Bending the Arc

In an age that mocks empathy, one Carmelite made it her path to God. Edith Stein believed that empathy is a doorway to the Divine.

Long before psychologists gave it a name, Edith wrote of “Einfuhlung”—the ability to “feel into” another person—as a sacred participation in the mystery of God’s own compassion. To suffer with another was not weakness for her—it was love made real.

Born into a Jewish family, Edith became an atheist, then one of Europe’s first female philosophers, and finally a Carmelite nun who died at Auschwitz. Through every transformation, her guiding question remained: How do we keep our hearts open when the world is breaking?

For Edith, empathy was not sentimental. It was mystical solidarity—a way of entering the world’s pain without losing faith in its redemption.

In our own time of division and exhaustion, she offers a vision of strength rooted in tenderness, of courage grounded in contemplation.

In a new online class, part of a larger series on 20th Century Mystics & Prophets, discover Edith Stein’s life and wisdom—her journey from atheist to mystic, her theology of empathy, and the hope she offers to all who long to live with compassion in a wounded world.

The Edith Stein: The Saint of Empathy masterclass is live and online Saturday, November 1 at 11 am CT. Can’t join live? Register now to receive the recording afterwards.
 

During the school days, October 20-23, 2025, approximately 400 first year students (100 each day), walked into an experience they were not expecting - 30 roaring adults lined up to welcome and cheer them on as they entered the small gym of Fond du Lac High School for Challenge Day. 

Challenge Day is an interactive anti-bullying program featuring music, exercises, impactful encounters, and discussions over one entire school day. It is led by two energetic, charismatic, and highly trained facilitators who themselves come from a background of overcoming trauma, where they relate openly, speaking honestly about their life experiences and provide stories of hope and inspiration. 

This was the fourth year in a row that United for Diversity and community supporters offered Challenge Day to the entire Fondy High freshmen class over the course of three to four days. Now all four current grade levels have experienced a Challenge Day in their time at Fondy High and together began creating a new culture at the high school. A few families opt to withdraw their students from this experience, otherwise all freshmen are expected to participate. Before it was more of an expectation, Challenge Day was optional and offered to Fondy High students for just one day, starting in 2008. Eventually, as more students talked about their experience, more became interested, and school administrators and staff saw the benefits of the program, the number of days the program was offered began to grow. It was stopped in 2020 because of COVID, but resumed annually in 2021.

A key component to the success each day are the adult volunteers, all of whom are required to complete a background check with the FDL School District. With an average of 100 students participating in the program daily, 30 volunteers are needed each day. Together, adults and students confront stereotypes and prejudices, underlying causes of bullying, and practice deep listening in their family circles and interactive group activities. The “cross the line” activity is probably what students remember the most. This is an experience that shows students they are not alone and stirs care and compassion among classmates, those they thought they knew, and those they never met before.

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) has been an important sponsor of Challenge Day over the years. This year, CSA’s generosity supported one full day of the program. They also sent two staff members on day one and Sister Sue Seeby, CSA joined on day two. Sue shared, “I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in Challenge Day at Fondy High School. I was moved by the students' honesty and vulnerability as well as their compassion for one another. It was a very, very enriching experience. I hope to participate again.”

Dusty Krikau shared, “Listening to first year high school students remind one another that it’s ok to ask for help, that it’s ok to be vulnerable, and that they aren’t alone, is exactly what my soul needed. Seeing that vulnerability in action from adults and youth is a powerful and unifying event.”

Visit www.challengeday.org for more information and to watch a short video which beautifully shows what happens in this powerful workshop.

October 24-31 is Bat Week, an international celebration of bats and their importance. Bats are amazing creatures that are vital to the health of our natural world and economy. Although we may not always see them, bats are hard at work all around the world each night - eating tons of insects, pollinating flowers, and spreading seeds that grow new plants and trees.

Bats are in decline nearly everywhere they are found. These amazing animals face a multitude of threats including habitat loss, pesticide use, destruction of roost sites, over-harvesting for bush-meat, climate change; and much more. Discover more why bats matter.

This Halloween, celebrate bats! Find an event in your area

On November 13, 2025, Catholics across the U.S. are invited to join in a national day of public witness for our immigrant brothers and sisters. This effort builds on the binational mass at the U.S.-Mexico Border in San Luis on October 12, in which Bishops from both countries called attention to the urgent crisis facing migrants. November 13 celebrates the feast day of St. Cabrini, the patron saint of migrants.

Dioceses, parishes, schools, religious communities, and other institutions and organizations are invited to host public actions that lift up the dignity of migrants – especially in the places where that dignity is most often denied. This may be a vigil in front of a detention center, a prayer service at a place where migrants were publicly detained, or a rosary accompanying people who are going to immigration court hearings. All Catholics are called to witness to the richness of our traditions and teachings on migration.

As Catholics and people of faith, we reject the culture of fear and silence that dehumanizes, and we choose instead to stand with migrants. Together, our voices will send a powerful message in defense of the dignity of our neighbors, family members, fellow parishioners, classmates, coworkers, and friends. We are one church. One family. Visit https://1family.us/ for more details. 

PLEASE JOIN AN ACTION!  Women religious communities in Wisconsin are planning a peaceful presence outside the ICE office (310 East Knapp Street) in Milwaukee on November 13, 11:45am-12:30pm. If you would like more information and/or are interested in attending the Milwaukee event, but need a ride, please email Tracy at tabler@csasisters.org Otherwise, please find an action near you or access media resources by visiting https://1family.us/

"The safety of a nation cannot come at the expense of violations of human dignity and surely the dignity of the undocumented can never be violated by unnecessarily aggressive tactics that go far beyond the task of apprehending people and which seem to be intended to terrorize and cause chaos, rather than fulfilling the noble calling of law enforcement."
–Cardinal Blase Cupich,
Archbishop of Chicago (October 14, 2025)

Watch Cardinal Cupich’s full statement in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIk9Cmy1IkE 
 

What If “Homosexual” Was Never Meant To Be In The Bible?

1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture is a feature documentary that follows the story of tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946. It chronicles the discovery of never-before-seen archives at Yale University which unveil astonishing new revelations, and casts significant doubt on any biblical basis for LGBTQIA+ prejudice. Featuring commentary from prominent scholars as well as opposing pastors, including the personal stories of the film’s creators, 1946 is at once challenging, enlightening, and inspiring.

Watch the official trailer here.

1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture will be available Worldwide to watch and own starting November 7 on Fandango (US only), Apple TV, and YouTube Movies. Currently available on Amazon (US & UK) and Eventive.org (worldwide). 

Links can be found on the website: https://www.1946themovie.com/

This powerful, award-winning documentary that began as an independent grassroots mission is about to reach audiences across the globe, complete with subtitles in 10 languages including French, Dutch, Thai, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, and Italian.

On November 23, there will be a special online Worldwide Release Chat with Q&A featuring the director, Sharon “Rocky” Roggio, moderated by dancer and music artist, Blake McGrath.
REGISTER FOR THE ZOOM LINK HERE.

Prior to the live Q&A, viewers can stream 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture for free exclusively through the Eventive platform. To access the film, simply register for the Zoom event — the free streaming link will be included in your confirmation email.

If you’ve already seen the film, you will recognize Kathy Baldock. Watch this exclusive video: Forging A Sacred Weapon: How a 1946 Mistranslation Shifted Culture.

The nationwide point-in-time (PIT) count is a one-night census of people experiencing  homelessness in the United States. It is conducted in January, but many states, like Wisconsin, also do a summer (July) count. A PIT is intended to capture a minimum amount of information on the homeless population in order to create a "snapshot" of what homelessness looks like in a neighborhood, city or state.  The data collected through the Point-in-Time process is reported in the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) that is provided to the US Congress.  Homeless information is also reported to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is utilized to develop the Housing Inventory Chart for the Balance of State Continuum of Care.

The volunteer sign-up forms for Fond du Lac County, Ripon area and Green Lake County, and Winnebago County have been posted this week. All are encouraged to experience a PIT and sign up today. In July 2025, four members from the CSA community drove together around the city to document counts in their designated areas. We’d love to have others join us in January.

Sign up for any of these locations:
FDL County PIT 1-28-2026
Ripon Area and Green Lake Counties
Winnebago County PIT 01.28.2026

The City of Milwaukee Office of Community Wellness and Safety has taken a public health approach to violence.

Each year, millions of individuals, families, and communities bear the physical, mental, and economic costs of violence. As a leading cause of injury, disability, and premature death, this issue compromises health and safety. Merely witnessing violent incidents can result in psychological disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Violence discourages economic development in troubled areas, thereby affecting the accessibility of jobs, healthy food, and safe housing. The physical wellbeing of residents, who stay indoors to avoid violent behavior in their community, can exacerbate health problems.

Fortunately, violence is a learned behavior and is preventable. Community-wide prevention is the most effective, long-term solution to violence. That is why the City of Milwaukee and numerous other sponsors, including the Sisters of St. Agnes, supported the 3rd annual Emergency Gun Violence Summit on October 15, 2025. The event was held at the Baird Center in Milwaukee. Special guests and speakers include Governor Tony Evers, Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez, Attorney General Josh Kaul, Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Rob Wilcox, Deputy Director of the former White House Office of Gun Violence, Bishop James Schuerman of the Milwaukee Archdiocese, and many more.

A wide array of workshops were offered throughout the day, including ones geared specifically for youth in attendance, and a youth panel where students shared their heartbreaking experiences of gun violence in their young, personal lives. City, state, religious, educational and organizational leaders also provided reflective conversations for addressing gun violence and support services across the state.

Of the many shocking statistics presented by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, some of the most significant included:

• One person is killed every 12 hours, one person is shot every four hours in our state.
• The costs of gun violence in Wisconsin is $9 billion annually.
• 79% of deaths in Wisconsin are by guns.
• The overall gun death rate has increased 55% from 2014 to 2023.
• Wisconsin had the 5th highest gun homicide rate among Black people in the country in 2023.

Additionally, the CDC has documented that gun-related injuries are the leading cause of death for children and teens in our country, ages 1-19.

This should be a bipartisan health crisis, but it is not. There are clear discrepancies in support for common sense gun laws in our government, despite polls showing that on average 80% of voters want these. We must be relentless in calling for bipartisan support of common sense gun laws such as universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, extreme risk protection orders, safe storage laws, and waiting periods.

Learn more about Gun Violence Prevention at www.80percent4wi.org or call (833) LAT-INO1

Braver Angels Wisconsin is offering free workshops to help residents bridge the partisan divide. Two in-person workshops are being offered two Saturdays in November.

Families & Politics - Saturday, Nov 1, 9 am to Noon at St. Rita Catholic Church, 4339 Douglas Avenue, Racine
Don't let Thanksgiving turn into a food fight! Learn how to preserve family bonds while staying true to your values and political beliefs. Although the focus is on family relationships, you can use these strategies with any loved one. You’ll have some fun in this workshop too – it won’t be all serious. After all, we all come from quirky families. FREE but registration required

Depolarizing Ourselves - Saturday, Nov 8, 1:30-3:00 pm at Brown County Library - East Branch, 2253 Main Street, Green Bay
Bridging the partisan divide starts with how we talk within our own political "tribes" - learn how to tame your inner polarizer during this in-person workshop. FREE but registration required.

Cannot make an in-person workshop OR want to learn more about Braver Angels?
Braver Angels has a new CEO, Maury Giles AND an exciting new mission/vision. Whether you're a new member/subscriber or existing, please join us. You’ll learn how our mission is evolving to have greater impact. You'll also meet other members and find out more about making a difference right here in the Badger State. This will be a Zoom meeting. Register here.