Sister Martha Ann Kirk, a Sister of Charity of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, is a Professor at the University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas who has taught in both the Religious Studies and Art Departments. She feels blessed to hold a Th.D. in Theology and the Arts from the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA, and degrees from Fordham University, the University of New Mexico, and Incarnate Word College. She has had opportunities for conferences, research, and travel in 32 countries encountering God’s large family. She passionately believes that we need to protect all the children and thus speaks of embracing creative nonviolence. She has led study and service tours to the Holy Land, Turkey, Peru, Mexico, and Ireland.
Sister Martha Ann is particularly interested in teaching compassion and creativity. Gospel stories are full of these. She has ministered through drama, dance, and visual arts which can open our eyes and our hearts. She has written and performed dramas based on biblical women and she joyfully prays in a parish, Mission Concepción, valuing the arts https://therivardreport.com/praising-god-with-drums-dancing-and-the-woman-clothed-with-the-sun/ She is writing a biography of Carla De Sola, who ministers through dance sensitive to justice, peace, and care of creation https://sdgjournal.wordpress.com/2016/10/03/documenting-a-living-legacy-on-line-carla-de-sola-by-sister-martha-ann-kirk-th-d/
In recognition of Sister Martha Ann’s work, particularly that building bridges between Jews, Christians, and Muslims, she has been recognized with various peacemaker awards from civic, Muslim, and Catholic groups. She and the Incarnate Word Sisters were recognized as the 2013 San Antonio Peace Laureate.
She has written Iraqi Women of Three Generations: Challenges, Education, and Hopes for Peace http://peacecenterbooks.com/iraqi-women/; Women of Bible Lands: A Pilgrimage to Compassion and Wisdom https://litpress.org/Products/5156/Women-of-Bible-Landsand other books and articles. For information: http://uiw.edu/holylandtour/kirk.html