Speaking of Love, continued: Sister Dorothy Stang”

  1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
    Richard Reich-Kuykendall

    Matthew, Today you write: “Yesterday we remembered some important teachings from Oscar Romero, who died a martyr in the struggle for justice in his country of El Salvador… Another American who died a martyr in our time for causes of love and justice, the environment and the poor is Sister Dorothy Stang. Then you tell us that “She attended our Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality and came to love Hildegard of Bingen and other creation mystics and activists. Sister Stang went about her work supporting the peasant farmers and those defending the rainforest. “But then one day, while walking alone down a dirt path in the forest, two hired assassins intercepted her. She had just enough time to pull out her Bible and read the Beatitudes to them before they gunned her down on the spot.” And you liken this gesture to what both she and Romero lived by, and that was Jesus’ words: “No greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” When you ask us: “Is eating hamburgers and steak worth destroying the Amazon rainforest?” I say of course not, but sad to say, it seems that most people just don’t care enough to give beef up…

  2. Do we use the web, the internet to communicate, self-publish and stay in touch? Yes, we do. Do some use the internet to seed false news, create divisiveness, and for greed. Yes, some do. Do we stop using the web, the internet as a result. No. Should we? No.

    I watched a YouTube video yesterday that my daughter recommended. Search ‘Matias De Stefano’ In the video Matias discusses the morality of a people that live in an environment that can grow crops and they do not eat meat. They drink milk from the cow they accept as sacred. Another culture of ‘peoples’ live separately on a rocky mountain without ground capable of growing crops to sustainably feed themselves. For basic survival they raise cattle and eat the meat for survival. Both groups have acceptable ways of living in their respective cultures. When the cultures eventually meet, the one culture that views the cow to be sacred looks to impose their morality on the mountaintop culture and war / oppression begins to take place.

    Do we have a higher morality that allows us to tell others what they can eat? — BB

    1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
      Richard Reich-Kuykendall

      Bill, You raise the question today: “Do we have a higher morality that allows us to tell others what they can eat?” The answer is no. In fact, among Tibetan Buddhists , because of where they live and where it is hard to grow crops, they eat meat even though Buddhists are often Vegetarians. How could the Innuits or Eskimos survive without meat. This being said, those of us who live in places where we do not have to depend on meat to sustain us, we should not eat meat in view of evo and animal justice in our current world situation.

  3. Thank You, Matthew Fox for being an open loving channel of the Good News.
    There is no other work more important then bringing our whole selves to
    this world. God Bless You Dear Matthew

  4. There has always been so much suffering and injustices/violence in human history up to the present day, that it breaks your heart even to begin to reflect on it… Fortunately, there continue to be social justice/peace workers, humanitarians, saints, mystics, prophets, common good people, lightworkers… who have kept God’s Spirit of Love~Wisdom~Truth~Peace~Justice~Healing~Transformation~Creativity~Beauty~Joy~Compassionate Service~Oneness… Alive not only in their hearts/actions, but to remind and inspire us to continue having faith/belief that that same Divine Spirit of Love~Wisdom… is Alive and Present in our own hearts~souls on our daily spiritual journeys with one another in our beautiful Sacred Mother Nature/Earth, and mysteriously within our sacred multidimensional-multiverse Cosmos of ongoing co-Creation~Evolution in Loving Diverse Oneness….
    🔥💜🌎🙏

  5. Yesterday I commented about being a Saint in the making. Yes, I choose to put myself at risk when the pandemic first arrived, knowing that the place I worked in was one of high risk. Yes, I was afraid, however the indwelling presence and essence of love, compassion and mercy was stronger. Did I view myself as a hero… no. Did I see myself as a Saint… no. Did I eventually get Covid… yes. Did I find courage to stand up against injustices taking place not only during this pandemic… yes, I became a truth teller, lending my voice and telling my stories that I had been experiencing for years.

    I share this honestly, without pride, knowing full well the little acts of love, compassion and mercy that I have chosen, are small, in the light of such souls as Oscar and Dorothy, whom have truly laid down their lives for the sake of others and the all and the everything of creation.

    This isn’t a comparison, but rather its an acknowledgement, of those whom truly are Saints… that have faced far greater dangers, without fear, than I ever will. Both Oscar and Dorothy embodied the true meaning of “Perfect love casts out all fear,” radiating an amazing measure of faith, hope and trust in the Spirit of unconditional love, compassion and mercy, which I can only aspire to… as a little lit taper and unsung saint in the making. Yet I also know that when many little lit tapers come together as One, a greater measure of love, compassion and mercy shines forth too.

    1. Richard Reich-Kuykendall
      Richard Reich-Kuykendall

      Jeanette, Today you leave us with beautiful words which are: “an acknowledgement, of those whom truly are Saints… that have faced far greater dangers, without fear, than I ever will. Both Oscar and Dorothy embodied the true meaning of ‘Perfect love casts out all fear…’”

  6. I have been so touched during my morning prayer by these beautiful saints, Dorothy and Oscar. I am so hoping you will send us the link to be present out here in cold Minnesota with the Zoom on February 11.
    Thank you so much.
    S. Kathleen Fernholz SSND
    erfarm@hotmail.com

  7. Matthew, i have a request:
    On Jan 30, Happy (Belated) Feast Day of Thomas Aquinas reflection there was not an option to print the transcript and i and probably others would value it; so would you please forward it to me. Thank you in advance. jeremiah

    1. Phila Hoopes

      Hello Jeremiah,
      Thank you for asking…somehow our team missed doing this transcript, but it is done and uploaded now. If you go back to the post you will see it. Our apologies!
      Appreciation,
      Phila Hoopes
      Blog Coordinator

  8. From ACT II, SCENE 2, “This One Wild and Precious Life.” Sister Monica is based on Sister Dorothy and her work. KELLSI is a young aid worker)

    (Sounds/projections of rainforest birds and sounds.)

    SISTER CATHERINE
    Sister Monica died doing what she wanted to do. We need not grieve, though of course we do. Her work goes on. We see Christ broken and bleeding all around us in the faces of those she loved. None of us ask for death, but we have been asked to give our lives, if asked, for our brothers and sisters. Because when we see the marginalized, we see Christ. “Truly, I tell you, inasmuch as you have done this to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me.” These elements are the body of Christ. We need not have bread and wine. The cocoa and the coffee too are Christ’s body and blood, because they are the fruits of the Earth and our labor. May we remember Sister Monica as we remember the Christ and receive these elements. (picking up plate) Este chocolate é meu corpo quebrado por você. (KELLSI takes a piece, SISTER picks up the cup) café é meu sangue derramado por você.
    .
    (KELLSI takes cup, prayerfully takes a sip, then awkwardly crosses herself and exits.)

    (End of scene.)

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