STATEMENT ON CHAUVIN GUILTY VERDICT

Statement of the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell on the Chauvin Guilty Verdict:

The Dominican Sisters of Caldwell stand with the family of George Floyd, the people of Minneapolis/St. Paul, and all citizens of the world who seek justice for all.

We thank God for the rendering of justice in the recent trial and conviction of Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd, which drew the world’s attention to police brutality and racially-charged violence across the United States and the world. This verdict signifies progress within the judicial process and offers hope for those whose cries for justice are often ignored.

We mourn the death of Mr. Floyd and pray for him and his grieving family whose sorrow will be forever with them.

We pray that Derek Chauvin will make an honest evaluation of the consequences of his actions and come to a greater respect for all human life.

We pray that all people may come to know the sacredness and value of every person’s life.

Social injustices continue to exist, and the nation remains deeply divided on how to right those wrongs and drive meaningful, deliberate change. Healing and change can occur when we come together, have often-difficult conversations about the issues, and take action to address systemic racism in our society.

As affirmed by our 2020 Chapter Statement on Racism, “We, as Dominican Sisters pledge ourselves to work diligently toward systemic change to ensure the demise of racism in our society. We further affirm that Black Lives Matter and is a paramount pro-life concern because racism is an affront to the sanctity and human dignity of life.”