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"the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." - MLK 

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Note: The ideas and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the authors' and should not be ascribed to the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes or its members. On August 5, 2021, we archived old blog posts. You can find the archive by clicking here.


 

Archive for the "Peace/Nonviolence" Category

Gaza—Let Us Not Waver

March 07, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

17,000 children of Gaza have been orphaned or separated from their parents.

You are invited to watch a short video of 11-year-old, Dareen al-Bayaa. As you consider her suffering and the suffering of other children, also reflect on the thousands of innocents killed and the million plus people displaced living in poverty and at risk of famine and disease. 

This is far beyond too much. Our hearts and their spirit challenge us to stay vigilant with our prayers and calls to stop the violence. Our message must not waver. Silence the weapons, now. Bring in the aid and take care of the displaced, now. Secure freedom for the captives and do the hard work of negotiating a just peace, now.

The U.S. has a particular responsibility to make sure this gets done. You are invited to use the SSND Voter Voice tool to urge President Biden and members of Congress to do all they can to stop the bloodshed and move all involved to a just and lasting peace. Letters to the editor are also an effective tool for communicating messages. Click here for assistance in putting one together.

On March 4, Vice President Kamala Harris demanded an immediate ceasefire to allow for humanitarian efforts. Some criticize her message as long overdue, watered down, and hypocritical as the U.S. continues to provide Israel with military aid. What do you think? What are you planning to do about it?

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Gun Violence in America

February 22, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Test your knowledge on gun violence, laws, read other news, AND PRAY with a plethora of recommended resources:

Quiz from The Trace

How much do you know about background checks? Concealed carry? Take this 12-question quiz, offered by The Trace, to find out. TheTrace.org is the only newsroom dedicated to covering gun violence. Please add this to your list of resources on the subject.  

Pray the STATIONS OF THE CROSS

NEW! The St. Louis Archdiocese’ Gun Violence Prevention Task Force is inviting Catholics to pray a Stations of the Cross on March 1 for gun violence victims. Read about it or participate here.

Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center

Here is another recommended resource devoted to gun violence. It is published by the Seattle-based Intercommunity Justice & Peace Center. You may see some familiar faces on page 5! 

ACTING AGAINST MASS SHOOTINGS

In the U.S., we continue to have near daily mass shootings. Do not let up on contacting your lawmakers and demand common sense gun laws as proposed by groups such as Everytown, Brady United Against Gun Violence, Moms Demand Action, and many more like these.

3-D PRINTED AUTOMATIC

And just when you wondered if things could get any more ridiculous… the CSA JPIC Office was alerted to this article in a recent Wall Street Journal this week (free article link): The $50 Device that turns handguns into automatic weapons
 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Braver Angels Discussion of "American Creed"

February 08, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

What does it mean to be American? What holds us together in turbulent times?

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David M. Kennedy came together from remarkably different backgrounds, life experiences, and points of view to explore the idea of a unifying “American creed” in a film with the same name.

The film, American Creed premiered in February 2018 and was one of the most widely carried PBS documentaries of the year. The documentary relaunched in November 2018, followed by an all-new short film featuring teenagers whose perspectives on American ideals and identity have been influenced by seeing the documentary. 

With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the film’s launch marked the beginning of a public engagement campaign including community conversations, classroom activities and local storytelling in cities and towns across the country—all designed to foster a bold national conversation about American ideals and identity.

You can watch the trailer, stories, or the film for free here. Be sure to share this with others!

After watching the film, you are invited to join a discussion hosted by Braver Angels on February 15 at 7 pm CT. Sign up here to join the conversation.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Start Disagreeing Better

February 08, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Want better conversations with people whose politics aren’t yours? Wish family members and friends on the other political side would hear your views about politics? Then sign up for Braver Angels new 90-minute, interactive "Skills for Disagreeing Better" workshop this Saturday, February 10 at 1 pm CT. You’ll learn about the value of listening – really listening – and about how to make your points in ways that the other person can absorb. Register here.

Questions? Contact Mary Beth Stibbins at mbstibbins@braverangels.org

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Violence in Haiti From US Arms

February 08, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Violence in Haiti is largely due to firearms originating in the United States

Tell your U.S. Representative to support the ARMAS Act, which would address gun trafficking from the US to Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Email your representative and ask that they support Rep. Joaquin Castro’s (D-TX) ARMAS Act of 2023, a bill that will disrupt arms trafficking by reestablishing oversight of U.S. gun exports for greater transparency and accountability. This bill also helps to address the root causes of migration and the way that U.S. policies and practices contribute to instability in Latin American and Caribbean countries.

Send your message by clicking here

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Lenten Fast for an End to Gun Violence

February 08, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

This Lent, Sisters, Associates and Allies of Nuns Against Gun Violence are invited to pledge to fast for an end to gun violence in whatever way they can. Be sure to join their virtual Ash Wednesday service too.

To date, nearly 150 participants have pledged to offer their personal sacrifice and prayer for a more peaceful society. CSA JPIC Coordinator, Tracy Abler, has pledged to abstain from food one day a week during Lent. Anyone can still pledge to participate by filling out the Lenten Fasting Commitment Form

Fasting can be whatever works best for an individual. One can give up some food during Lent, perhaps meat; eat one less meal  a day; abstain from food for a whole day; or anything else they are able to commit to.

“As Catholics, our faith calls us to protect life, and yet our country continues to be plagued with an epidemic of gun violence,” said Mary Ann McGivern, a Sister of Loretto and one of the organizers of the fast. “Our fast will be a prayer to God and an opportunity to publicly appeal to our civic communities for action to reduce gun violence.”

Organizers invite members of its coalition congregations and all like-minded individuals to join in this fast against gun violence. Participants will join their hearts, minds and bodies in a sacrifice—according to each one’s capability—as an expression of love, in a spirit of generosity, willingly abstaining from food and drink or undertaking other meaningful sacrifices as they put forth a united call for people to lay down their guns and enact gun violence prevention legislation.

JOIN THE NUNS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE ASH WEDNESDAY PRAYER SERVICE

Nuns Against Gun Violence will gather virtually for an Ash Wednesday prayer service to inaugurate the fast on Wednesday, February 14 from 4-4:30 p.m. EST. The service will include prayer, Scripture, silence and a reflection by Mary Ann McGivern, SL. Register at bit.ly/nagv-ash-wed.

ABOUT NUNS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

Nuns Against Gun Violence is a coalition of Catholic Sisters and their allies that affirms the value of human life through prayer, education, and advocacy for common sense, evidence-based, gun violence prevention. The coalition was founded in April 2023 to bring together congregations of Catholic sisters to speak with a united voice against the crisis of gun violence. Supporters meet bi-weekly to share resources and events and plan advocacy efforts. More information is available at nunsagainstgunviolence.org.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

H.R. 77

February 08, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The threat of nuclear war is growing. Global tensions are on the rise, and in our own country, there are plans to rebuild the entire U.S. nuclear arsenal at the staggering cost of $1.7 trillion over the next three decades. This includes plans to build more “usable” nuclear weapons for nuclear war fighting, increasing the chance that these weapons could be used. U.S. taxpayers already spend $10.3 million/hour or $172,000/minute every day maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal. 

Back from the Brink is calling for renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first, taking the United States nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert, and ending the sole, unchecked authority of any U.S. President to launch a nuclear attack.   

Below are two sample letters you may use and send by mail or email to your representative. Please personalize your letter if possible. 

Letter 1

Letter 2

 If you cannot send a letter, click here for a one-click option to contact your representative.

 Another good resource is a January webinar by Pax Christi, Building a World Without Nuclear Weapons: An Urgent Imperative.  If you go about 28 minutes in, you will hear the testimony of Ira Helfand, MD, a member of the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and a co-Founder and Past President of Physicians for Social Responsibility, IPPNW's US affiliate, speak of the implications of the use of nuclear weapons.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Israel-Palestine and Catholic Social Teaching

January 25, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The Ignatian Solidarity Network offers the recording of a December 5 webinar that explores the deeper context and history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, including the hardships faced by Palestinian Christians. 

In a webinar that was being planned months before the October 7 attack by Hamas, presenter Jordan Denari Duffner, PhD. explores the deeper context and history that shape today's challenges—including the hardships faced by Palestinian Christians—and discusses how Catholic social teaching can inspire our efforts to advocate alongside Jews, Muslims, and others for a just peace for all people in the Holy Land.

Jordan Denari Duffner, Ph.D., is an author, educator, and scholar of Muslim-Christian relations and Interreligious dialogue. Her books are Finding Jesus among Muslims and Islamophobia: What Christians Should Know (and Do) about Anti-Muslim Discrimination. She is an alumna of Brebeuf Jesuit and Georgetown University.

Watch the recording on YouTube.

This resource is being shared especially for those outside of the Fond du Lac area who’ve been struggling to find understanding in the conflict and peace in their hearts, and have.been unable to attend CSA’s program called, “Faith Perspectives of the Israel-Hamas War: A Human Response.” This intimate, in-person program, presented by Sisters Cyndi Nienhaus and Marie Scott, aims to provide some historical context, but primarily to help mitigate any antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Arab sentiments people are experiencing. The January 18 program was well received and will be repeated on February 1. The evenings include a presentation, dialogue with other participants, prayer, and song.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

“Stranger at the Gate” Documentary

January 25, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The community is invited to engage with a short film and discussion that proves, Love Conquers Hate.

In this short (29-minute) 2022 documentary, a U.S. Marine plots a terrorist attack on a small-town American mosque, but his plan takes an unexpected turn when he comes face-to-face with the people he is about to kill.

You are invited to attend the free showing of this short film at the Moraine Park Technical College Conference Center (235 N.National Ave, FDL - Lot C, Door 02) Thursday, February 29, 2024, 4:00 - 6:00 PM. No registration required.

A panel discussion with special guests will follow the film.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

National Day of Action calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza

January 25, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Wisconsin groups join others worldwide in demanding action from American politicians who seem complicit in Gaza’s nightmare.

According to a tracker from Working Families.org, as of January 22, 2024, at least 65 members of Congress have called for a ceasefire or cessation of hostilities in Israel and Palestine, none of which are from Wisconsin.  

There is a national day of Action calling for a ceasefire on Friday, Jan. 26. Here in Wisconsin, Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, World Beyond War Madison, Building Unity, and Jewish Voice for Peace-Madison will be organizing at the state capitol in Madison 11 am - 1 pm with a press conference at noon. Among other things, they will be joining together in support of the lawsuit against the Biden Administration for its complicity in genocide. Per this Intercept article, 77 groups worldwide back the lawsuit against Biden in the U.S. Court. 

According to an AP News report on December 29, 2023, for the second time, the Biden Administration bypassed Congress on an emergency determination to cover $147.5 million for the sale of equipment Israel needed to make more weapons of war. 

Now, the US Senate is set to vote on the Biden administration's request for ANOTHER $14 BILLION of weapons for Israel. Imagine the things our country could do with those billions of dollars in peaceful ways that would allow people to live?! Wisconsin groups are imploring Senators Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson to vote NO on more weapons. Members of Congress are being asked to divest us from militarism and call for a permanent ceasefire and an end to the occupation of Palestine.

The Sisters of St. Agnes are women committed to being peacemakers; women who believe, as citizens of a democracy, that it is our responsibility to add our voice to the public discourse. “We are women who believe our nation spends too much on making war possible and far too little on creating and empowering just societies in the world.” These are words from the CSA’s Statement of Belief on Peace & Nonviolence.

While the complexity of this historical conflict over the holy land in these areas is great, one thing is for certain...war is not the answer and all human lives should matter.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Legislation Impacts Gun Violence

January 11, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

When legislators start taking action to prevent gun violence, our communities see the impact. 

Everytown Research & Policy compared gun policy across the country, scoring every state on the strength of its gun laws and comparing it with its rate of gun violence.

It should be no surprise that states where elected officials have taken action to pass gun safety laws have fewer people die by gun violence. See how the states stack up and how much of the country has adopted certain key policies in this report

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace Message

January 11, 2024
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

For his January 1, 2024, World Day of Peace message, Pope Francis explored the ethical dimension of new AI technologies, saying they are revolutionizing all spheres of human life. Furthermore, “the way we use this technology to include the least of our brothers and sisters, the vulnerable and those most in need, will be the true measure of our humanity.” Use these links to review and download the full message, infographic presentations, and a one-page reflection tool

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

2023 Gun Law Scorecard Released

December 21, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Giffords Law Center graded and ranked all 50 states on their gun laws. No surprise, the states with strong gun laws, receiving As and Bs, are also the states that tend to have fewer gun deaths. The gun lobby tries to convince people that gun safety laws don’t work, but the data shows otherwise. Gun laws are saving lives right now across the country.

Check out the 2023 Gun Law Scorecard and see how your state stacks up.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

11th Annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence

December 07, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The vigil was held December 6 at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. Hundreds gather to share heartbreaking stories of survival and loss and to honor all victims and survivors of gun violence.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Catholic Social Teaching Advances Justice

December 07, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Catholic leaders use the principles of Catholic social teaching to advance justice, peace, religious freedom, and solidarity. Global Georgetown offers their recording of a moving and thought-provoking conversation which highlights countless ways Catholics are offering education, fighting for justice, working for democracy, respecting human rights, and seeking peace.

If you were unable to attend the November 16 event, the recording is now available.

 

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

What Could War Teach Us?

December 07, 2023
By Sister Peg Spindler, CSA

Sister Peg Spindler reflects on her learnings from a place of privilege, and the differences she can make in a world enmeshed in war and polarization:

I don’t know what to do with the total disconnect between my blessed and privileged life and the brutal, horrific violence of the wars around the world, killing so many innocent people in their wake—people who are not the causes of those wars, but who are the victims of their viciousness. I watch the news each night and a tear slides down my cheek, anger pumps my blood pressure up, and terror for the world fills my heart and mind.  Frustration and overwhelming powerlessness paralyze me. It would seem no action on my part could possibly make a difference. 

So, I’ve begun to ask myself not “Why war?” but “What could war teach me?” So, I’m learning how to hold all the sadness, anger, terror, frustration and powerlessness without succumbing to despair. One way that helps me is the Buddhist practice of tonglen, where I slowly breathe in the ugliness and slowly breathe out peace and goodness. I pray that somehow it makes a difference, like the flap of the butterfly wing in South America impacts somewhere else in the world. Another way is to notice all the people I live with or meet or observe, going about their lives with some semblance of calm and purpose and let that wash over me in a river of hope. I immerse myself in the moonlight, the blue sky, children laughing and playing, jokes at the dinner table and creation’s web of interdependence as I would a comforting blanket. At least, these efforts help to stem the tide.

Another learning is beginning to understand the complexity of these situations: how there is often fault on both sides though there are the one-sided aggressor nation attacks, how the history of the various relationships affects the issues, how political or religious fundamentalism enters in, how domination, corruption and greed for power take over, and how the stages of human development of leaders and even of whole populations makes it more difficult to arrive at solutions of any kind. Investing in time to read widely (not just about the particular conflict but also about human behaviors), to listen to the news with a critical, discerning ear and to discuss with open mind the concerns involved helps me to delve into the web of dynamics at play.

A third piece of knowledge I’m acquiring is that bringing about peace is not about building walls, enforcing sanctions or making sure we have equal numbers of nuclear weapons on each side. Those “solutions'' are for humans who have become stuck in the tribal, nationalistic stage of development and who serve their egos, who believe that they must be right at all costs. The humility that is exhibited by folks who see things from a cosmocentric worldview, a wider perspective, does not need to be right all the time, but is open to the thoughts and dreams of others and can see beyond to another way that is inclusive of all. While that is not very evident these days, I believe the numbers of such people are growing. Again, wide-ranging reading, listening and discerning contemplation of “all that is” enables me to look at things at least a little from other peoples’ shores. 

I’m seeing that people are very resilient—to a point. We humans will try anything we can think of to survive until we are so worn down that we give in to domination or oppression, to starvation, to despair. I am buoyed by the resilience of our sisters in CSA as we age and fall prey to this illness or that condition, yet we pray, we laugh, we enjoy each other, and we keep on loving God and God’s cosmos as much as we are able. Remembering that keeps me going. But those in war-torn areas of the world don’t always have that luxury. I’ve observed that once hopeful, resilience can give way to the cynical, even cruel fundamentalism of the terrorist, the militarist, the leader hungry for power. Terrorists are born out of the terror of war, of poverty, of homelessness, of land and water struggles and oppression of any kind. The more we kill them, the more new ones rise up, because killing is not the answer. Justice and equal rights and participative government are answers that could work if we do the inner work to grow ourselves into the next stage of human development that will allow us to see that. I’m trying to believe that’s still possible by noting the little signs of resilience wherever I can find them.

Lastly, because I am so far removed from these conflicts, what I am learning must take some actual, tangible form in my own life. What does that look like? First, I do not pray for one side or the other. I pray for the people whose families lie under the rubble of their homes, for those who pull triggers and launch rockets and those who bleed and are torn apart. I pray that leaders begin to grow beyond their nationalistic, tribal tendencies to a wider, more compassionate view. And, beyond prayer, I try to engage in my everyday world in ways that are more compassionate, more courageous, more contemplative and more caring in more conscious and disciplined ways. That could mean washing the dishes more graciously, listening more caringly to the wisdom of an Elder or the enthusiasm of a young person, volunteering at the local shelter or food pantry, writing letters to my legislators, eliminating as much plastic from my life as I can, growing to understand and accept all those that society marginalizes, and getting involved in community-wide efforts that promote justice, love and, most of all, hope.

We, Sisters of St. Agnes, in Fond du Lac WI, have prayed together and lit a Peace Tree every year for 32 years in the season of Advent leading to Christmas. I don’t know what difference it makes globally or locally, but I believe our witness somehow ripples outward and touches other parts of the web of our world. This year, we recalled some of Mother Theresa’s words and I think they are apropos now:

"The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.

Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile. Smile five times a day at someone you don't really want to smile at; do it for peace. Let us radiate the peace of God and so radiate God’s light and extinguish in the world and in the hearts of all people all hatred and love for power.

Today, if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other—that woman, that man, that child is my sister or my brother. If everyone could see the image of God in his or her neighbor, do you think we would still need tanks and generals?"

Let us learn these lessons and more so that we can move to the next level of human consciousness where war is no longer a solution, where “swords are beaten into plowshares” as the prophet Isaiah reminds us (Isaiah 2:4), where no one “lives by the sword or dies by the sword” as Jesus pointed out (Matthew 26:52). If we can move to that higher perspective, we will know better and, as Maya Angelou said, “When we know better, we do better.”

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence
3 comments

Catholic Sisters sue Smith & Wesson over AR-15 Rifles

December 07, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

It’s a story being picked up by news reporters across the country this week. The Adrian Dominican Sisters in Adrian, MI; the Sisters of Bon Secours USA, based in Marriottsville, MD.; the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, based in Aston, PA; and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus & Mary, U.S.-Ontario Province, based in Marylhurst, OR have filed the 47-page suit in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

As a group of shareholders, the sisters are allowed to raise governance questions and challenge Smith & Wesson’s management, which they’ve attempted several times in the past with little progress. Read more here. The Sisters' argument for the lawsuit is that the leaders of Smith & Wesson are exposing the company to liability by the way they have made and sold the AR-15 rifles, which have been used in several mass shootings. This lawsuit is what is known as a derivative lawsuit. Such lawsuits seek to hold corporate boards liable for breaches of their duties to shareholders, although courts generally find boards are protected from lawsuits for good-faith decisions. If successful, the lawsuit would hold the company’s directors liable for any costs associated with the allegedly illegal marketing of assault rifles and any damages would be paid to Smith & Wesson, not the plaintiffs. To understand this better, you can read this Reuters article.

Sister Florence Deacon, OSF, Congregation Justice Coordinator for the Sisters of the Holy Cross, shares with members of Nuns Against Gun Violence group that “Purchasing stock to be a catalyst for change is a common strategy. We have purchased stock to engage companies as a way to implement congregational corporate stands on nonviolence, land use and reform, water as a sacred right, anti-human trafficking, climate change, racial equity, etc. That could include stock in energy companies (reducing methane spills, climate change, adverse effects on minority communities), grocery stores including Walmart (deforestation, gun sales, water stewardship, just working conditions), hotels (human trafficking), as well as gun companies (reducing gun violence, gun safety, responsible marketing to young men, etc.). Stockholders can submit resolutions at annual general meetings if they have held a minimum of $2,000 worth of company shares for at least three years. Such minimal purchases have influenced major changes in corporate behavior over the years.”

The Wall Street Journal is yet another of many sources covering this story. 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Hope Away From Home in South Sudan

December 07, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Friends in Solidarity (FiS) is an initiative of US Catholic religious men and women in support of religious working in South Sudan and beyond. The Friends in Solidarity Education Committee FiS President, Sister Mumbi Kigutha, CPPS, hosted "HOPE Away from Home in South Sudan" last month. Sister Mumbi spoke with Fr. Mike Bassano, MM, who recently finished 10 years of pastoral ministry at the UN Protection of Civilians camp in Malakal, South Sudan. Prior to his time in South Sudan, Fr. Mike also ministered in Chile, Thailand, and Tanzania. 

 Fr. Tom Tiscornia, MM, former Solidarity with South Sudan member and FiS board member, and Fr. David Schwinghamer, MM, former board member of the Africa Faith and Justice Network, also shared their experiences with refugees. The recording of the webinar is available now on the FiS YouTube channel.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Hope for People Who are Weary of Violence

November 16, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Nuns Against Gun Violence is a coalition of Catholic sisters, justice promoters, and allies that represent over 50 religious congregations, including the Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA). Currently, their web space is being hosted by the Sisters of Mercy

Nuns Against Gun Violence (NAGV) was founded in April 2023 to bring together congregations of Catholic sisters to speak with a united voice against the crisis of gun violence. On November 8, 2023, NAGV hosted their first webinar which featured Shane Caliborne, co-author of “Beating Guns - Hope for People Who are Weary of Violence.” Inspired by the prophetic image of beating swords into plows, Shane Claiborne and Michael Martin offer a book that hopes to change hearts and heads regarding one of the most significant moral issues of our time. The CSA JPIC Office has a copy of this book, which can be loaned to sisters and associates.

In the webinar, Mr. Claiborne shared some troubling realities, one being that there are more guns in America than people. Additionally, while the United States makes up only 5% of the global population, almost half of the world’s civilian-owned guns are in the U.S. Interestingly, two-thirds of Americans do not have firearms and of the one-third that do, there is a high concentration of gun owners having multiple, even hundreds and thousands of guns. Claiborne further points out that there are 5 times as many gun dealers in America than there are McDonald's restaurants. One gun is made every three seconds in America, 9.5 million each year. Learn more and watch the recording of the webinar, which also features Sister Pat Millen, OSF and Sister Annette McDermott, SSJ, here.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

President Biden Creates the First-Ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention

November 01, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The new office, led by Kamala Harris, will focus on implementing executive and legislative action, including historic Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, to end the scourge of gun violence in America.

Stefanie Feldman, a long-time policy advisor to President Biden on gun violence prevention, will serve as Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention, alongside leading gun violence prevention advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, who will join the Administration as Deputy Directors of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Read more about these leaders and the work they are doing.

The Office of Gun Violence Prevention builds on historic actions taken by President Biden to end gun violence in our country: including signing the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the most significant legislative action in nearly 30 years aimed at doing so, and taking more meaningful executive action than any other president to make our schools, churches, grocery stores, and communities safer. Watch the remarks of Vice President Harris, U.S. Representative Maxwell Frost, and President Biden deliver remarks on September 22, 2023.

Of interest is that Rep. Frost is the first Gen Z member of Congress. He represents the 10th district in Central Florida. He was previously the national organizing director for March for Our Lives.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

2023's 565th Mass Shooting

November 01, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Nuns Against Gun Violence provides a statement following the 565th mass shooting this year and a call to action.

Nuns Against Gun Violence believes that every life is of incalculable value. Each life lost to gun violence in any form affects not just the individuals lost but their entire circle of relationships. Indeed, every act of gun violence tears at the fabric of the Beloved Community of life itself. While we do not issue a statement on every incident of gun violence as they are tragically too frequent, some incidents become catalysts for the national conversation on this crisis. The October 25th mass shooting with an assault weapon in Lewiston, Maine is one such event.

 The shooting in Lewiston was the 565th mass shooting this year and the deadliest one yet, with 18 people killed and 13 wounded, several still in critical condition. As with so many of these events, the weapon of choice was an assault-style rifle, a military-grade firearm designed to kill as many people as quickly as possible. 

 Following the recent announcement of Maine Representative Jared Golden (D-02) reversing his long-held opposition to an Assault Weapons Ban, we call on Maine Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, as well as the other Congressional holdouts, to do so the same.  

 In the House, 5 Democrats and all Republicans do not support HR 698, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023. In the Senate, 4 Democrats, 2 Independents, and 49 Republicans have yet to cosponsor the companion bill S 25.

 You can check both your Representatives and Senators’ positions on the Assault Weapons Ban here, courtesy of Newtown Action Alliance or use this one-click Action Alert from the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas to send them a direct message based on their stance. 

 As people of faith, we believe in prayer, understanding it is not an empty, pious slogan but a practice that compels action for the common good: Prayer that sustains us in the hard work of advocacy for local and federal gun legislation. Prayer that manifests in support for the healing of survivors. Prayer that enlightens the minds and stirs the hearts of recalcitrant legislators that have failed to act for too long. Prayer that aligns our energies with God’s desire for the safety, security, and flourishing of all life.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Beating Guns: Hope for People Weary of Violence

November 01, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Nuns Against Gun Violence hosts a free webinar with author and activist Shane Claiborne on November 8, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. CT.
 

Print the event flyer

Following Mr. Claiborne’s presentation, two women religious will address how their congregations are addressing gun violence. Sr. Patricia Millen, OSF will address how her congregation, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, took a corporate stance on gun violence. Sr. Annette McDermott, SSJ will discuss the outreach of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield to the people of Springfield after a recent episode of gun violence.

No need to register.Just click on the ZOOM link a few minutes before the presentation.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82630936976?pwd=VG4rL2tEQzRlbkliSWpPWUl5eHhJZz09

Meeting ID: 826 3093 6976
Passcode: XT4GxD

 

Nuns Against Gun Violence is a coalition of Catholic Sisters (including CSA) and their allies that affirms the value of human life through prayer, education, and advocacy for common sense, evidence-based, gun violence prevention. Formed in 2023, the coalition consists of more than 40 congregations of Catholic Sisters and allied organizations.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

LCWR stands in solidarity with the people of the Middle East

October 19, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

On October 11, CSA and other members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), joined in solidarity to issue a statement of solidarity for those who stand in the shadow of the horrors in Israel and Gaza. 

Read the full LCWR statement.

Trying to make sense of the Israel-Palestine conflict like many of us?
Aljazeera recommends these 10 ten films.

 

I recently heard political commentator Trevor Noah say, “Forget who’s good or bad, right or wrong, consider who is dead.” With at least 1,400 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians (including 30 U.S. citizens) killed in the first 10 days of this devastating war, I found this to be a powerful statement.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Calls for Peace and Ceasefire

October 19, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Several organizations are rallying to demand peace and ceasefire.  Consider signing one or more of these many calls for peace and nonviolence.

Let your voice be heard:

SSND Voter Voice tool

Win Without War petition

Jewish Voice for Peace call for ceasefire

Demand Progress petition for Ceasefire in Gaza

Join Friends Committee on National Legislation (Lobbying with Quakers) to demand the U.S. de-escalate the violence in Israel and Palestine
 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Gun Violence Prevention Policies

October 05, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Supporters from across Wisconsin joined at the Capitol in Madison on September 21, 2023, for Gun Violence Prevention Day of Action to meet with legislators about five key policies.

“ENOUGH! Common Sense Gun Violence Prevention Now” is what the bright orange banner said as people from across the state gathered on the State Capitol stairs in Madison, WI before attending a press conference and meeting with legislators last month.

The morning started with powerful presentations and information about the five prioritized policies we would be meeting with our legislators about later in the day. One presentation I found most impactful was the one given by an ER physician from Children’s Hospital, Dr. Michael Levas, where he shared that his department has seen a rise in gunshot victims up 250% since 2020. Firearms are the leading cause of death in our children in Wisconsin and in the United States. Dr. Levas’ presentation slides are being shared here

Another presentation spoke of gun policy to prevent suicide death, by Anneliese Dickman from Brady: United Against Gun Violence.Every day in America, we lose an average of 63 people to gun suicide. In 2020, an average of approximately 17 veterans died by suicide each day and a gun was used in 71% of those suicides. Half of all suicide deaths in Wisconsin are gun suicide and most will be surprised to hear who these people are. They are predominately white male gun owners, over the age of 45. Anneliese’s slides are offered here.

Soon after our visits, we received some encouraging and exciting news that several of the bills presented picked up new coauthors and there were signs that one of the bills would likely move out of committee. Sadly, of the four people I met with, all of which were staffers of Republican legislators, all seemed to care more about people’s rights to bear arms than the public health crisis with people dying, especially children, so there is definitely more work to do.

The five bills below, if passed and implemented, will save lives.They are all common sense. Please take time to become familiar with them and call your state senators and representatives to demand they take the time to thoroughly read, understand and support these life-saving policies. Wisconsin legislators can be reminded that they all received the documents below on September 21, 2023 in a bright orange file folder.

Background Checks on all Gun Sales

An Extreme Risk Law

Safe Storage Tax Incentive

Gun Shop Project

Closing the Domestic Violence Loophole

You may also be interested in reading this article from Milwaukee Independent newspaper, who covered the day’s events. 

On this day of advocacy, I was joined by Tim Hall, fellow Justice Promoter for the Racine Dominicans. Tim and I also serve on the LCWR-9 Legislative Network together. Tim shared, “At a time when it’s easy to get discouraged about so many shootings in the U.S., it was heartening for me to see the beginnings of a movement’s renewal at work. For example: for the first time, staff from the Children’s Hospital have been mobilized as a group to address the carnage they witness first-hand. With recent political changes at the state supreme court level, anti-gun violence activists clearly sense that state legislators will soon find themselves subject once again to the will of the voters, and are making preparations accordingly. Seeing everyday people lay the foundation for a better tomorrow is a source of real hope.”

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (9/26)

September 21, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Achieving global nuclear disarmament is one of the oldest goals of the United Nations, and one of the most difficult.

Today, around 12,512 nuclear weapons remain worldwide. You are invited to reflect on these thoughtful and challenging words from two U.S. and two Japanese Bishops who, this summer, agreed to “create a new initiative to promote the realization of a world without nuclear weapons.”

Consider taking this illuminating online quiz on nuclear weapons put together by our friends, the Sisters of St. Francis. The answers may surprise you!

ACTION: Explore ways you can support nuclear disarmament

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action

September 21, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Image of words "Blessed are the feet of htose who bring nonviolence"September 21 (International Day of Peace) through October 2 (International Day of Nonviolence and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday) marks Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action, and Pax Christi International invites us to promote and celebrate peace and nonviolence..

This year’s theme is “Blessed are the feet of those who bring nonviolence.” It calls for embracing the work of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative and Vow of Nonviolence. Click here for more information.

Watch this video and pray with Pope Francis for a non-violent culture.
 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Block U.S. Support to Saudi Arabia

September 07, 2023
By Jon Rainwater, Executive Director of Peace Action

Some days, a story about violence somewhere in the world is so horrific, I almost can’t bear to finish the article. I want to turn away. Do you ever feel that way? 

There were gut-wrenching reports yesterday from Human Rights Watch about Saudi border guards massacring hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers. It’s expected that the shootings may continue to this day.[1]

Once again, it is the avalanche of military largesse the US offers to Saudi Arabia that is underpinning human rights crimes. President Biden once promised to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah”[2], now the administration is in negotiations to offer this reckless and brutal government formal security guarantees.[3]   

Can you contact Congress today and ask your Senators to speak out on the egregious violation of human rights and to cosponsor legislation to force the administration to address Saudi’s human rights violations?

We can’t turn away. It’s our arms and our policies that help fuel Saudi aggressions like the war in Yemen, these anti-migrant killings, and Saudi Arabia’s other well-documented oppressions towards women, the LGBTQIA+ community, journalists and many others. 

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) had already introduced legislation to force the administration to report on Saudi human rights violations. This legislation, invokes section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act to force examination of U.S. aid. By debating this on the Senate floor and forcing the administration to respond, Congress can help reevaluate the US/Saudi relationship. That can – and should – lead to cutting off “security assistance” to that country. U.S. law bans the provision of U.S. military aid to any government that “engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.”

If Saudi Arabia does not fall under this standard, what country ever would? It’s time to enforce these laws so that our arms and other aid do not continue to be used to kill civilians in Yemen, shoot down Ethiopian migrants, and oppress Saudi citizens. 

Ask your Senators to support Senator Murphy’s  S. Res. 109 to require the administration to report on Saudi human rights abuses, and to speak out against the brutal killings of Ethiopian migrants as well. 

 

SOURCES:
[1]Saudi Arabia: Mass Killings of Migrants at Yemen Border, Human Rights Watch, August 21 2023
[2]Biden to Travel to Saudi Arabia, Ending Its ‘Pariah’ Status, New York Times, June 2, 2022
[3]Biden Should Not Extend Security Guarantees to Saudi Arabia, National Interest, July 25. 2023

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Nuns Against Gun Violence issues a Statement

September 07, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

CSA stands in solidarity with the Black community following a deadly racist shooting in Jacksonville, FL on August 26.

The following statement was made by Nuns Against Gun Violence, a coalition of over 60 congregations of Catholic sisters, including CSA, who affirm the value of human life through prayer, education, and advocacy for common sense, evidence-based, gun violence prevention. Supporters and advocates are invited to take action:

Last weekend, three people were murdered in yet another racially motivated shooting, this time in Jacksonville, Florida. Angela Michelle Carr, Anolt Joseph Laguerre, and Jarrald De’Shawn Gallion were killed at a Dollar General store by a gunman brandishing a swastika covered AR-15 assault-style rifle and a Glock handgun after he tried and failed to enter a nearby historically black college, Edward Waters University.

Nuns Against Gun Violence, a coalition of over 60 congregations of Catholic sisters, stands in solidarity with the Black community in Jacksonville. We pray for the families and friends of those so senselessly murdered. White supremacy and systemic racism lie at the heart of this hate crime. We must continue to advocate to keep firearms out of the hands of violent extremists.

Our mission of prayer, education, and advocacy calls us in this moment to lament the loss of life, inviting all to continue to pray our Novena Against Gun Violence. We hope to educate about the relationship of systemic racism and gun violence. According to Everytown USA, in an average year, more than 25,000 hate crimes in the U.S. involve a gun – 69 per day. Half of these race-based hate crimes target the Black community in particular, calling us to do more to dismantle structural racism. This call to advocacy also means continued pressure on Congress to act on the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023.

It is outrageous that while mass shootings continue – 479 in 2023 alone - Congress does nothing. We invite supporters and advocates to take three actions:

  1. Contact Senator Dick Durbin–IL, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and demand he mark up the bill for the committee to vote. There have been enough cosponsor votes to pass the Assault Weapons Ban out of committee for months, and it is long past time for action.
  2. Contact Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer-NY and demand a floor vote on the Assault Weapons Ban. The public deserves to know exactly who is voting no on such crucial legislation that will save lives.
  3. Contact anyone you know that lives in Illinois or New York, and ask them as constituents of Senators Durbin and Schumer to put the pressure on their elected officials to take action against senseless gun violence.

We must continue to pray for an end to white supremacy and gun violence as well as work for common sense gun laws that keep weapons of war off the streets and protect all human life, especially those our society has marginalized.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Pacem in Terris

August 17, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

This year is the 60th anniversary of the seminal Catholic social tradition encyclical promulgated by Pope John XXIII, Pacem in Terris, as well as the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Catholic Bishops peace pastoral, The Challenge of Peace.

To commemorate the anniversary year and approach the feast of Pope St. John XXIII on October 11, Pax Christi USA partners with Bergamo Center for Lifelong Learning and the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative.You are invited to “Called to be Peacemakers: A Virtual Retreat inspired by Pope John XXIII and Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Pacem Terris” on Saturday, October 7, 9 AM-1 PM CT.

The cost is $10. After registering, you will receive the Zoom link and materials for this retreat the week before the event.

Scholarships are available - please mail msherman@paxchristiusa.org for information.

Click here to learn more and to register for the Virtual Retreat.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Ask Congress to Invest in Peace

August 03, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Every member of Congress is back in their home state this month; pay them a visit and discuss issues important to you, like investing in peaceful resolutions to war.

On August 6, 1945, during World War II (1939-45), an American B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first deployed atomic bomb over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The explosion immediately killed an estimated 80,000 people; tens of thousands more would later die of radiation exposure. Three days later, a second B-29 dropped another A-bomb on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 40,000 people. Japan’s Emperor Hirohito announced his country’s unconditional surrender in World War II in a radio address on August 15, citing the devastating power of “a new and most cruel bomb.”

Today, the world faces more active armed conflicts than at any point since the end of World War II. Yet, the U.S. government spends only one dollar on peacebuilding for every $200 we spend on war.

As Congress negotiates funding levels for Fiscal Year 2024, lawmakers can make a meaningful impact in fostering sustainable peace and preventing violent conflict around the world by ensuring robust funding for three essential accounts: Atrocities Prevention, the Complex Crises Fund, and Reconciliation Programs. Visit your congressional leaders this month and/or take action here.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Study Aims to Shed Light on Young People’s Attitudes Surrounding Guns and Gun Violence in the U.S.

August 03, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Everytown for Gun Safety team up with Polarization & Extremism Research & Innovation Lab (PERIL) to present their July 2023 report, which is a multi-phase project utilizing a variety of research methods and reflecting a range of expertise to analyze youth attitudes towards guns.

Guns have been the leading cause of death for American children and teens since 2020, and a record number of young people were shot and killed in 2021 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Gun violence permeates the lives of American youth in many ways—whether they experience daily gun violence in their neighborhoods, live with an armed abuser, are injured in an unintentional shooting, attempt suicide with a gun or survive a mass shooting at their school, sporting event, mall, church or other gathering place. Four out of five young people agree gun violence in the United States is a problem. Read the full “U.S. Youth Attitudes on Guns” report here

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Say NO to Cluster Bombs

July 20, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The United States has made the decision to send cluster bombs to Ukraine. Cluster bombs carry canisters of explosives designed to detonate on hard surfaces, but do not always detonate on contact. There are fragments of cluster bombs used in Vietnam still killing and harming people. More than 120 countries have banned them. The US, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey did not. They have been widely used in the war in Ukraine by both sides. Our citizenry needs to decide where we stand. Read one story here.

Consider using the SSND Voter Voice Tool to urge President Biden and Congress to refrain from sending cluster bombs to Ukraine. You may also add your voice by visiting this website.

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Remembering Highland Park One Year Later

July 06, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Mass shootings are what we hear about most often in the news. Every day, more than 120 Americans are shot and killed and hundreds more are shot and wounded. Guns surpassed cars to become the leading cause of death in the US for kids and teens. Have we grown numb to the suffering behind these stories and numbers? We are not helpless in the fight against gun violence. States can take action to reduce fatalities and injuries by limiting access to assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, like Illinois has. 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Moms Demand Action’s executive director argue an assault weapons ban can rid ourselves of this preventable plague once and for all. They report that there is broad public support for bold action to curb gun violence. While the passage or Red Flag laws, background checks, and secure firearms storage requirements are critical to addressing the gun violence crisis, we must also reinstate a federal assault weapons ban. Action is needed. We can and must do more. Read their July 3rd article in its entirety here and then contact your politicians!

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Peace organizations offer a global 24-Hour Peace Wave, July 8-9, 2023

July 06, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

From 8 am CDT on Saturday, July 8, until 8 am on Sunday, July 9, you can log in to join a virtual 24-hour Peace Wave, organized by Peace Action Wisconsin and World Beyond War. See video clips from last year’s event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApE-EdAc6YA

For those able to take a more active role in the Peace Wave, you’re invited to join the “World Abolish War Teach-In” at Reynolds Park in Madison, WI, (click for directions) facing Breese Stevens Field on Saturday, July 8 from 10 - 11 am. You are invited to research or choose concepts/sentences/quotes, etc. that you want to speak about, related to war abolition. You can also hold posters and take turns sharing your concepts in an open mic forum. The goal would also be for each person there to be able to debate their issue with people who stop by and engage. For questions or to RSVP, email Stefania and Janet at warabolition@gmail.com.

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Women Religious Gather in Solidarity and Pray for an End to Gun Violence

June 01, 2023
By Tracy Abler, featuring Guest Contributors

Friday, June 2, is National Gun Violence Awareness Day. A week prior, a first of its kind Gun Violence Summit was held in Milwaukee, WI.

Eight members of the CSA community attended the EMERGENCY Gun Violence Summit in Milwaukee, WI on May 25, 2023. The event was sponsored by over 20 organizations, including the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes.The summit had a long list of impressive speakers and breakout session leaders to include Stephanie Feldman, Sr. Adviser to President Biden; Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader, Rep. Greta Neubauer, Milwaukee Mayor, Cavalier Johnson, bishops and clergy from multiple faith groups, leaders from action groups and organizations, gun violence survivors, and more.

The summit was said to be the first of its kind in Milwaukee, WI - a city plagued with gun violence and a murder rate of 16.41 per 100,000 people. Wisconsin averages almost two deaths per day from firearms. It was reported that 40% of the people in attendance at the summit said this was the first time they had ever done any kind of gun violence work, which was a fair representation of those of us who attended from CSA.

Another number that stood out to me was “80%.” That is the percentage of Americans (Republicans and Democrats) who are in favor of some kind of Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), otherwise known as red flag laws. These laws vary state by state and can include things like: Universal background checks, the requirement of gun safes or secure lock-ups, but most notably, the removal of guns from folks going through a mental health crisis. Only 19 states have red flag laws.

The breakout sessions were very insightful, but the one that stuck with me the most was one featuring a panel of high school and college students.Their perspectives touched my heart and refueled my passion for this work.They reiterated that as an adult, I do not have the same experiences as this generation of youth. Today’s youth have to perform lock-down drills several times a year and be trained what to do in an active-shooter situation.They enter their schools through metal detectors, study behind locked doors, and are expected to learn in an environment where many fear they may be next. Third graders are learning to tie tourniquets even before they can tie their own shoes. Some have received email advertisements for bullet-proof backpacks?! Ya, this last one really got me!

One girl said she “felt like people are just saying gun violence is inevitable so we cover it with band-aids, like the drills, rather than fixing the issue of gun access and violence.” Indeed, it seems Americans have been good at reactionary work, but have failed in proactive work - like common sense gun laws. What if, instead of teaching kids how to protect themselves in an active shooter situation, we teach politicians how to stand up to the gun lobby? We are the only developed country that allows our politicians to put guns before children.

Patricia Weidman, CSA,  expressed, “There needs to be a national moral outrage about the easy access to high powered firearms. Our nation needs to be freed from the addiction to weapons. Our society needs to love and protect our children, not kill them” and believes “men who have been convicted of domestic violence should be prohibited from buying firearms.” Sister Trish was especially touched by the final session of the summit, which included remembrances from the survivors, including parents of children who were killed by gun violence.

Sister Clare Lawlor, CSA,  attended. As a Clinical Psychologist, she appreciated the emphasis noting that gun violence survivors need their own specialized approach to care as they will have an increase in stress, anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms. She shared the following reflection from the day: 

During the gun violence conference, I felt myself navigating towards a breakout session hosted by six high school students. I was hesitant to attend this session because I could feel my heart breaking in anticipation of  meeting face-to-face with students whom I had seen only in horrendous shooting incidents televised on an almost daily basis. 

As I entered, the students were sitting in a horizontal row at the front of the room. The room,  crowded with social service workers and additional students, quickly quieted as the students began to speak.

Student 1: I was shot three times.

Student 2: My best friend was shot and killed right in front of me.

Student 3: I have never known  school without shooting drills.

Student 4: We hide under our desks. At first we laugh and then we are afraid.

Student 5: We don’t know if it is a drill or real.

Student 6: My parents have never know a day like our days at school.

In my mind, simultaneously I am catapulted back to memories of my years as an elementary school educator. I see laughing students in the halls freely going in and out of the school doors.  My mind moves to  current experiences of going to a local school to visit my Little Sister(I am a member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters). Every door is locked. One cannot enter without the school secretary seeing you on her camera and “buzzing” the front door to open. Once in, there is a sign-in list and another door to unlock to get into school and yet another locked door to enter the office. My picture is taken and imprinted on a badge to wear while I am in the school.  I wait to meet my little sister in the office. I notice that hallways and classrooms  are filled with large glass windows with a courtyard in the center of the building. A person with an automatic weapon could blast children in multiple rooms from this courtyard. “How”, I wonder, “can any of these children focus on education when they are surrounded with potential and actual violence on a daily basis?”.

Post conference, I am left with the pictures and memories of these young men and women who are growing up in a society that seems not to care enough to rise up against the gun lobbies. We need political and societal action to create venues where we can respond to the killing of our children. Yes, our children are being murdered on a daily basis. Politicians are talking about mental health concerns. I am all in for mental health services. `However, that is a ruse to cover up the real causes of violence. Gun manufacturers and politicians supported by these manufacturers need to be held accountable for the results of their capitalistic motives. We need to step up and step out, WAY OUT, in protest!

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, along with numerous other congregations of women religious, invite readers to pray the novena below for nine days, starting on June 2, in solidarity with those around the country praying for peace and an end to gun violence. 

The date of June 2 was chosen because it is the birthday of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl from Chicago who was playing in a park with her friends when she was tragically shot and killed, just one week after performing at President Obama's inauguration in 2013. Supporters are asked to wear orange, a color traditionally used by hunters to alert others not to shoot.

https://wearorange.org/

If you wear orange or wish to post any photos supporting this movement, please include the #NunsAgainstGunViolence

WAYS TAKE ACTION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE

Continue to call on your elected officials to act by signing any one or more of these 200+ petitions https://www.change.org/t/gun-control.

 Also learn how you can support the DC Capitol Sit-In June 6-12 with your attendance, prayers, and donations. To learn more and consider donations for food and other essential items for the sit-in, please visit:  https://www.gofundme.com/f/dc-capitol-sitin


If you are interested in attending the sit-in, please fill out this Google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRj5klFwCAnD4Aw8YpXFlFo5-Eq2QouitQ3dVWQTNOmlt2ww/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence
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Participate in National Gun Violence Awareness Day

May 18, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

June 2 is National Gun Violence Awareness Day.  The recently formed collaborative group Nuns Against Gun Violence is preparing materials for religious Congregations to use on that day. This new group consists of justice promoters from congregations across the country and is supported by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR).

More details will be shared from the CSA JPIC Office, but for now, please mark your calendars and plan to participate in some way. Here are some suggestions:

  • Place a light or candle in your window as a sign of your commitment to bringing this issue to light.
  • Wear Orange to honor survivors of gun violence. Learn more about the Wear Orange movement here: https://everytownsupportfund.org/how-to-participate-in-wear-orange/
  • Take a picture of your candle or yourself in orange and post to social media. Flood social media with your light amidst the darkness of violence and a call for action to end gun violence. Email your photos to tabler@csasisters.org, if you are willing to be featured on CSA social media sites. 
  • Read the recently released FACT SHEET where President Biden announces 13 New Action to Reduce Gun Violence.

Stay tuned!

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Honoring the 75th Anniversary of International Day of UN Peacekeepers

May 18, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

Peacekeepers help to prevent conflict, protect civilians, advance political solutions, and support democratic processes. They promote human rights, build capacity of state institutions, and ensure that women and youth lead and participate in peace processes and nation-building. Today, UN peacekeepers work in increasingly dangerous contexts and are targeted with violence.

The theme for this year’s International Day of UN Peacekeepers is "Peace Begins with Me". Since 1948, more than 2 million men and women have served in 72 peacekeeping operations. Read more about the 75th Anniversary.

Read about the important role that women play in peacekeeping. 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

Red Dress Day, May 5th

May 04, 2023
By Tracy Abler, Justice Coordinator

The REDress Project by Jaime Black is a public art installation that was created in response to the missing and murdered indigenous women (MMIW) epidemic in Canada and in the United States. The on-going project began in 2010 and the color red was chosen as indigenous believe red is the only color the spirits can see. The dresses are empty, so they evoke the missing women who should be wearing them. Watch this powerful short video from the Ontario Provincial Police. 

This is a human rights crisis of gender-based and racialized violence. In Canada, 4,000 Indigenous women, girls and members of the 2SLGBTQQIA (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex and asexual) have gone missing or were murdered between 1980 and 2012. The Final Report from the National Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, released 2019, concluded that the staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women and girls amounts to race-based genocide.

In 2021, Wisconsin Attorney General, Josh Kaul created a MMIW Task Force to study the problem as he believes jurisdictional issues, human trafficking and drugs may play a role in the issue. Read more here and see how other states are addressing violence against Indigenous women and girls.

Raise Awareness! You may also be interested in showing support by attending events such as Wisconsin’s 2nd Annual “Wrap the Capitol Red” Day on Friday, May 5th, 12-2 pm.

 

 

Posted in Peace/Nonviolence

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