Welcoming the Stranger: A Morning of Study, Reflection, and Shared Responsibility

By Renee Smith

As part of our Catholic Schools Week celebration, PSO Friends of the Atrium welcomed Dominican Sisters Maureen O’Connell and Carol Mayes for a thoughtful morning of study and reflection on the theme Welcoming the Stranger. Over breakfast and coffee, parents and community members discussed principles of Catholic social teaching, using immigration as a lens to explore human dignity, community, and our shared responsibility to one another—values that resonate across faith traditions and lived experience.

Catholic Social Teaching as a Lived Moral Framework

Drawing on decades of work in social services, ministry, and advocacy, Sr. Maureen invited participants to see Catholic social teaching as a lived moral framework that underpins both our faith and our shared humanity. Trained as a social worker, Sr. Maureen shared that these principles have guided her professional and spiritual life for decades, from her 13-year career as a Chicago police officer before becoming a Dominican Sister, to her recent service as Director of Social Concerns for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

At its foundation, she emphasized, Catholic social teaching begins with the dignity of the human person. Shared dignity enlivens the interconnected principles of solidarity, care for the vulnerable, the dignity of work, and stewardship of creation—values that must be held together as a unified whole, not selectively embraced. These principles represent a substantive overlap in St. Catherine’s Catholic and Montessori mission.

Sr. Maureen noted that while these teachings are rooted in Catholic tradition, they are also universal. Echoing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights embraced by the United Nations in 1948, these shared human values transcend borders, cultures, and denominations. Catholic social teaching, she suggested, helps us remain grounded in our identity as members of one human family.

Immigration, Fear, and the Call to Compassion

Using immigration as a focal point, Sr. Maureen spoke candidly about the fear and instability many families are experiencing today. She reminded the group that Catholic social teaching affirms both rights and responsibilities—including the right to migrate when one’s life, family, or livelihood is threatened. “No one should have to migrate,” she noted, “but when people do, they migrate for a good reason.”

Through stories drawn from her work and recent court observations, she illuminated the human cost behind the headlines: parents afraid to leave their homes, children navigating uncertainty, and families separated despite years of contributing to their communities. These realities, she explained, are not abstract debates but lived experiences that call for moral clarity and compassionate response.

At the same time, Sr. Maureen acknowledged the tension parents feel as they strive to create stability and normalcy for their own children while recognizing the suffering that surrounds them. Catholic social teaching, she suggested, offers a way to hold both truths—grounding children in safety and love while cultivating awareness, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for others.

Solidarity and Hope

Throughout the morning, Sr. Maureen returned to the theme of solidarity: the recognition that we are bound to one another, locally and globally. She encouraged participants to ask not only what is happening in the world, but “What is my piece?” She affirmed that each person, family, and community can respond in meaningful, grounded ways.

Hope, she shared, is an active choice, renewed daily. Hope is sustained through prayer, honest emotion (even anger), and a clear focus on what we believe to be true: that every person has the right to life, dignity, and humane treatment. From simple acts of solidarity to educating ourselves and our children, everyday choices become expressions of faith in action.

Honoring the Holiness of Parenthood

As Sr. Maureen departed for another commitment, Sr. Carol offered a closing reflection that resonated deeply with those gathered. With warmth and humor, she affirmed the sacredness of ordinary family life. “People say nuns and priests are the ‘holy ones,’” she said. “No, no, no. What you do—what parents do—is holy.”

She reminded parents that the daily work of caring for children, navigating chaos, and forming young hearts is a profound spiritual vocation. In honoring that work, the morning came full circle—connecting Catholic social teaching beyond global concerns to the lived realities of families and classrooms.

A Dominican Witness in Our Community

It was a gift to gather with Sisters from St. Catherine’s founding order to deepen our understanding of the Dominican call to study, prayer, and action in service of truth and justice. Their witness reminds us that learning, reflection, and courageous compassion remain essential to forming children (and adults) who are prepared to live with integrity, empathy, and hope in an ever-changing world.