ATLANTA—Two orders of Religious sisters who minister in the Archdiocese of Atlanta have issued statements in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

Both the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the United States Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph offered their prayers for those who have been affected by the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

The Sisters of St. Joseph, representing 9,000 sisters in 23 congregations in the United States, including 10 in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, and numerous lay associates throughout the country, pleaded for God’s strength and peace.

“Federation members join together to call upon God’s grace to sustain the faith of families who have lost loved ones and to comfort them during this painful time,” the statement reads. “Calling for calm during this world crisis, the Federation seeks solace in the strength of God to guide world leaders to a common ground of peace and reconciliation.”

Further, the Sisters of Mercy asked for justice to be sought peacefully.

“While we join our voices in the national mourning, we cannot join the cacophony of voices demanding retaliation and revenge,” their statement said. “Such demands desire to set things right and to prevent a recurrence of terrorism, but we do not see more violence as the path toward this desirable end. It is our deepest prayer that we, who have so recently experienced the destructive power of hatred, will not now emulate it.”

The Sisters of St. Joseph statement also denounced the brutal attack.

“The Federation . . . decries the violent acts that resulted in the devastating loss of human lives and destruction of city structures. We continue to draw on the hopeful and healing powers of God.”

In solidarity with Pope John Paul II who has said that “the ways of violence will never lead to genuine solutions to humanity’s problems,” the Sisters of Mercy have joined their voices with others who are calling for: “tolerance toward those innocent people who happen to be of the same nationality, faith or ethnic group as the alleged perpetrators; and for a re-examination of the roots of the anger which has erupted against us-poverty, injustice and hopelessness-and our complicity in these root circumstances.”

The Sisters of Mercy also called for “deep and careful self-reflection as a nation; for a rededication to the deep values of our Christian tradition: community, compassion and justice for all; and for messages to the president of the United States and members of Congress expressing a desire for a response which will incite peace rather than war.”

There are over a dozen Sisters of Mercy serving in the Archdiocese of Atlanta.