My Philosophy

Welcome. After my son Louis was murdered in 1993, I relied heavily on my faith to lead me towards healing and inner peace. I did not want to always focus on who killed my son. I wanted to instead lean on the assets around me - my family and my community. There are assets in every circumstance, everywhere. It is my belief that focusing on these things is paramount to healing.

As a chaplain, my guiding philosophy is that families of murder victims be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of the circumstances of the murder. It is also my belief that society should focus on the needs of the family of the victim, just as society focuses on the rights of the accused or offender. These beliefs inspire me each day to do the work I do - leading an organization focused on healing and restoring our communities after a murder. 

Murder is a painful experience, one that I still struggle to capture in words. Thus, I ask myself "what can we do to help others see that peace is truly a choice?" Choosing peace is not a one-day event. There is no "one size fits all" for truly living peace. But what has helped me in my journey are the Seven Principles of Peace: Love, Hope, Unity, Faith, Courage, Justice, and Forgiveness. along with prayer and planning.  

After over two decades, I can truly and honestly say that I do this work because it is my purpose here on earth. I am called and, with these seven principles, I am equipped to be an agent of God's peace. I have surrendered to the calling, and this is why I do this work. Through my pain, I have found my purpose. And with passion in my heart, I am standing on a solid foundation built on peace.

I invite you to travel this journey with me, and discover the next steps of your own spiritual journey toward inner peace through the Seven Principles of Peace. In addition to the principles, you'll find quotes that have inspired me, photos of the many survivors I am privileged to meet in this work, and a bevy of other resources that have helped me in this journey. 

Peace.

Chaplain Clementina Chery