Meet Olive, Our Peace Dove
And before long, she began to move. From one person to another. From one room to the next. From one moment to another.
Never staying too long. Always appearing just when she was needed.
Olive did not come to fix anything, or to take away the weight of what still needed to be done. The work of peace remained what it has always been—real, important, and sometimes very hard. But Olive carried a quiet reminder: that peace can also live in small things.
In a smile.
In a kind word.
In the way we listen,
and the way we care for one another.
If Olive finds her way to you, let her sit beside you for a while. Let her remind you of something simple and true: that peace can begin in the way we care for one another.
Because sometimes, when hearts feel heavy, peace does not arrive in big ways.
Sometimes, it is placed gently in our hands— so that we might carry it, and share it.
One morning, as the light stretched softly across the grounds of St. Mary-on-the-Lake, something unusual appeared. Right near the entrance, resting carefully on a single green leaf, was a small dove.
She was not made of feathers, but of soft thread—crocheted by hand, simple and gentle. It looked as though she had been placed there…but no one had seen who brought her.
Some began to wonder…Maybe one of the deer had carried her there. After all, they move quietly through the trees, and they know this place better than anyone.
And sometimes—just sometimes— they seem to know exactly what is needed.
A sister found her first. She bent down, picked up the little dove, and held her for a moment. There was no note. No instructions. No explanation. And yet… something felt different.
Not as if everything had changed—but as if something had softened. The little dove was given a name: Olive
Why Olive?
In the midst of everything that calls for our attention these days—conflict, injustice, responsibility—it is easy to forget that peace is also lived in small, human ways. Olive invites us to practice peace in ways that are immediate and within reach.
Not everything requires a large response. Sometimes, peace begins with:
noticing someone
offering a smile
choosing patience
responding with compassion
Small moments, lived with intention, shape the way we move through the world—and how we meet one another.
They may seem small, but over time, they create a way of living that makes peace more visible, and more real.
Where Can You Find Olive?
Olive will appear in different ways:
At the Center: ou may request her or casually encounter her during your visit. You are always welcome to pause, take a photo with Olive, and share a word of encouragement for others.
On social media: Olive will occasionally appear with simple reflections or words of encouragement—small reminders woven into everyday life.
In quiet moments of connection: Sometimes, Olive will simply be there—a warm presence, inviting a moment of pause and a smile.
A picture with Olive is often accompanied by a small card—a simple message you may choose to keep, share, or pass on. You might write a word of encouragement for someone else, offer it to someone who needs a quiet reminder, or share it more widely as a small gesture of care.
In this way, Olive continues to move—not only from place to place, but from one person to another.
Part Of Our Ministry
Olive is not a separate project or a passing idea. She is part of the life of the Peace & Spirituality Center—a small expression of the same mission we carry in all we do: to foster peace through dignity, compassion, and presence.
She simply takes that mission and places it in your hands.