Bending the Arc

The Stuart Center in Washington DC works for social justice through education, empowerment and partnership with others at the national and international level. A just world is characterized by recognizing the dignity of each person and the integrity of all creation.

A resource of the Stuart Center is the Social Justice Resource Center, which links faith to action by providing information and resources on the social issues of our time. One feature of the SJ Resource Center is to create a newsletter with a monthly theme. The theme for March 2025 is The “Undocumented.” Each newsletter provides valuable statistics to support our advocacy on the issues we care about most. The March issue also continues valuable articles and information to include the document from the USCCB titled, 10 Things You Can do to Accompany Undocumented Immigrants.

Prior newsletter themes included: Farm Workers, Asylum Seekers, the War in Sudan, Wind Power, Prison Rehabilitation Programs, the Arms Trade, and more. View all newsletters at https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/newsletters/ 

The Social Justice Resource Center offers hundreds of:

• Key Principles such as Catholic Social Teaching, Justice, Peace & Forgiveness
• Facts & Figures and Church Teaching on Specific Issues
• Resources such as Publications, Films and Websites
• Biographies of Individuals Involved with Social Justice
• A Calendar with Events and Anniversaries Throughout the Year
• Quotes and Prayers Organized by Issue Specific Action Ideas
• Links to Catholic Diocesan Offices by State

I hope you will bookmark this website or consider subscribing to their email list. Email contact@socialjusticeresourcecenter.org 

You can also follow them on Facebook.
 

You are aware of the federal funding cuts to foreign aid. Essentially, the stop-work orders have impacted Catholic Relief Services and other agencies like them, who provide emergency aid to millions of people around the world. CRS is unable to give out much of the food, medication, and other resources that people rely on daily to survive. While Secretary of State Rubio issued an exception for lifesaving humanitarian assistance, organizations are currently not able to access money to implement lifesaving programs.  For this reason, CRS has issued an Action Alert, asking US constituents to take action by contacting their legislators.  

respond to the action alert
 

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Food banks, food pantries, and organizations help people access affordable, nutritious food for themselves and their families. Canned and boxed foods are some of the most-requested non-perishable food items. Monetary donations provide non-donated food.

More than 50 million people turned to food programs in 2023.
Source: Feeding America's annual report Charitable Food Assistance Participation 

Want to learn more about Feeding America?

Sister Mary Riedel, CSA, volunteers at the Salvation Army food pantry, which is associated with the national Feeding America. Surplus food is delivered by area grocery stores and restaurants, other sources, and mail workers’ food drive. Sister Mary stocks edible produce and commodities on shelves. Expired food is delivered to a pig farmer.

Volunteers stock shelves with canned goods and dry goods. Volunteers appreciate interactions with clients, who may be in dire need, have sad stories, and appreciate a compassionate listener.

Help the Fond du Lac Food Pantry by becoming a volunteer.

Find Salvation Army volunteer opportunities within your region.

Front pond of the CSA motherhouse during the winter months of 2017

The Laudato Si' Movement is based on millions of activities (inspired by Laudato Si') of Christians, the Catholic Church, churches, religious and secular partners around the world. 

The Laudato Si’ Movement is supported by 967 member organizations, 11539 Laudato Si' Animators, 204 Laudato Si' Circles, 58 National Chapters and thousands of volunteers worldwide. Everyone is welcomed and invited to participate and to act. (https://www.laudatosi.org/about-1/)

Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes: www.csasisters.org/our-values/creation.cfm

Special thank you to: Chelsea Koenigs, Laudato Si’ Animator; Jean Hinderer, CSA; Julie Ann Krahl, CSA; Patricia Bogenschuetz, CSA

 

The work of engaging with companies through socially responsible investment is often a multi-year process of dialogue and engagement. It requires diplomacy, patience, commitment, and perseverance. Corporate engagement and proxy voting affect lasting changes that are beneficial to people and the planet for generations to come. 

As You Sow is the nation’s leading shareholder advocacy nonprofit, with a 30+ year history of advancing solutions that create win-win solutions at some of the biggest companies on Earth. They share from the impact that they have had this year. 

• Amazon replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows with 100% recycled content.
• Citigroup agreed to disclose the climate transition progress of its energy and power clients.
• Keurig Dr Pepper announced a new plastic-free coffee pod.
• Hormel agreed to form a new industry working group to advance circular packaging policy.
• International Paper agreed to adopt the Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework.

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility has been active since 1971 in promoting the shared values of justice, equity, and belief in the right to a level playing field where everyone can achieve their full potential. This year ICCR reached agreements for eighty-four proposals. The majority of these are centered on climate change and racial justice.

Seventh Generation Interfaith, located in Milwaukee, is concerned with a myriad of social, environmental, and corporate issues, including climate change, labor conditions in the clothing industry, and responsible sourcing. They list their issues as:

• Climate crisis – science-based targets, deforestation, methane emissions
• Corporate governance – lobbying & political spending, pay disparity, separation of board chair and CEO.
• Food justice – sustainable agriculture & forestry, access to nutrition, food wastes, antibiotics
• Health equity – healthcare access & affordability, affordability of medicines, youth smoking, e-cigarettes
• Human rights – human trafficking, responsible sourcing, immigration justice, tobacco workers, fair chance hiring 

The Sisters of St. Agnes were once members of ICCR and Seventh Generation Interfaith. Seventh Generation was originally a group of religious communities brought together by Fr. Michael Crosby, OFM Cap for the work of socially responsible investing. CSA still sponsors their annual conference and continues its commitment to sustainable investment in collaboration with its financial manager. 
 

Football may be America's favorite pastime, but its environmental impact is anything but small. When it comes to sustainability, it’s time to step up the playbook.

The average NFL game generates over 80,000 pounds of waste per stadium, accumulating to 44.6 million pounds. Much is single-use plastic waste. Fans, teams and media traveling to games create a significant carbon footprint with travel emissions. Stadiums require immense energy for lighting, screens, and operations, with older venues often relying on nonrenewable energy sources. Super Bowl ads don’t just promote products, they encourage overconsumption. While the NFL has made strides to improve sustainability, such as recycling programs and renewable energy use, there’s a long way to go to offset the broader environmental impact of football culture.

Some football stadiums are getting (touch)down with sustainability. Most notably are our 2025 Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. Their stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, has set the bar for stadium sustainability. Lincoln Financial Field diverts 100% of its game day waste from landfills, using a combination of recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy conversion. In 2023, the stadium transformed 718.4 tons of waste into biomass energy, demonstrating how sports facilities can reduce their impact while entertaining massive crowds. (Source: Integrity Energy)

Learn what other stadiums are doing, and more, in this video from Sustainable Jungle: The impact of American football is bigger than you think.

NETWORK invites you to join them for an important webinar on Thursday, February 27 at 6:00 pm CST, where they will present “Moved to Action: Saving SNAP, Medicaid, and More!”

During this policy webinar, they will share the very real threats facing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid, and how we can work together to mitigate harm.

Unable to attend? You can still register and receive the recording and slides. REGISTER HERE.

On Thursday, February 20 at 6:30 pm CST, the Interfaith Peace Working Group of Wisconsin will offer a live, hour-long Zoom update on the situation in Gaza and the Middle East by Dr. Peter Makari. Dr. Makari will share information about the latest developments in Gaza and the region, as well as the work Middle Eastern faith leaders are doing to promote a just and permanent peace in Palestine/Israel. Following his presentation, Dr. Makari will invite Zoom participants  to converse with him and one another about how they and their local faith communities can support this work.  

This event is designed to assist spiritual leaders and members of communities of faith and conscience to consider, from a faith perspective, what is taking place in Gaza and the wider Middle East and how they can participate in efforts to realize the widely shared hopes of people for peace and reconciliation in Israel/Palestine.

Dr. Peter Makari serves as Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe for Global Ministries of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In that role, he is deeply immersed in the situation and on-going developments in Israel/Palestine and the Middle East. Peter works closely with UCC and Disciples partners in the region, including the Middle East Council of Churches. Having recently returned from Jerusalem and Jordan, Peter’s presentation will provide an opportunity for us to hear, first-hand, about the latest developments in Gaza and the region.
This event is free but registration is required. Click here to register.

Concerned about the current times?? You’re not alone. But, throughout the country, in both religious and secular sectors, the message is unified - our greatest impact begins at the local level.

It is time we all turn up our engagement efforts and exercise our rights and duties as participants in our democracy. Please review the following actions and consider what step you can take within your own sphere of influence. Whether big or small, every effort matters - what’s most important is that we each take action. 

Advocacy & Activism:

• Respond to action alerts to your legislators. Remember that you are responding as an individual constituent, not on behalf of your congregation.
  • Help those who can’t do the technology to respond.
• Sign the petitions on issues that are important to you.
• Write Letters to the editor of your local paper.
• Use the app “5 Calls" Civil Action App  https://5calls.org/
  5 Calls is an app for your phone (Apple or Android) and works on an iPad. This app makes it easy for you to reach your members of Congress to make your voice heard. They research issues, write scripts that clearly articulate a position, figure out the most influential decision-makers, and collect phone numbers for their offices. All you have to do is call.
• Write positive letters to those who are resisting Project 2025, harmful policies, and spending cuts.
• Speak with one voice…starting point is the Gospel… We are stronger together.

Collaboration & Networking:

• Collaborate with other groups national and local…numbers make a difference.
• Encourage the Bishops and churches to be more vocal. Remind them of the Gospel Values.
• Take the recent CSA or LCWR statements and study them in your groups and circles.
  • A Response from the Sisters of St. Agnes to These Times
  • A Response from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious to These Times
• Talk to everyone, family, friends, even people in the grocery line…let them know what you believe.

Spiritual & Emotional Support

• Energy follows thoughts…what type of energy do we want to put out each day? Support our actions by prayer.
• Work on ourselves so that we don’t become what we are fighting against.
• Encourage people to remember that all of us are human beings and we share a common humanity.

Support for Specific Organizations and Creativity

• Support organizations that are challenging unjust policies through legal means.
• Support artists and musicians. We need their creativity.

What We Can Agree On

One thing most Americans and our congressional representatives do commonly care about is the economy. So it is important we share with our representatives, and others, how actions being taken affect us personally. For example, regarding federal spending cuts and job eliminations, these negatively impact our local economies, and of course, our own families and communities.

It is recommended you call the representatives, whom you want to see change from, with one issue a day. Clearly state your name and your zip code so they know you are a constituent. You do not have to state who you voted for. Simply deliver an honest, heartfelt story regarding issues such as: how your small business is impacted, your family farm is at a loss, your retirement and 401K are tanking, your child’s education is suffering, the agencies you work for or sit on the board for that are helping people out of poverty, addiction and mental illness are having to close, etc. In a day or two, call again regarding a new issue. The key is to call often. It is absolutely crucial that we increase the level of calls we make each week. Consider using the 5 Calls app mentioned earlier to help you know more about the issues and to provide you with helpful scripts.

Find your Senators

Find your House Rep

Locally, find your State Legislators

Learning to read after school can be tricky enough when the lights are on, but imagine trying to do your homework without any light at all.

This is the situation school children in rural parts of Africa can find themselves in, with some families having to burn expensive and polluting oils in lamps so their children can learn at night.

Now an organization is using that energy to help children read after dark in Tanzania, by using their backpacks to power a reading light - and they’re using solar power, that’s gathered free from the sun! 

Read the BBC article

Read the CNN article

On February 8 we will celebrate the 11th Edition of International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking.

It is the feast day of St Josephine Bakhita who was a victim of trafficking as a child. She has become a symbol of freedom and a source of inspiration for the entire international community committed to combating human trafficking and exploitation.

The theme for 2025 is: Ambassadors of Hope: Together Against Human Trafficking. 
This year, in light of the Church Jubilee, we continue our journey with open hearts filled with compassion, HOPE and solidarity, recognizing our shared commitment to justice. The pilgrimage is a sacred journey, in which each step brings us closer to our mission. By committing in solidarity, we accompany those whose lives have been uprooted and stand to advocate for justice, protection and dignity.

Every step we take is an act of prayer and symbol of hope.

Talitha Kum invites us, either individually or in communal participation in their online pilgrimage on February 7th and in various initiatives scheduled from February 2nd to 8th in Rome and around the world. Find out how to participate.

Download and share this Vigil of Prayer 2025

On January 26, 2025, two migrant shelters for legally processed asylum seekers were forced to close in Pima County, Arizona, following sweeping changes to federal border enforcement policies implemented by the Trump Administration. One of these shelters is Casa Alitas, Tucson’s largest migrant shelter, and where Sister Eileen Mahoney, CSA had been working for over five years.  

Sister Eileen reports, “No more migrants have been permitted to cross the border. Approximately 500,000 asylum seekers whom our diocesan program served are in the US now hoping to complete their asylum process. Many are still in Mexico. A special group who have been waiting in Mexico for up to one year for their CBP One mobile app (Customs and Border Patrol app) are now stranded. Effective January 20, 2025, the functionalities of CBP One™ that previously allowed undocumented aliens to submit advance information and schedule appointments at eight southwest border ports of entry is no longer available, and existing appointments have been cancelled.

Pima County had secured over $117 million in federal funding to support temporary sheltering programs. Read more here. Without government reimbursements, the county would be responsible for funding operations. Sister Eileen and others have made this work their ministry. Their resilience and faith are finding new ways to support the inherent worth and dignity of those legally seeking safety and shelter. Some, like Sister Eileen, are looking at ways to assist migrants on the Mexican side of the border with groups like the Kino Border Initiative. 

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona is reassuring the public that the organization’s broader efforts would continue, with Elena Dwyre, CEO of Catholic Community Services, saying “through our wide range of programs—including housing support, behavioral health services, care for families and seniors, and assistance for those experiencing homelessness—we will continue to meet the pressing needs of our community.”

The USCCB also issued a statement in response to actions taken by the Trump Administration where they say, “Human dignity is not dependent on a person’s citizenship or immigration status.” 

Read more here
 

Imagine if one day people on all continents and in all countries turned out to rally against and demand the closure of all military bases?

Don’t just imagine it… It is happening, February 23, 2025!

Find the event nearest you or create one and add it to the map at https://worldbeyondwar.org/closebases/ 

The Earth is coated in military bases, spreading like a pandemic: foreign ones, domestic ones, famous ones, secret ones — part of a growing and disastrous global increase in spending on wars and preparations for wars that makes wars more, not less, likely. And prime targets in wars are bases and anything near them.

Bases are many of the worst environmental disaster sites, polluting air, soil, and water, and generating horrific noise pollution.

Foreign bases are often mini-apartheid states with second-class status for locals and criminal immunity for militaries — a situation that can often be traced back to stolen land and other injustices.
Check out and share the new video at DayToCloseBases.org. 

Through public pressure, bases have been closed, plans for bases have been blocked, and bases have been converted to other purposes, superior environmentally, economically, and in terms of achieving peace.

On February 23, people will be protesting bases with nonviolent actions around the world: rallies, vigils, peace festivals, protests, lobby visits, demonstrations, flyering at gates, teach-ins, and celebrations where bases have been prevented or closed and converted into something useful.

Find an event near you or see how easy it is to create one at DayToCloseBases.org.

Some of the many organizations involved are:

• International Peace Bureau (Global)
• No to War – No to NATO Network (Global)
• Pace e Bene (U.S.)
• RootsAction (U.S.)
• Veterans For Peace (U.S.)
• War Industry Resisters Network (U.S.)
• War Resisters’ International (Global)
• World BEYOND War (Global)

A pledge of “massive deportations” was at the center of President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, and steps are already being taken to carry this out in the early days of his administration. The executive orders and other actions taken by the administration pose serious threats to immigrant families and to refugees, present a pastoral challenge for Catholic and other faith communities, and infringe on the constitutional rights of religious organizations to carry out their ministries serving their neighbors in need.

What are the moral dimensions, human consequences, and policy aspects of these commitments and actions? How should the principles of Catholic social teaching shape a response for people of faith and national and local leaders?

In a timely public dialogue, offered by Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, five experts and leaders will discuss the administration’s plans along with questions of human dignity, family separation, border integrity, the right to seek asylum, religious liberty, and related issues.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 5 pm CT.  If you cannot join in person, the dialogue will be livestreamed and posted online for later viewing.

 RSVP Here

You can find recordings of all Georgetown’s impressive dialogues in their YouTube playlist

Join the ACLU of Wisconsin for an important Know Your Rights training. This training focuses on giving power to immigrants, their loved ones, and dedicated community members with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and assert their rights. Whether you're an impacted person or just want to help others, this event will give you the tools to navigate challenging situations confidently.

Date: Tuesday, February 11
Time: 6:30-7:30 PM
Location: Zoom
Register in advance

Can’t attend the training? Learn on your own. Visit: https://www.aclu-wi.org/en/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights 
 

Nuns Against Gun Violence (NAGV) 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. They meet via Zoom every other Thursday at 12:00 pm CST.

Updates from their January 19, 2025 meeting include:

• Plans for their 2nd annual Lenten Fast to Prevent Gun Violence. This year, our advocacy focuses on the intersection of gun violence and immigration. To help us demonstrate the breadth of this movement, please complete our commitment form. We will inaugurate the fast with an opening Ash Wednesday Prayer Service on Wednesday, March 5 at 11 a.m. ET on Zoom and YouTube. Register at bit.ly/NAGV-Ash-Wed  
  Please let Tracy know if you are interested in joining the planning committee or assisting in any way. 
• Everytown USA released their gun  law rankings for all 50 states. They assert a connection between stronger gun safety laws and lower rates of gun deaths. You can see how your state ranked here
• Win Without War urges us to contact the Secretary of Defense about ammunition made for the Pentagon that is showing up in crime scenes in the U.S. Use their Action Alert here
• Guns Down America is requesting stories about why people choose not to own a weapon. They ask: “Do you choose to live without owning a gun, like ⅔ of other Americans? We want to know why, as well as any experiences with guns that have shaped your view. Your point-of-view could change hearts and minds to reduce gun ownership and gun violence.” The perspective and experiences of women religious could be a powerful aspect of this project. Share your story here.
• A Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill was introduced in the Senate. It would allow a person who has a concealed carry permit in one state to do so in any state, allowing them to travel freely between states without regard to conflicting state codes. Keep an eye on this one.

Their next coalition meeting is Thursday, February 6 at noon. Please let tabler@csasisters.org know if you’re interested in attending this or future meetings.
 

President Donald Trump is withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement — again. His reasoning is that the climate agreement “undermines the U.S. Economy and puts the U.S. at a permanent disadvantage.” His solution: “Drill Baby, Drill.” However, per a recent Independent article, U.S oil producers are not all that interested. Read more.  

Under the international climate accord, first negotiated in 2015, countries around the world agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to limit global warming and forestall the worst impacts of climate change.
Trump has argued the agreement imposes unfair burdens on the American economy, and he withdrew the U.S. during his first term in office. The U.S. officially rejoined under President Joe Biden in 2021.

On January 20, 2025, just hours after taking office, Trump started the process over again, signing an order onstage before supporters at the Capital One Arena.

The Paris Agreement stipulates that any nation's withdrawal takes effect one year after an official notice has been submitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. In the case of the United States, the earliest effective date of official withdrawal is, therefore, sometime in January 2026.

In this video, the UN Confirms US Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement

  (the sigh and exhale from the WION reporter at the 0:13 mark says it all).

But, a hero re-emerges… After Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal, billionaire former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that his philanthropic foundation will cover the financial contribution the U.S. will not. According to Zack Budryk of The Hill, it will also provide the agreement’s reporting requirements for emissions associated with climate change. Bloomberg was quoted to say: “Philanthropy’s role in driving local, state, and private sector action is more crucial than ever—and we’re committed to leading the way.”

The commitment marks the second time Bloomberg has stepped in to help uphold the country’s funding and reporting commitments under the Paris Agreement after the Trump administration’s decision to leave the accord, and includes covering the funding gap left by the United States to UN Climate Change and upholding the country’s reporting commitments. Read more here.

The implications of US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement in President Trump’s first term are outlined in this document, and are largely the same today.

Running to Stand Still is a documentary film about the humanitarian crisis on the U.S./Mexico border. Running seeks to put a human face on the U.S. immigration “issue” by telling heartbreaking and inspiring stories about the migrants, and from the migrants themselves.

The Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary invite you to their Film Zoom Event on February 13, 2025 at 6:30 pm CT.

Register here

Cannot attend this showing? The CSA JPIC Office is planning to offer this movie one night in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
 

Last October 2024, 50 women climate activists from the global South, their counterparts from the North, young and older, from diverse faiths, faith-based NGOs, as well as secular organizations, together with male allies, came together in Frascati, Italy, for four days.

Organised by Wilton Park, in partnership with the British and Irish Embassies to the Holy See, Islamic Relief and the International Union of Superiors General, women from 15 different countries and 8 different faith traditions, came together to birth a new network of women of faith and their allies, committed to radical collaboration for climate justice - the Women, Faith and Climate Network (WFCN).

Sister Jean Quinn, DW, and Executive Director of UNANIMA International (pictured in the second row, far right, in white blazer) was invited to be among these women. Sister Jean reported on the astounding work that was accomplished in their time together. She also reflected on the grace in the meeting with Pope Francis as he gave the group his blessing at an audience in St Peter’s Square.

UNANIMA will be presenting a webinar with UISG and Laudato Si’ in the first quarter of 2025 for WFCN.

A summary of the October meeting, building blocks of the journey ahead, and more can be found in this report. 
 

WE Energies plans $2 billion in fossil fuel projects in Southern Wisconsin. Environmental groups are raising the alarm about the potential costs of these projects - to our pocket books, our health, and the environment.

WE Energies proposes to:

• Build a 130 MW gas facility near the existing Paris Generating Station in Kenosha County.
• Convert its Oak Creek Power Plant from coal-fired plant to natural gas (1863 MW total) 
• Build a new liquefied natural gas storage facility near Elm Road in Oak Creek.

Why is this a problem?

• Building more natural gas plants will delay WEC Energy’s Group goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2030. The company plans for the plants to be in operation for the next 30 years.
• Natural gas production releases methane, which has 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over 20 years. Brett Korte, an attorney with Clean Wisconsin, called methane a “climate killer.”
• In addition to methane, the fossil fuel plant will emit pollutants that will have serious impacts on the environment, causing increased health problems for area residents, including asthma, lung disease, and respiratory infections.
• The project will increase energy costs for WE Energy customers, who will pay for the projects over a period of decades.

What can we do?

Make your voice heard. The Public Service Commission, which must approve these plans, is holding public hearings. If interested, attend one!

Paris Hearings:
Wednesday, February 5 at 2:00 pm or 6:00 pm
Municipal Center Community Room Union Grove Village Hall
925 15th Ave, Union Grove
To attend virtually on Zoom, click here.

Oak Creek Hearings:
Tuesday, March 25 at 1:00 pm or 6:00 pm
Oak Creek Community Center Ballroom
8580 S. Howell Ave., Oak Creek
To attend virtually on Zoom, click here.

Can’t attend the meetings? Click here to submit comments by February 14.