Dorothy Hennessey
Encyclopedia
Sister Dorothy Marie Hennessey, O.S.F., (March 24, 1913 – January 24, 2008) was a Roman Catholic Franciscan
Sister and activist. Hennessey was born in Manchester, Iowa
. The 13 Hennessey siblings — Dorothy Marie Hennessey was the eldest — grew up on an Iowa farm. She was 19 years older than her younger, natural sister, Sister Gwen Hennessey
, who is a Dominican
Sister.
Hennessey was drawn to the Peace and Justice movement and the School of the Americas Watch
by her brother, the Rev. Ron Hennessey
, M.M.
, a missionary
in Latin America
from 1964 until his death in 1999. Her brother wrote letters to his family describing his life in Guatemala and El Salvador. In the 1980s, his letters recounted how Mayan Indians in his parish were being terrorized and killed by Guatemalan military squads. Father Ron later befriended Archbishop
Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador
, and when the Archbishop was assassinated, Father Ron wrote of his funeral in the Cathedral when the Salvadoran military fired on the mourners.
Sister Dorothy Marie's views began to shift to a view more critical of her government's policies in Latin America. This stand became more public when she agreed to participate in the "Peace Walk across the United States" in her 70s to protest the U.S. Cold War
buildup in that region. She was most widely known for protests at Fort Benning, Georgia, home of the Army
's School of the Americas, a facility for training Latin American soldiers. Hennessey believed that the School of the Americas teaches torture
techniques to Latin American soldiers, and that graduates of the program have been involved in atrocities, including the 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests and two women
in El Salvador
. The school denies these claims and argues that it helps to spread democracy in Latin America.
Sister Dorothy, along with Sister Gwen
, was arrested and convicted to six months in federal jail for their protest in 2001. She was 88 years old at the time.
In 2002, Dorothy and Gwen Hennessey were jointly awarded the Pacem in Terris Award
. It is named after a 1963 encyclical
letter by Pope John XXIII
that calls upon all people of good will to secure peace among all nations. Pacem in Terris
is Latin
for 'Peace on Earth.'
Sister Dorothy died on January 24, 2008, aged 94. At the time of her death she resided at a Dubuque, Iowa
, retirement home of her religious congregation.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
Sister and activist. Hennessey was born in Manchester, Iowa
Manchester, Iowa
Manchester is a city in Delaware County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,257 at the 2000 census. As of the 2005 population estimates, Manchester's population was 5,052...
. The 13 Hennessey siblings — Dorothy Marie Hennessey was the eldest — grew up on an Iowa farm. She was 19 years older than her younger, natural sister, Sister Gwen Hennessey
Gwen Hennessey
Sister Gwen Hennessey, O.P., is a Roman Catholic Dominican Sister and activist. She was born on a farm in Buchanan County, Iowa, the thirteenth child of Anna Killias Hennessey and Maurice Hennessey...
, who is a Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Sister.
Hennessey was drawn to the Peace and Justice movement and the School of the Americas Watch
School of the Americas Watch
School of the Americas Watch is an advocacy organization founded by Maryknoll Father Roy Bourgeois and a small group of supporters in 1990 to protest the training of mainly Latin American military officers, by the United States Department of Defense, at the School of the Americas...
by her brother, the Rev. Ron Hennessey
Ron Hennessey
Father Ron Hennessey was a Roman Catholic priest and missionary. He worked in Central America for thirty-five years and was a witness to State terror against civilians where he served in Guatemala and El Salvador...
, M.M.
Maryknoll
Maryknoll is a name shared by three organizations that are part of the Roman Catholic Church and whose joint focus is on the overseas mission activity of the Catholic Church in the United States...
, a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
from 1964 until his death in 1999. Her brother wrote letters to his family describing his life in Guatemala and El Salvador. In the 1980s, his letters recounted how Mayan Indians in his parish were being terrorized and killed by Guatemalan military squads. Father Ron later befriended Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Oscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, and when the Archbishop was assassinated, Father Ron wrote of his funeral in the Cathedral when the Salvadoran military fired on the mourners.
Sister Dorothy Marie's views began to shift to a view more critical of her government's policies in Latin America. This stand became more public when she agreed to participate in the "Peace Walk across the United States" in her 70s to protest the U.S. Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
buildup in that region. She was most widely known for protests at Fort Benning, Georgia, home of the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
's School of the Americas, a facility for training Latin American soldiers. Hennessey believed that the School of the Americas teaches torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
techniques to Latin American soldiers, and that graduates of the program have been involved in atrocities, including the 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests and two women
Murdered scholars of UCA
The massacre of six Jesuit scholars/priests, their housekeeper and her daughter took place on November 16, 1989, at the campus of Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas" in San Salvador, El Salvador. The tragic event is commemorated each November 15-16th at UCA, with a demonstration, as...
in El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. The school denies these claims and argues that it helps to spread democracy in Latin America.
Sister Dorothy, along with Sister Gwen
Gwen Hennessey
Sister Gwen Hennessey, O.P., is a Roman Catholic Dominican Sister and activist. She was born on a farm in Buchanan County, Iowa, the thirteenth child of Anna Killias Hennessey and Maurice Hennessey...
, was arrested and convicted to six months in federal jail for their protest in 2001. She was 88 years old at the time.
In 2002, Dorothy and Gwen Hennessey were jointly awarded the Pacem in Terris Award
Pacem in Terris Award
The Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award is a Catholic peace award which has been given annually since 1964, in commemoration of the 1963 encyclical letter "Pacem in Terris" of Pope John XXIII...
. It is named after a 1963 encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
letter by Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
that calls upon all people of good will to secure peace among all nations. Pacem in Terris
Pacem in Terris
Pacem in Terris was a papal encyclical issued by Pope John XXIII on 11 April 1963. It was the last encyclical drafted by John XXIII, who died from cancer two months after its completion ....
is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for 'Peace on Earth.'
Sister Dorothy died on January 24, 2008, aged 94. At the time of her death she resided at a Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, retirement home of her religious congregation.