January 28, 2003

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500 

Dear President Bush:

We as women religious are living with you these times that challenge our courage and our hope.  We believe that we are part of a world community and all people are our brothers and sisters.  We believe, with the founders of our country, the value that you affirmed on January 19, 2003:  “Every human being is endowed with certain unalienable [sic] rights, the most important being the right to life until its natural end.”  We believe that war is not the way to peace; war is the ultimate terrorism that destroys the human family. 

We ask you to continue to work with the United Nations and the world community to resolve the current crisis in Iraq without war.  As women religious who have embraced the Gospel of Jesus, we ask you to use your leadership in the world community to pursue peace rather than war.

Sincerely,

Sister Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM
President, Leadership Conference of Women Religious
 
 

January 28, 2003

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500 

Dear President Bush:

We, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious of the United States, are deeply saddened that our country has made a preemptive strike against the people of Iraq.

We grieve the senseless loss of life of Iraqi citizens and of our own young men and women in military service.

We are ashamed that our country has ignored the pleas of our world neighbors

                  - To let the UN inspections work
                  - To find a diplomatic solution to this conflict
                  - To exercise the restraint appropriate to a great nation

We believe that this act of aggression violates our national soul and betrays our cherished foundational values.  By this unprovoked attack, we deprive the citizens of Iraq of their rights to self-determination, and to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

We share the sentiments expressed by President Jimmy Carter when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize:

                 War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, 
                   it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together 
                   in peace by killing each other's children. …We can choose to work 
                   together for peace. We can, … and we must.

We beg you as a person of faith to immediately cease all US aggression against the people of Iraq.

Sincerely,

Sister Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM
President, Leadership Conference of Women Religious