What's Happening

January 6, 2026, Adrian, Michigan – On behalf of the Adrian Dominican Sisters and Associates, and in solidarity with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in the United States and the Confederation of Latin American Religious (CLAR), the Adrian Dominican Sisters General Council issued the following statement in response to the U.S. military actions in Venezuela.

The Adrian Dominican Sisters join the U.S. Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in standing with all people whose lives are threatened by violence, war, and hatred. Rooted in our faith, we profess our unwavering belief in the dignity, value, and rights of every human person and our commitment to the sacredness of human life.

With deep concern for the people of Venezuela, we stand with LCWR in solidarity with our sisters and brothers of the Confederation of Latin American Religious (CLAR) and with the consistent teaching of the Church in opposing the use of military force as a means of resolving political and democratic crises. Violence and war do not bring peace; they deepen suffering, destabilize nations, and place the most vulnerable at greatest risk.

We affirm the power of dialogue, negotiation, and diplomacy over military action. We call upon the United States Congress to exercise its constitutional and moral responsibility to address any use of force that violates our shared commitment to protect and promote human life and the common good.

We urge the Administration and all members of Congress to cease any military involvement in Venezuela and to support international efforts that foster fair elections, a peaceful transfer of power, and conditions in which democracy can truly flourish. The people of Venezuela deserve the freedom to determine their own future without coercion, violence, or external domination.

We recognize that these same threats endanger other countries throughout Latin America, and we affirm our solidarity with all peoples whose sovereignty, dignity, and democratic aspirations are placed at risk by similar forces.

We also call upon people of faith to commit themselves to prayer for the people of Venezuela and for the discernment of global leaders, that decisions may be guided by wisdom, restraint, respect for human life, and a genuine concern for the common good.

As we are reminded in LCWR’s Response to These Times, this moment calls us to be women who remain informed, who listen deeply to all voices, and who engage in serious and prayerful discernment. We refuse to contribute to hatred, fear, division, or violence. Instead, we claim our moral authority as bearers of love and as people of hope, trusting that faithful action grounded in compassion and courage can shape a future worthy of our shared humanity.

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Members of the Adrian Dominican Sisters General Council are Sisters Elise D. García, OP, Prioress; Frances Nadolny, OP, General Councilor; Lorraine Réaume, OP, Vicaress and General Councilor; and Corinne Sanders, OP, General Councilor.