Shalom Europe – The map of Europe indicates where our sisters in ministry in Europe.

Praying for Peace – Prayers for peace are taken very seriously by all sisters in Europe. Sisters pray daily for world peace during prayer hours, during personal prayer or while praying the rosary in common. An ecumenical prayer for peace is held regularly at the school center on Friesgasse in Vienna, Austria.

Commitment to Human Dignity – Addressing the refugee crisis was and still is a major challenge throughout Europe. The war in Ukraine has made this even more so. Hungary and Slovenia in particular are transit countries for migrants, who are often passing through to Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic. Our sisters help out where they can, always treating refugees and immigrants with respect and dignity. Many sisters spend time providing support with language learning, without which integration cannot succeed. Depending on the country of origin, this often includes an initial literacy process. In Hungary, Austria and Bavaria, refugee children have been admitted to classes set up specifically for this purpose. In Poland, Pfaffenhofen, Slavkov u Brna and in the motherhouse in Munich, Ukrainian families were taken in, thus laying the foundation for a good future in these countries. The war in Ukraine and rising inflation have led to increased levels of poverty, which has led to our sisters getting ever more creative in their efforts to help out the poor.

Caring for Our Common Home – Caring for Creation is an important matter for all our European sisters. We strive to care for creation at various levels (kindergartens, schools, retirement homes, employees), by tending gardens, providing educational programs, water and energy conservation efforts, reducing reliance on single-use plastic, buying local and in-season foods, living simply, and many other practices.  We teach our children and young people to have respect for creation. Our sisters in Slovenia received a special award for their commitment to preserving creation.