Charter for Compassion | Sisters of the Divine Compassion

The Divine Compassion Community is also a member of the Charter for Compassion. Created in 2008 by religious historian, scholar and best-selling author, Karen Armstrong, the Charter for Compassion is a global, cooperative effort to restore not only compassionate thinking but, more importantly, compassionate action to the center of religious, moral and political life. Over 2 million people worldwide have signed the Charter. Grounded in a self-organizing structure of best practices, the Charter for Compassion organization engages individuals and communities in collaborative partnerships in compassion.

The Sisters, Associates and Companions of the Divine Compassion affirmed the exploration of Charter for Compassion in 2020, and began to organize internally to develop a local initiative. In 2022, a Collaboration for Compassion (CfC) Advisory Committee?, including Sisters, Associates, Companions and Alumnae, was established, and early research about establishing a Community of Compassion pilot program in White Plains began.

During the past year, members of the CfC Advisory Committee have met with government officials, nonprofit and membership organizations, corporate citizens and more to:

Identify “discomforts” in the White Plains community—those issues that are causing pain and suffering to individuals or groups or the entire community—which can be addressed and relieved through compassionate action.
Find out what is already being done, or has been done, to address the most challenging issues in White Plains, and learn what has worked and not worked, and, recognize and acknowledge those successes.
Invite people to join us in creating a Community of Compassion in order to give voice and services to people in need in White Plains.

We learned that homelessness is one of the top three issues of concern in White Plains. The Mayor’s office recommended that a Community of Compassion in White Plains should focus on giving voice and, ultimately, collaborative and comprehensive services to the homeless in the White Plains community. We will be meeting with several organizations in December 2023 to discuss the development of a Community of Compassion in White Plains, and will provide an update on our progress early in 2024.

Individuals, families and all organizations can join the Charter easily. The website has so many resources for you to check out. Learn more at https://charterforcompassion.org/

Commitment Statements to the Charter of Compassion

What follows are the commitment statements of the ADCs, CDCs and RDCs.

In joining the Charter of Compassion the Associates of the Divine Compassion accept the invitation to seek justice, equity and respect for every human being. We want to witness God’s compassionate presence in our world.

We recognize that compassion, kindness and mercy can restore a world separated by division, selfishness and misery. We want to be more aware to the signs of the times.

We commit to being people of hope using our God given talents to shed light on a world in need of compassion. We open our eyes and hearts to see the suffering of others and not hesitate to embrace them.

As Companions in the community of the Divine Compassion, we join the Charter of Compassion with open hearts.We commit to being compassionate to ourselves, accepting that we are not perfect and forgiving ourselves for our mistakes knowing that if compassion does not include ourselves, then it is incomplete.

We commit to creating a space where the uniqueness of each person, without exception, is celebrated and where each person is treated with absolute justice, equity and respect.

We acknowledge our interdependence with each other, and the earth and we commit to living simply, and to using our natural resources sparingly hoping that our global home will be healed.

We commit to journeying together empowered by the love of God sustaining and creating communities of compassion.

In joining the Charter of Compassion community we Sisters seek to deepen our vowed life together and our efforts to be Divine Compassion for the world.

We commit to pouring ourselves out upon humankind, upon all creation, retaining nothing. Creating God refreshes our spirit.

We commit to right relationship by embracing the darkness and light of ourselves and each person. Creating God shows us our oneness.

We commit to listening deeply to all people and to our own heart’s voices; we further commit to speaking what is needed to bring universal justice. Creating God leads us to communion.