Sister Helen with Dobie Gillis Williams whom she accompanied to his execution
"Love is the ultimate force that makes for the saving choice of life and good against the damning choice of death and evil. Therefore the first hope in our inventory must be the hope that love is going to have the last word." from the end of King's 'Beyond Vietnam' Speech.
"When I see something that's not right, I can't say I'm neutral, I've gotta take a stand...if we're not raising our voices against injustice, we're part of it."
Sister Helen Prejean at Mars Hill College, April 03, 2008
"I watch what I do to see what I really believe.
Belief and faith are not just words. It’s one thing for me to say I’m a Christian, but I have to embody what it means; I have to live it." From a recent essay and speech by Sister Helen.
Yesterday at Mars Hill College Sister Helen spoke as eloquently as ever or more so. The lighting made me think at first, Sister had dyed her hair but as she moved in her animated, passionate way, I could see her silver hair. Still, she doesn't seem to age in any way visible. There were a few bored-looking students nearby at first. One was apparently sleeping. Yet as Sister got into her true and personal stories--and WHAT a Story-Teller she is-- she had them all in the palm of her hand.
Here are a few excerpts from her talk last night and there are more excerpts below. She gave me permission to pull excerpts and put them here in honor of the
40th anniversary of King's assassination.
..(there's so much going on) we don't know where to put our hands on the rope...you gotta put faces on people.
Quotes William Faulkner "The only thing worth writing about is the human heart in conflict with itself." We gotta see things from all sides.
I believe we get God's grace when we need it, not ahead of time.
The following is from Sister Helen's book
-The Death of Innocents- about two men she believes were innocent whom she accompanied to death row.
Now, waiting here in the death house, I pray. No, God, not Dobie. I've been visiting him for eight years...He has a slight build, keeps his hair cropped close, and wears big glasses, which he says gives him an intellectual look...
Go to Sister Helen's website for more
http://www.prejean.org
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