February 3, 2025
Statement of Solidarity from Kentucky Catholic Sisters

As communities of Catholic Sisters who have dedicated themselves to serving marginalized communities, we stand firmly with the Kentucky and Tennessee Bishops in their statement of support for immigrant families. Since the founding of our congregations—the Dominican Sisters of Peace (formerly the Dominican Sisters of St. Catharine) (1822), the Sisters of Loretto/Loretto Community (1812), the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (1812) and the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville (1858), we have been committed to supporting immigrants and refugees.

We have personally witnessed the transformative power of welcoming the stranger. Through our varied ministries, we have dedicated significant resources to serving immigrants, recognizing that migration is not just a policy issue, but a deeply human experience of hope, survival, and dignity. Each of us must ask ourselves, “Who are my neighbors and what can I do for them?” and “How can I accompany them?”

In their letter, the Bishops stated, “The Church in the United States has long advocated for comprehensive immigration reform that includes pathways to citizenship, family reunification, and protections for those fleeing persecution. It emphasizes the need for just and humane treatment of all migrants, including access to legal protections, and due process. The Church recognizes that basic human rights are based on the dignity of being created in the image and likeness of God.”

We believe that every migrant is a cherished human being created in God’s image. We affirm the Church’s nuanced position—acknowledging both the individual’s right to migrate and a nation’s responsibility to manage borders—while emphasizing that human dignity must always be the paramount consideration.

In sisterhood and faith,

Dominican Sisters of Peace Leadership
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Sisters of Loretto/Loretto Community
Ursuline Sisters of Louisville