What's Happening

April 20, 2021, Adrian, Michigan – The following is a statement by the General Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters in response to the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin.

With the jury finding Derek Chauvin guilty in the murder of George Floyd, the nation takes the collective breath that Mr. Floyd was denied for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Justice has been served.

We grieve the loss of Mr. Floyd’s life and offer our prayers to his bereaved family who will continue to mourn him for the rest of their lives.

We pray for Derek Chauvin that he may come to understand the monumental consequences of his lethal actions.

We call on all Americans to join in undoing the perduring racism that for too long has imperiled the lives of our Black brothers and sisters, sickened our souls, and debased our democracy. As women of faith who believe that all people are made in the image of God, called “to love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12), we commit to doing all we can to that end.

Members of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ General Council are Sisters Patricia Siemen, OP, Prioress; Mary Margaret Pachucki, OP, Vicaress and General Councilor; Frances Nadolny, OP, Administrator and General Councilor; Patricia Harvat, OP, General Councilor; and Elise D. García, OP, General Councilor. 

The Dominican Sisters of Adrian, a Congregation of about 500 vowed women religious and more than 200 Associates, traces its roots back to St. Dominic in the 13th century. The Sisters minister in 22 states and in the Dominican Republic, Norway, and the Philippines. The Congregation’s Vision is to “seek truth, make peace, reverence life.”

April 16, 2021, Adrian, Michigan – The Leadership Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, standing with U.S. corporate leaders against restrictive voting measures, issued the following statement. 

As leaders of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, representing all regions of the United States, we join hundreds of U.S. corporate leaders in their recent “We Stand for Democracy” call to uphold the right of all U.S. citizens to vote and to oppose “any discriminatory legislation or measures that restrict or prevent any eligible voter from having an equal and fair opportunity to cast a ballot.” 

Following the passage in Georgia, along strict party lines, of legislation that restricts voter access in ways that disproportionately impact communities of color and people who are poor, similar efforts are underway in numerous other states where our Sisters and Associates live and minister, including Arizona, Florida, Texas, and Michigan. These efforts, which include 55 restrictive bills in 24 states, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice, are premised on the baseless claim of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election, which witnessed historic voter turnout. 

The right to vote of every citizen of the United States regardless of race, creed, gender, ethnicity, or income is a hard-earned protection now enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. There must be no back-tracking to Jim Crow laws aimed at limiting robust engagement by all citizens in our richly diverse multi-cultural democracy. It is a right that also expresses a fundamental tenet of our faith – our belief in the inherent dignity of every person, made in the image of God. 

The Leadership Council of the Adrian Dominican Sisters is composed of the members of the General Council, including Prioress Patricia Siemen, OP; Vicaress Mary Margaret Pachucki, OP; Administrator Frances Nadolny, OP; and Councilors Patricia Harvat, OP, and Elise D. García, OP; as well as regional leaders, including Adrian Crossroads 
Chapter Prioress Peggy Coyne, OP; Dominican Midwest Chapter Prioress Kathleen Klingen, OP; Dominican West Chapter Prioress Lorene Heck, OP; Florida Chapter Prioress Mary Ann Caulfield, OP; Great Lakes Dominican Chapter Prioress Carol Jean Kesterke, OP; Holy Rosary Chapter and Mission Prioresses Patricia Dulka, OP, and Sharon Spanbauer, OP; Our Lady of Remedies Chapter Prioress Rosita Yaya, OP; and Secretary Marie Joy Finfera, OP. The 14-member Leadership Council issued the statement during its Spring meeting, which was held virtually.