Acting for Justice and Tinga Tostadas

When season two of Fuel the Body, Fuel the Soul started on October 10th, Sister Rosario Bobadilla, CSJ showed participants her recipe for Tinga tostadas. Following the recipe, Sister Barbara Moore, CSJ gave a presentation entitled, “Blessed are those who act justly.” Find the Tinga tostada recipe and a recording of Sister Barbara’s presentation below!

Fuel the Body, Fuel the Soul is a monthly series held on Zoom. Each session features an introduction to a healthy recipe presented by a sister, a presentation focusing on a spiritual topic and discussion and prayer with a community of women from around the country. There is no cost to attend. Join us for our next meeting!

Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 10 tostadas
• 3 chicken breasts
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 1 can chipotle peppers
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of black pepper
• Sour cream

Directions: Boil and shred the chicken breasts. Blend chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic and cumin together into a sauce. Sauté diced onions in oil until caramelized. Add shredded chicken to the onions and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Add chipotle pepper and tomato sauce to the chicken and onions. Mix and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve on a tostada with sour cream and enjoy!

Mission is at the heart of who we are as Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. We are called to carry out the social mission of the church and gospel, always continuing the mission of unity and reconciliation. This is a regular practice no matter our age or circumstances. We need to have knowledge and an informed conscience to act and or take a public stand on matters of justice.

We live in an evolving and interconnected world. As our awareness evolves, so will our views, including our theology. Our world is full of potential and pitfalls. We can allow love and grace to flow through us to promote justice, peace and the common good, “justice being the ethical, philosophical idea that people are to be treated impartially, fairly, properly, and reasonably by the law and by arbiters of the law; that laws are to ensure that no harm befalls another, and that where harm is alleged, a remedial action is taken.”

We recognize the dignity of every person and that human beings are made in the image and likeness of God. I believe that our continuing challenges include promotion and inclusivity. We are encouraged to recognize and acknowledge contributions of persons whatever their ethnicity, race, or nationality. We are not to be dismissive of anyone because of ignorance, labels and rash judgements.

Responsibility for continuing the mission of Jesus exists at every level of society for Christians, and certainly as associates and Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. I believe one of our continuing challenges is evidence of how we include, promote the richness of cultural, racial, and/or ethnic diversity in our sponsored institutions, on our boards of directors, and the organizations to which we belong. Loving our neighbors as we love ourselves is rooted in the character and nature of God. We need not be dismissive of anyone because of ignorance, rash judgements and labels.

Our world is full of potential and pitfalls. We can allow love and grace to flow through us to promote justice, peace and the common good. Start where you are: assist, affirm, listen, support, challenge, mentor. Rendering impartiality and proportionality to everyone in accord with the righteous standard of God’s moral law.

I purposely end with an example of my own experience. Cardinal Ritter desegregated the Catholic schools in St. Louis before our government regulations. I attended public grade school, became a convert in eighth grade and then attended an all-girls’ Catholic high school where two religious groups of women ministered—one being the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. There were few “students of color” enrolled.

There was the practice of recognizing the student with the highest average in each homeroom to wear a ribbon indicating this for a week. There were three or four of us African American students in this freshman homeroom. When the student in my homeroom was announced with her grade average, one of the African American students literally took my report card and calculated my average. My average was higher than the student acknowledged. We went to the principal’s office with the information—quite an embarrassment for all. The homeroom sister admitted not even checking my card and admitted, “I had no idea!”

However, I had the same homeroom teacher in my senior year. She was the one who asked if I had ever considered being a sister, I responded that I had. Her invitation began my journey to becoming a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the first African American to enter the community. This was 1955, so wonders never cease.

God acts in strange and mysterious ways and certainly continues to act in and through us. The challenge is to continue to be open to God’s call and listen intently.

God bless you all!