SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS | FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
ister Joan Brown, OSF, has always had a close relationon climate, sustainability, and justice. With others, she ship with the earth—quite literally, the soil that nurtures helped form the Tierra Madre community that combined crops, which provide sustenance for many. Growing up on a owner-built housing with care for the environment. The family farm near the small town of Olpe, Kansas, Sister Joan community was based on a preferential option for the poor learned early on about the interconnectedness and sacredand the earth, and Sister Joan’s experience there led her to ness of all creation. She was raised Catholic and participated “realize on a deeper level that structural change was needed in earthy Catholic rituals such as the blessing hand in hand with direct action and service.” of the fields, Rogation Days, and prayers for Upon completing a master’s in religion rain. During these formative years, Sister Joan and cosmology from the California Institute also developed a strong sense of justice and was of Integral Studies, Sister Joan returned to keenly aware of the notion of human dignity. New Mexico—this time to Albuquerque. Her Sister Joan became an advocate for her sister, new mission was to incorporate ministry with who was born with Down syndrome, helping spirituality and care for creation in response to ensure she received an education and was to climate change. For Sister Joan, being a treated with respect. Franciscan Catholic working for peace and After attending St. Mary’s College in justice can be a challenge, in part because of Kansas and working for a time in the busithe Church’s doctrine of discovery, its role Sister Joan Brown, OSF ness world, Sister Joan moved to Colorado in colonialism, and its history of mistreating where she became involved with the Volunteers in Diocesan indigenous peoples. Action (VIDA) in Pueblo. It was here that she first met the “Being a Franciscan means that I need to be part of a Rochester Franciscan Sisters. Sister Joan recalls, “I apprecihealing in the work that we do for past harms,” Sister Joan ated their focus on spirituality, creation, social justice, and says. “It requires soul-searching about injustice, racism, and outreach to the economically poor.” In 1980, Joan joined the how to be brother and sister when historically there has community and has been an active and respected member been such harm.” since then. Sister Ramona Miller—congregational minister and president of the community—describes Sister Joan as “a CONTAGIOUS JOY AND ENERGY compass for us to know our direction in care for our comIn 2005, amid the growing climate crisis, Sister Joan joined mon home. Attuned to creation with a Franciscan heart, with people of different faith traditions to form New Mexico she has made a difference in our congregation to be more Interfaith Power and Light, an affiliate of the national conscious of our need for advocacy for the reverence of all of Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) organization. IPL’s mission creation. It was her influence that led us to build solar energy is to inspire and mobilize people of faith and conscience to panels on our property and a parking lot with no runoff due take bold and just action on climate change. The organizato the use of permeable pavers.” tion embraces and promotes a spirituality grounded in the interconnectedness of the sacred, the natural world, and WORKING FOR JUSTICE IN THE SOUTHWEST one another. Susan Stephenson, executive director of IPL, Sister Joan returned to the Southwest after completing her formation and taking her vows in Rochester, Minnesota. “The Southwest offered me the addition of diverse cultures and so many challenges that [it] took over my heart early on and has been the path of my life,” she says. Sister Joan continued her commitment in Colorado by living in community with homeless women at Peace House, engaging in justice work as part of a resistance community, and helping to supervise at a soup kitchen. She also began to understand that her work needed to be focused on direct and compassionate service and systemic change. Sister Joan spent nearly a decade in Colorado Springs engaged in peace activism and nonviolent civil disobedience. Sister Joan lived for seven years in the border town of Sister Joan Brown (right) gives a presentation on the Paris Climate Agreement Sunland Park, New Mexico, where she continued her work at a January 2016 Interfaith Power and Light event.
12 • August 2021 | StAnthonyMessenger.org
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SISTER JOAN BROWN, OSF
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A Champion of Stewardship
By Patrick Carolan
