Interculturality as our Salvatorian DNA

“How do we deal with the misunderstandings and prejudices that arise in our common life?” This was the opening inquiry of our recent online formation, a journey that led us from the practicalities of community living to the very roots of our Salvatorian identity. In a world often divided by nationalistic boundaries, we are called to a different way of being: an interculturality rooted in the Gospel and the visionary courage of our Founders.

The Sacred Task of Overcoming Prejudice: The dialogue began with a reflection on the “second column” of our shared experiences—the space where we confront the shadows of aggression, insecurity, and judgment. We recognized that to move toward a genuine “culture of encounter,” we must cultivate a specific set of spiritual attitudes:

• Acceptance and Appreciation: Viewing cultural differences not as obstacles, but as a garden of diversity.
• The Humility of Equality: Remembering we are children of the same God, which allows us to listen without judging and to separate ourselves from the anger of others.
• Inner Freedom: Understanding that gossip and assumptions often spring from insecurity. To overcome them, we seek a “great inner freedom” that allows for deep, transformative dialogue.

If we look back to the 19th century, to the era of the Kulturkampf (Culture Struggle). It was within this period of intense social and ecclesiastical tension that Father Francis Jordan and Mother Mary of the Apostles received the inspiration for our Society. Even though the word “culture” does not appear in Father Jordan’s early writings, his life was a testament to apostolic universality. His gift for languages and his insistence on the “Festival of Languages” in 1889 were prophetic acts. He refused to allow the Salvatorian mission to be narrowed by national interests. In our “Salvatorian DNA,” we carry this mark of inclusion: All peoples, all nations, all races, all tribes.

Our Universal Mandate: Our charism is not a static definition but an “ever-overflowing source of meaning.” Guided by the insights of the late Sister Carol Terstriep, we reaffirmed our identity through four pillars of the Word:

John 17:3: Knowing the one true God through experience and witness.

Mark 16:15: The universal mission to preach to every creature.

Matthew 28:19-20: Involving others and forming disciples across all nations.

Daniel 12:3: Committing ourselves to interior formation and justice.

As apostolic women, our consecration is ultimately a vow of freedom—freedom to serve. To be a “universal sister,” we must continually ask the Lord: “From what limitations or prejudices do I need You to free me?” This is not just a skill, but a prophetic way of life. It is the realization that we are always “Being Salvatorian”—a dynamic, ongoing process of construction.

Let us look to Jesus, the Master of Dialogue. Whether speaking with Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, or the sick and the poor, Jesus looked beyond appearances to the heart. Our charism is our wisdom. It has been tested by time, suffering, and success. As we move forward, we need to ask ourselves: If we have a charism that transcends all human situations, what could possibly separate us? May we continue to walk this path of “walking barefoot” into the mystery of the other, united by the biblical mandate that makes us one apostolic body.

Seeds of Hope: A Global Harvest of the 2025 Jubilee

“As we watch the global evidence of human suffering through daily news reports, our prayers are expressed on behalf of those affected by violence, poverty, and climate change.” US region Salvatorian Sisters

Embracing the “Pilgrims of Hope”

The 2025 Jubilee Year, “Pilgrims of Hope,” was more than a celebration; it was a meaningful movement embraced by the Church worldwide. For the Salvatorian Sisters, this Jubilee sparked a “new spring” of hope—a vital spiritual renewal that grounded us even as the world around us faced rapid and disturbing changes.

Turning Prayer into Action

Across the globe, Salvatorian Sisters have transitioned from pilgrims to Seeds of Hope. Responding to the unique needs of their local communities, our sisters have addressed global challenges through diverse and compassionate service:

When some shared hope through financial assistance, some walked into the streets and houses to help those effected by floods and natural calamity. Some salvatorian sisters had been the sources of hope for hundreds of orphaned children under their care feeding them and guarding them. Meanwhile some lifted up the spirit of dignity of HOPE among the most forgotten and underprivileged like those abused children and transgender persons. Some salvatorian have intensified their work as nurses, teachers, pastoral care givers, counsellors, formators, members of prison ministry, collaborators with various charity foundation sharing the seeds of HOPE.  

In this document you can read how each of the Salvatorian sisters from the USA region had become a seed of HOPE, each in a unique, creative and sincere.  

The super-insightful session on SDS Formation on Interculturality was held on October 21, 2025, drawing 174 sisters from 18 countries. The session’s speaker, Sr. Paola Jordan, FMVD, coordinator of the Formation Program at the UISG, offered a profound reflection on the meaning and practice of interculturality.

She described INTERCULTURALITY as a “mutual exchange between cultures that can lead to the transformation and enrichment of all people involved.” Moving beyond mere tolerance of differences, Sr. Paola emphasized the importance of appreciating and celebrating diversity—a path that makes intercultural living an essential dimension of both community and society.

Through a beautiful metaphor, she compares interculturality to entering someone else’s garden—a sacred space filled with unique colors, fragrances, and life. To enter such a space, she said, one must do so barefoot, with humility and reverence, recognizing the preciousness of the other’s history, identity, and culture.

Living interculturality, Sr. Paola explained, begins with rediscovering one’s own culture. Culture, she said, is “what is accepted and familiar—it is the super glue that binds people together.” Every culture tends to see itself as the best, yet each expresses its identity through behaviors rooted in deep-seated values and beliefs. Often, we judge others by their behaviors without understanding that these behaviors reflect different cultural value systems. What may seem normal in one culture may be inappropriate in another. Thus, values and beliefs shape the meaning behind every action.

She noted that at the core of every culture lies a belief—what people hold as true. Our behaviors reflect our values, which in turn arise from our beliefs. This means that even people of different faiths or backgrounds can work toward the same goals—such as peace and justice—because their value systems, though expressed differently, are rooted in shared human aspirations.

Citing Pope Francis from his encyclical FRATELLI TUTTI, Sr. Paola reminded participants:

“A culture of encounter means that as people we are passionate about looking for points of contact, building bridges, and projecting something that includes everyone.” Conflicts between cultures, she observed, often emerge not from differing values but from contradictions between values and behaviors. Applying this insight to religious life, she highlighted several examples of inconsistency between what we profess and how we live:

– We say we believe Christ is present in every person, yet if we treat some with less respect, we value status over human dignity.

– We say we believe in poverty and simplicity, yet if we cling to comfort or prestige, we value security over simplicity.

– We say we believe in obedience and listening to the Spirit, yet if leaders never consult others, we value control more than openness.

– We say we believe in community, yet if we rarely share time together, we value independence more than communion.

– We say we believe in mercy, yet if we shame those who err, we value perfection more than compassion.

At the heart of every culture, Sr. Paola concluded, lies a worldview—our understanding of what is real. This shapes our beliefs (what is true), our values (what is good or bad), and finally, our behaviors—the visible expressions of our culture.

Therefore, before forming opinions about another culture, she urged, we must first enter barefoot into the garden of the other, to experience, listen, and understand what lies beneath. Only then can we move from mere tolerance to genuine respect and reverence for one another—a true journey of transformation for all who live and serve in intercultural communities.

In the following links watch the entire session in different languages

ENGLISH https://youtu.be/x1l_gyQrwIw?si=hqyME6-FyKCPieqq

ITALIAN https://youtu.be/uSbHDJeG_fI?si=F6Eshigu0bnBar0A

PORTUGUESE https://youtu.be/PxOmbqjKcIo?si=xmXyfalMRbdmEq5p

SPANISH https://youtu.be/Ar7QuapGkWQ?si=kcaKyAV6UI06AXT6

FRENCH https://youtu.be/kucJTtne3Ds?si=0ioa0bI2V2Xj4Bs5

GERMAN https://youtu.be/gw6s3IeHfy4?si=ZOgdiYyHxikItzAb

POLISH https://youtu.be/vT8T4BAzr5g?si=YkkYmpv6OwzMTBM-

It takes a village to raise a child”. This African proverb insinuates that raising a child requires the collective effort and support of a community, not just the parents who provide a nurturing, safe, and interactive environment for a child’s healthy development and learning.

The Salvatorian Pastoral Care for Children (SPCC), which is an initiative of the Sisters of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorian Sisters) in the Philippines, upholds this sacred and collective responsibility to create a world where every child can grow up in a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment, free from neglect, abuse, violence, exploitation, and discrimination. Not being discouraged by the unfavorable factors to ensure a world for children the sisters founded the Salvatorian Pastoral Care for Children (SPCC) on August 15, 2001.

SPCC was established as a direct and urgent response to the persistent violation of the basic human rights of Filipino children and women, drawing its mandate from international conventions such as the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and recognize the relevant child protection laws and policies of the Philippines. As a program of the Congregation in the Philippines, it is inspired by the Gospel values depicted in the way Jesus Christ treated children. SPCC conducts parish-based child and women protection programs all throughout Philippines helping and creating local advocators of Child rights and frontline protectors of human rights.

SPCC’s dedicated service rendered to the society is made possible through its programs and services such as;

• Providing direct support and assistance to those who have been victims of abuse or neglect. Raising awareness and educating communities to prevent human rights violations before they occur.
• Developing a strong network of advocates equipped with the knowledge and skills to protect rights.
• Collaborating with other organizations and providing expert advice to strengthen protection efforts.
• Mobile Book Reading Program: A special initiative designed to foster a love for reading and learning in children, promoting their overall development.

One of the best practices of SPCC is to gather all its parish-based Child Rights Advocates every year in a form of a congress. This is avenue where parish leaders, religious sisters, community organizers, priests, and bishops, gather together to share, learn from each other, update themselves of topics related to the advocacy, and draft a statement of commitment to the advocacy.

This year’s National Congress (August 21-23, 2025) was held in Punta Villa Resort Inc. Iloilo City, Philippines with the theme “Child Rights Advocates: Pilgrims of Hope, Voices for Children,” the congress became a venue of learning, sharing, and recommitment to the mission of protecting and uplifting children in vulnerable situations.

The congress featured enriching talks on child participation, pastoral care in safeguarding, and strengthening parish-based networks of child rights advocates. Workshops and sharing in circles deepened the participants’ awareness of the urgent call to ensure that children are given both protection and the chance to flourish as leaders and active members of the community.

This year’s gathering was graced by the presence of 91 representatives from 3 archdioceses, 7 dioceses, and 2 mission partner organizations, a testament to the growing network of collaboration inspired by the Salvatorian charism.

As SPCC celebrates its 24th year of journeying with children this year, the congress became both a milestone and a moment of renewal. The spirit of Blessed Francis Jordan resounded in the hearts of participants, especially through his words: “As long as there is one person on earth who does not know God and does not love Him above all things, you dare not rest.” This call challenges all advocates to persevere in safeguarding children as an expression of faith and love in action.

This year’s congress marks the beginning of SPCC’s year-long celebration toward its 25th founding anniversary in 2026, a journey of hope, collaboration, and steadfast witness to Christ the Savior through the care and protection of children.