Bending the Arc

January is National Slavery & Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in the United States. The Alliance to End Human Trafficking, formerly U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking has just released their January newsletter, Stop Trafficking!  Read it here.

Other important Monthly Updates include:

1. Information about the Annual Conference in Boston, April 15-17. This year’s theme is United in Prevention: Current Trends and Prevention Strategies. Father Greg Boyle, SJ will be this year’s keynote speaker.
2. International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking - Feb 8. Download a prayer vigil here
3. What would you do? High School Video Contest. CSA is a sponsor of this contest. Please share with students and education professionals in your areas.
4. Support the Alliance with apparel. Available in different styles, sizes, and colors. Order here.
    

As Catholics, we are called to be people of peace. Yet gun violence continues to devastate our nation, taking thousands of lives each year and inflicting deep physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds on families and communities. In response, Nuns Against Gun Violence (NAGV) invites all people of faith to join our third annual Lenten Fast to End Gun Violence.

During Lent, we will unite our minds, hearts, and bodies in a spirit of sacrifice—whether through fasting from food and drink or choosing another meaningful discipline—to pray for an end to gun violence and call our civic leaders to enact life‑saving legislation. This year’s fast will help deepen our awareness of how gun violence impacts individuals, families, and communities, especially children and teens.

Participants are encouraged to engage in three components:

Prayer – Join our virtual Ash Wednesday Prayer Service on February 18 at 2 p.m. ET bit.ly/2026NAGVAshWed 

Education – Receive weekly reflections from those directly affected by gun violence, along with scripture and resources.

Advocacy – Use your fast as a public witness for change. Resources available at nunsagainstgunviolence.org.

Sign up now to receive more information: bit.ly/2026Fast

May our Lenten prayers and fasting strengthen our desire to build a society rooted in peace.
 

PFAS—so-called “forever chemicals”—are a group of synthetic chemicals widely used in plastics and consumer products. They don’t break down easily, they accumulate in the environment, and they’re increasingly being detected in drinking water across the United States. Exposure has been linked to a plethora of human health issues, such as cancer, immune suppression, reduced fertility, and developmental abnormalities.

How many Americans have been potentially exposed to PFAS through their drinking water? How can you avoid these? Hear answers to these questions and more at the Green America webinar, “The Plastic Problem: Solutions for Greener Living,” with live Q&A, on January 22 at 2 pm. 

Register here

Plastics show up in daily life and even more so when you’re on the go. Here are six realistic ways to reduce plastic waste while traveling, whether locally or internationally. Read the guide.

Green America and its members push corporations to do their part in reducing plastics and PFAS use. As individuals we can also make different choices for better outcomes for people and the planet every day. Learn more at https://greenamerica.org/ 
 

Looking for meaningful ways to engage with native plants beyond your own yard? Our upcoming webinar features Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, and Esther Bonney, youth organizer and founder of Nurture Natives. Drawing on their work in education, storytelling, and youth leadership, they will explore how people of all ages can take part in the native plant movement through shared learning, relationships, and local action.

Event Details

“Intergenerational Care for Land and Community: A Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer and Esther Bonney“
Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. CT, 5 p.m. MT, 4 p.m. PT
Location: YouTube Live (link provided with registration).
This webinar will be recorded and shared with registrants after the webinar premiere.

This conversation is presented in partnership with Plant Baby Plant and Nurture Natives. All donations made at the time of registration will be shared between Plant Baby Plant, Nurture Natives, and Wild Ones to support community-rooted projects that build intergenerational relationships and put native plants into the ground.

Get more details & register

+New Ways Ministry is sponsoring a retreat for LGBTQ+ people and friends Friday-Sunday, March 6-8, 2026 at the Siena Retreat Center in Racine.

Brian Flanagan, PhD. is the John Cardinal Chair of Catholic Theology at Loyola University in Chicago. He will be leading the retreat, which will combine talks, synodal conversations, silent meditation, communal prayer, and socializing.

Learn more and register at https://www.newwaysministry.org/walkingtogether/ 

Following Dr. Flanagan’s stay in Racine, he will be traveling to Fond du Lac and will be hosted by the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA), where he will be making a presentation on Monday, March 9 at 5:30 pm. Participants will walk through similar experiences of listening and reflecting on what we can be doing as a church to support our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. 

Interested in CSA’s March 9 event? Please register here.

On the First Friday of each month, CMN invites you to a virtual prayer vigil, a sacred space to lament upcoming executions and bear witness to the sanctity of all human life. Join to stand in solidarity with people facing execution, their victims, and all who are impacted by the unjust system of capital punishment. 

First Friday Prayer Vigils include time for guided prayer, petitions, Scripture reflections, and contemplative silence. Due to the New Year’s Day holiday, January’s vigil will be on January 9, 2026, at 1:00 pm CT, featuring scripture reflection by Marie Dennis, director of Pax Christi International’s Catholic Institute for Nonviolence and a Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace. 

You won’t want to miss this! Learn more and Register here: https://catholicsmobilizing.org/our-work/death-penalty/prayer-vigils/

In a recent Vatican News story, Marie Dennis reflects on Pope Leo’s call for an unarmed peace for a wounded world. Read or listen to that story here.

In the Social Justice Resource Center January 2026 Newsletter, several staggering statistics were shared about the amount of plastics in our oceans. Here are just a few:

• In total, 14 million tons of plastic are entering our oceans every year.
• By 2050, there will be more plastic (by weight) in our oceans than fish.
• 33% of sea turtles (my favorite sea creature) will ingest plastic in their lifetime, and more than 50% of the dolphin and whale populations already have.
• 274 marine animals die each day from plastic entanglement.
• 73% of beach litter is plastic.
• A large source of plastic pollution are microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic less than 5mm in length, originate from larger plastic items breaking down and from synthetic clothing fibers shed during washing.
• There are 20 times more microplastic particles in our oceans than stars in our galaxy.
• The country producing the most plastic waste is the United States at 46 million tons.

Americans cannot seem to live without the convenience of plastic, but we must try! Stopping the demand for plastics starts with you. Here are 10 small ways you can have an impact in 2026:

1. Stop buying bottled water, drinks and sodas in plastic. Period.
2. Wean yourself from single-use plastics. For one, bring your own reusable tote bags, containers, straws and utensils to stores and restaurants (I cringe every time I see a cart full of yellow plastic bags walking out of the grocery store!).
3. Avoid liquid soaps and detergents in plastic bottles. Purchase bars, tabs or sheets (without microplastics) instead.
4. Buy in bulk, looking for eco-friendly packaging or using glass jars whenever possible.
5. Choose clothes made from natural fibers like cotton, wool and hemp.
6. Put pressure on manufacturers to use smarter packaging. Give your money to more sustainable competitors.
7. Ditch microbeads - avoid face wash, toothpaste with microbeads or larger laundry beads and scent boosters that go down the drain and eventually into rivers, lakes and oceans.
8. Go for the cone! Get your ice cream in a cone and avoid the plastic cup and spoon.
9. Avoid plastic wrap and baggies! Secure snacks and sandwiches in beeswax wrap, cloth sacks, or glass containers.
10. Recycle properly. Do not “wish cycle.” Improper recycling contaminates products that could be properly recycled. Remember, while good, recycling is the last resort. Avoiding plastics altogether is the best!

For more sustainability guidelines and tips, read the CSA Sustainability Guidelines.
 

The Beatitudes Center for the Nonviolent Jesus teaches and promotes the nonviolence of Jesus with the purpose to help end violence and to create a new culture of nonviolence through workshops, podcasts, and conferences. It was founded by Rev. John Dear.

Fr. John Dear is an internationally known author, activist, and teacher of peace and nonviolence. Learn more about Fr. Dear at https://beatitudescenter.org/about-john-dear/ 

The Beatitudes Center offers a new episode for the “The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast” every Monday. A conversation with actor and activist Martin Sheen is coming up January 13 and hear from S. Helen Prejean on the 27th! February features conversations with Fr. Richard Rohr and S. Joan Chittister.
The Center also has excellent programming, including “Blessed are those who mourn” on  Saturday, January 24, 2026. Learn more at https://beatitudescenter.org/ 

On July 4, 2026, the United States of America will commemorate and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Each month, we will share an article inviting reflection on this anniversary, the current state of our democracy, and our personal role in its maintenance. 

January 6, 2026, marks the Feast of the Epiphany and the fifth anniversary of the insurrection at the United States Capitol. Diana Butler Bass published the following article in January 2022. 

The Unwanted Anniversary: Remembering and contemplating democracy

I’ve been thinking a lot about anniversaries this month.

A few days ago, my husband, Richard, and I marked twenty-five years of marriage. The milestone prompted us to remember what was surprising and good in our time together and to look ahead and consider what we’d like to do in the next decade or two. Anniversaries are like that. Part memory exercise, part imagining the future.

But that’s not the only anniversary on my mind.

I’ve also been thinking about the first anniversary of January 6, the Insurrection at the Capitol. It may seem odd to put these anniversaries together in this reflection, given one celebrates love and the other recalls a violent political event. But anniversaries, whether commemorating something joyous or painful, invite us into the same two movements: remembering what has been and considering what might be.

And so, prompted by the unwanted anniversary of January 6, I’ve been ruminating on democracy — its past and its future.

Movement 1: REMEMBERING DEMOCRACY

The most significant memory I have of democracy is having no memory of it. Democracy was just what was. I took it for granted. It was always there, and it would always be there. Sort of like Jesus, “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Some of my earliest memories are political ones — mostly of John F. Kennedy and of the Civil Rights Movement. Between the two, I learned that democracy was a hope-filled possibility and that it wasn’t perfect. Indeed, it wasn’t complete. It was a project. There were people who couldn’t vote because of the color of their skin. There were people who didn’t have certain rights because they weren’t men. There were people who couldn’t publicly proclaim who they loved because others considered them deviant. There were those with no access to democracy because they were poor or marginalized or went unnoticed.

How to fix these things, make the project work?

Democratic shortcomings were addressed by better democracy. In the middle of the twentieth century, people fought to widen democracy’s reach, to establish the dignified participation of everyone in voting, and to guarantee equity under the law. The federal government must stand as a protector of democracy for all citizens, no matter an individual’s political party, class, or creed. Indeed, many Americans shared a sense of democratic responsibility for people across the globe who were seeking a fairer, more just, and humane existence. Democracy was a worthy project, and it was a bright birthright, our political North Star.

In addition to being an incomplete project, it seemed pretty obvious there were problems with democracy, too. People guessed there were rigged elections (I’m still convinced that my junior year student council election was fixed) and demagogues of all sorts. And democracy has always had violent impulses — its discontents quick to threaten and even kill dreamers and reformers. White middle-class people — the people who raised me — tended to see the misuse of democracy as aberrations, “mistakes,” to the genial progress of history. We eschewed the Joseph McCarthys of the world, were horrified by the Bull Connorses and George Wallaces on the news, and could barely believe President Nixon would lie to us but held him responsible when he did. It was different for others (I know that now) who warned that mistakes were purposeful and that abuse might be baked into the system. But, oddly enough, most of them appealed to democracy to fix it, too.

My upbringing not only took democracy for granted, but we also thought it inevitably progressed. It would grow, move forward, and win the world. Democracy would triumph.

Truthfully, however, democracies move in fits and starts. They leap forward with utopian fervor; they lurch backward when those in charge fear a loss of status and power. In most American schools, we celebrated the leaps forward and minimized the backward lurches. Because we believed in the triumph. We loved a “chicken in every pot,” “morning in America” and a “place called Hope,” but we cower from whirlwinds and storms. That means that we’re mostly unprepared for the backlashes when they come. And, in a democracy, they always come.

Democracy, the rule of the people, is a political system based on us. The rule of the people can be as inspiring as the greatest human impulses, as fickle as human nature, and as devious and deluded as human beings can be. In this way, “democracy” isn’t an ideology. You can’t put an “ism” on the end of democracy. Indeed, it is a practice of being a person in community, a polity based more on faith in the commons than a systematized doctrine. You can’t really believe indemocracy. Instead, democracy asks us to trust that we belong to one another — all of us — and that together we can behave more justly and learn that liberty and happiness are possible.
If you have a political polity based on the rule of the people, however, it can’t be anything but messily human — sometimes shining like the sun, sometimes still or scatterbrained, sometimes stuck in a sinkhole of sin.
I think of theologian Reinhold Niebuhr writing on the irony of American history — in effect, the irony of democracy — in the early days of the Cold War:

Our dreams of bringing the whole of human history under the control of the human will are ironically refuted by the fact that no group of idealists can easily move the pattern of history toward the desired goal of peace and justice. The recalcitrant forces in the historical drama have a power and persistence beyond our reckoning. Our own nation, always a vivid symbol of the most characteristic attitudes of a bourgeois culture, is less potent to do what it wants in the hour of its greatest strength than it was in the days of its infancy. The infant is more secure in his world than the mature man is in his wider world. The pattern of the historical drama grows more quickly than the strength of even the most powerful man or nation.

Niebuhr would go on to say, “Meanwhile we are drawn into an historic situation in which the paradise of our domestic security is suspended in a hell of global insecurity; and the conviction of the perfect compatibility of virtue and prosperity which we have inherited from both our Calvinist and our Jeffersonian ancestors is challenged by the cruel facts of history.”

He never imagined that the “paradise of our domestic security” would become paradise lost. That’s why the first anniversary of January 6 is so significant. The cruel facts of history came home when armed Americans, deceived by an American president, destroyed a proud tradition of the peaceful transfer of power and attempted a coup to overturn the results of an election — all in a corrupted notion of actually saving democracy.
January 6 proved there’s no escaping the insecurity that roils the globe. There is no domestic paradise. There’s no Kansas to go home to. Somebody stole the freaking ruby slippers. And we’re stuck in a this brilliantly colored world with poisoned poppies and flying monkeys. We’re going to have to figure out how to live here.

Remembering democracy is more than nostalgia. It isn’t a couple on their anniversary toasting their success saying, “Isn’t it great? We did everything perfectly!” No. Remembering is a bittersweet task, involving honesty, confession, regret, and the deep knowledge of how much we did wrong. And yet the central promise remains — love, commitment, partnership, building a life together no matter what.

Remembering democracy is like that. It is memory with layers of irony on ironies, while understanding that democracy is the only thing that can correct all the problems of democracy. The central promise remains — a polis where every person really matters, building a society together no matter what.

Movement 2: CONSIDERING THE FUTURE

These memories shape how we contemplate the future of democracy. More than anything else, we need to be fully alert to the perils of what might be.

January 6 was backlash on steroids. Backlash to a Black president. Backlash to marriage equality. Backlash to women’s rights. Backlash to the widening of democracy over most of our lifetimes — a widening that saw democracy reaching to include all sorts of people who had been excluded, a democratic correction of the flaws and misuses and mistakes of democracy past. January 6 wasn’t just about Donald Trump or the Big Lie. It was backlash to four decades of democratic progress that had been, by any historical account, extraordinary.

Thus, the backlash was a dramatic, violent, and dizzying demonstration of what Niebuhr warned: “The recalcitrant forces in the historical drama have a power and persistence beyond our reckoning.”

In some ways, January 6 echoed other violent backlashes in American history. But it was also singular because it was an epiphany of sorts — it revealed that among us are those who don’t believe that democracy is the way to fix a democracy. Rather, less democracy, even violence, even a paramilitary and quasi-religious coup, is the path some have embraced for the future. The rule of fake histories and lies. The rule of people with guns. The rule of “Jesus Saves” and a gallows.

As much as we might not want to remember January 6, we must remember it. 

We need to ask: 
Where do we go from here? Was this the last act of “recalcitrant forces” against a democracy that opens its arms wide, as inclusive and pluralistic as its implicit promises? Or was January 6 the first act of the end of a democracy that most of us too often took for granted? What kind of future do we want? What future can we commit to make?
 

On October 26, 2025, Buddhist monks and their special dog companion, Aloka, began their Walk for Peace from the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Final destination is Washington, D.C. The monks walk about 30 miles a day, eat one meal, sleep outdoors, and rely on donations and goodwill along the route - ancient traditions. Support personnel for the monks provide food and water, but the monks are also accepting food, water, prayers, flowers and other items as donations as they pass through towns in America. The monks will also accept offerings for lodging for their lunch or overnight stops.

The walk will take an estimated 120 days and cross 2300 miles. The walk is not intended to be a protest, but to raise awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world.

Awareness is indeed growing. They grew massive crowds during their walk through Georgia recently. People have been following them in hopes of being touched by their message of peace, hope, and love. Organizers say anyone is welcome to walk alongside them for a few miles and/or attend reflection gatherings. Read more from this news report. You can also follow updates on social media as the monks journey toward D.C.
 

January is National HumanTrafficking Awareness Month. It is an important time to reflect on the resilience of trafficking survivors and recognize the efforts of those who work tirelessly to prevent and eliminate this inhumane and devastating form of abuse and exploitation.

Human trafficking, a.k.a. modern day slavery, while illegal in every nation of the world, happens in every nation of the world, including ours. According to their book, Slavery in the Land of the Free: A Student’s Guide to Modern Day Slavery, authors Theresa Flores and PeggySue Wells reveal that the United States is a top destination for victims of human trafficking. Approximately 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S., primarily to be prostituted, while another 300,000 American children are at risk of being trafficked in the U.S. Prostitution under the age of 18 is considered a form of modern day slavery.

Modern day slavery/trafficking is not just sex trafficking of adults and children. It includes: forced labor, debt bondage, domestic servitude, child labor, child soldiers, child brides, and organ trafficking.

Sunday, January 11 is #WearBlueDay. Learn more about this and other ways you can help spread awareness at this Department of Homeland Security site.

The Alliance to End Human Trafficking is an organization founded and supported by U.S. Catholic Sisters. The Alliance works to end human trafficking by providing educational resources, giving presentations, raising awareness, and engaging in advocacy at the state and federal level. They support survivors of human trafficking in healing and thriving through direct services such as providing shelter, counseling, spiritual support, job placement, and educational scholarships.

As we approach National Human Trafficking Awareness month and the Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita (Feb 8), the Alliance to End Human Trafficking has also prepared this toolkit to support your education, prayer, and outreach efforts in the months ahead.

In three weeks, many of the government subsidies that help people afford health insurance will expire. According to a December 10 article in Popular Information, a newsletter dedicated to accountability journalism, if the subsidies are not extended before the end of the year, the impacts will be cataclysmic.

The 22 million Americans who currently receive these subsidies will see their premiums increase by an average of 114%. According to an analysis by the Urban Institute, families with incomes below 250% of the poverty line will pay premiums that are more than four times higher — rising from $169 to $919. Meanwhile, an estimated 4.8 million people will lose coverage completely because they are priced out of the market. Uninsured people, of course, continue to get sick and require emergency medical care. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation projects “a $7.7 billion spike in uncompensated care in 2026” if the subsidies expire.

The impact will be most severe in large states that have not expanded Medicaid, including Florida and Texas, because they rely on the Obamacare marketplace to cover many of their low-income residents. Those states will see their uncompensated care costs rise by as much as 25%. A study by the Commonwealth Fund also estimates that failing to extend the subsidies will result in the loss of 339,100 jobs due to reduced health care spending.

All Democrats support a bill drafted to extend enhanced health insurance subsidies for three years. Two key Republicans are aiming for a vote this week in support of a plan which involves funneling the subsidy money directly to HSAs rather than to insurance companies. This will allow patients to buy insurance from insurance companies of their choice, and is expected to drive premiums down, but many are split on how this will work, and the plan is not supported by all Republicans. All legislators agree that failing to do something to address rising health care costs would be a catastrophe.

According to a December 10 article from CommonDreams.org, The richest 0.001% now own three times more wealth than the poorest half of humanity combined.

A landmark report on global inequality published Wednesday shows that the chasm between the richest slice of humanity and everyone else continued to expand this year, leaving the top 0.001%—fewer than 60,000 multimillionaires—with three times more wealth than the poorest half of the world’s population combined.

The global wealth gap has become so staggering, and its impact on economies and democratic institutions so corrosive, that policymakers should treat it as an emergency, argues the third edition of the World Inequality Report, a comprehensive analysis that draws on the work of hundreds of scholars worldwide. Ricardo Gómez-Carrera, a researcher at the World Inequality Lab, is the report’s lead author.

The choices we make in the coming years will determine whether the global economy continues down a path of extreme concentration or moves toward shared prosperity.

Read the full article here
 

Pope Leo’s response to the recent international meeting on climate change (COP30) was “This (Paris Agreement) has delivered progress, but not enough. Hope and determination must be renewed, not only in words and aspirations but also in concrete actions.” He also stated “creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms, and relentless heat. One in three people lives in great vulnerability because of these climate changes. To them, climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity.” “There is still time to keep the rise in global temperatures below 1.5°C (2.7° F), but the window is closing. As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to act swiftly, with faith and prophecy, to protect the gift he entrusted to us.”

Slow progress has been documented since the original adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. The Rhodium Group, an independent research organization, released a 2025 report that shows the world has missed the 1.5 degree Celsius warming target (for 2100) and predicts a warming in the range of 2.3 – 3.4 degrees Celsius by 2100. According to the report, the United States has not substantially altered/lowered its global emissions trajectory, while a number of other countries have improved. However, their future prediction for the US is optimistic. “We find the US is on track to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by 26-41% in 2040 relative to 2005 levels. On the way to 2040, we estimate GHG emissions levels will decline 26-35% in 2035.” However, the country cannot return to mining more fossil fuels to reach these goals.

Most people do not view carbon emissions reductions as part of their responsibility; many people are simply overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problem. Some basic ways individuals can reduce carbon emissions include:

• driving less
• using public transportation when its available
• flying less
• turning off lights and devices and unplugging devices
• buying less
• supporting local farmers and businesses
• eating less meat
• composting food waste (non-protein based)
• opting out of gas-powered devices when possible
• voting for elected officials who support environmental and human health protections.

Start off 2026 with some of the above New Year’s resolutions!

Pope Leo’s statement is worth repeating: “As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to act swiftly, with faith and prophecy, to protect the gift entrusted to us.”
 

On December 8, Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) hosted a very special “fireside chat” with two families who were brought together by a tragedy - a daughter was shot by her fiance. In the wake of her death, the daughter’s parents were moved to forgiveness through their Catholic faith. Hear the powerful stories of how the Grosmarie and McBride families’ own experience with restorative justice led them to work for the benefit of the community and social justice nationwide.

The recording is now available here

If you’re not familiar with these amazing people, you are also encouraged to listen to their episode of CMN’s Encounter With Dignity podcast. 
 

Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life offered yet another wonderful conversation on December 4. Latino Leaders gathered for “Making Life Unbearable: The Impacts of Immigration Enforcement on Families and Communities.” If you missed it, the recording is now available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9C1OfFPXL8

A version of the recording with Spanish subtitles will be available on the dialogue’s webpage next week. You can view other resources from the dialogue here.

“The fear is something that has honestly shaken the community to our core, and it's a fear that follows you. It follows you everywhere. Into your kitchen, into your workplace, into your church. And you see it a lot. We've seen a lot of the raid activity. At one point it was every single day, back to back. You would open up social media and hundreds of sightings, hundreds of recordings. We've seen helicopter raids, apartment complexes being raided while families were sleeping. Babies being zip tied in the middle of the night. Hundreds of warrantless arrests. My home parish back at home was surrounded by federal officers during the Mass service, and just imagine the fear of the people who are there in hopes of having some sense of community in a place that feels safe, in a place that unites us where we're united, where we're together. That was deteriorated.”

—Roxana Rueda Moreno, community leader at Iskali, in the December 4 Latino Leader Gathering on “‘Making Life Unbearable’: The Impacts of Immigration Enforcement on Families and Communities.
 

Abiinooji Aki, Inc. announces their 2026 Women and Water Indigenous Clean Water Summit September 24-27, 2026 in Lac Courte Oreilles, WI. Early Bird Registration open NOW through January 3, 2026.

This summit is for all nations, all ages, all walks of life, but there is a special call for Catholic Sisters this year.

Native American Grandmothers and Aunties will be opening their hearts, thoughts and spirits to your needs and offering you methods that can help you gain strength and wisdom for the struggles of life. We need, as women, to come together for the sake of Mother Earth. We need each other for strength and fortitude to combat the lack of support for clean water. Women are the life givers and our responsibilities go deep. We are looked upon to maintain life in all forms. We provide life for the future and we make sure life continues, just as Mother Earth does.

Learn more here: https://www.spiritofthewater.org/ 

December 10 is International Human Rights Day. The 2025 theme is “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials.” Learn more here.

December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron of the Americas. During this time of heightened anxiety amongst the immigrant community in the United States, when we see appalling displays of violation of human dignity, Pax Christi USA invites you to consider praying especially for immigrants using this prayer service. Feel free to adapt it in whatever way is useful for you and your community.

Use this link to download the PDF

In a December 10 reflection from Josephine Garnem, Chair of the National Council for Pax Christi USA, she writes: “As we move into this holy season of Advent, we remember another migrant family—young, vulnerable, seeking refuge from violence to protect the life of their unborn child. This sacred story echoes in the lives of families here in the United States who have crossed deserts, oceans, and borders with nothing but hope in their hands and the desire for a future for their children. They, too, are seeking peace, hospitality, and the chance simply to rest.

So we must ask ourselves, as peacemakers: What is ours to do, right now? How do we embody the pope’s call for a less violent Middle East and a world that is hanging onto peace by fraying threads? How do we stay awake, alert, and open-hearted to the migrants at our own doorstep? How do we cultivate the courage of that innkeeper who, despite all limitations, said: ‘Come. I can help. In my home, all are welcome.’”

Here are additional resources from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns:
Advent Reflection Guide: Walking with God
Faith-filled Resistance to Immigration Enforcement
 

During a private meeting at the Vatican in October, Pope Leo blessed American bishops and representatives of the Hope Border Institute and others who assist migrants in the United States. He said the U.S. bishops’ special pastoral message on immigration is “a very important statement. I would invite especially Catholics, but people of goodwill, to listen carefully to what they said.”

If you missed that statement, you can also watch it being read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsMQ8V4pNCI 

Concerned about your immigrant neighbors? Understand ways you can help in your areas. Here in Wisconsin, visit Voce de la Frontera to learn how you can help. Voces provides a 24-hour emergency hotline in multiple languages to offer support. Call 800-427-0213. Voces also offers “Know Your Rights” training and much more statewide. Become a member and support their good work.

And stay in touch with WISDOM to learn more about 287(g) agreements between ICE and local law enforcement, plus other training to support immigrants, also statewide.

There are three models of the 287(g) program. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department has been in an agreement under the Warrant Service Officer model since 2020. This allows certified officers to serve and execute immigration warrants, but only to individuals already detained for local criminal charges, not immigration violations alone. At the end of their jail time, for local criminal charges, undocumented inmates continue to be held until ICE picks them up. FDL County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt has reassured concerned citizens that his deputies do not detain individuals in court solely based on ICE warrants and he believes “the immigration debate overlooks a critical group of people: the millions of undocumented individuals who contribute to our communities and economy without violating other laws beyond our nation’s immigration laws.”

The most concerning, and the one that seems to be growing in popularity throughout the country, is the Task Force Model as it supports racial profiling and gives an extraordinary financial incentive to law enforcement agencies if they allow their already trained officers to also enforce immigration authority with ICE oversight during their routine police duties.

It is important to understand the facts about “criminal immigrants.” The truth is, most agree that violent undocumented criminals should be deported. But what many don’t understand is that a small percentage of immigrants taken in major ICE operations actually have a criminal history. As this NYTimes article reports, only 6% of immigrants arrested in Los Angeles had violent convictions and 57% had no criminal charges. In Illinois and Washington D.C., those numbers are even more shocking with only 3% with criminal conviction and 66% with no criminal charges in Illinois and 2% with no violent convictions and 84% with no criminal charges in D.C. during periods of federal operation in each area. Read more here.
 

No matter where you’re situated on the political spectrum, you doubtlessly have loud voices telling you to watch out for unreliable information or “fake news”. Some of those voices are from your past: parents, priests, and schoolteachers. Other voices are current: journalists, politicians, entertainers, and neighbors. We’re all formed by the encounters and experiences we’ve had, and our worldview shapes how we receive new information. An important task of any mindful person is to sift what we hear to discern what’s actually true.

One of the best tools we have in countering misinformation is a healthy dose of skepticism. Don’t take things at face value. Seek confirmation elsewhere, especially when it too closely matches your hopes or when it seems too good to be true. Lots of people benefit from our unexamined belief. Even sources we trust need verification; every source has a bias, even if you agree with it. Look for confirmation from multiple, unrelated sources.
Read the full article, written by Ryan W. Roberts, OLF, in this November 2025 offering from the Sisters of Mercy: https://sistersofmercy.org/mercy-for-justice/critical-considerations/#misinformation 

The Institute Justice Team provides the following recommendations for information sources:

• CLINIC
• Reuters
• Vatican News
• AFP
• Catholic Charities USA
• Democracy Now
• Brennan Center
• Heather Cox Richardson
• BBC
• National Catholic Reporter
• Associated Press
• FAIR

They also suggest these fact-checking sites to try:

• Media Bias / Fact Check
• FactCheck
• AllSides Media Bias
• PolitiFact
• Snopes
• AP Fact Check

COP30, the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a global summit dedicated to addressing climate change through international cooperation, policy negotiation, and action.

COP30 took place in the city of Belém, in the state of Pará, Brazil, November 10-21, 2025. This marked a significant moment, as it is the first time the conference will be hosted in the Amazon region, a vital area for global climate stability due to its vast rainforest ecosystem.

See the outcomes, fast facts, the Pope’s message to the bishops, and other helpful resources at https://unanima-international.org/cop30/ 

The public is invited to join Ebony Vision’s November Member Meeting on Monday, November 17 at 6:30 pm CST.

Hear from guest speaker, Kimberly Barrett, PhD, where she will provide a Conversation of the Process and Purpose of Writing her book, “Rethinking Race.” Dr. Barrett will share how her views about race shifted—from seeing it as something fixed and unchangeable to realizing it’s more of a powerful idea that shapes how we see ourselves and others. You won’t want to miss this thought-provoking and inspiring meeting!

At the meeting, you will also hear community updates from this Fond du Lac organization. 

Join Zoom Meeting
Https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8163421769?pwd=VDVKZGZMVG8zTkV0SU5OUGVOVU9kZz09&omn=83288988021 

Meeting ID: 816 342 1769
Passcode: EVFDL
 

This past summer, the City of Sun Prairie launched a composting pilot program called, Food RESCU (residential, event, and school compost undertaking) Residential Composting Pilot. This 18-month pilot will provide 150 Sun Prairie households (renters included!) with a curbside composting service for a subsidized rate of $10/month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Sun Prairie a $109,000 grant for a pilot compost program. Read more here. 

All participating households will receive a 4-gallon bucket to collect food scraps. On a biweekly basis, Green Box Compost, the pilot's composting service provider, will stop by participating homes and swap full buckets for a clean bucket. Participating households will also receive finished compost twice throughout the pilot. In order for the city to gather valuable feedback on the success of the pilot, all participating households will be required to fill out feedback surveys twice during the pilot.

Since the start of the school year, September 2, Sustain Dane, in partnership with the City of Sun Prairie, Green Box Compost, and Sun Prairie School District, kicked off a school composting pilot program. Elementary students at Token Springs and Royal Oaks are now composting in their own cafeteria. The West High School kitchen production staff is diverting their food scraps to compost. In the first week, 365 pounds of food scraps were diverted from the landfill to Green Box Composting. The food scraps are composted into fertile compost that will be diverted to local agriculture and gardens. 

Maddie, a Senior from Sun Prairie West High School, supports the idea of composting and hopes it’s something the school can continue to do in the future. “We’re all so used to just throwing everything in the garbage, it will take time for students to learn how to properly separate their waste and to understand the benefits of keeping food out of landfills.”

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes has begun exploring a similar pilot with the City of Fond du Lac and Green Box. They are now looking for businesses, schools, and residents to join their effort. Contact Tracy at tabler@csasisters.org for more information. 

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.
 

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

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.

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.
 

In his new apostolic exhortation Dilexi te (“I have loved you”), Pope Leo powerfully elevates concern for the poor as a central theme of his pontificate. He writes, “The condition of the poor is a cry that, throughout human history, constantly challenges our lives, societies, political and economic systems, and, not least, the Church. On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and, therefore, the suffering of Christ himself.”

Pope Leo’s strong focus on the poor is situated within his acknowledgment of our rapidly changing social and economic context. Just after he was elected, Pope Leo said the Church should offer “her social teaching in response … to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.” Concern for the poor combines with new moral questions around the impacts of artificial intelligence, especially on workers, to form the central themes of his early pontificate.

In a timely Georgetown University Public Dialogue, leaders will respond to Pope Leo’s powerful challenge to the Church to refocus on the poor and his questions regarding the moral and human impacts of artificial intelligence at this time of economic turmoil and transformation.

You are welcome to join the livestream on Thursday, October 30, 2025, 5:00 - 6:00 pm CT

RSVP

This and all recordings from Catholic Social Thought and Public Life can be found on their You Tube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm8lUdkYI9mw86sxdDKC5YESHYz6hdF4r 

The Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center has transferred their land back to the First Peoples of Lac du Flambeau.

On October 31, 2025, at noon, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) will formally transfer the Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center property in Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin, to the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, the original caretakers of the land.

This moment marks the first known transfer of land from a Catholic institution to a Tribal Nation as an act of reparations for colonialism and the legacy of residential boarding schools.

Tribal leaders and representatives from the Franciscan Sisters will gather at Marywood for a ceremonial signing and blessing to honor this return and acknowledge the shared commitment to healing, relationship, and stewardship of the land.

This event stands as a powerful reminder of the resilience of the Waaswaaganing people and the importance of truth, reconciliation, and partnership in restoring balance for future generations.

Congrats and thanks to the FSPAs for leading by example. Read more here.

Earlier this month at the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest network of governments, Indigenous peoples, scientists,and environmental organizations agreed to a motion calling on governments and institutions to “address the gap in the international governance of the fossil fuels supply…through a variety of international instruments, including a potential Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.”

This is not just another resolution. It is the strongest ever multilateral agreement on fossil fuels in history. This message must echo across the plant and build momentum heading into COP30 in Belém next month and the First International Conference for the Phase Out of Fossil Fuels in Colombia next April.

Kudos to major cities like Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago and Pittsburgh, who have formally joined the call for a Fossil Fuel Treaty. The Chicago City Council also reaffirmed its commitment to the goals of the Paris Agreement, underlining how a new international framework on phasing out coal, oil, and gas production can function as a crucial step towards addressing the climate crisis.

Without a commitment to phase out fossil fuels, countries’ climate plans are empty promises, says Sergio Diaz, legal director at the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. Read his full article here.

Follow the work of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative here: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/ 
 

Last month, the Sisters of Providence Leadership team submitted a letter to the editor of their local paper. The letter was titled, "Called to Embrace Nonviolence."

They invite others to spend some time with the message and to share it among their networks. The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes fully supports and shares the sentiments and hopes of the Sisters of Providence. They encourage others to circulate the letter and use the Litany of Nonviolence provided.

The letter reads as follows:

Countless acts of violence are taking the lives of children, family members, friends, political leaders and others in this country and in the world.

Each of us has the capacity to decrease or increase the violence by our thoughts, words and actions.  Every time we attempt to divide persons or groups over and against others rather than working for the common good, we sow seeds of violence. 

Today, attending public events such as celebrations, parades, rallies, or even simply going to school can cause some concern. Indeed, violence in words and deeds is all around us. And yet goodness is also all around us.

Words matter.  Every time we use derogatory words to label and dehumanize or deprive other persons of opportunities we choose for ourselves, we increase the possibility for violence exponentially. It doesn’t matter if the words are spoken publicly or in circles where one feels safe to express such cruel thoughts. The damage is done. The world is made less safe for everyone. 

Let’s all choose to work at being able to disagree with another’s ideas while at the same time agreeing on our common humanity and thus treating all persons with dignity and respect.

The Sisters of Providence Community’s Litany of Nonviolence can help us discover where violence lives within us. It lights a path towards embracing nonviolence. We invite you to pray this litany with us as together we ‘beg the grace of a non-violent heart.’ May it be so.

Litany of Nonviolence:

Provident God, aware of our own brokenness, we ask for the gift of courage to identify how and where we are in need of conversion in order to live in solidarity with Earth and all creation.

Deliver us from the violence of superiority and disdain.
Grant us the desire, and the humility, to listen with special care to those
whose experiences and attitudes are different from our own.

Deliver us from the violence of greed and privilege.
Grant us the desire, and the will, to live simply
so others may have their just share of Earth’s resources.

Deliver us from the silence that gives consent to abuse, war and evil.
Grant us the desire, and the courage,
to risk speaking and acting for the common good.

Deliver us from the violence of irreverence, exploitation and control.
Grant us the desire, and the strength, to act responsibly within the cycle of creation.

God of love, mercy and justice, acknowledging our complicity
in those attitudes, action and words which perpetuate violence,
we beg the grace of a non-violent heart.

Amen.
 

In a September 27, 2025, article in the Gary [Indiana] Crusader, Rev. John Jackson shares an inspirational message about finding light in the darkness of our times. He starts by quoting the late Dr. Frederick G. Sampson who said, “There are times in life when we feel overcast by dreadful and foreboding shadows.” Shadows of insecurity, shadows of uncertainty, shadows of anxiety and fear. Yet, Dr. Sampson said, “Try not to get fixated on the shadows, because no solid object can cast a shadow itself. If there are shadows, that just means that a light is shining from somewhere. Find that light and focus on the light.”

Rev. Jackson goes on to list several Black trailblazers who overcame the nadir/darkness of our U.S. history as he acknowledges that we are experiencing another nadir in this “yet to be united states of America.” He suggests that “the nadir we are presently in cannot stop the light that has passed on to us to create a new beginning of light and hope. Shadows are still non-substantive, and the light is still shining. The death of the way things used to be will lead to the birth of a new reality if we focus on building as a community, rather than individually.”

He concludes by reminding us that “the light shines in the darkness, but the darkness cannot overcome it (John 1:5). We are the light of the world, my people, so shine! Be authentic, Be Encouraged and Stay Woke.”

Rev. Dr. John E.Jackson, Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Gary, Indiana. Read his full article here: https://chicagocrusader.com/from-nadir-to-the-light-of-new-beginnings/ 
 

Per a National Catholic Reporter (NCR) article of October 9, 2025, the same date as the release of the apostolic exhortation, Dilexi Te ("I Have Loved You"), Pope Leo XIV bluntly calls out inequality and indifference to the plight of the poor in the first major teaching document of his pontificate. 

"In a world where the poor are increasingly numerous, we paradoxically see the growth of a wealthy elite, living in a bubble of comfort and luxury, almost in another world compared to ordinary people," the pope wrote. “We must not let our guard down when it comes to poverty.”

Released on Oct. 9, the apostolic exhortation sets the tone for Leo's pontificate with a passionate call for solidarity with those on society's margins and calling charitable works "the burning heart of the Church's mission."
Read the full article at https://www.ncronline.org/pope-leo-blasts-elitism-indifference-toward-poor-first-major-document

The Franciscan Peace Center is offering a series of Movies that Matter. October’s screening is “The Way Home: We’re in This Together.”

View the documentary trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8as3EdNvbsA&t=1s 
This mini-documentary focuses on how sustainable housing initiatives work to alleviate the problem of homelessness within our communities. Screening and discussion will be held virtually on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. CT

Register Here
Upon registration, you will receive a Zoom link to join the virtual group screening and conversation for The Way Home: We're in This Together.

If you have any questions about October's programming, please contact Director of Programming at the Franciscan Peace Center, Marsha Thrall, at mthrall@clintonfranciscans.com.
 

When the students of Tennessee’s Whitwell Middle School began studying the Holocaust as a way to learn about tolerance and diversity, nobody could have predicted the results. In 2001, the Paper Clip Project culminated in a unique memorial that changed the lives of those who created it, as well as touching Holocaust survivors and countless communities.

Because Norwegians invented the Paper Clip and used it as a visual of solidarity against the Nazis, students started collecting them to help visualize such vast numbers of victims. As word spread online and in the media, paper clips poured in from around the world, 11 million of which are enshrined in an authentic German railcar standing in the school yard.

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes will be showing this film on Tuesday, November 11 at 5:30 pm. This is being offered as an in-person screening only. The public is invited to join us. For those unable to attend in person, the DVD will be added to our JPIC Resource Library and can be checked out for personal use. Registration is Required. Please sign up here.

The Paperclip Resistance Movement has been revived in the United States. The paperclip represents the concept that we are bound together and has become a visual symbol of unity and resistance.

• Show the world you are not afraid to defend our democracy… wear a paperclip!  
• Never allow yourself to normalize abuses of human rights… wear a paperclip!  
• Never stop fighting for your rights and freedoms and the rights and freedoms of others… wear a paperclip! 

Guests will be given a handful of paperclips to work on creating their own necklace during the film. We hope you can join us!!

Attention Milwaukee area residents...

People of all faiths and no faith, all spiritualities & theologies gather in small groups to share a meal & participate in a moderated discussion using a proven model, evoking deep exchanges about lived experiences & the role of faith &/or spirituality in their lives. Through exploration & dialogue, participants learn about the beliefs & traditions of others within an atmosphere of respect & understanding, & are empowered to stand as witnesses for tolerance & inclusion.

The next dinner is scheduled at Good Shepherd Trinity Church in Milwaukee on October 30 at 6 pm. Click here for more information and to register.
 

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes endorsed the Joint Appeal for Nuclear Abolition Day, September 26. The number, breadth and diversity of endorsements is exciting. More than 560 organizations and 1100 individuals from 98 countries, covering all regions of the world, endorsed the appeal (see the list of countries below).

Endorsing organizations are from a range of fields including peace, disarmament, human rights, environment, sustainable development, youth and faith-based organizations. Endorsing individuals come from all walks of life – including parliamentarians, local body representatives, religious leaders, Nobel Laureates, former government ministers and UN officials, academics/scientists, medical professionals, youth leaders, business leaders, educators, retirees and more. 

The appeal was presented to UN member States at the UN High-Level Plenary Meeting on September 26 by Dr. Deepshikha Kumari Vijh, Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy and Coordination Team Member of NuclearAbolitionDay.org. Dr Vijh was one of only two civil society representatives invited by Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, to speak at the High-Level Session. The other civil society speaker was Satoshi TANAKA, Executive Board member of Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations that won the Nobel Peace Prize last year.  

Please see Stop Nuclear Weapons: Leaders of the UN and Member States, Celebrities and Civil Society Called for Action on Nuclear Abolition Day, September 26, for a blog report on the presentation of the Joint Appeal to the UN, plus some other actions and events on Nuclear Abolition Day. If you are interested, you can watch the video of the September 26 UN High-Level Plenary meeting. The meeting was opened with speeches by the UN Secretary-General and President of the UN GA, followed by Presidents, Prime Ministers, foreign ministers and ambassadors, with the two civil society reps speaking near the end.

The Joint Appeal will be presented again to the First Committee of the UN General Assembly on October 17. This committee, which includes representatives from all UN Member States, considers disarmament resolutions for adoption by the UNGA. The Joint Appeal will remain open for further endorsement until then. Sign on here.

Endorsements came from 98 countries, covering all regions of the world:
Aotearoa/New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cymru (Wales), Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Egypt, Erub/Yuwibara Territory (Australia), Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia/ Ma'ohi Nui, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Scotland, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tokelau, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
 

The Felician Sisters of North America's Justice & Peace and Integrity for Creation (JPIC) Office and Felician Services, Inc. (FSI), invite you to participate in a webinar with the captivating Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, whose Ministry Against the Death Penalty continues the momentum it built upon the publishing of Dead Man Walking in 1993. The webinar will occur at 6PM CDT on Tuesday, October 14.

The Abolition of the Death Penalty is a Corporate Stance of the Felician Sisters of North America. The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes has a similar corporate stance opposing the Death Penalty (visit https://www.csasisters.org/our-values/death-penalty.cfm for more information).

This webinar will be recorded and available to people who register. Please click here to register. 
 

Observed every 10 October, the World Day Against the Death Penalty unifies the global abolitionist movement and mobilizes civil society, political leaders, lawyers, public opinion and more to support the call for the universal abolition of capital punishment.

The day encourages and consolidates the political and general awareness of the worldwide movement against the death penalty.

On October 10, 2025, the World Day will be dedicated to challenging the misconception that the death penalty can make people and communities safer. Learn more at https://worldcoalition.org/campagne/22nd-world-day-against-the-death-penalty/

Unfortunately, on this very day, October 10, 2025, an execution is scheduled in Michigan City, IN. Five more executions are scheduled for next week. 

You are always invited to join Catholic Mobilizing Networks’s monthly virtual prayer vigils held the first Friday of every month at 1:00 pm CT to lament upcoming executions and to bear witness to the inviolable dignity of all human life. Register here.
 

A coalition has set sail to bring relief to Gaza. Everyday people who believe in human dignity and the power of nonviolent action are risking their lives to bring much needed supplies to Palestinian people by the sea.

With delegations from 45 countries, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) is the largest civilian maritime mission organized to break Israel's illegal siege on Gaza. Coordinated by grassroots organizers, seafarers, doctors, artists, and solidarity activists from over 40 countries, the flotilla is a nonviolent humanitarian mission responding to the ongoing genocide and siege against the Palestinian people. To learn more and follow their journey go to Sail to Gaza - Collective Action for Gaza.

Track their journey: https://globalsumudflotilla.org/tracker/ 
 

This essay was written by Pastor Quincy Worthington of Highland Park, IL on September 10, 2025 and is reposted here with permission from the author:

I can already tell there’s something I have to get off my chest if there’s going to be any hope of sleep tonight. It’s going to be long. You can read it, or you can scroll past. I’m not sure it really matters anymore, but I’m writing this to you. Yes, you—the one who cares enough to be reading.

Just this week in America, I saw a video of a precious child of God who fled her country devastated by war. She came here, to the U.S., because she was told we were free and safe. And then I watched her board a bus and be brutally and horrifically stabbed to death. Here in America. One more precious child of God…

This week in America I saw another precious child of God sitting in front of a large crowd. Someone shot that precious child of God. I was told his wife and children were in attendance. Everyone is speculating on reasons and motives. Some say he had it coming, that he was radicalizing college students. But I can’t help but wonder if a more effective way of radicalizing students is to have them watch the public assassination of a precious child of God in front of his own family… Here in America. One more precious child of God…

Shortly after that, the news broke of yet another school shooting, where more precious children of God were harmed; not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. I’ve sadly seen firsthand the trauma and damage, the loss of safety and reality, that a mass shooting inflicts on a community. I’ve held those hands. I’ve said those prayers. I’ve walked with those ghosts. I still pray every day that you never have to. Here in America. More precious children of God than I can count…

This week I’ve seen the vans and the masked men. I’ve seen the terror as a vehicle screeches to a stop and a precious child of God is grabbed and disappears. I’ve seen the footage of where they’re taken. I’ve heard the stories of what happens to them. And while I know many are here illegally, when I look into their eyes, when I see their photos, I just see another person. I just see a precious child of God who deserves decency, fairness, and the most basic human rights. But those seem to remain ideals rather than reality here in America.

This week in America I saw our President post what he calls a joke; one that, at least to me, implied going to war with a city I love and spend time in. A city where I generally feel safe. I didn’t find the joke very funny. To be honest, I found it alarming. It scared me. The President — who is also a precious child of God — scared me. I try to remind myself that just last year people tried to kill him. Twice. They too tried to extinguish a precious child of God. And I had to watch people mourn that they missed. I can understand wanting to come down hard on crime. But sometimes what the President says and does scares the absolute hell out of me. Here in America…
This week I’ve seen my friends, my friends, my friends… Some of you I know quite well, and some of you I’ve never actually met… I saw you tear each other apart and say hurtful, accusatory things to one another… and to me. I tell myself it’s the price I pay for having friends from such diverse backgrounds and lives. Life would be utterly boring to me if you agreed with me on everything I said or believed. I really try to take people as they are. I really try to see everyone, including you, as a precious child of God.

God, listen: I’m not perfect. I get things wrong. I make awful mistakes. I’ve done things I really regret and wish I hadn’t done. I say things I shouldn’t. I sometimes believe things that are harmful to myself and to others. I stay awake some nights thinking about how I fail to live up to my own standards, let alone Christ’s or God’s. The only thing that brings me consolation in these dark nights of despair is God’s grace. There’s a part of me that wonders if I just NEED a God of Grace and this is just some desperate wish for forgiveness I don’t deserve. Yet, in my heart of hearts I know that God of grace exists. Because I need that grace so badly and because I sometimes feel it so deeply, I feel like the very least I can do is extend it to others. Leaning so heavily into grace means that I have friends who say and do things I disagree with, even things I find abhorrent. But when I look at them, I can’t help but see a precious child of God. I see the same thing when I look at you.

It’s getting harder, if I’m brutally honest. This week changed me in ways I didn’t want to be changed. My faith in God hasn’t been this strong in a long time, but my faith in humanity is at an all-time low. For the first time in my life, I’m asking myself: what happens if all my faith in humanity disappears? Can someone be a minister if they don’t have any faith in humanity? Is faith in God alone enough? Am I going to join the legions of ministers who just can’t take it anymore and leave?

The problem I have, the thing that’s really upsetting me, is it’s never our fault. It’s always their fault. We always blame someone else for how it got like this. They’re the ones who are ruining everything. It’s never me. It’s never my team. You might be reading this thinking the same thing. Others are probably just looking for ammunition to prove it’s my fault. Lord knows, it feels like some of my friends only comment on my posts to disagree with me and tell me it’s my fault. And they’re right. It is. It’s your fault too. We’ve either actively participated in, or stood by and watched, while it happened. And that’s why my faith is wavering. It’s our fault. All of us. But for some reason we refuse to really examine what role we’ve each played in this. I can’t help but think we’ve royally messed this up, and my faith that we can fix it is almost gone. That’s where this whole God of grace thing trips me up…
There’s this story about a precious child of God who they say was literally God’s son. You can believe it or not. That doesn’t matter for my point. What I believe is that the Divine didn’t just live in him; he embodied it so fully that he and the Divine were indistinguishable. He taught things I still find crazy and hard to do: to love enemies, pray for those who persecute you, and care for those who are marginalized and discarded. He taught me that every single person is a precious child of God, even the anonymous ones across the screen, like you.

Honestly, it sounds impossible but what really blows me away is something I don’t think we talk about or point out enough.  I know I haven’t. Jesus didn’t just preach this radical love; he actually lived it out. He cared for the agents of the empire oppressing his people. He even healed the soldier who came to arrest him, after one of his closest friends cut off the man’s ear in defense. He knew that arrest would lead to his own death. He healed their children too. He embodied a radically inclusive love. That love started changing people. So they killed him for it. Publicly. Horrifically. In front of his family. A precious child of God…

It’s an awful and really depressing story, maybe even a cautionary tale, if it ended there.  But they write about a resurrection.  Some people think he literally raised up. Others say it was metaphorical. They blame the other side for getting it wrong and messing up our faith too. I’ve been on both sides of that argument. But one of the writers says at the very beginning: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overcome it.” These are precious, precious words to me. Literal or metaphorical, it makes the story of the Resurrection real and true for me.  That one small phrase “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it” has seen me through my best when I’m being the light and through my absolute worst when I’ve tried to snuff it out.

And tonight, after all that’s happened this week, I’m clinging to those words like a drowning man clinging to a rope. Because I don’t want to lose my faith in you. I don’t want to lose my faith in us. I don’t want to lose my faith in Humanity. And somehow, when I shut out the noise of the world and my own mind and just focus; when I beg this God of grace to guide me back toward the light, I find that John was right. That little light, that last kernel of hope and faith and love and grace, is still there. Even in what feels like a cold, dark heart, that fleck of the divine is still calling me to try again.

Liberal, conservative. Democrat, Republican. There’s enough blame to go around for all of us. It’s all our fault. Mine too. And for that, I am truly sorry.

But no matter how bad, no matter how dark it gets, I still believe the light shines in the darkness. I still have enough faith left in you, in us, in humanity to believe we can fix this. Maybe not on our own… but with God’s help. And I think the first step is to repent. Repent of not viewing each other as human, let alone as God’s precious children. Even if you don’t believe in God and think I’m full of [expletive] — just try. Pretend, if you must. Treat each other as precious children. And even if we do that and love each other, we’ll still get to argue and disagree. And that’s ok. [A good friend] and I disagree on a ton of stuff and I still freaking love that guy! But let our disagreements be about finding the path forward and how to best work together. Let them lead us back to being more than just a flicker of light in the dark. Let us become again that shining city on a hill, reflecting the ideals we all long for.
I believe, almost against every fiber in my body, that the light still shines in the darkness. Here in America. And that light is carried by the precious children of God…

If you’ve made it this far, I’m impressed. This was longer than I thought. But like I said at the beginning, I just had to get it off my chest before I could sleep. It may be asking a lot after making you read all this, but I ask you to at least consider it with some of the same care, faith, grace, and love I tried to write it with.

This summer, the United States has witnessed families torn apart, communities full of fear, and people afraid to go to church and work because of the threats and realities of deportations on a wide scale. Catholic leaders have been on the frontlines speaking out and standing in solidarity with immigrants, united in a belief in the God-given dignity of all people, and faced with one of the most dramatic disruptions of the U.S. Church’s life in recent decades.

Pope Francis reminded the U.S. Catholic bishops in February 2025 that the “common good is promoted when society and government, with creativity and strict respect for the rights of all… welcomes, protects, promotes and integrates the most fragile, unprotected and vulnerable.” And in recent weeks, Pope Leo XIV has encouraged us to see migrants as “messengers of hope” in a world darkened by ongoing violence and war—a stark contrast to the rhetoric and fear stoked by many politicians. 

As bishops and other Catholic leaders uphold these teachings through their public witness, policymakers and the rest of us must seek the common good, find paths to unity and solidarity, and remember that a just society defends the rights and interests of its most vulnerable members. This urgent dialogue will bring together Catholic bishops, academic and policy experts, and community leaders to explore how the principles of Catholic social teaching can help us seek a better way forward.

Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life invites you to a special initiative roundtable titled, “Deportations and Assaults on Human Dignity: Catholic Principles, Human Costs, Pastoral Challenges” on Thursday, September 11 at 5 pm CT.

This will be livestreamed and recorded for later viewing.

RSVP here: https://catholicsocialthought.georgetown.edu/events/deportations-and-assaults-on-human-dignity#rsvp 

Note: Above photo credit to U.S.Catholic.org from the article, “The church must risk all to support migrants, says Bishop Seitz.”

In the urgency of now, the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) is collaborating with Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN), an organization that mobilizes Israeli citizens who are taking a stand against endless war. The goal of this tour is to build partnerships between American communities and the Israeli conscientious objector movement, so that we can collectively address how we got to this breaking point and explore possible paths towards a just peace. The tour’s central program will consist of conversations with Israeli Refuser (conscientious objector) Atalya Ben-Abba.

Atalya’s life and activism are depicted in the award-winning documentary Objector, which explores her courageous decision to challenge her country’s military draft, her subsequent imprisonment, and her ongoing work to reconcile her Jewish identity with her dedication to Palestinian ;human rights and the pursuit of peace. Today, Atalya serves as the Media Coordinator for the Refuser Solidarity Network, which provides crucial support to Israel's military refusers in the toughest of political circumstances.

Click here to see if you live near one of the U.S. cities where conversations with Atalya will be happening during September 2025.

You can also visit https://forusa.org/israelirefusers/ to write to Israeli refusers who are currently in prison for not enlisting in the Israeli military. 

Sturgeon, hatched from eggs gathered in spawning areas along the Wolf River, will be tagged and released into Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Milwaukee River on Sunday, Sept. 28.

This sturgeon release event is hosted by the Riveredge Nature Center that powers the Milwaukee River Lake Sturgeon Rehabilitation Program. The program began in 2006 in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Anyone can sponsor a sturgeon and receive updates about the path it takes. Learn more here.

Culturally significant and a food source to the historic regions’ Indigenous people, sturgeon were almost regionally extinct from the Milwaukee River. The population fell to less than one percent, due to overfishing, pollution, habitat loss, and poaching. Sturgeon is one of the most important legacies we leave our children, who in turn will leave it for their children.

The Sept. 28 event is possible thanks to the work of year-long volunteers and the DNR. An event like Sturgeon Fest shows, not only that sturgeon are returning, but that we are revitalizing our culture and honoring ancestors.

Make it a full, fun day with the family. Details at https://riveredgenaturecenter.org/program/sturgeon-fest/ 
 

The Damascus Road Project is offering the public a FREE Human Trafficking Awareness 101 Class on Saturday, September 27, 1:00–3:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 1225 4th Street, Fond du Lac.

Sign up today at https://damascusroadproject.org/trafficking-101-class 

NOTICE: Parental discretion is advised. No child under 11 years old is allowed to attend. Daycare is provided for free. Registration is required. To register, please call 920-948-1664.

The Damascus Road Project serves the community with a three-fold approach:
Educate - community and professional education and training opportunities are offered to all community members.
Locate - community outreach provided to identify those being victimized.
Advocate - connect with those who have been victimized and offer support, compassion, encouragement and mentorship, as well as connection to appropriate resources and services.

Learn more at https://damascusroadproject.org/ 
 

Sea Otter Awareness Week is coming up! Yes, you read that right! Annually, throughout the last full week of the month, September 21–27, 2025, celebrate sea otters!

Zoological and education institutions, government agencies and communities are encouraged to plan and undertake events that highlight sea otters. Activities include sharing stores, disseminating science and generating media that inspire a deeper awareness of these unique marine mammals, their ecological importance and the many challenges they face.

As a keystone predator, sea otters regulate the biodiversity and resilience of kelp forest by controlling populations of kelp-eating animals. They symbolize the interconnectedness that sustains life in nearshore habitats. However, we must ensure the future of sea otters so they can continue to paddle the nearshore waters and fulfill their foundational role in coastal habitats.

This year’s Sea Otter Awareness Week theme is Anchored in Hope.

You are invited to a special webinar about acknowledging and overcoming feelings like despair and eco-anxiety to find hope in the movement to conserve sea otters and their habitat. Join “How to Be Hopeful: Empowering Practices to Overcome Despair and Act for Sea Otter Conservation” on Sunday, September 21 at 2:00 CT.  Sign up today to receive the webinar link and a reminder by mail.

Learn more, including events near you and online by visiting: https://defenders.org/sea-otter-awareness-week 
 

Braver Angels is bringing Wisconsin together to bridge the partisan divide and you can participate!

Join the online webinar, “Welcome to Braver Angels in Wisconsin” on September 16, 7-8 pm. Whether you’re new to Braver Angels (BA) or just want to know more, please join. You’ll meet other members and find out how you can make a difference right here in the Badger State.

Learn more and register here.

You may also attend the state-wide debate online: “K-12 Education in Wisconsin” on September 24, 7-9 pm. Participants (altering “blue” and “red” views) will be allowed to speak to the resolved statement: “K-12 school choice is good for Wisconsin Communities..” These online debates are done so well, with clear guidelines, that allow all voices to be heard and uninterrupted. These online debates are highly recommended for anyone just starting out and wanting to sit and observe the process too.

Learn more and register here for the online state debate.
 

Catholic Climate Covenant hosts monthly pilgrimage planning workshops that connect Catholics across the country as they plan for Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation in their local places and spaces.

Past workshops have been recorded and available to view here: https://www.youtube.com/@PilgrimsofHopeforCreation 

More workshops are coming up throughout the year. Register here to get the link to attend upcoming sessions:

September 16: Group Sharing
October 21: Celebrating our Pilgrimages and Impact!
November 18: Next Steps: Continuing Along the Way
December 16: An Advent Spiritual Reflection of Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation

At the September 16 workshop, Tracy Abler, JPIC Coordinator for the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) will be sharing details of their October 4 pilgrimage, “Sowing Seeds of Hope and Healing.” Learn more and register here: www.csasisters.org/pilgrimage 
 

Nuns Against Gun Violence (NAGV) is a coalition of Catholic Sisters and allies for gun violence prevention. They meet monthly on the first Thursday of the month, at 12:00 pm CT. These meetings are open for all to join.

At the August 8 meeting, a prayer remembering the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were shared, as well as a prayer for those lost to gun violence in the past month. This is a moving, reflective space that shows photos and names of the deceased. You can watch the recording of the prayer on their YouTube channel here:  https://youtu.be/ff2C-eIqiuE 

If anyone has other prayers that they would like to be shared on the prayer page on the NAGV website, please send them to Kim Westerman at communications@csjcarondelet.org. You can access NAGV prayers at https://nunsagainstgunviolence.org/prayer.

Each month, following the opening prayers, a coalition meeting is held and updates are shared. One new development is that the Sisters of the Precious Blood have offered to be the fiscal agent for Nuns Against Gun Violence (NAGV) and the website will now include a section for making donations to NAGV and all are grateful to the Sisters of the Precious Blood for this partnership.

A recorded webinar called, “Making Connections, Building Hope: Gun Violence Prevention in Missouri” was shared and if you are interested in organizing a webinar in your state, please contact Jennifer at jkryszak@clintonfranciscans.com.

Learn more at https://nunsagainstgunviolence.org/ 

As UNANIMA International comes to completion this fall, its member congregations, like CSA, are looking for ways to stay involved in the work of Catholic Sisters at the United Nations. Here is one such way…

The Sisters of Mercy and Maryknoll are inviting communities to join them for a 90-minute Zoom program at 6:00 pm CT on Thursday, September 18, 2025 to learn more about the importance of COP 30 - the 30th U.N. climate conference being held in Brazil November 10-21, 2025.

Learn what voices from the Catholic Church in the Global South are preparing and demanding from these international climate talks. Presenters will include Mercy Sister Rosita Sidasmed of Argentina, Secretary General of REGCHAG, the ecclesial network of the Gran Chaco and Guarani Aquifer in South America; and Franciscan Rodrigo Peret, who will talk about the people’s summit that will run as a parallel event to COP. Lisa Sullivan from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns will share her experience at previous COPs and the importance of this meeting, set in the Amazon rainforest.  

Register to attend this offering at: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/k9hWQkg9S5uudLHTcBjZmg#/registration 

There will be interpretation for English and Spanish speakers.
 

On Aug. 20, 2025, New Ways Ministry hosted a webinar with seasoned Vatican expert Christopher White to discuss his new book Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave and the Dawn of a New Papacy.  
White chatted with New Ways Senior Fellow, Brian Flanagan, PhD, about the dynamics behind Leo’s election, his relationship with Pope Francis, and what his election signals for the future of LGBTQ+ Catholic ministry. Watch Now.

Did you hear?? New Ways Ministry has a podcast called, “One Body, Many Parts.” Check out the first podcast here.

Click here to read New Ways Ministry Bondings 2.0 blogs: https://www.newwaysministry.org/blog/ 
 

The Mission Integration Committee of Marian University is pleased to present a series on the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. This 9-part series will be presented by Sister Dianne Bergant, CSA, Ph.D. in Stayer Auditorium, Marian University, 45 S. National Ave. from 3:00-4:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoons throughout the academic year. The public is invited to attend. Sister Dianne was widely interviewed recently after one of her students became Pope.

A livestream will also be available on the CSA YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@csasisters 

The first session will take place on Tuesday, August 26 and focus on the Dignity of the Human Person.

The full list of topics and dates are

• August 26 - Dignity of the Human Person: Image of God
• September 23 - Appreciation of Creation: Interconnected
• October 21 - Commitment to Universal Truth: Anthropocentric to Cosmocentric
• November 18 - Faith & Reason: What is Theology?
• January 27 - Integral Relationship with the Catholic Church: Missionary Disciple
• February 24 - Hospitality & Tradition: Dialogue
• March 31 - Sacramental Vision: Mystery
• April 21 - Power of Beauty: Vision or Reality
• May 5 - Innovation for the Common Good: Interdependence

Sister Dianne served as President of Catholic Biblical Association of America (2000-2001) and as the Rev. Robert J. Randall Distinguished Professor of Christian Culture, Providence College, Providence, RI (2009-2010). She was awarded honorary doctorates from the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University, CA (2013), Marian University, Fond du Lac, WI (2014), and the Catholic University of Australia, Melbourne, Victoria (2015). She was an active member of the Chicago Catholic/Jewish Scholars Dialogue (1988-2017), a member of the Board of Trustees, Sacred Heart School of Theology (1983-1989), and of St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, WI (1996-2005). She sat on the editorial boards of The Bible Today (1979-2005), Biblical Theology Bulletin (1990-2014), Catholic Biblical Quarterly (1992-2001), New Theology Review (1997-2003), Teaching Theology and Religion (2003-2005), and Chicago Studies (2003-2009). She has taught and lectured in various places in the United States, as well as in South Africa and Namibia, Trinidad, England and Ireland, Kiribati, Philippines, Thailand, Mexico, Nicaragua, Rome, Australia and New Zealand.

Go to the event website

The murder of Syl and Vicki Schieber’s daughter, Shannon, by a serial rapist in 1998, took them to the crossroads of retribution and forgiveness, the law and Church teaching.

Pennsylvanians Against the Death Penalty welcome the Schiebers in a powerful, online event where they will share their story on Thursday, September 18 at 6 pm CT. Despite their unimaginable pain, the couple found themselves in a position to make a profound choice. They will discuss why, in the face of immense pressure and the District Attorney’s push for capital punishment for their daughter’s killer, they found against it. You are welcome to join the conversation.

Register here for this free virtual event.

Pope Leo XVI will receive a pro-LGBTQ+ Catholic reform organization during celebrations in October, the first time the group has been invited “in this form,” the Vatican announced this week.

Eight representatives from We Are Church will visit the Vatican from October 24 to 26, during a “Jubilee of synodal teams and participatory bodies,” the Vatican’s official news source confirmed on Tuesday. The visit will come as part of the 2025 Holy Year observations, initiated by Pope Francis prior to his death in April.

Founded in 1995, We Are Church has been a persistent critic of the Vatican from within the Catholic Church, particularly criticizing the Church’s history of sexual abuse and its exclusion of women from religious leadership. The organization, which says it “has a presence in or is co-operating with similar groups” in more than 30 countries, also advocates for LGBTQ+ reforms within the Church, endorsing blessings for same-sex couples and calling for an “end of the exclusion of LGBTQ persons” in 2021. Read more here. 

As we prepare for Members of Congress to return to Washington later this month, NETWORK's Government Relations team wants to make sure you're prepared to continue our work ensuring that Congress is working for the common good - that everyone, no matter what we look like or where we come from, has access to food, housing, and healthcare; that families can live in safety in their own neighborhoods; and that we the people, not just the billionaires, have a say in the kind of world we want to live in.

Join the August 28 conversation at 6 pm CT to learn what's on the horizon in September and beyond. Register here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/welcome-back-congress 

The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers. The World Council of Churches was instrumental in making the special time a season, extending the celebration from September 1 until October 4. The theme for this year’s Season of Creation is “Peace with Creation.”

Join the Laudato Si Movement for their launch service on Creation Day, September 1 at 8 am CT. Registration not required. Simply join the prayer service that is being livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hht4vnIOsP4 

Use this Celebration Guide to discover advocacy, liturgical, and other resources to use throughout the season.

Then on September 2 at 2 pm, the local CSA community is invited to join the sisters at Nazareth Court and Center for an outdoor prayer service in Serenity Circle. Registration is requested. Please let us know if you’re coming here: https://forms.gle/omTMF8cAG9GvpWww6 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, wind power is the nation’s largest source of renewable energy. It provided 10% of the country’s electricity in 2023.

Last Friday, the Department of the Interior ordered renewable energy company Ørsted to stop construction on Revolution Wind, its project off the coast of Rhode Island, citing “concerns related to the protection of national security interests.” All offshore foundations and 45 out of 65 turbines are already installed, and the project, which is 80% complete, was on track to produce electricity next spring. 

The offshore wind farm got the green light to build in November 2023 from the Biden administration following nine years of review, and is the latest casualty from the Trump administration’s war on renewables.

According to this article from Connecticut Public Radio, the project is designed to generate more than 700 megawatts of power — 305 megawatts to Connecticut and 400 to Rhode Island — and would provide power to the equivalent of about 350,000 homes. It also created 1200 jobs.
 

The Tri-State Network, a coalition of Catholic sisters and spirituality centers in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin, invites you to an online Pilgrimages to Justice: Walking the Path to Nonviolence.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025
6:30 - 8:00 pm CT

Catholic peace activist and educator Dr. Ken Butigan will lead this free webinar exploring pilgrimage as a sacred path toward ecological justice and nonviolence. Part of the Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation initiative, the event highlights local efforts across Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Held during the Season of Creation, this virtual gathering will reflect on our spiritual call to care for our common home during this Jubilee year of Laudato Si’ and The Canticle of the Creatures.

Register here: http://bit.ly/3I5RyxR 
Suggested donation: $15
 

In a recent response from Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, she highlights the important role of Medicaid and details how the newest H.R. 1 bill will affect Wisconsin families. She writes:

“On July 4, 2025, President Trump signed H.R. 1 into law. This devastating legislation will terminate health care for more than 250,000 Wisconsinites, decimate our rural hospitals, and gut the Medicaid program. I introduced several measures and supported many more that would have blocked cuts to Medicaid and instead prioritized improving access to health care. Unfortunately, these measures failed to gain enough votes due to opposition from my Republican colleagues… I understand the important role of Medicaid in protecting the health security of millions of Americans. In Wisconsin, Medicaid provides care for more than 1.2 million people, including four in seven nursing home residents, one in three children, and one in three adults with disabilities. Over 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid for health care, and severe cuts to Medicaid will jeopardize rural hospitals and clinics’ ability to keep their doors open...Rest assured that I will continue to fight against short-sighted attempts to undermine the Medicaid program and that I am committed to working to ensure Wisconsin families receive the quality, affordable coverage they deserve.”

If you live in Wisconsin and want Senator Baldwin to keep fighting for Medicare, be sure to let her know. If your Senator or Representative is not fighting for health care, and it’s something you want for yourself or others, you may want to give them a call and tell them how you feel. We have a moral responsibility to protect the fundamental universal right to health care for all.
 

In case you missed the moving Hiroshima-Nagasaki prayer service on August 6, offered by the Franciscan Peace Center, you can watch the recording here. The PowerPoint slides are available here. Please consider the environment before printing the slides.

The Franciscan Sisters also offer this disarmament resource guide: https://clintonfranciscans.com/file/618

CSA was honored to be a co-sponsoring congregation of this program. May the knowledge you discover, lead you to action. 

On April 10, 1989 the CSA General Council announced a Corporate Stance on a Nuclear-Free Zone, after a congregational referendum. It reads: 

“As Co-Creators in our world, we believe that nuclear arms are destructive of life in all forms and contrary to the Gospel message. Be it resolved that we, the Congregation of St. Agnes of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin,

1. Declare the Motherhouse property of 475 Gillett Street, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, to be a nuclear free zone, within which no nuclear weapons or any component thereof shall be researched, designed, produced, tested, stored, disposed or permitted in any fashion;
2. Declare to the United States Government that we do not want such property defended by the threat or use of nuclear weapons;
3. Will not invest in or promote companies which derive a significant income from nuclear weapons production;
4. Invite others to take similar actions in their communities and municipalities.
    

This stance was affirmed by the CSA USA Associate Community in April 2021. It seems it could not only use some updating (for one, the Motherhouse property is now on County Road K), but a recommitment to action. What are you feeling called to do?

Of additional interest, do you know?... In the terrible wake of destruction caused by the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki, exactly 80 years ago, one of the two bells of the ancient Urakami Cathedral was also swept away. When the church was rebuilt, that bell tower remained empty. In recent months, several American Catholics have raised funds to rebuild that bell and have donated it to the Cathedral. Peter Michiaki Nakamura, Archbishop of Nagasaki, spoke about this in an interview with Fides: “this new bell was recently installed in the empty bell tower and will ring for the first time at the same time that the atomic bomb exploded in the sky of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.”

The new bell will ring for the first time at 11:04 a.m. on August 9, 2025. For the Archbishop, its ringing “will be a reminder of the victims and a call for peace.” Read more 

Lastly, a riveting book recommendation which outlines the realities of what an inbound nuclear missile launch could look like, is “Nuclear War” by Annie Jacobsen.

We pray that the deadly power of nuclear weapons never again be unleashed on God’s people and all of Creation. May we re-commit ourselves to find ways to live together in peace, that we may not be just peace lovers, but peacemakers. 
 

Overnight, July 23 into the early hours of July 24, several carloads of volunteers drove around in their dedicated zones for a Point in Time (PIT) count. These volunteers included four members from the CSA community, one sister and three associates.

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 U.S. Congress. Homeless information is also reported to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, and is utilized to develop the Housing Inventory Chart for the Balance of State Continuum of Care. PIT counts are performed twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter.

When speaking to individuals encountered, volunteers explain that we are not police, but out to collect information to provide better services for the unhoused in our community. We ask their permission to be interviewed and submit their responses through an electronic form. For those that agree, their responses are officially counted in the PIT. For those who do not agree, they are marked on a separate form as “observed” encounter and not counted in the official PIT count.

Volunteers are provided training for how to approach individuals they encounter. They are also asked to consider which team role they want to be assigned to the night of the PIT. These include: 

• Who is most comfortable engaging with clients?
• Who is going to be in charge of the paperwork?
• Who is in charge of holding flashlights, clipboards, etc
• Who is in charge of making sure each stop on the route is covered?
• Who will be in charge of handing out food and/or gift cards and resource information?

A 14-minute film all volunteers are encouraged to watch is Man in the Dog Park. We recommend every person watch this as well!  https://www.themaninthedogparkfilm.org/ 
Winnebagoland Housing Coalition comprises three Wisconsin counties - Fond du Lac, Winnebago, and Green Lake. They share a database that collects information of individuals or families (households) that are soon-to-be, temporarily, or chronically unhoused and list what services they need or are receiving. As of 7/7/25, there were a total of 147 households reported being in Fond du Lac County. Clients decide who is considered to be in their household, but the database does break households down to those with and without minor children. Here is the breakdown of the latest Fond du Lac County numbers:

• 49 households are on the prevention list (at risk of homelessness or impending homelessness). These are households that are couch hopping/surfing, paying for a motel, or have to leave where they are staying within the next 14 days. Of the 49 households on the prevention list, 28 are households without children and 21 are with children.
• 98 households are on the homeless list that consists of category 1 (literally homeless- in car/outside/shelter/camping, motel paid for by agency, safe haven etc) and category 4 (fleeing domestic violence/sexual assault, trafficking). Of the 98 households on this list, 64 are households without children and 34 are households with children.
   

The overall number for the Winnebagoland Homeless Coalition as of 7/7/2025 is as follows: 

There are 722 households on the Winnebagoland (Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Southern Winnebago Counties) homeless list. 

• 172 of these households are on the prevention list (at risk of homelessness or impending homelessness).
• For the 550 on the homeless list (in categories 1 and 4), 369 households are without children and 181 households are with children.

Florida has already executed nine persons this year and plans to execute two more this month. This sets a new state record and leads the nation in executions. Governor Ron DeSantis has overseen more executions in a single year than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.

You are invited to join the Catholic Bishops of Florida who are dedicating nine days of prayer with a Novena to End Florida’s Death Penalty. The Novena starts August 6 and concludes August 14, the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe, OFM, a priest who was executed by lethal injection in the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz.

Learn more or Sign up to receive (or view all) Novena prayers and accompanying scripture verses for reflection here.
 

A new presidential executive order was signed earlier this week directing states to criminalize unhoused people and institutionalize people with mental health disabilities and substance use disorders.

Scout Katovich, senior staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Trone Center for Justice and Equality, issued the following statement in response to the executive order:

“Pushing people into locked institutions and forcing treatment won’t solve homelessness or support people with disabilities. The exact opposite is true – institutions are dangerous and deadly, and forced treatment doesn’t work. We need safe, decent, and affordable housing as well as equal access to medical care and voluntary, community-based mental health and evidence-based substance use treatment from trusted providers. But instead of investing in these proven solutions, President Trump is blaming individuals for systemic failures and doubling down on policies that punish people with nowhere else to go – all after signing a law that decimates Medicaid, the number one payer for addiction and mental health services.
“Homelessness is a policy failure. Weaponizing federal funding to fuel cruel and ineffective approaches to homelessness won’t solve this crisis.”

Read more here.

Wisconsin housing advocates also see it as a step backward. Read this JSonline article here.

July 30, the United Nations' World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, is a prime opportunity to offer education and advocacy to prevent this crime and to offer support and protection to those who have been affected by it. The United Nations urges us to keep victim-centered approaches at the heart of our work to end trafficking. This highlights the ongoing importance of trauma-informed and survivor-informed care.

The theme for the 2025 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation.” The focus is on dismantling human trafficking networks and the critical role that the criminal justice system plays in breaking up criminal syndicates.

The Alliance to End Human Trafficking remains steadfast in their commitment to advocate for freedom and to end the exploitation of human trafficking. They will be hosting a webinar on July 30 to discuss human trafficking as organized crime and explore what each of us can do to help stop it. Please visit here to register.

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes is one of more than 100 member congregations in the Alliance.

This article was updated from the original post on 07/17/2025.
 

On August 6, 2025, women religious across the country will join in a virtual prayer service to commemorate the tragic events of August 6 and 9, 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The event is being organized by the Franciscan Peace Center, a ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa, and Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration on the anniversary of these bombings that resulted in the deaths of over 200,000 people and marked a somber chapter in human history.

Despite the devastating humanitarian impact of these bombings, the threat of nuclear weapons remains ever-present. Today, the world's nuclear-armed states possess a combined total of approximately 12,100 nuclear warheads, posing a significant risk to global safety and peace.

This prayer service also responds to a call from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) for “100 Days of Prayer, Fasting, and Advocacy” - a collective spiritual witness running from May 29 (Feast of the Ascension) through September 5. Participating congregations are each dedicating a day to pray and act for peace and justice; this August 6 gathering represents one such communal offering.

The virtual prayer service will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at 6:00 pm CDT. The event will be recorded.  Please join by registering in advance here: http://bit.ly/4l3a60s 
 

At their 25th biennial General Synod in July 2025, the United Church of Christ passed a Resolution of Witness called “Responding to the federal government’s attack on immigrants, migrants and refugees. This public denunciation, calling ICE raids “domestic terrorism,” marks one of the strongest rebukes of President Trump’s immigration enforcement by a major U.S. Christian denomination, according to this Newsweek article or this NCR article.

Other similar rebukes have come from Catholic figures such as Rev. Michael Pham, bishop of San Diego, CA, who joined several of his colleagues in calling for priests, deacons and parish leaders to accompany migrants to court and stand in solidarity with them.

Here in Wisconsin, 15 orders of Catholic sisters, including the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, took out full (some smaller) page ads in major newspapers across the state to express their vision for a “future full of hope” that centered on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. They encourage us all to “love our neighbor! Welcome the stranger! Care for the most vulnerable amongst us! Speak the truth! Work for justice! Only when ‘we the people’ lead with compassion and empathy will a future filled with hope for generations be possible.” Read more here.
 

The history behind grass lawns dates back a few centuries when noble people displayed cut grass/plants space as a sign of wealth. In the mid 1800’s, an American landscape architect successfully associated cultivated lawns with civilized communities. Post WWII developers included lawns in their mass-produced homes or subdivisions. Watch this short, 7-minute documentary.

Fast forward to the current time where certain areas – by rules of homeowners' associations (HOAs) – require pesticide-treated lawns for a highly manicured appearance. However, as you might imagine, green carpet-like lawns are harmful to the environment.

Researchers in 2005 used satellite data to estimate the amount of land used as lawns in the United State (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Lawn/lawn2.php). The definition of lawns included residential and commercial lawns, and golf courses. Grass lawns “could be considered the single largest irrigated crop in America in terms of surface area.” To maintain grass-only lawns, broad-spectrum pesticides are used along with an immense amount of water. One analysis suggested that the amount of water used to maintain an average size green lawn is equivalent to 800 showers!

Reducing a lawn to only grass plants is an example of man-made monoculture, the growing of a single crop, which eliminates the biodiversity of natural grasslands. The pesticides can harm or kill wildlife and important soil microbes, and are connected to the decline in nature’s pollinators. Pollination is necessary for the growth of about 85% of flowering plants. According to scientific studies, there has been a reduction of approximately 40% of all pollinator species globally over the past few decades. In a 2024 Nature Sustainability article, the authors state that “the negative effects of pesticides are widespread.” That thought continues in this follow-up 2025 article. 
So are grass lawns all bad? Can we enjoy the beauty of a well-manicured lawn that provides us space for recreation and relaxation while also understanding the impact on our environment? You decide! Learn how in this interesting article.

While America doubles down on fossil fuels, the rest of the world is investing more and more in clean energy.

According to this article from Canary Media, this year, $2.2 trillion will be invested in clean energy, efficiency, and electrification globally, according to the International Energy Agency. This is double the $1.1 trillion that will flow toward fossil fuels. 

Read more here

In case you missed it, Network Lobby offered its sixth session on White Supremacy and American Christianity with Father Bryan Massingale and Robert P. Jones last Saturday, don’t worry, it was recorded and now available on Network’s YouTube channel. Watch it here: Fascism or Faith.

After hearing how good it was from some who attended it live, I was anxious to watch the recording and highly recommend you do too - and share it with others!

Stay on until the very end with Robert Jones refers to bending the arc of justice, which has been an aspiring concept popularized by Dr. Martin Lither King, Jr., and what inspired the name of CSA’s justice newsletter, Bending the Arc. WE are the ones who have to bend the arc!

Learn. Show Up. Speak Up. Live out your faith.

“The arc of the moral universe may bend towards justice, but it doesn’t bend on its own.” - Barack Obama

In a National Catholic Reporter article last month, Allison Prang reported on the fallout from the abrupt pullback of roughly $60 billion in humanitarian aid. The USAID cuts have resulted in deaths around the world and are hampering Catholic charity organizations global work, such as support services for Rohingya refugee camps and an AIDS prevention program in Africa. According to PEPFAR Impact Counter, 100 people are dying each hour!

European countries have also pulled back on humanitarian aid in recent years. The U.K said earlier this year that it will invest a smaller percentage of its gross national income on humanitarian aid to increase its spending on defense, and France, Belgium and the Netherlands are also aiming to cut aid.

Read the full article
 

The 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is a time of remembering the horror, repenting the sin, and reclaiming a future without nuclear weapons. It is a time to recommit ourselves to the work of disarming and dismantling the machinery of mass destruction and abolishing war.

Individuals and organizations are invited to endorse the Pax Christi apology petition below. The message with signatures will be sent to the mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to Nobel laureate Nihan Hidankyō (the organization of atomic bomb survivors), and to church leaders.

Read about the apology petition and scroll to the end of it to sign. The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes has signed on and encourages others to do so individually.

What else should you know? In a recent article from Pax Christi USA, it was written:

“Earlier this year, the Union of Concerned Scientists set their Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds before midnight, the closest to Doomsday in its history. If they reset the clock now, it would be even closer for several reasons, not least the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back public health spending and replace renewable energy funding with leases to develop more fossil fuel extraction. More imminent than pandemics or global warming, the possibility of nuclear war threatens most of the world because of ongoing conflicts in Gaza, India-Pakistan, and Ukraine, plus the recent US bombing of nuclear sites in Iran. (Use this link to read Pax Christi USA’s statement on the bombing.) 
Each of these conflicts is persistent and has moved closer to the brink. In Palestine, the cutoff of humanitarian assistance, the rhetoric from the Israeli government, and the renewed bombing in Gaza have raised tensions in the region. In India-Pakistan, the long-standing dispute over Kashmir broke out in drone attacks and dogfights; although the worst violence has receded, the two sides are still shooting at each other, and each has about 170 nuclear warheads. In Ukraine, President Putin’s renewal of threats to use nuclear weapons undercuts the progress made toward peace talks.

“According to Back from the Brink, the attacks on Iran, “initiated by Israel and now joined by the United States, [are] more likely to lead to what both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump say they are trying to prevent – a nuclear-armed Iran. Iran is now even more closely aligned with Russia and China and has indicated they may withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). A nuclear-armed Iran would likely incentivize several other Middle East nations to pursue the bomb. Israel’s undeclared nuclear arsenal did not prevent regional conflict but instead fueled military escalation. Iran’s potential pursuit of nuclear capability reflects a global system that rewards brute nuclear force over diplomacy.”

It will be wise for us all to pay close attention to this and act accordingly.
 

The Pax Christi National Conference will be in Detroit from July 25-27, 2025.

This year’s theme is “Reclaiming the power of nonviolence in a broken world.” Plan for a transformative weekend of hope and action with activities designed to advance nonviolence in our broken world and build a revolution of love.

Whether you’re a seasoned member or new to the movement, this conference is your opportunity to connect, learn, and renew your commitment to peacemaking and care for the Earth and all its inhabitants. 
Inspired by Pope Francis, who in this Jubilee Year called us to be “pilgrims of hope,” we pray this gathering will be a time of rejuvenation and promise, as we remember that the arc of the universe bends toward justice. Come. Transform. Hope.

It is not too late to register. Read more about the speaker, musical liturgists, workshops, and more.

Details and Registration

 The Reconciliation in Place Names Committee was established by U.S. Secretary of Interior, Deb Haaland, in 2021. Haaland was the first Native American person to serve in the role, which oversees the nation’s public lands and Bureau of Indian Affairs. The committee was tasked to remove racist names from landmarks.

Unfortunately, the committee was dismantled earlier this year.

During her time as Secretary of Interior, Haaland signed an order to remove the derogatory name “squ*w” from place names in the country under the U.S. Geological Survey. In Wisconsin, that meant 28 places using that racial slur, used to describe female Indigenous people, were changed in 2022.

Read the rest of this story from Frank Vaisvilas, the Indigenous affairs reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin based at the  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

Lake Michigan Stakeholders, a proud partner of Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership (LNRP), invites you to the 12th annual Lake Michigan Day celebration on Friday, August 8, 2025 at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc.

Lake Michigan Day is an opportunity to learn about the ongoing efforts to restore and protect Lake Michigan and its surrounding communities, and celebrate leaders in this effort.

In-person tickets are $35 and include breakfast, lunch, and refreshments. This fee supports continued inspiring events like this one.

The itinerary of the day will be:
8:30-9:00 am: Registration/Networking & Breakfast
9:00am-1:00 pm: Presentations & Award Ceremony
1:00pm - 3:00 pm: Networking & Lunch

REGISTER HERE
 

The 4th annual worldwide 24-hour Peace Wave is coming, July 11-12, 2025.

The Peace Wave is a 24-hour-long Zoom featuring live peace actions in the streets and squares of the world, moving around the globe with the sun. The peace wave visits dozens of locations around the globe and includes rallies, concerts, production of artworks, blood drives, installation of peace poles, dances, speeches, and public demonstrations of all varieties.

In 2025, participants are encouraged to address the need to abolish nuclear weapons.

Organized by: International Peace Bureau, Stop the War Coalition Philippines, Gensuikyo, and World BEYOND War.

The Peace Wave will happen on July 12, 2025, from 0:00 to 24:00 UTC. In U.S. and Canada Eastern Time, that is 8 p.m. July 11 to 8 p.m. July 12.

Get the Zoom link and more information at https://worldbeyondwar.org/wave/ 

Nuns Against Gun Violence, the Franciscan Peace Center and Franciscan Action Network are collaborating to bring a webinar featuring expert panelists to discuss gun violence prevention in Missouri. These advocates are working for change in a state with some of the worst gun laws in the United States. There is definitely a lot that can be learned from them.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 8 at 6:00 pm CT

Panelists include:

• Janet S. Hyde, Ph.D. | Professor Emerit of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, and Co-Missioner for Gun Violence Prevention for the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri; author of The Psychology of Gun Violence: How Smart Choices Can Save Lives
• Jessica Meyers | Prevention Partnerships Director for the St. Louis MHB, where she supports the St. Louis Area Violence Prevention Commission
• Maggie Nurrenbern | Missouri State Senator representing Senate District 17 in Clay County
• Emily Sides Schiltz | Member of the St. Margaret of Scotland Parish Gun Sense Committee, motivated by her children's survival of a school

REGISTER HERE
 

Georgetown University invites you to another fantastic public dialogue next week, July 10 at 5:00 pm CT titled, Pope Leo XIV: What Happened, Why, and What it Means for Catholic Social Thought and U.S.Public Life. This event is offered online via livestream.

RSVP HERE

Pope Leo XIV brings to the papacy his roots in the United States, an Augustinian religious vocation, decades of ministry in a poor diocese in Peru, and service to Pope Francis at the Vatican. He began his papacy by calling for peace, mercy, and justice in our hurting world. He spoke of the importance of building bridges and has a track record of doing so.

In choosing the name of Leo XIV, our new Holy Father honors Pope Leo XIII, the father of modern Catholic social teaching who championed the dignity of work and the rights of workers. Pope Leo XIV said he chose his name
“because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the church offers everyone the treasury of its social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice, and labor.”

This dialogue will take a deeper look at how Cardinal Robert Prevost became the first pope from the United States and the significance of his choice of Leo XIV as his name. It will also examine the legacy of Leo XIII and the potential role of Catholic social teaching in the leadership of Pope Leo XIV. In addition, the dialogue will explore some of the “new things (rerum novarum)” we face today in our Church, nation, and world, along with the implications in U.S. public life of a pope with roots in the United States, ministry in Latin America, and leadership in our global Church.

Cannot make this event? Don’t worry, this recording and all their past webinar recordings are available on their YouTube page

Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) hosts a monthly virtual prayer vigil on the first Fridays of the month. These are sacred spaces to lament upcoming executions and bear witness to the sanctity of all human life. Because of the 4th of July holiday, this month’s vigil will be on the second Friday, July 11 at 1 pm (CT).

Sr. Laurie Brink, OP, Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa will provide the featured scripture reflection. Sr. Laurie is committed to promoting biblical literacy and has presented on a variety of biblical topics across the world.

Register to join via Zoom or tune in to the YouTube livestream and/or watch recordings here: https://www.youtube.com/@CMNEndDeathPenalty/streams 

The Sierra Club invites you to an exciting event in Milwaukee, WI on Saturday, July 12. They’re about to unveil the display of tens of thousands of origami fish and break the world record for largest display of origami fish, currently set at 18,303 made by a group in Japan. The goal is to highlight their campaign to underscore water protection and shut down Line 5. “Fish for the Future” is composed of organizations, activists, and volunteers from across the Great Lakes region. Read more here.

Here are the details:
Date: Saturday, July 12th
Time: Display open 10am - 3pm
Location: Washington Park Urban Ecology Center
RSVP HERE

Please attend if you can and share with anyone who might be interested! 

If you’d like to be part of putting up the display on Friday, July 11, sign up for a shift here. Contact Jadine Sonoda, campaign organizer, at jadine.sonoda@sierraclub.org with any questions.

This year, executions are increasing across the U.S., and states are reengaging with the death penalty in new ways. On June 18, 2025, Catholic Mobilizing Network offered a webinar which took a closer look at recent developments and answered the question: What’s really happening - and why now?

If you missed the webinar, the recording is available here.

It’s hoped the conversation will leave you more equipped for the work that lies ahead.
 

On May 26, 2025, the Interfaith Peace Working Group co-sponsored a memorable presentation by Lutheran minister, Rev. Khader El-Yateem at Midvale Community Lutheran Church in Madison. It was a powerful, honest look into the reality of the Israel-Palestine conflict and challenges us to consider what it means to our faith and values. This 90-minutes video can be watched here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw4o3rZIzAA 

Less than a month after Rev. El-Yateem’s presentation in Madison. He was detained and interrogated at Newark airport as he was returning from the World Council of Churches Central Committee meeting in Johannesburg, where this statement was issued: Draft Statement on Palestine and Israel: A Call to End Apartheid, Occupation, and Impunity in Palestine and Israel.

This and other statements and reports and photos can be found on the WCC website.

Earlier this week, Catholics from 56 religious congregations and organizations joined the Sisters Speak Out event in Washington, DC. Catholic Sisters and others braved the heat to speak in favor of their gospel values and against cuts in the Senate reconciliation bill that would cut healthcare and food programs for the most vulnerable. Sisters prayed, sang, and met with lawmakers inside the Capitol. 

For more details, read this June 25, 2025 article in Global Sisters Report: https://www.globalsistersreport.org/social-justice/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-not-beautiful-these-catholic-sisters 

In a recent Global Sisters Report, Dan Stockman, details how proposed Medicaid cuts would slash US Catholic sisters’ fragile finances.

He shares that if the U.S. Congress continues with its plan to cut spending on Medicaid by more than $800 billion over 10 years, critics say nearly 11 million people will lose their health insurance. More than 13,000 of those could be men and women religious.

Mercy Sr. Mary Haddad, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, said in the press briefing the proposals cannot be justified.
"The bill unconscionably deepens Medicaid cuts, which will only result in more people losing coverage, more facilities struggling to stay open, and more patients unable to receive the life-saving care they so desperately need," Haddad said. "The bill would harm critical health and social safety net programs that millions of Americans rely on to live with health, dignity and security."

Read more here.

It is more important than ever to call your Senators and tell them “no cuts to Medicaid.” Recommend proposals to increase revenue instead that could include taxing the rich their fair share and cutting military spending. 
 

Large areas of Canada, the United States and even across the ocean recently experienced poor air quality for several days as a result of intense Canadian wildfires. On June 4th, according to the Natural Resources Canada’s website, there were 78 wildfires classified as uncontrolled, 64 were controlled and 23 that were “being held.” The earth’s climate has changed and wildfires are far more common than in the past. According to Canadian elected official Corey Hogan, “From 1981 to 2015, there were an average of 18 smoke hours per year in the city of Calgary. No year had over 100. Now we see hundreds of smoke hours routinely: 315 in 2017, 450 in 2018, 439 in 2021, 512 in 2023, and 2024 was 200.”

Mr. Hogan appealed to members of parliament about the threats of climate change. “We cannot wave away climate change. It is not a future threat; it is a present one. It takes a somewhat willful blindness to ignore the increasing frequency of so-called 100-year floods and once-in-a-generation forest fires. It takes a denial that borders on malice to ignore the increase in hurricanes, droughts and heat waves that climate change has brought, which have cost the lives of thousands across the globe.” Yet, Canada continues to consider the construction of more fossil fuel pipelines.  

Here in the neighboring United States, the Department of the Interior recently announced an expansion of coal mining to sites that were being closed down. Funds were shifted from shutting down the plants to expanding them. This at a time when atmospheric CO2 levels in May 2025 were the highest they’ve ever been in human history. The Interior Department said it would allow the mine’s operator to mine nearly 60 millions tons of coal, mostly for export to Asia. Read more here. 

While climate scientists and others continue to raise red flags, smoky skies become more common and a hotter climate poses threats for millions of people; yet, the topic of climate change is stifled by many influential people. 

“The truth is: the natural world is changing. And we are totally dependent on that world. It provides our food, water and air. It is the most precious thing we have and we need to defend it.” - Sir David Attenborough
 

Catholic political advocacy involves advocating for policies based on Catholic Social Teaching, which emphasizes the dignity of human life, the common good, and solidarity with the poor and vulnerable. Catholics are encouraged to advocate for what we are for, not for what or who we are against.

Be sure you know and understand your rights when taking a nonviolent, peaceful stand this weekend or in marches and rallies in the weeks ahead. The ACLU offered an online webinar on June 10. 

The materials discussed during this webinar are available for print on their website.

EXPLORE ALL THE MATERIALS

They also have a video series regarding your individual rights when interacting with federal enforcement officers.

Explore all the videos

On Tuesday, June 4, WAVE (Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort) allies in the Wisconsin State Legislature introduced a package of lifesaving gun violence prevention bills. To show you are committed to preventing gun tragedies, you can now urge your legislators to support this critical progress.

ACT NOW

The package includes some of WAVE’s top policy priorities—evidence-based measures shown to reduce gun deaths in states where these policies are already law. It contains bills to:

1.  Require background checks on all gun sales – because Wisconsin must keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of already-prohibited people.
2. Create an extreme risk law – because those closest to someone in a crisis must be empowered to stop a tragedy.
3. Reinstate the 48-hour waiting period, which Republicans rescinded – because rage and despair should never pull the trigger.
4. Prohibit ghost guns – because untraceable firearms keep showing up at crime scenes.  

Any one of these measures would save lives. Together, they could drastically improve the safety of Wisconsin children and communities.

Here’s the catch: While these measures are deeply popular, they won’t move forward in the legislature without bipartisan backing. That’s why it’s so important to contact your legislators today and urge them to support these bills!  

The timing for this announcement is not a coincidence. It comes just days before National Gun Violence Awareness weekend and at the start of summer, when, sadly, gun violence traditionally spikes.

CSA Sisters support the end of gun violence and participate in the 2025 #WearOrange campaign. They wear orange to honor survivors and build community with those working to end gun violence.

CSA is also a member of Nuns Against Gun Violence. Visit Nuns Against Gun Violence website for prayers to end gun violence or find more from this prayer collection.

Every day in the U.S., 125 people are shot and killed, and hundreds more are wounded or traumatized, according to https://everytownresearch.org/
 

A flurry of six executions are scheduled in June - 6 men to be killed in five states. Four executions will take place on June 10 (two within an hour of each other), June 12 and June 13.  On June 24, Florida will have its second execution in as many weeks, and on June 25, Mississippi will execute an honorably discharged Vietnam Veteran who has been on death row since 1976.

According to Death Penalty Action, 19 of the last 23 executions in the United States had real issues in appeals which courts refused to consider. Why? Procedural bars. Missed deadlines. Issues raised too late in the process. Finality was more important than justice and due process.

Death Penalty Action has launched an ambitious fundraising campaign to raise $300,000 in 45 days. Their Justice.Can’t.Wait movement is a collective effort to sustain and grow the national movement to end the death penalty. Support fuels:

• Clemency campaigns for people facing execution
• Support for families directly impacted by executions
• Pressure on governors to halt executions and lawmakers to end capital punishment
• Public education and mobilization efforts across the country
   

Visit https://deathpenaltyaction.org/ to learn more, sign petitions, and support.

CSA has a stance against the death penalty and offers additional resources, to include letter writing assistance, here: https://www.csasisters.org/our-values/death-penalty.cfm
 

If you were unable to attend the May 29 program at Midvale Community Lutheran Church in Madison, WI where Rev. Khader El-Yateem spoke on Gaza and the West Bank, it was recorded. This is an hour well worth your time. You are welcome to share it with others as well.

Rev. El-Yateem’s presentation was powerful and challenging and tells a very interesting story about his own experience with the Israeli Occupation Forces. He starts his remarks by saying his goal is not to have anyone leave feeling pro-Israel or pro-Palestine, but to be pro-human, to be for justice, peace, and dignity for all.

Khader El-Yateem is the Executive Director for Service and Justice at the ELCA. This event was sponsored by the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA and Wisconsin’s Interfaith Peace Working Group.

If you would like to make a donation to support the ELCA Disaster Response and their work with schools, hospitals and psycho-social care in the West Bank and Gaza, you can do so on Midvale’s website by selecting the ELCA Disaster Response fund from the drop down menu on our secure online giving page.
 

In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized marriage equality nationwide with the landmark decision on Obergefell v. Hodges. The Court ruled that the 14th Amendment guarantees same-sex couples the right to marry and have their marriages recognized in all states.

The following year, President Barack Obama, declared June as LGBT Pride Month in this official proclamation.

On June 2, 2025, the Trump Administration declared that June will now be recognized as Title IX Month, not Pride Month, an unrelated observation.

Title IX has been protecting women in sports since 1972. The official language reads: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

A Title IX explainer from Harvard University notes that "Title IX regulations guide how colleges and universities, including Harvard, must respond to sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct through appropriate grievance procedures, supportive measures, and related policies."

As DEI has been under attack in the last several months, big brands are pulling back on Pride merchandise. However, cities across the country continue to celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Pride is more than a month, it’s a way of life. It is estimated that 10% of American adults identify as LGBTQ+.

This website shows where cities across Wisconsin are holding their Pride festivals. A Google search will help you find events near you. Here in Fond du Lac,  Pride Picnic will be Sunday, June 22 from 1-7 pm at Lakeside Park. 

Read more about The History of Pride. 

On May 5, five former National Weather Service (NWS) directors shared an open letter warning that proposed cuts to the organization may soon endanger lives.

“N.W.S. staff will have an impossible task to continue its current level of services,” they write in the letter, dated Friday. “Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life.”

The letter notes that the coming weeks are “the busiest time for severe storm predictions like tornadoes and hurricanes,” and it points to a wide range of activities that rely on accurate forecasting: “Airplanes can’t fly without weather observations and forecasts; ships crossing the oceans rely on storm forecasts to avoid the high seas; farmers rely on seasonal forecasts to plant and harvest their crops which feed us.     Read the full letter here

June 1 to the end of November is hurricane season in the United States. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also suffered dramatic cuts with the current administration intending to push disaster recovery to the states.

Americans are urged to raise their voice against these cuts, but also pray Mother Nature can lessen the weather disasters brought on by our changing climate.
 

Five years ago, people around the United States—and the world—watched a police officer kneel on the neck of George Floyd on a street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, ending his life, shocking our nation, and leading to protests, reflection, and predictions of a racial justice reckoning. In response, the Initiative held one of our most powerful and widely viewed dialogues, which challenged us to resist the racism in our streets, structures, and ourselves. On this sad anniversary and as we remember Juneteenth, our nation is still in pain and still needs greater justice. For Catholics and all believers, racism is not just a political issue: it is a sin, a national moral failure, and a fundamental test of our faith. 

Now five years later, a Pulitzer prize-winning historian, a leader in Catholic social ministry, and a journalist and pro-life leader will look back at what happened and what didn’t, look around at signs of both progress and retreat on racial justice, and look ahead to what we are called to do now in light of Catholic social teaching.

Join the Georgetown University Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life for their next online dialogue on What Happened to America’s Racial Reckoning? Faith, Justice, and Catholic Social Teaching Five Years after the Killing of George Floyd.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 5:00 - 6:00 CT
 

RSVP
 

The dialogue will be recorded and posted online for later viewing. You can also watch previous streams here: https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalGeorgetown/streams
 

Watch this video to understand the work of the Initiative.
 

During Laudato Si’ Week, May 24-31 (or any time of the year!), you’re invited to explore the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website to see the many ways they are animating the prophetic voice of Pope Francis.

Read the Statement from Archbishop Broglio and his Letter to Young People, where he recognizes the impact the climate crisis has on them and applauds their strong witness for a better future.

Visit this page dedicated to Environmental Advocacy.

Learn about their Catholic Campaign for Human Development Stories of Hope, and more resources from their Environmental Justice webpage.

Consider our integral interconnectedness and take actions with the USCCB Voter Voice tool to find and contact officials, learn about bills, and more at www.votervoice.net/USCCB/home

The Wisconsin Council of Churches finds Christian Unity as the foundational concept of their ecumenical movement and underlies all of their work. One of their projects is Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity. This group engages in civic engagement. They gather for monthly webinars featuring speakers on a variety of topics and a time for local organizing around the state.

On June 10 at 6:30 pm CT, you are invited to join their next webinar, titled, “Immigration: Fiction, Facts & Faith” featuring Darryl D. Morin, National President and Chairman of the Board of Forward Latino, Inc.

Forward Latino’s mission is to empower affiliates to inspire and engage communities, strengthen our democracy, improve the lives of working families, protect the environment, and stand up for equality and civil rights. They cultivate, train, and support a diverse national network of Latina/o/x community leaders addressing the civic, economic, and political challenges of the 21st century.

Other cosponsors of this webinar are:

• Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee
• MICAH
• Wisconsin Council of Churches
• Wisconsin Council of Rabbis
• Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
• WISDOM

Please register here
 

Last week, House Republicans passed their Budget Reconciliation bill which guts health care, food assistance, and many other necessary programs that promote an Economy for All by:

• Putting nearly 11 million people, including 4 million kids, at risk of losing food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
• Taking away health insurance from an estimated 15 million people;
• Kicking 4.5 million kids off the Child Tax Credit; and
• Supercharging immigration enforcement by expanding the detention of adults and families.

As Budget Reconciliation shifts to the Senate, our mission ahead is clear: we must make our community’s opposition to this bill so loud and clear that we are impossible to ignore.

To prepare yourself to take action, join NETWORK on Tuesday, June 3 at 6:00 pm CT for an update on the Budget Reconciliation Bill and our call to action in the Senate.

Register Now

Together, as faith-filled justice seekers, we can create beloved community where every person has healthcare, food, living wages, and the housing they need to thrive, not just survive.
 

You’re invited to a webinar hosted by the Franciscan Action Network and Pace e Bene

What Can We Do? The Top 10 Effective Nonviolent Actions to Meet This Moment

Wednesday, June 4 at 3 PM CT (Registration is Closed)

Nonviolence experts Maria Stephan and Rivera Sun will explore ten proven approaches to nonviolent action. They'll offer insight into how these strategies can be used effectively in our time.

This event is free, but donations are welcome to support the shared mission of FAN and Pace e Bene of education and peacebuilding. 

There were two campaigns mentioned during the webinar:

1. Pace e Bene’s Rise and Shine Campaign, which equips individuals and communities to build a culture of active nonviolence
2. Franciscan Action Network’s Christians for Ceasefire and Just Peace Campaign, which lifts up the moral voice of Christians in calling for peace and an end to violence

Recordings of both webinars in this series are available. Share them widely!

1. Using Our Power: Nonviolence and Noncooperation in History & Today
2. What Can We Do? Top 10 Most Effective Nonviolent Actions to Meet this Moment

Click here to access Maria and Rivera’s slides from “What Can We Do?”

Click here to access the prayer slides from “What Can We Do?” 

May 24-31, 2025 is Laudato Si’ Week.

Ten years ago, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’, setting out a bold vision for our common home. While we celebrate 10 years of prayer and action together, we look ahead to an even brighter future. The next chapter of Laudato Si’ begins with us. Visit laudatosiweek.org to receive resources and information that will help bring the light of Laudato Si’ to all, and for a brighter future together.

Additionally, join Catholic Climate Covenant and Laudato Si’ Movement – North America on May 29, 2025 at 10 am CT, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ with a 90-minute webinar celebrating how the U.S. Catholic community has responded to Pope Francis’ call to “hear the cry of the poor and the cry of the Earth” through its participation in the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform.

The webinar will include:

1. A special message to the U.S. Catholic community from Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
2. Presentations from Laudato Si’ champions from across the United States
3. A review of the newly updated Laudato Si’ Action Platform website and how the U.S.-focused God’s Planet website can accompany you in your own LSAP journey
4. Information on how you and your community can join this urgent, faith-filled sustainability journey

The webinar will be recorded and the recording shared with all who register.

During Laudato Si’ Week, the Ignatian Solidarity Network is also offering fun resources such as Social Media Bingo and Texted Reflections. Learn more here.

Wear Orange Weekend is a gun violence advocacy event that occurs during the first weekend of June. Wear Orange Weekend 2025 is from June 6 to June 8.

WHY WEAR ORANGE? 

In January 2013, 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago. To honor her memory, Hadiya’s family and friends chose to wear orange – the color that hunters wear to protect themselves by staying visible. Since 2015, Hadiya’s loved ones and advocates all over the country wear orange on the first weekend of June – still seeking to be visible, to be seen. Wear Orange Weekend serves as a call to action, to make our voices heard, and to remember the victims of gun violence in our country.

HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE

• Wear Orange: Show your support by wearing the color of the movement. You may choose to wear your orange stoles during this weekend. You can also shop for official Wear Orange merchandise.
• Social Media Advocacy: Share photographs of yourself in orange, post stories about gun violence prevention, or use hashtags like #WearOrange to connect with others online and spread the message of gun violence prevention advocacy. You may also choose to post from the Wear Orange Weekend social media package.
• Talk About Gun Violence and Wear Orange Weekend in Your Church: You can access the Wisconsin Council of Churches’ “Who Is My Neighbor?” study action guide on our website at this link. This guide works as a great resource to plan worship services and lead discussions in your church about gun violence. Denominational sources on gun violence prevention below. You may choose to put our Wear Orange Weekend insert in your church bulletin, which can be found for download here.
• Connect with Local Groups in Your Area: Try connecting with local groups, especially if you would like to collaborate on an event. You can reach out to other churches in your area, as well as groups like Moms Demand Action and WAVE.

This information was shared by the Wisconsin Council of Churches. Their Wear Orange Weekend 2025 Packet is now available for download.

**Fond du Lac area Sisters and Associates are encouraged to wear orange on Thursday, May 29 and meet at the Court and Center Dining Room at 12:15 p.m. for a group photo!
 

On April 1, the Interfaith Peace Working Group of Wisconsin offered a special presentation called, “To Whom Does the Land Belong.” This featured Dennis Olson, who served as a professor of Old Testament Theology and Chair of the Biblical Studies Department at Princeton Theological Seminary.

The four areas Professor Olson addressed are:

What are some of the key Old Testament texts related to the people Israel and the land of Canaan/Palestine, and how have they been used on various sides of the conflict?

How do some Palestinian Christian scholars read and interpret the Old Testament promises of the land to Israel? The discussion includes the debate between OT scholar Walt Brueggeman and Palestinian scholar Mitri Raheb.

What are some Old Testament texts that seem to reject the notion that Israel alone is God’s chosen people or that the land of Canaan rightfully belongs to them?

What are other OT texts that might contribute to work toward peaceful or multi-state solutions for this conflicted land?

You can hear Professor Olson’s responses to these questions and more with this recording
 

In 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that companies were voluntarily phasing out the use of “forever chemicals” or PFAS, in food packaging, including fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, and takeout containers. In a February 28, 2024, Washington Post article, Jim Jones, deputy commissioner for human foods at the time, said “the major source of dietary exposure to PFAS is from food packaging.”

The article also suggests these ways you can minimize your exposure to PFAS from the foods you eat:

• Cut back on fast food (and greasy wrappers)
• Skip microwave popcorn
• Avoid nonstick cookware
• Store leftovers in glass containers
• Drink filtered water
• Check the source of the fish you eat

One of the biggest concerns is when harmful food packaging ends up in a landfill. PFAS are called forever chemicals because of their ability to persist in the environment for hundreds, even thousands of years. As the paper disintegrates over time, the PFAS collects in the landfill leachate, which can end up in water supplies and irrigation water, and thus our drinking water and into our environment. Read more here.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that more than 158 million Americans are exposed to PFAS through their drinking water. A landmark water standard was implemented last year, limiting public exposure to six common PFAS contaminants. The regulations gave the 66,000 public water systems in the U.S, until 2029 to comply with the new standards.

Last June, trade associations representing water utilities filed suit against the EPA, challenging the science and data underlying the drinking water standard and its timetable for meeting it. According to the agency’s estimates, the standard would cost utilities about $1.5 billion a year.

Unfortunately, just this week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced their plans to rescind and reconsider drinking water standards for four forever chemicals that have been linked to a range of illnesses. The EPA said these changes will “protect Americans from PFOS in their drinking water while providing common sense flexibility in the form of additional time for compliance.” The deadline for compliance extended from 2029 to 2031. Read more here.

Some argue that while this is a win for chemical companies, it isn’t a win for American public health.

In May 2005, under a rushed and undemocratic process, the U.S. Congress passed the REAL ID Act, requiring all states to check immigration status before issuing a driver’s licenses or state ID, and to only issue driver’s licenses to persons who are US citizens or have legal status. Despite community efforts led by groups like Wisconsin’s Voces de la Frontera to block implementation, the state passed a state law in March 2006 entitled Act 126, which took effect on April 1, 2007, in anticipation of the REAL ID Act. Under Act 126, undocumented immigrants and people who do not have a social security number can no longer renew or obtain a driver’s license or state identification. Since then, the struggle to restore state driver licenses and state IDs for immigrants has been an ongoing struggle in Wisconsin and nationally.

A lack of access to driver’s licenses is not limited to undocumented individuals, however. Low-income US citizens, especially people of color, have also been affected by stringent laws that limit access to affordable driver’s education and penalize those who do not have the funds to pay their traffic and parking tickets. In 2016, 60% of license suspensions were due to unpaid fines rather than infractions related to unsafe driving. These harsh practices have disproportionately criminalized Black, Brown and low income working class drivers, fueling mass incarceration, voter disenfranchisement, and creating barriers for people to access healthcare, school and other vital services that require an ID. 

Throughout his first four-year term as Governor of Wisconsin, Governor Tony Evers championed the restoration of driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants.  His efforts have been met with opposition.  
Winning drivers licenses for all would not just benefit immigrants, it would have a major impact on all Wisconsinites. The Wisconsin Budget Project, an initiative of Kids Forward, noted in their Widen the Roads report the benefits of providing driver licenses to undocumented individuals, such as lower insurance costs for all drivers, greater access to gainful employment, and safer roads overall.

Voces de la Frontera continues to work with Governor Evers and pressuring the Wisconsin State Legislature to pass legislation restoring access to driver’s licenses for all regardless of immigration status, and ending the practice of suspending licenses solely due to inability to pay fines. To achieve this goal will require a year-round bottom up organizing effort to lobby our state legislators, continued participation in the electoral arena to support candidates that support access to driver licenses, and building alliances with others to challenge discriminatory policies that undermine public safety. After decades of organizing, there is broad community support for restoring driver licenses for immigrants that cuts across party lines.

If you’d like to join this effort, visit https://vdlf.org/driver-licenses-for-all/. There are opportunities for community sign-on letters for business owners, farmers, religious leaders, law enforcement, and elected officials.

It is time to make Wisconsin’s roads safer and more accessible for all. Visit https://wisconsinforsaferoads.org/ 
 

Braver Angels is a nonpartisan organization uniting “red and blue” citizens in a working alliance to depolarize America. They envision an American with respectful embrace of political disagreements, where civic friendship flourishes and competing perspectives strengthen our nation. They embrace values of respect, humility, honesty, and responsible citizenship. The goal of Braver Angels conversations is not to change people’s views of issues, but to change their views of each other.

One thing Braver Angels (BA) does incredibly well is host online debates. In national debates, participants join from across the country to share their perspectives on hot political issues affecting us all. Debates are moderated in which persons on all sides of the issue are able to equally speak in a shared, safe space. Just last week, BA hosted an inaugural Wisconsin-only debate, which was a huge success.

You can participate in the next National Debate on May 20 at 7 pm CT. The topic will be Resolved: Social media companies should fact-check users’ posts. What do you think? Register to participate or just watch, listen and learn. 

To learn more about the principles that guide debates, check out this short intro video. To learn more about the structure of debates, watch this short sample debate or watch a highlight reel.

Register here for may 20

On May 31 at 1 pm CT, you are invited to a special BA national workshop called Families & Politics. Use promo code BRAVER during registration to get a free ticket. Participants will learn what (often combative) roles family members typically play in conversations about politics. If you want to preserve important family bonds while staying true to your values and political beliefs, this workshop will give insights into why family differences over politics are uniquely challenging, and offer you strategies and skills for handling family political differences in a constructive way. It won’t be all as super-serious as it sounds; be prepared for some fun during this workshop too!

Register here for May 31

To get Braver Angels news and offerings for yourself, subscribe to the Braver Faith. This newsletter shares articles, resources, and upcoming events that celebrate and support the unique contributions that people of faith bring to the work of Braver Angels. Learn more about Braver Faith.

Sign up for Braver Faith monthly newsletter

Georgetown University’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life invites us to a dialogue on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 6:00-7:00 pm CST. This will be livestreamed and recordings are available afterwards.

Latinos are a major force in the U.S. Catholic Church that will define the direction of U.S. Catholicism for generations. At the same time, in the midst of deepening polarization, the role of Latinos in shaping U.S. culture and politics is complex and evolving. 

This dialogue will explore what it means to engage in public life as Latinos/as and Catholics in a society shaped by ideological, political, and social fragmentation. As the Church weighs how to engage the country in defense of immigrants, in support of poor children and families, to prevent the destruction of the environment, and to protect the life and dignity of all, Latino Catholic ministry, media, education, and intellectual life can offer distinctive ways forward.

Focusing on the ecclesial and cultural institutions built and sustained by Latino Catholics in the United States, this conversation will explore a vision for the future of Latino pastoral and political action, considering how Latinos can guide the Catholic Church into a new era of engagement in U.S. political life.

Please RSVP
 

Wisconsin’s Interfaith Peace Working Group invites you to an in-person presentation by Rev. Khader el-Yateem called, Gaza and the West Bank: A Struggle for Survival Amid Genocide.

Thursday, May 29 at 7 pm at Midvale Lutheran Church, 4329 Tokay Blvd, Madison.

Israel’s extreme violence in Gaza and the West Bank is uprooting entire communities, destroying homes, displacing civilians, many of them children, and depriving inhabitants of food, water, shelter and medical care. This violence is putting the continued existence of the entire Gazan people at risk and making each day a struggle for their survival. The question is no longer when peace will come, but whether the people of Gaza and the West Bank will survive long enough to see it. This presentation aims to shed light on the lived experiences of Palestinians under siege, the international silence surrounding their suffering and the resilience they continue to show in the face of what many are calling a slow, unfolding genocide. It will also lift up some of the resistance to Israel’s action in Gaza that is going on around the world.

If you cannot make it to Madison, please familiarize yourself with what is happening from this one-page debriefing from The Week about “The West Bank Settlers.”

Rev. El-Yateem, a highly respected Arab-American leader and community organizer, was born in Bethlehem in 1968 and emigrated to the United States in 1992. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and a bachelor’s degree from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo. One of Rev. El-Yateem’s primary focuses is promoting open dialogue and unity, especially among Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Rev. El-Yateem serves as Executive Director for Service and Justice at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Prior to this appointment, Rev. El Yateem served as the Assistant to the Bishop and the Director for Evangelical Mission in the Florida-Bahamas Synod of the ELCA.

CO-SPONSOR: South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA
 

In a news article from the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) earlier this month, it was reported that the House of Representatives narrowly passed the Senate’s version of a budget blueprint, sending a troubling message to tens of millions of Americans who struggle to make ends meet. Instead of prioritizing ending hunger and poverty in this country, the budget blueprint aims to advance tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy. 
The blueprint calls on congressional committees to slash billions of dollars from programs within their jurisdictions, which include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and school meals. This blueprint comes at a time when hunger is on the rise and families are facing higher food costs. 

SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger and helps more than 42 million people put food on the table. Proposals to cut SNAP would strip food from individuals and families and make dramatic structural changes to the program, shifting the burden to local governments and charities — who cannot fill the gap. These proposals would harm local economies, especially for our nation’s farmers and food retailers. Health care costs would increase, as food insecurity is linked to higher rates of chronic illness and poor health outcomes. 

Any cuts to SNAP would have damaging ripple effects on families’ direct access to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a non-mandatory program that provides critical nutrition resources to parents, infants, and young children. Families removed from SNAP would also lose their direct link to free school meals and the Summer EBT Program, which provides families with critical funds to keep hunger at bay during the summer months.  

School meals are critical to children’s health and learning. Any cuts to children’s access to free school meals would increase child hunger, bring stigma back into the cafeteria, lead to school meal debt, and make it more difficult for working families to make ends meet. This includes the proposed cut to the Community Eligibility Provision that would reduce the number of schools that are able to offer free meals to all their students by 24,000, impacting 12 million children.  

Clearly, these draconian proposed structural changes and cuts would only deepen America’s hunger crisis, pushing more children, older adults, veterans, and working families into hunger and poverty while stalling the economy. 

They are urging Congress to reconsider this dangerous path. The nation’s budget should reflect the shared vision of a strong, productive, and stable America. This vision cannot be achieved by making it more difficult for people to meet their basic needs, including access to food.  

Caring citizens are encouraged to stand with families, advocates, and communities across the country in demanding a budget that puts people first and ensures that everyone has the nutrition they need to thrive. Contact Congress.

In a follow-up article, FRAC identifies how SNAP cuts will threaten the fabric of our rural communities — supporting families, farmers, and small businesses alike. Cutting this program would do more than increase food insecurity; it would undermine economic resilience, especially in rural Kansas, where every dollar counts and often circulates many times over in the local economy. Read more here.

Learn about the Farm Bill and ways you can take action here: https://frac.org/action/snap-farm-bill/road-to-the-farm-bill 

More recently, in an article from the Economy Policy Institute, posted April 29, some say cuts to SNAP benefits will disproportionately harm families of color and children. Read more here: https://www.epi.org/blog/cuts-to-snap-benefits-will-disproportionately-harm-families-of-color-and-children/ 

The U.S. has launched a 30-year, $1.7 trillion program to completely replace and upgrade its nuclear defense system, the so-called “triad” of land, air and sea weapons. This project has received very little news coverage, but it will involve new nuclear warheads and bombs, and new missiles, airplanes and submarines to deliver them.

On May 27 at 7 pm, In an online presentation, the Interfaith Peace Working Group offers, “When Orwell Goes to War” with Jim Carrier. Mr Carrier will describe the history of its launch under President Obama—ironically after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and calling for an end to nuclear weapons. Carrier has titled this presentation as such because the language used to describe it, chiefly the word “deterrence,” masks the effort to maintain U.S. nuclear dominance that has lasted 80 years.

Carrier has traveled throughout the U.S. nuclear complex and will be speaking just three days after returning from Nagasaki where he will be interviewing Hibakusha (bomb-affected people).

The presentation is free, but registration is required. Register here

Jim Carrier, Internationally-known journalist and commentator, has written twelve books and many articles on various subjects related to peace, justice and care of the earth. The subject of two of his books is nuclear weapons. His comments and critiques of nuclear weapons are based on research and focus on both the terror and cost of these weapons, particularly the 1.7 trillion dollar plan to replace our present nuclear arsenal with new, more modern weapons.

The Interfaith Peace Working Group (IPWG) is prepared to support local churches and faith organizations of all backgrounds in a dedicated attempt to build a nonviolent world in which future generations have a chance to live in. We can provide peace-team and non-violence training, interfaith discussion opportunities, and educational programs on faith and non-violence.
 

The Oscar-winning documentary, “No Other Land” is about a young Palestinian activist from Masafer Yatta, who is joined by an Israeli journalist to document his community’s resilience and resistance to Israeli efforts to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from the area. The film touched every person in attendance, and it’s been requested to show again.

Due to its controversial subject matter, the film has struggled to find a U.S. distributor. But for a limited time, the filmmakers are making it available in the United States as a fundraiser, made possible by the longstanding partnership between residents of Masafer Yatta and the Center for Jewish Nonviolence. Viewers in North America have until May 8, 2025 to rent and watch the film from home or organize a community event.
CSA has opted to support this film and offer it as a community event again on Tuesday, May 6 at 5:30 pm. This will be hybrid, meaning you can join in person or via Zoom. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required either way with this form: https://forms.gle/CmXZAZuqEAMCFchc6 

This may be your last chance to see this film in the United States. Please attend, bring a friend, and share this invitation widely. We hope to see you there!!

For more details visit: https://supportmasaferyatta.com/ 
Watch the movie trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPkHGw2h1eU 
For any questions, please email tabler@csasisters.org 

Join the revolution sweeping across America! Less Lawn More Life offers a free 12-week challenge to restore nature, beginning May 1.

Over 12 expert-led weekly challenges will transform your lawn into a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life. Discover simple techniques to create habitat that butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects can’t resist. Ready to turn your patch of earth into something extraordinary? Start your journey today! Sign up at https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 
 

Divestment is a powerful tool being used around the world to put pressure on the companies and governments driving damage to people and planet.
Municipal Divestment has a strong history of moving our money out of humanitarian and environmental crises and holding governments accountable for breaches in human rights law. Getting your city to shift funds away from unethical systems sends a clear message about what we value as a society.

In an April 10 webinar three groups—Warheads to Windmills, World Beyond War, and AFSC—offered a conversation featuring three stories of successful city divestment campaigns across the country where individuals took a stand against companies and governments complicit in the climate crisis, the threat of nuclear war, and the genocide in Palestine. Hear where their campaigns intersected, lessons learned, and be encouraged by how we can come together to build a strong and focused message of institutional pressure to protect people and the planet.

You will also hear from a panel of divestment-oriented organizations with expert resources, tools and support on how to realize municipal divestment campaigns in your area.

Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/arS8Q3-cAg4

Resources shared after the webinar are listed below:

• Webinar Q&A Document: https://worldbeyondwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Divestment-Webinar-QA.pdf
• Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force: https://www.cemtf.org/
• New York City Council divestment resolution: The New York City Council - File #: Res 0976-2019
• Amalgamated Bank: https://www.amalgamatedbank.com/
• Amalgamated's policy: https://www.amalgamatedbank.com/sites/default/files/2023_CSR_Report.pdf
• Sulheya Almatri's slides and resource templates: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TMF-auMVy92FnyKcdGVzQ-wBRXhU7l9M?usp=drive_link
• David Swanson's slides: https://worldbeyondwar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Divest20250410.pdf
• World BEYOND War's Divestment Campaign page: https://worldbeyondwar.org/divest/
• AFSC's Divestment for Palestinian rights toolkit, which contains the BDS divestment list, model language for a human rights screen, and a list of all divestment achievements across the country over the last year and a half: www.afsc.org/divest
• AFSC's database of companies involved in Israeli occupation, genocide, and apartheid: www.Investigate.info
• Companies directly involved in the genocide in Gaza: www.afsc.org/Gaza-Genocide-Companies
• AFSC's biweekly Office Hours to support divestment campaigns: www.afsc.org/BDS-Office-Hours
• Warheads to Windmills Draft Model Divestment Bill: https://warheadstowindmills.org/draft-model-divestment-bill/ 
   

Braver Angels envisions an America with respectful embrace of political disagreements, where civic friendship flourishes and competing perspectives strengthen our nation. They embrace values of respect, humility, honesty, and responsible citizenship. Their goal is not to change people’s views of issues, but to change the views of each other.

Braver Angels offers a podcast, e-courses, online workshops and debates, and personal experiences.

In May 2025, Braver Angels is offering THREE events just for Wisconsin.

The first is an online debate on May 7 from 7-8:30 pm CT. Participants will have the opportunity to debate, or simply listen to, responses to this statement: “America-First is Good for Wisconsin.”

Whether you’re a regular at Braver Angels debates or totally new to this unique “shared search for the truth,” join over Zoom to debate the impact of President Trump’s America-first agenda on America’s Dairyland. Come to debate, or just to listen.  REGISTER HERE.

To learn more about the principles that guide debates, check out this short intro video. To learn more about the structure of debates, watch a highlight reel, or check out this Quick Start Guide.

Second, there will be an in-person workshop in Green Bay on Saturday, May 10 from 10-11:30 am called, Skills for Disagreeing Better. Participants will gain understanding of the values and concerns of those who differ from you politically and practice essential skills for communicating across differences and finding common ground. Learn more and register here.

Third, you are invited to attend a state-wide New Members Meeting on Thursday, May 22, 7-8 pm online. During this meeting, you'll learn more about the organization's history, its mission, and the exciting plans for reinvigorating Braver Angels in Wisconsin. We'll give you a tour of the website (there's so much, it can be overwhelming) and share ways to get involved. Registration link coming in upcoming newsletter. Join at https://braverangels.org/get-involved/#become-member. 
 

The Presbyterian Church’s Office of Public Witness hosted a webinar recently that has been highly recommended for all to watch, especially as we prepare for Easter.

The guest speaker is Angela Carpenter, author of several books, but most recently a book called, “Grace and Social Ethics.” Her book demonstrates why the doctrine of grace has significant implications for social ethics and for Christian engagement in culture. It reframes Christian social ethics by illuminating how grace shapes human identity and community.

In this presentation, Carpenter focuses on gun violence and Christian ethics. Most notably in her presentation she shares, “Jesus’ life displayed authentically human love, vulnerable love... Even in his final days, Jesus rejected the power to control and chose love in the midst of fear.”

Enjoy learning more in this recording

 

Braver Angels is a nonpartisan organization uniting “red and blue” citizens in a working alliance to depolarize America. They envision an American with respectful embrace of political disagreements, where civic friendship flourishes and competing perspectives strengthen our nation. They embrace values of respect, humility, honesty, and responsible citizenship. The goal of Braver Angels conversations is not to change people’s views of issues, but to change their views of each other. Learn more at  https://braverangels.org/ 

One thing Braver Angels (BA) do incredibly well is host online debates. Participants join from across the country to share their perspectives on hot political issues affecting us all. Debates are moderated in which persons on all sides of the issue are able to equally speak in a shared, safe space. Here is a sample of a BA debate: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d14Ug_ZRROpw92ZIuzzd29JtRY354CTB/view 

Today, millions of Americans are thrilled with the changes President Trump and his administration are bringing to our government while millions of others fear it’s an existential threat to this nation. In their current National Debate Series: Trump’s First 100 Days, Braver Angels has already had debates on Birthright Citizenship and Foreign Policy. The two left will cover DEI (April 22) and answer the question: “Is President Trump Making America Great?” (May 1) You won’t want to miss these! There are a few tickets left to attend these online debates, but get them soon! 

Sign up here through Eventbrite

Hero of Fascist? Watch and share this video

There are currently Braver Angels Alliances in Madison and Milwaukee, WI. Learn more at https://braverangels.org/braver-citizens/find-a-local-alliance/ 
 

When beekeepers opened their hives for the first time this year, many of them found devastating numbers of empty hives and scientists warn that honeybee colonies in the U.S. are projected to decline by up to 70% in 2025.

Contributing factors for these record-high losses include pesticide exposure, diseases, and nutritional deficiencies. One of the biggest factors could be the varroa mite. Read more here.

Watch this video to understand ways you can help our native bees and honeybees in crisis

In May 2025, a sober-living home for women and children (under 7) will open in Fond du Lac, WI. ARYA (Adult Recovery & Youth Alliance) will have programming available for women living in the home related to trauma, mental health, substance abuse, and overall wellness. They will also have activities and support for the children in the home to foster growth and family connection.

Too many women face homelessness, relapse, and lack of resources after completing treatment for substance-use disorder. The mission at ARYA is to change that by providing a stable, safe, nurturing environment where women can continue to rebuild their lives with dignity and support while allowing their children to stay with them on site. There are not enough resources like this, and they are desperately needed.

Learn how you can get involved at https://www.aryaprograms.com/ 

In their March 19th webinar, the Franciscan Action Network and Pace Bene partnered to provide a powerful and insightful webinar titled, “Using our Power - Nonviolence & Noncooperation in History & Today.” The webinar explored how strategies of noncooperation, through boycotts, economic blackouts, and other forms of civil resistance, have shaped history and continue to be used today to defend democracy, challenge oppression, and promote justice.

One of the esteemed panelists in the webinar was Dr. Ken Butigan. Dr. Butigan is a strategy consultant with Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service, which has trained tens of thousands of people in the power of nonviolent change and which organizes Campaign Nonviolence, a long-term, nationwide effort seeking to foster a more nonviolent culture free from war, poverty, racism and environmental destruction. He opens the webinar in the Spirit of St. Francis of Assisi by sharing this quote: “When we see or hear evil spoken or done, or God blasphemed, let us speak well and do well and praise God who is blessed forever.” Indeed this is what is needed in these times.

Also presenting in the webinar was Maria Stephan of Horizons Project, who had formerly worked at the U.S. Institute of Peace, an independent nonprofit, established by Congress in 1984. Just last week, DOGE and FBI agents entered the Institute of Peace to remove employees who had been fired days earlier as part of cuts from DOGE. This news clip explains why this is problematic and has been getting news attention:

Many agree this webinar is extremely timely. It provided hope and inspiration in the power of collective action and nonviolent resistance. If you missed it, you will want to watch the recording here:

Another piece of interest is this March 26 NCR article in which Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is quoted, “When one of us is under attack, all of us are under attack” and peaceful protestors hold signs that beg for moral courage from our leaders. Our faith calls us to be like Jesus in our persistence and resistance.

Now, if you’re ready for action, please consider joining a community near you that is hosting a “Hands Off” mobilization on Saturday, April 5, 2025 in Madison, elsewhere in Wisconsin, or across the nation. Find details with a quick Google search.

Indiana knows the value of clean energy. In 2018, a Central Indiana school superintendent says his district’s newly installed solar farm is expected to save the district more than $2 million over 20 years. The Tipton Community School Corp’s nearly 2,000 solar panels went online in the Fall of 2018.

Fast forward to 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) established a path for the nation on climate change that included investments in domestic energy production and promoting clean energy. It also implemented policies to reduce the federal government deficit, change IRS tax laws, and lower prescription drug costs. Indiana qualified for grants to support new electric charging stations and solar projects.

Part of the IRA funding was the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The $5 billion program offered funding for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations on state highways and corridors. Indianapolis planned to use its $15 million grant to install charging stations near libraries, parks and culturally relevant sites for Black and Brown communities. In early February, the City announced it had to halt the installation because of federal freezes on grants and loans. Soon after, the state also halted plans for EV charging stations on interstates and highways.

The IRA also authorized a $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. One of its programs, the Solar for All fund, reserved $7 billion to expand solar energy into low-income communities, including in Gary, Indiana. Again, plans to install a solar farm in Gary have been put on hold. Read the full story here.

In contrast, the U.S. Department of Defense requested nearly $850 billion for 2025, largely for military activities. Americans have very different views for how they want their federal dollars used and what it means to care for Earth, and each other.
 

The March 2025 UNANIMA International (UI) newsletter is now available for viewing! You can find this, and all prior newsletters, on their website here: https://unanima-international.org/newsletters/ The newsletter is available in four languages.

It has been a busy time at the United Nations with the Commission for Social Development (CSoCD) taking place in February and the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) just ending on March 21. These commissions provide a stock take of what has been achieved and an outline of what still needs to be done.

A draft resolution, submitted by the Chair of CSW, can be found here.

A summary of the Beijing Platform for Action +30 from the Women in Migration Network can be read here.

For more information on the Commission and UI’s involvement, go to the CSW60 page on their website. 
 

Ma Yang was born in Bangkok, Thailand, the daughter of Hmong refugees after the Vietnam War. She was 8 months old when her family resettled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and she has lived there ever since. She is now 37 years old. In 2020, she pleaded guilty to taking part in a marijuana trafficking operation and served 2-½ years in prison for counting and packaging cash that was mailed to suppliers of the drugs. Her attorney told her the plea deal would not affect her immigration status as a green card holder, but her legal permanent residency was revoked. She was deported to Laos earlier this month, a place she has never been, does not know the language, and has no family or friends. She has limited resources and dwindling medical supplies for her health conditions. She is now stranded in a rooming house in the capital of Vientiane, surrounded by military guards, with little idea of what to do next.

Ma is a mother of five. Her partner of 16 years, Michael Bub, has disabilities and is struggling to sleep and take care of their children. Their story has struck a chord with so many across the nation, especially those in the Hmong American community who have built lives in the U.S. and could not imagine returning to Laos. Ma’s case is almost unheard of since few people have been deported to Laos in recent years as the U.S. had designated Laos an “uncooperative” country that did not receive its deportees. Read the full Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

The family is seeking donations at gofundme.com/f/support-ma-yangs-return-to-her-kids.

The Independent picked up this story and has recently reported some updates to Ma Yang’s situation. Read that article.

Additionally, note these hotlines to report suspected unjust ICE encounters:
CASA (National) - 1-888-214-6016
UndocuProfessionals Network (National) - 1-844-500-3222
Voces de la Frontera - 414-465-8078
Forward Latino - 888-238-9473
Marathon County has a line to report ICE encounters at 715- 551-2552
ACLU Wisconsin - https://www.aclu-wi.org/en/about/contact-us 

Visit https://www.csasisters.org/our-values/trafficking.cfm for a more extensive list of immigration services. 

With the U.S. Administration’s freeze on federal spending for foreign aid and refugee settlement, Catholic Charities agencies across the nation are having to lay off employees and some are closing down completely.

"The abrupt termination of some government contracts and ongoing speculation about the status of other government funding has created a broad sense of uncertainty among faith-based social services providers," said Kevin Brennan, vice president for media relations and executive communications at Catholic Charities USA.

Simone Blanchard, JPIC Director for the Congregation of the Sisters of Bon Secours, shares: “As a former volunteer with several refugee resettlement agencies and the former Director of Parish Social Justice Ministry for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the services that the Church has provided for so many years to people fleeing violence and persecution is impressive and inspiring. Refugees are people who have fled their country of origin due to war, violence or persecution and sought safety in another country, usually in a refugee camp. They are vetted and processed by the United Nations and often wait multiple years to be resettled in another country. The January 20th executive order suspended the US Refugee Admissions program, and the administration failed to pay for services already completed by refugee resettlement agencies prior to January 20. This forced many refugee resettlement programs to close or shrink down to a skeleton staff. This places refugee families especially those that have just arrived in January in very difficult situations. Many of them are now without assistance or a caseworker to help them navigate this new land and secure employment. This will lead to homelessness for many families hoping to find peace and security in the United States.

Further, the “freeze” on International Humanitarian & Development assistance and the decimation of USAID is leaving the most vulnerable around the world in desperation without access to food, anti-retral viral therapies, or public health interventions to curb infectious disease. Many faith-based agencies working overseas have laid off thousands of staff including Catholic Relief Services. Catholic Social Teaching calls us to respect the dignity of every human person and work for the common good. The actions of this administration in this regard are immoral and should be countered by every person of faith and goodwill.
The following are two ways to take action urging your legislators to end the freeze on US Foreign Assistance and protect essential safety net programs like Medicaid and SNAP for people living in poverty in the US: 

• Take action here on a CRS/USCCB alert urging the resumption of critical, lifesaving international humanitarian and development assistance. 
• Take action here on a USCCB alert to tell Congress to protect essential safety net programs that families facing financial hardship in the United States rely on.

In a different view, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister warns that the U.S. Administration’s decision to gut foreign aid assistance has created a “problem worldwide.” The diplomat added that the Administration's cancellation of some $60 billion in foreign aid comes "at a time when it seems, to us, very evident that what the world is in need of now is more expressions of solidarity, not less." Read the full article here.

Where do we find hope? "What remains certain is that Catholic Charities agencies across the country will continue to offer merciful, life-changing support to the most vulnerable members of their local communities — as they have for more than a century," Kevin Brennan told NCR in an email.  Read the full NCR article here.

World BEYOND War is offering a six-week online course that features six core modules, three interactive Zoom sessions, and a strong emphasis on reflective practice, collaborative learning, and community building throughout. As the world races to prevent climate collapse, finding solutions to today’s unprecedented socio-ecological challenges has never been more urgent. While discussions on climate change continue, it is crucial to address the elephant in the room—war. The call to end war is not just about peace and security: it is essential for the survival and flourishing of humanity and the planet.

War and the Environment starts Monday, March 24, 2025. This online course runs for six weeks with an approximate 3 to 6 hours per week commitment. Cost is on a sliding scale from $25 to $100, more if you can afford it. 

Learn more about the course modules and/or register here

Mass terminations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are “crippling” the agency, upending federal workers’ lives and leaving farmers and rural communities without needed support, according to interviews with 15 recently fired employees stationed across the U.S. Read more here.

A February 28, 2025 farmer press conference in South Portland, Maine featured farmers who are directly impacted by the federal funding freeze on payments from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Their stories must be heard. No doubt they represent the concerns of farmers in every state. You can read the press release and watch the full press conference on the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) website.

Millions of dollars in USDA funding, including funding for a variety of innovative, science-based programs that support farmers across the country, is now in question. Despite USDA stating that some payments are moving forward, the farmers who spoke last week have not had their payments resumed. 

Nearly every farmer in the U.S. works with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), on a regular basis, and every single American benefits from the programs of USDA. For the last month, freezes on payments at the federal level have impacted farmers throughout the country. Despite being told that once Secretary Rollins was confirmed the payments would quickly resume, farmers are still waiting for payments, many of which are for reimbursements on signed contracts, for work that has already been done.

“Taking these funding opportunities away from farmers, breaking existing contracts with farmers — it affects all of us,” said Janelle Plummer, co-owner of New Spoke Farm in West Paris, Maine, at the Feb 28 press conference. “In the same way that food starts in a farmer’s field and ends on your plate, the repercussions of these political decisions will ripple out into all of our communities. The effect of this doesn’t end on my farm, it only begins there.”

Farmers face incredible uncertainty every season, but one thing that has always been stable — until now — is USDA contracts. The farmers who spoke in this press conference work hard day in and day out to grow healthy food that feeds our communities. We need them.

ACTION: Please call on your congressional leaders to ensure that the USDA honors the contracts and pays our farmers.

UPDATE: Read this March 11, 2025 press release from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/3d65c65 
The Trump Administration has indicated it plans to renege on its contractual obligations and intends to terminate critical federal funding that supports Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) programs designed to strengthen food supply chains, support farmers and producers, and distribute locally grown food to local communities.

UNANIMA International’s newest publication, "The Hidden Faces of Homelessness, Global Insights and Pathways Forward" has been released! In celebration of this occasion and in recognition of World Social Justice Day, the publication was launched on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the Baha'i International Community Office in New York and streamed online. The event included a panel discussion on the topics covered in the publication, presented by some of the multi-stakeholder experts who contributed to the publication. You can watch that recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlGcX4hHCuk

UNANIMA International (UI) truly appreciates the continued support from its contributors and the colleagues who joined them for the public launch, including several CSA sisters, associates, and staff.

This publication is available now with this digital publication link: https://tinyurl.com/yj7rywkv

You can also download the publication from the UI website here: https://unanima-international.org/resource/the-hidden-faces-of-homelessness-global-insights-and-pathways-forward/

Additionally, the CSA JPIC Office has two hard copies that may be borrowed. We encourage everyone to find some time to read and share the great work done in this publication, and consider expressing your appreciation to the UI staff by sending an email to director@unanima-international.org  

The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission (JPIC) and Anti-Racism Committee (ARC) of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, Joliet Franciscans, invite you to a series of four monthly Zoom gatherings for the purpose of better understanding persons of cultures other than our own.

Tuesday, March 25 Wednesday, May 28 
Wednesday, April 30 Wednesday, June 25
6:00 - 7:30 pm CT

TO REGISTER FOR ONE OR MORE and GET A ZOOM LINK, Email: tpmarciani@gmail.com with your name, email address and phone number.

May we have a deeper appreciation of people of all cultures so we more fully grasp how each person can live to her/his full potential and all of us can live well together.
 

If you watched the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, you may have heard one of the most powerful speeches in years when the film, “No Other Land,” won the Oscar for Best Documentary.

The film was made by a Palestinian-Israeli collective of four activists - Adra, Hamdan Balla, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor. It tells the story of the destruction of Masafer Yatta, in the occupied West Bank by the Israeli military. The title, “No Other Land,” comes from a woman in the film who asks where else the Palestinians of the West Bank are supposed to go.

Abraham, in his acceptance speech, not only highlighted the “ethnic supremacy” instituted by his country in the Occupied Palestinian Territories but also challenged the destructive role of the United States: “I have to say, as I am here, the foreign policy in this country is helping to block this path [to peace].” You can watch their acceptance speeches in full here.

No Other Land is available to watch online for about $4 USD on Microsoft.com.

Details here 

The CSA JPIC Office will be showing this movie on Monday, April 21 at 6 pm.  Please join us in person or online! 

REGISTER HERE

Watch the trailer here: 

The Trump administration’s efforts to halt funding and dismantle the United States’ capacity to provide food for the hungry, health care for the sick, and hope for the poorest people on earth are destroying the lives and dignity of millions of our sisters and brothers around the world. Much of the debate on these reckless actions has focused on who did this, how it was done, and the political dimensions of these actions.

Join the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life for their program March 13, 2025 at 12:30 pm CT.

This online Initiative dialogue takes a very different approach. It focuses on the human consequences and moral implications of this abandonment of our nation’s traditional commitment to the poor around the world. We will look at these actions through the experience and expertise of Catholic sisters serving the poor around the globe and the work of Catholic Relief Services, which offers life-saving humanitarian assistance in almost 100 nations. We will hear directly from sisters and CRS leaders who feed the hungry, care for the sick, provide shelter to those without it, and meet the needs of those affected by conflict and disaster.

This timely dialogue will examine how to assess these unprecedented challenges in light of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching. It will explore through the eyes of those on the front lines what we should do to resist these destructive actions and how we can express solidarity with the poor and vulnerable around the world as well as with those who serve them. 

Kimberly Mazyck, associate director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, will moderate the dialogue.

The dialogue will be recorded and posted online for later viewing. 

REGISTER HERE

You are invited to join a one-hour webinar - Using Our Power - Nonviolence & Noncooperation in History & Today - on March 19 at 3 pm CT. This is hosted by Franciscan Action Network and Pace e Bene Campaign Nonviolence.

The webinar will feature: 

• Maria Stephan, Ph.D., coauthor of Why Civil Resistance Works, award-winning author, and organizer, whose work focuses on the role of nonviolent action and peacebuilding in advancing human rights, democracy, and sustainable peace
• Rivera Sun, author of The Dandelion Insurrection, editor of Nonviolence News, and Program Coordinator for Campaign Nonviolence, with extensive experience in nonviolent strategy and movement organizing.
• Ken Butigan, cofounder of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence in Rome and professor at DePaul University, who will offer reflection on nonviolent action in lives of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi.

Explore together how strategies of noncooperation - boycotts, economic blackouts, and other forms of civil resistance - have shaped history and continue to be used today to defend democracy, challenge oppression, and promote justice.

Register to secure your spot
 

March is Women’s History Month and here are a few of the amazing women who are making history and a positive change for good in Indian Country in Wisconsin, as reported recently in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

•  Marj Stevens is one of three Oneida women who founded the Indian Community School in Milwaukee, now located in Franklin. Today, the school enrolls more than 300 students representing more than 30 tribal nations across North America. Its mission is to provide an Indigenous American education with a special emphasis on teaching Indigenous history, culture, language and practices. Stevens also helped to revive traditional ways for the Oneida community in Wisconsin, which had nearly been lost because of assimilation. 

• Alaqua Cox is an actress from the Menominee Nation who starred as Marvel’s first live-action superhero and had her own series on Disney+ called “Echo.” It is a role that has inspired many Indigenous girls across the country after seeing themselves represented as a superhero. 

• Carol Amour is not Native, but her late husband, George Amour, was Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe from Wisconsin. She has done a lot of volunteer work in Indian Country in Wisconsin and her current project is to save the pow wow exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum. She is helping to lead those efforts along with a committee of mostly Indigenous people from the Milwaukee area who have personal connections with the lifelike exhibit. The museum is being closed as a new building is being built and museum officials do not plan to move the exhibit to the new museum.

• Elena Terry is a Ho-Chunk chef who founded Wild Bearies, an educational non-profit looking to build stronger tribal communities through Indigenous food systems and farming techniques. She recently competed on a Food Network TV show called “BBQ Brawl” and faced off against some top pitmasters.

• McKaylin Peters is a Menominee woman who recently created the short documentary, Fighting the Fight, highlighting the epidemic of violence against Indigenous people. She spoke about the issue in Washington D.C. with former Vice President Kamala Harris and other decision-makers in the federal government. Peters currently works as the spokesperson for the Menominee tribal chair’s office. 

We are grateful that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has chosen to highlight these remarkable Indigenous women from Wisconsin who are making history, and hope for the continued success of their work.

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.
 

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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

 

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.

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

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.
 

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. 
 

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

 As part of the Franciscan Peace Center's commitment to education and advocacy, they will be hosting a virtual screening and talkback session for the film “Food Chains.”

“Food Chains” reveals the human cost in our food supply and the complicity of large buyers of produce like fast food and supermarkets. Supermarkets earn $4 trillion globally. They have tremendous power over the agricultural system. Over the past 3 decades, they have drained revenue from their supply chain leaving farmworkers in poverty and forced to work under subhuman conditions.  In this exposé, an intrepid group of Florida farmworkers battle to defeat the global supermarket industry through their ingenious Fair Food program, which partners with growers and retailers to improve working conditions for farm laborers in the United States.  Their story is one of hope and promise for the triumph of morality over corporate greed – to ensure a dignified life for farm workers and a more humane, transparent food chain.

The link to view this film will be distributed immediately upon registration, and participants are invited to join the talkback session from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm CST on January 23, 2025. During the talkback session, the Franciscan Peace Center will be joined by members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers as we discuss issues related to labor trafficking including forced migration, unsafe working conditions, and unfair wages.

You are invited to join. Please click HERE to register for the talk back session. 

A preview of the film is available HERE. 

If you have questions, please contact Marsha Thrall at mthrall@clintonfranciscans.com.
 

The problem of human trafficking has become so prevalent that in 2011, President Barack Obama designated January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is observed annually on Jan. 11. And in 2015, the Vatican named Feb. 8 the International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking.

Below are some valuable resources:

In this Global Catholic Sisters Report article of January 6, 2025, sisters reflect on their ministry to survivors of sex trafficking in the Midwest.

In a recent meeting with members of Sisters Program of the Benedict Center in Milwaukee, WI, LCWR-9 Justice Promoters and Communicators joined staff and board members to discuss how they could work together to maximize the advocacy efforts around human trafficking issues. (See group photo)

Read the January newsletter from Alliance to End Human Trafficking
 

Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity, a program of the Wisconsin Council of Churches, started as a one-time teaching webinar whose work expanded into a statewide campaign working on equity with a particular focus on what is happening in our schools. Currently, this group gathers for monthly webinars featuring speakers on a variety of topics related to equity and a time for local organizing around the state. 

The next meeting of Taking a Faithful Stand for Equity will be on Tuesday, January 14, at 6:30 PM on Zoom.

Attendees will consider What Is The Beloved Community's "Project 2025?" What do we, who are trying to build the Beloved Community, need to work on in 2025? What tools do we have for doing that work?

Join the conversation and exercise your holy imagination! 

Register here
 

You are invited to a 3-session online conversation on the book, “Come Have Breakfast: Meditations on God and Earth” by Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ.

Gatherings are Mondays, 5:30 – 6:45 pm CST with the following schedule:
1. January 27, 2025 Before meeting read sections: Intro; Creation: A Relationship; and The Vivifying Presence of God, up to page 91.
2. February 10, 2025 Before meeting, read sections: Jesus and the Earth; and, Humankind and Otherkind, up to page179.
3. February 24, 2025 Before meeting, read section: God’s Beloved Creation and Afterward.

Register with this link by January 15, 2025: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uc-6grz8rHtYvgKmcZ0mdFDj8rwxv-9VH 

For more information contact planners, Sr. Catherine Darcy, RSM at cdarcy@sistersofmercy.org; Sr. Carol De Angelo, SC at cdeangelo@scny.org, Sr. Alice Marie Giordano, OSU at giordanomdg@aol.com 

Conversation format: opening prayer, highlights of section, small group discussion followed by large group discussion.

Sponsored by Metro New York Catholic Climate Movement, ROAR (Religious Organizations Along the River), Dominican Sisters of Hope, Dominican Sisters of Sparkill, Sisters of Charity of New York, Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, Sisters of Mercy Justice Team - NY, Ursulines of the Roman Union, Eastern Province.
 

More than 60 Catholic groups and individuals — including the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes — signed a letter urging President Joseph Biden to support an initiative promoting debt relief for low- and middle-income countries.

Specifically, the letter asks Biden to support a new issuance of Special Drawing Rights, or SDRs, which are a reserve asset created by the International Monetary Fund. With the stroke of a pen, the SDRs through executive authority would provide people around the world with direly needed relief from their suffering in the face of poverty, hunger, and natural disaster and doing so would cap Biden’s legacy of global leadership.

The letter was covered in this Global Sisters Report article on January 6, 2025. 

The Giffords Center just released its Annual Gun Law Scorecard, which analyzes and grades all 50 states on the strength of their gun laws and compares that to their gun death rate. The data is undeniable: Fewer people die from gun violence in states that care enough to pass gun safety laws. It’s that simple. The gun violence crisis isn’t a mystery. It’s a choice America has made.

Read the Scorecard

The outcome of the November election may not have been what some of us were hoping or expecting, but we are invited to consider how we will respond.

The CSA community is invited to join Racine Dominicans and their Justice Promoter, Tim Hall, for a 2-part conversation about the results and implications of the November Presidential election.

Part 1: What Happened? January 9 at 6:30 pm
Part 2: The Way Forward January 16 at 6:30 pm

No registration required. The Zoom link is the same for both sessions: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89134343300 

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was introduced to congress in 1971, proposing that it should be clearly written into the constitution that people should be protected equally under the law in the United States no matter their gender. The House of Representatives passed the legislation with overwhelming margins in both parties. One year later it passed the Senate with an eighty-four to eight majority. The next step would be for 3/4 of the states to adopt and then it would be added as a constitutional amendment. In five years they were only three states short of the number needed. Unfortunately, this is when a vocal high profile anti-feminist conservative activist, Phyllis Schlafly, led a resistance to the ERA effort using scare tactics and misinformation. It worked and the legislation was stalled for years.

Then in 2020 three more states, Nevada, Illinois and Virginia adopted the ERA through the work of women activists in response to the loss of women’s rights - hitting the magic number for ratification. At that point the ERA cleared all the bars for becoming a constitutional amendment. All that was left was for the President to contact the national archivist and tell them to publish the ERA into law.

But, when those last three states ratified, the Trump White House sent a memo saying that the national archivist could not publish the ERA because the original piece of legislation had a deadline of 1982.

Because of that deadline you would think the amendment was over. But there is clear legal argument for the continuation of the ERA. Including the fact that constitutional amendments don’t normally have time limits. The 27th Amendment was ratified in 1992, a full 223 years after it was introduced. Also there is nothing in the constitution that says an amendment has to be passed within a particular time limit. In August of 2024, the American Bar Association made a public statement that a deadline for ratification of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution is not consistent with Article V of the Constitution.

The point is that there is a real legal challenge to Trump’s White House memo to the archivist. All President Joe Biden has to do is pick up the phone and tell the national archivist to publish the ERA (which has jumped every constitutional hoop - passing overwhelmingly in the House and Senate, and 3/4 of the states adopting the legislation).

Yes, there will be undoubtedly a legal challenge. Currently over 45 Senators and over 100 House members have written and encouraged Biden to call the national archivist and put the publishing of the ERA into motion — then let it work through the courts as it should.

The publishing of the ERA would be a significant firewall for legislation that would discriminate against women and persons in the LGBTQ+ community. 
Contact President Biden and Vice President Harris today, requesting they make publishing the ERA before the end of their term a priority.

Read more about the full 100-year history of the ERA
 

An annual papal message for World Day of Peace (January 1) has been released every year since 1968. In this year’s message, titled “Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace,” Pope Francis encourages us to confront the structures of sin that exploit the poor and our common home, emphasizing how God’s mercy in our lives can help achieve peace.

Read Pope Francis’ 2025 World Day of Peace message. 

How does this message challenge you? As you start the new year and make your resolutions, take a moment to think of one way you can address poverty in your community or parish. 

Visit the USCCB Poverty Awareness Month webpage

President Biden ran on a campaign promise to abolish the federal death penalty. On December 23, following weeks and months of public pressure, and just before Christmas, he commuted 37 of the 40 people on death row. This has caused many mixed feelings. While many are grateful for the progress, others feel he needs to finish the job. Leaving three of what some consider “the worst of the worst,” plus 4 on military death row, still makes killing justify killing.

The organization, Death Penalty Action was started in 2017. They work to stop executions and abolish the death penalty through advocacy, education, and action. They are also strong supporters of death by incarceration, not execution.

Hear Abe Bonowitz, Director of Death Penalty Action, in an NPR interview Christmas morning.

Following President Biden’s commutations, Death Penalty Action offered a powerful press conference. 

For the many that work so hard against the death penalty this was a victory, but with the next president coming in with his promise to execute as many as possible, we need President Biden to finish the job before he leaves office. In line with our corporate stance on the death penalty, CSA has signed this organizational sign-on letter to President Biden.

Individually, you can write to President Biden and urge him to:

• Commute the sentences of those remaining on federal and military death rows;
• Deauthorize all pending federal capital trial cases and establish guidelines prohibiting authorization of any new death penalty prosecutions during your administration;
• Rescind the lethal injection protocol; rescind the “Manner of Execution” regulation that took effect in December 2020; rescind internal DOJ guidelines on litigating death row cases that took effect in December 2020
• Order the Federal Bureau of Prisons to demolish the federal execution chamber and the building in which it is housed at the Federal Correctional Institution at Terre Haute

ACT NOW

This December, UNANIMA shares news from Italy, Cameroon, Haiti, the 12th Urban Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) in Egypt, the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Azerbaijan, and an upcoming event to be held in Qatar. 

Read the Newsletter

Open the article as a PDF 

Sister Florence Magnan cleans the birdbath outside Nazareth Court and Center to ensure the wildlife are not harmed by contamination. The water from the pitchers after the meals in the dining room is poured into two one-gallon buckets for houseplants, outdoor geraniums, and birdbaths. The birdbath attracts a diverse bird population. Sister Florence adds, “I continue the practice which Sister Rita Kramer began. Sister Mark Plescher identifies sparrows, cardinals, and mourning doves as frequent visitors of the birdbath.” 

What gives you hope as you care for your common home?

Dusty Krikau, Director of Mission Advancement for CSA, shared, “Birds that don’t eat seeds don’t go to feeders, but to birdbaths instead.” Birds, bees, and insects use birdbath water to stay hydrated, especially during a drought. A parking lot is a big, black, dead space, whereas the birdbath is an oasis. Birds are less likely to be attacked by hawks and other birds of prey if the birdbath is under trees, rather than near ponds in open areas.

The wild turkey is a bird that drinks from a birdbath placed directly on the ground. 
Click here to read “6 Tips for Feeding Wild Turkeys with Your Garden and Birdbath”.

Building a better future requires “the active participation 
of all members of the community.” (LS 144)

Inspired by the call to care for creation and the most vulnerable, we are witnessing a growing global response rooted in faith, justice, and hope.

Pope Francis recently recognized this response in his November 10 Angelus: "Three years ago, the Laudato Si’ Action Platform was launched. I thank those who work in support of this initiative."

This season invites us to reflect on the tender care we bring to creation and to one another, and to renew our commitment to building a just and sustainable future—a commitment that grows with every action we take.

The Laudato Si’ Action Platform provides us with the seven goals of Laudato Si’ and additional resources. Want to learn more?  Click here

The leaves fall from the trees surrounding the pond near St. Agnes Convent.
 

Special thank you to: Chelsea Koenigs, Laudato Si’ Animator, 
Mary Christopherson, Dusty Krikau, & Patricia Bogenschuetz, CSA

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

On Friday, December 13 - and every second Friday of the month - JCoR, the Justice Coalition of Religious, offers a global community hour. These monthly online gatherings are for Religious around the world to come together in prayer for our world and to shine a light on the most pressing justice issues emerging in your respective nations and regions.

In recognition of Human Rights Day, the theme for December’s gathering is human rights. Therefore, JCoR is especially inviting individuals to share their experiences in protecting, upholding, and fighting for human rights. As usual, all voice and justice concerns are welcome in this communal space, or simply attend to learn from others.

The time for this is 7:00 am CST. Click here to register. Sisters, Brothers, priests, lay associates, and partners in mission are all welcome!

Open this article as a PDF

Dave Gitter, part of the CSA Maintenance Team, carefully trims and prunes shrubs and bushes by cutting away overgrown and dead branches or stems and by removing debris. The process of pruning allows sunlight and water to reach the roots and improves air circulation for the tree or plant. This results in significantly increased growth and fruitfulness. Pruning decreases the spread of disease or decay and promotes new growth. This works wonderfully in yards.

Our prairie and woodlands, on the other hand, provide food and shelter from snowstorms, promote new growth, and become prime nesting material in the springtime.  Pruned material is composted or processed as mulch for natural walkways and woodland paths to live more sustainably and justly with gratitude for creation and ecological conversion.
Source: https://www.monarchgard.com/thedeepmiddle/why-you-shouldnt-clean-up-the-fall-garden 

Prune bushes. Protect bugs. Provide for birds.
 

Upper pond at St. Agnes Convent

Pope Francis invites every person to care for our common home.

This call to “ecological conversion” is not only about large-scale policies, but also about integrating sustainability into our daily lives in ways that fit our local context. We can respond in both small and large ways.   
Laudato Si’ reminds us that we are all interconnected and share a responsibility to care for creation. Whether you live in a city, a small village, or on a ledge overlooking a lake, there are practical ways to bring the spirit of Laudato Si’ into your daily life. From reducing waste and conserving energy to planting a butterfly garden and pruning shrubs, every step matters.  Together, in both small and large ways, each of us can respond to this call to care for our common home.  5 Practical Ways to Live Out Laudato Si'. 
 

Special thank you to: Chelsea Koenigs, Laudato Si’ Animator, 
Mary Christopherson, Julie Ann Krahl, CSA, & Patricia Bogenschuetz, CSA

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

Throughout the nearly two weeks of the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, religious sisters and women's organizations have worked to ensure decisions made on climate finances adequately address the unique needs of women and girls. Sister Jean Quinn, DW, Executive Director of UNANIMA International, is one of several sisters interviewed for this NCR EarthBeat article and coverage of COP29.

COP29 was scheduled to end November 22, but missed deadlines sent meetings into overtime. Catholic and other faith groups pressed world leaders in Baku to deliver a new climate finance target commensurate with what is needed to not only mitigate climate change to less dangerous temperatures, but adapt to its impacts and fund recovery from disasters that have already devastated communities. Read more here. 
 

Braver Angels is leading the nation’s largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement to bridge the partisan divide for the good of our democratic republic. Coming out of the election, they’re bringing together “We the People” to find a hopeful alternative to toxic politics. The American Hope campaign is equipping Americans across the political spectrum to work together and demand the same of politicians from both parties.

The CSA Leadership Team and JPIC Office endorse the work of Braver Angels and encourages you to consider attending one or both of these post-election offerings:

1.    Ask Me Anything: A Red/Blue post-election S.O.S. (A Braver Way podcast recording)

Two weeks after the 2024 election, left-right tensions are through the roof. In this special “Ask Me Anything” episode, a cross-partisan panel of Trump and Harris voters take on a fiery handful of YOUR toughest questions about how in the world we bridge political divides from here… just in time for the holidays. Join host Moni, April, and our special guests — Angel Eduardo, Shira Hoffer, and Travis Tripodi — as they close out this season of A Braver Way with a conversation you don’t want to miss.

2.    Managing intense emotions and important relationships after the election (Saturday, December 7, 1:00–2:30 pm CST)

Braver Angels co-founder Dr. Bill Doherty will guide us in navigating intense post-election emotions and preserving key relationships. Whether feeling the elation of victory or the despair of defeat, he will offer insights on coping with strong emotions, upholding values, and building bridges in deeply divided times.

As the holidays approach, let’s come together for this vital conversation and take a meaningful step toward healing and unity.

COP29 – The 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan November 11-21, 2024.

Please go to UNANIMA International’s COP29 resources page to see its position and policies papers, information about our side event, and more!

UNANIMA International will be represented at COP 29 by Deputy Director, Liana Almony. On November 21, Liana will be speaking on the panel of a Side Event at the Conference called: “Faith and Justice in Ecological Transition.” A recording will be available after the event.

The Justice Coalition of Religious (JCoR) at the UN has made this guide to COP29 available in several languages - English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
UNANIMA International (UI) has consultative status at the UN. They advocate for holistic global policymaking on behalf of women and girls, migrants, and the environment. The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes is one of 23 member congregations that make up UI.

On November 15, despite widespread opposition to the controversial Line 5 project, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources granted Canadian oil giant Enbridge Energy permits for the construction of a new 40-mile pipeline segment that would facilitate the ongoing transportation and combustion of fossil fuels in the Great Lakes region. Those of us demanding climate justice, who stood in solidarity with the Bad River Band, are saddened and perplexed.

What next? Midwest Environmental Advocates is currently providing legal representation to several organizations working to stop new construction on Line 5: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, 350 Wisconsin and Sierra Club – Wisconsin Chapter. Read more here.

Over the past century, Christian Zionism has been used to justify first the immigration of Jews to Palestine and then, with the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, justification for the unquestioning support of Israeli policies of occupation and apartheid. 

• What is Christian Zionism?
• How does it appear in our churches?
• What are some different lenses we can use to examine the scriptures that underpin it?

Watch last month's webinar where Rev. Dr. Donald Wagner, retired Presbyterian pastor and theologian, and Rev. William T. Young IV, pastor of Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ, unpacked and challenged Christian Zionism.

October 24, 1945, following WWII, our forebearers gathered for the first United Nations General Assembly. The United States was one of the first 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace, developing friendly relations among nations, and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. Today, there are 193 Member States, and our current U.S. Administration remains committed to this relationship. Read this White House Proclamation on United Nations Day 2024.

UNANIMA gets its name from United Nations (UN) feminine spirit (anima). It is an international coalition of 23 religious communities, including the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes. UNANIMA International (UI) is a nongovernmental organization founded in 2002. For over 20 years, their focus has been on advocating on behalf of these women, children, and girls who are furthest left behind, and bringing their voices, perspectives, and experiences to the United Nations. Their grassroots members are women and girls with lived experience and who provide direct service to their communities - they are health care providers, educators, social workers, development workers, childcare workers. Through advocacy, research, education, collaboration, and action, UNANIMA's mission is to educate and influence policymakers on the areas of gender equality, migration, and climate change through a human rights-based approach.

In honor of UN Day 2024, and as CSA representative to the UI Board of Directors, Tracy Abler offered a presentation to sisters and associates on October 24, 2024.  

The following op-ed is created, and shared with permission, from members of Interfaith Peace Working Group (IPWG) in Wisconsin, retired pastors Rev. Fred Trost and Dr. Jerry Folk. CSA’s Justice Promoter, Tracy Abler, has recently joined these gentlemen on the IPWG Steering Committee.

“Christian churches in the Middle East and elsewhere have been working together for a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for many years. They often stress the importance of understanding the roots of this conflict. According to Mitri Raheb, a Palestinian Lutheran pastor and educator, who spoke recently in Madison, the primary root of this conflict is Israel’s policy of “settler colonialism”, the objective of which is to cleanse the land of its native Palestinian inhabitants and incorporate their land into the state of Israel. For example, Israel deprives Palestinian farmers of water, making farming impossible. After three years of non-use, the law allows Israel to confiscate the land, move settlers in, and provide them water, electricity and protection.

In a recent webinar, Dr. Peter Makari, Global Relations Minister for the Middle East for the United Church of Christ, explained the history of this policy which has caused so many Palestinian grievances.* Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were driven from their ancestral homes in the 1948 Nakba (catastrophe) during the Arab-Israeli war and Israel will not allow them to return. Since then, armed conflicts in the region have displaced six million Palestinian refugees and their descendants. They are now scattered across Gaza, the West Bank and refugee camps in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007, Israel has blockaded the flow of people and goods there, creating an outdoor prison. Palestinians in the West Bank are facing increasing Israeli restrictions on their movements and fierce attacks by Israeli settlers.

Although we support resistance to injustice and oppression wherever it occurs, we stand alongside those who reject the violent acts of Hamas on October 7, 2024. At the same time, we believe with millions of others around the world that this conflict did not begin on that day. The ongoing suffering of Palestinians and Israel's massive destruction of Gaza date back to 1948 when nearly 167,000 Palestinians were killed and 750,000 were expelled from their homes and the land on which they had lived for centuries. This terrible conflict screams for an end which allows both Israelis and Palestinians to live together in peace and enjoy the freedom, self-determination, human rights and security that they deserve as fellow human beings. Israel's massive violence in Gaza, in which a staggering number of more than 41,000 civilians have been killed, 63% of them women and children, does not take us a single step closer to the goal of peace and reconciliation. It takes us in the opposite direction.

We urge our government to change its foreign policy on Israel and the Middle East by ending its financial and military support for Israel’s massive and brutal actions in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon and by insisting on an immediate ceasefire and the beginning of serious negotiations for peace and justice in Palestine/Israel. Let us do all we can to support groups and leaders who work for this end.”

*To receive the link to Dr. Makari’s recorded Sept 26, 2024 IPWG webinar, please email Tracy at tabler@csasisters.org.
 

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) is a proud member organization of WNPJ. While no CSA members were able to attend the October 19th assembly you can find recordings here.

This October, WNPJ kicked off a wave of peace throughout Wisconsin. In remembering WNPJ’s origin as a network of organizations and individuals who united in a stand for peace at the time of the Gulf War, they continue to invite people from around the state to stand together for peace. Learn more in their Fall 2024 newsletter, now available here: https://www.wnpj.org/newsletter 

 

As we marked the Oct. 7th anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israeli citizens and subsequent genocide being carried out by the Israeli government in Gaza (and into the West Bank and the region) the mounting death toll and images of shrouds of children and starving infants have broken all our hearts. Especially painful is that the U.S. has continued to provide political cover for Israel and offensive military weapons—without conditions—to Israel to enable the killing.  

While many of us have been consistently lifting up the need for a permanent ceasefire, a suspension of US weapons transfers to Israel, and diplomacy to address the occupation at the roots of the conflict, there are now two specific Resolutions in Congress—that are extremely important. 

1. The Senate “Joint Resolutions of Disapproval,” (JRD) introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Jeff Merkley and Peter Welch, is a set of 6 resolutions that are categorized by weapons systems, calling for each category of weapons to be suspended, given their offensive nature, and given documentation that the Israeli military has used U.S. weapons in its strikes that have killed thousands of civilians. (JRD bill numbers and text: S.J.Res. 111, S.J.Res. 112, S.J.Res. 113, S.J.Res. 114, S.J.Res 115, S.J.Res. 116). This is a historic resolution and there will be a vote in early or mid-November (after the election) in the Senate.  The challenge is to get as many senators as possible to add their name as a co-sponsor before the vote.  Some steps you can take: 
2. ACTION: Mercy Sisters Action Alert; feel free to take their name out of the message body and put yours in, edit as you see fit, etc. CSA appreciates, and joins, the efforts of the Mercy Sisters. Here’s another template from FCNL Quakers lobby.  
3. If you have members in states with these senators, know they are considered key to convincing to sign on as a co-sponsor (most likely): Van Hollen, Murphy, Reed, King, Shaheen, Smith, Klobuchar, Warnock, Ossoff, Luján, Duckworth, Durbin, Warren, Carper, Whitehouse, Baldwin, Heinrich, Hirono, Sherrod Brown, Markey, Butler, Kaine. 
4. In the House of Representatives, a resolution was introduced in late September: H.R. 9649, the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024. The bill calls to repeal the suspension that was placed on U.S. funds destined for UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), which is the primary distributor of aid in Gaza.  For more information on the bill, see Mercy’s action alert; and again feel free to use/adapt/put your name on it—and encourage your members to take action.  There may be a Senate companion bill coming in the near future, but for now, it’s just in the House.  You can check if your representative is among the 68 who have signed on as well here.

Additional resources:

• Mercy Sisters Leadership Team statement for the anniversary of Oct. 7.
• Resource, perhaps for prayer, FB video of the names of those killed in Gaza, w/music. Names are listed by age, and it is long 59 minutes, the first minute and a half—with children under age 1.

On October 18, NETWORK made its last stop in San Francisco to conclude their 3-week “Vote Our Future” tour. With stops in both Gary, IN and Milwaukee, WI on October 8 and a stop in Chicago on October 9, CSA Sisters and friends joined others from across the country in rallies,  site visits, and town halls to emphasize Pope Francis’ message: “The only future worth building includes everyone.”

Pope Francis also makes it clear: Catholics and all people of good will are called to be multi-issue voters, not single-issue voters, in the 2024 elections and in our continued participation in public life. CSA supports these sediments and supports the use of this “Equally Sacred Voter Checklist” as a resource to support others in education themselves as faithful voters on the issues and concerns that are equally sacred - the freedom to be healthy, freedom to live on a healthy planet, freedom to participate in a vibrant democracy, freedom to care for ourselves and our families, freedom from harm, and freedom to live in a welcoming country that values dignity and human rights.

Explore the posts from tour stops and valuable election resources here: https://www.nunsonthebus.org/ 
   

The Paris Agreement sets a benchmark for global climate action through its temperature goal. However, despite fossil fuels being clearly identified as the main driver of the climate crisis, they are not mentioned once in the world’s leading climate agreement.

Addressing only emissions reductions and demand without fossil fuel supply has allowed countries and companies to claim to be climate leaders while continuing to open, approve and fun new fossil fuel projects.

This is why the Paris Agreement must be complemented by a new Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty that will: 1) Immediately end expansion of new coal, oil and gas production; 2) wind down existing production in line with the Paris Agreement target of 1.5 degrees Celsius in a manner that is not only fast but also fair; and 3) a just transition with global support to ensure no workers, community or country are left behind.

The good news is that a rapid global exit from coal, oil and gas is possible. The world has more than enough renewable energy resources to meet energy demands of every person on Earth.

Governments must now work together to ensure the global transition away from fossil fuels is fast and fair. You can join the call for a fossil fuel treaty and learn more here: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with film screenings and panel discussion.

Milwaukee PBS presents a free screening of Roots and Legacy: Jesus Salas followed by a panel discussion at Flores Hall in Milwaukee on Wednesday, September 25, 6:30 - 8:30 pm.

The documentary is based on Jesus Salas’ memoir Obreros Unidos: The Roots and Legacy of the Farmworkers Movement. It sheds light on the historical struggle of Latino migrant farmworkers during the 1960s. Facing harsh living conditions, they united to confront employers who denied them their rights. The movement led to new social services organizations and significant progress for Latinos in Wisconsin. 
Movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvevL1WYobQ 

The screening will be followed by panel discussion. Don’t miss this opportunity to come together and honor the contributions, the rich culture, and heritage of Milwaukee’s Latino community. 
RSVP by clicking here.

Not in the Milwaukee area? This movie will also premiere on September 18th on Milwaukee PBS’ YouTube channel. 

Peter Makari, UCC Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe will offer a Zoom presentation for churches and communities of faith on the crisis in the region. 

On Thursday, September 26, at 7 pm, Peter Makari, a leading specialist on the crisis in Gaza and the Middle East, will offer a Zoom presentation for churches and other communities of faith on the crisis in the region. Born in Egypt, Peter is the Global Relations Minister for the Middle East and Europe for the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ.)  A member of the Board of Churches for Middle East Peace, he is among the most well-informed Church leaders on developments in the Middle East, having spent much of his life studying and living in that part of the world.    

Interfaith Peace Working Group (IPWG) invites readers to join Peter in an hour-long discussion of the present crisis in Gaza and Israel. Mark your calendars now! No registration needed.Use this Zoom link on the 28th: https://UCC.zoom.us/j/83824972681?pwd=KNjOoQkkRV6b2KzXBzaNhMROMADVsL.1

Meeting ID: 838 2497 2681 and Passcode: 688763. 

For additional information, contact Jerry Folk at interfaithpeaceworkinggroup@gmail.com  
Tracy Abler, JPIC Coordinator for the Sisters of St Agnes, recently accepted an invitation to serve on the Interfaith Peace Working Group Steering Committee.    
 

Celebrate International Day of Peace (Sept 21) with screenings of a film that provides a look into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people.

The film, Where Olive Trees Weep, offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. It explores themes of loss, trauma, and the quest for justice. View the film trailer and learn more at https://whereolivetreesweep.com/

The film will be screened on International Day of Peace - Saturday, September 21 @ 7:00 pm at Madison Friends (Quakers) Meeting House, 1704 Roberts Court, Madison WI. The screening will be preceded by a social gathering starting at 6:30 and a discussion session will follow the film. 

Can’t get to Madison? Use this link to privately view the film on your own or host your own small group: https://kinema.com/events/where-olive-trees-weep-hjpxh. Admission is free with this link, but only on September 21, 2024, courtesy of the Interfaith Peace Working Group of Wisconsin.

The Sisters of St. Agnes will also be offering a free screening of the film on Monday, September 23 at 5:30 pm at their Motherhouse in Founders Hall, County Road K, Fond du Lac. Please use this link to reserve your seat: https://forms.gle/R3Q21JmA9kjJXvwEA. Please share widely.

You can also:

• Show or view the film on another date: https://sand.thrivecart.com/where-olive-trees-weep/   A donation for that is welcome, but not necessary.
• Get ideas for ACTIONS to take now: https://whereolivetreesweep.com/resources/ 
• Contact Interfaithpeaceworkinggroup@gmail.com for a film discussion guide, media resources to promote your event, and any questions

On September 11, 6-8 pm CT, NETWORK will offer the virtual event, White Supremacy and American Christianity: We Choose Freedom. Participants will explore how, when we exercise our freedom to participate in our country’s public life, we ensure the future of all the freedoms that we enjoy in a vibrant democracy. This builds a future where every person can thrive, no exceptions.

This is the fifth conversation in a series of dialogues, where we will once more engage Fr. Bryan Massingale of Fordham University and Dr. Robert P. Jones of the Public Religion Research Institute on what it means to choose freedom, especially through the practice of multi-issue voting.

Register here!
 

An 18-page report, released Aug. 28 by Network Advocates for Catholic Social Justice suggests that Project 2025 clashes with several principles of Catholic social teaching, particularly through its proposals that would benefit corporations and wealthy Americans at the expense of the poor and middle class. Learn more in this September 3, 2024, NCR online article.

To learn more about NETWORK’s 2024 nonpartisan voter education campaign, “Vote Our Future,” and the issues at stake in the upcoming election, visit networkadvocates.org/election-2024 

Take the Pope Francis Voter Pledge: https://www.mobilize.us/network/event/614667/ 

Follow the 2024 Nuns on the Bus (and friends) tour here: https://www.nunsonthebus.org/ 

Nuclear weapons offer an illusion of security. By allowing the U.S. nuclear posture to shift from deterrence to employment, there will be a scenario where the U.S. will use nuclear weapons.

Successive U.S. administrations have eschewed arms control in favor of maintaining American strategic advantage over real and/or imagined adversaries.

This is accomplished by embracing nuclear weapons employment strategies that deviate from simple deterrence into war-fighting at every level of conflict, including scenarios that don’t involve a nuclear threat.

At a time when the U.S. advocates policies exacerbating already high levels of tension with nuclear-armed adversaries Russia and China, the Biden administration has signed off on a new nuclear employment plan that increases, rather than decreases, the probability of nuclear conflict.

Left unchecked, this policy can have only one possible outcome — total nuclear annihilation of humanity and the world we live in.

Read more in this recent article by writer, Scott Ritter, in Consortium News - an independent investigative journalism and political review.

According to a 2021 petition by Change.org, “The threat of nuclear annihilation is greater than it has ever been… A nuclear war must never be fought, because everyone will lose," said several presidents, including Joe Biden. The leaders of every major religion call for abolishing nuclear weapons. Pope Francis says it's immoral to possess them.

It's not only immoral. It's illegal to possess nukes, since the International Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was signed and ratified by the majority of world nations and became law in January 2021.

Yet the U.S. possesses thousands of nuclear bombs. About 1,750 of them are deployed on missiles (aimed and on hair trigger alert), and another 3,500 are in reserve. Consider the horror of the bomb that destroyed the city of Hiroshima in 1945. Today’s nukes are, on average, 20 times more destructive than the Hiroshima bomb. In other words, the US has enough nukes to incinerate 100,000 Hiroshimas and let the remaining living beings die a slow death from radiation poisoning.”

Learn more and Speak Up here: https://www.change.org/p/stop-making-nukes 

Open this article as a PDF

The dense shrubbery behind these CSA maintenance workers, Jack Mohr and Jimmer Immel, is created by buckthorn, an invasive species, which is a tall shrub or small tree.

What is the meaning of invasive species?

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, “An invasive species is an introduced, nonnative organism (disease, parasite, plant, or animal) that begins to spread or expand its range from the site of its original introduction and that has the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or to human health”.

Jack and Jimmer demonstrate how to remove the invasive buckthorn at the root.   

Jeff Atkinson, supervisor and land manager, states that buckthorn is a non-native plant, which threatens the future of forests, wetlands, prairies, and other natural habitats.   Buckthorn competes with other trees and overwhelms them.  Buckthorn spreads quickly through seeds distributed by birds and wildlife. “Harmful, non-native species can be found in all ecosystems across the United States. These species can cause costly economic and ecological damage each year including crop decimation, clogging of water facilities and waterways, wildlife and human disease transmission, threats to fisheries, increased fire vulnerability, and adverse effects for ranchers and farmers.”  Buckthorn can be difficult to remove in sections over the course of several years.  
(Reference:  https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-invasive-species-and-why-are-they-a-problem)

Learn more: 

USGS Invasive Species Program

U.S. Department of Agriculture

National Invasive Species Information Identification Center

Friends of the Mississippi River explain how buckthorn harms the ecosystem: click here to read the article.

Let Us Sow Hope: 2024 Feast of St. Francis

This year’s program by Catholic Climate Covenant is designed to assist you, your family, parish, school, diocese, religious community, or other Catholic institution celebrate the Feast of St. Francis (October 4th or another date that works for you and your community), become instruments of God’s peace, and commit to climate actions to avoid climate despair, and sow climate hope.  

Hold your own prayer service for the Feast of St. Francis using the document here.

Acknowledgments:

S. Patricia Weidman, CSA, Laudato Si’ Animator, guest writer
Special thank you to Chelsea Koenigs, Laudato Si’ Animator,
S. Julie Ann Krahl, S. Patricia Bogenschuetz.

Pax Christi USA’s virtual conference is September 6-7, 2024 (Friday 6-8pm CT, Saturday 11am - 4:30 CT).

Being a prophetic church in a time of polarization and conflict is the theme for this year’s conference. 

As we witness unprecedented divisions in our world and even our own Catholic family, this Pax Christi USA virtual gathering on Zoom will examine the root causes of the growing polarization with speakers who are actively working in the fields of church politics, nonviolence, and religious nationalism. We will look for ways in which we can be prophetic — working together in dialogue for a better understanding and offering nonviolent solutions that can give all of us hope.

Click here to see more information as well as a link to the registration form.

The Franciscan Peace Center continues its “Movies that Matter: Informing Your Vote” series.

At a time when many Americans question democratic institutions, One Person, One Vote? unveils the complexities of the Electoral College, the uniquely American and often misunderstood mechanism for electing a president. The documentary follows four presidential electors representing different parties in Colorado during the intense 2020 election.

After registering for the event, participants will receive a link to view the film online at their convenience between September 11-25.  Viewers are invited to attend our online discussion session on September 26 at 6:00 PM CDT. A Zoom link to the online discussion will be provided upon registration.

There is no cost associated with viewing the films or participating in the discussion session.

Please click here to register: https://form.jotform.com/242284011616145 

The “Movies That Matter: Informing Your Vote” series offers monthly access to thought-provoking documentaries addressing a spectrum of topics relevant to voters, including immigration, gun violence, overcoming partisanship, care of the Earth, voting rights, and more. Each film will be available for streaming over a two-week period, providing ample opportunity for reflection and dialogue.

A preview of the film is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtIGI6ro3U8 
 

The Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life offers what looks to be another fantastic public dialogue that will be live-streamed and recorded for later viewing. Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 5 pm CT. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/@GlobalGeorgetown 

This pre-election Public Dialogue will explore the political and religious dynamics of this tumultuous U.S. presidential election year after the attempted assassination of former president and current candidate Donald Trump, the withdrawal of President Joe Biden, the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris, and the selection of J.D. Vance and Tim Walz as vice-presidential nominees.

In this unprecedented context, our democratic institutions are being tested. As we approach this election and look to the future, Pope Francis’ warnings about the global “retreat from democracy” remind us that the goal of politics is “listening and serving people” and that “democracy always requires the transition from partisanship to participation, from ‘cheering’ to dialogue.”

Reflecting the latest political analysis through the lens of Catholic social teaching, this dialogue will explore these and other questions: 

• What is going on, and what should we look for in the final six weeks of the campaign?
• How will faith and the faithful shape the campaigns and voters’ decisions in this election?  
• How will these choices affect our democracy and our future as a nation? 
• How do polarization, isolation, and lack of solidarity threaten our democratic norms and institutions? What can be done to strengthen them?
• How can Catholic principles of respect for human life and dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity, a priority for the poor, and care for creation be reflected in the discernment and choices of believers?

This report highlights governor’s and Evers Administration’s continued efforts to bolster clean energy and sustainability while lowering energy costs for working families. 

Read the full press release

CSA honors IDWIP Day with a watch party of the film, "Inhabitants: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring Our World."

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is August 9. The day highlights the rights of Indigenous Peoples to make their own decisions and carry them out in ways that are meaningful and culturally appropriate to them.  

The theme for 2024 is “Protecting the rights of Indigenous people in voluntary isolation.” Learn more.

In the spirit of our creation care initiatives and to honor the many gifts Indigenous people bring to our lands, CSA will be hosting an in-person watch party of the film, "Inhabitants: Indigenous Perspectives on Restoring Our World," on August 21 at 5:30 pm. This is open to the public. 

Please register

The Sisters of St Francis in Clinton have secured the right to show this film for free between the dates of August 14 through August 27. If you would like to watch this film, but are unable to attend the in-person watch party at the CSA Motherhouse, you can register to receive a link and view this film at your own convenience. Click here.
Watch the movie trailer:

As faithful citizens, we have a moral obligation to participate in the political process. This includes educating ourselves on matters of fundamental importance to our faith and society. 

A critical issue in our country is immigration and our response to those arriving at our Nation’s borders. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers two documents in response to false claims regarding criminal activity (e.g., trafficking, smuggling, harboring, child exploitation) by Catholic organizations serving newcomers; and what Catholic Social Teaching says about Migration

Please read and share widely
 

For many of us, diversity, equity and inclusion seem like goals that are obviously good and worthwhile. But, in recent years, DEI has come under attack. For example, the Wisconsin legislature cut $32 million from the University of Wisconsin budget, mostly aimed at DEI programs. To many, this feels like an attack on years of work to balance opportunity and access for people of color, people with disabilities and any other group that has been systematically excluded in the past. 

On Tuesday, August 13 at 6:30 pm, the Faithful Stance for Equity group will host a webinar titled “DEI: Why the Backlash,” featuring Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billing. She is known for her work in the fields of culturally relevant pedagogy and critical race theory, and the pernicious effects of systemic racism and economic inequality on educational opportunities. In 1995, Dr. GLB became the first Black woman to be tenured as a professor in UW Madison’s School of Education.

Please join us and share this invitation with anyone you think will be interested. 

Register

Momentum has been building to shut down the aging Line 5 Pipeline that poses an immediate threat to the Great Lakes. In March, the documentary film Bad River premiered in theaters across the country, building awareness around the fight to shut down Line 5 and Enbridge’s trespass on Tribal land. The film is now available on demand.

On July 23, fourteen women gathered at the CSA Motherhouse to view Bad River together and were called to action. The Army Corps of Engineers will be making the decision as to whether or not Enbridge should be allowed to expand Line 5. A public comment period was scheduled to close on August 4, but has now been extended to August 30.

CSA members, Wisconsinites, and communities across the nation are standing strong to protect our water, our climate, the health of our neighbors, and future generations. You can join them by emailing your public comment by Aug. 30 to CEMVP-WiL5R-CDD-Comments@usace.army.mil or sign this online Sierra Club petition.

Additionally, write President Biden and ask him to revoke the presidential petition and shut down line 5. 

For more information, this Wisconsin Examiner article provides an interesting perspective to the situation.

For more support material, contact Tracy at tabler@csasisters.org. 

RELATED NEWS: Here is a link to an article that includes a very thorough and detailed video presentation on the problem of microplastics in our Great Lakes and the actions that the State of Michigan is taking regarding the problem.

Join the Laudato Si’ Action Platform’s August webinar, “Connecting Faith and Action.” Uncover the theology of integral ecology and discover tools for faith-based action with speakers from Oxford University and the World Research Institute on Thursday, August 8 at 8 am CT.

Part One:
Speaker Alberto Palecchi from the World Resources Institute, will unveil the guide "Science-Based Targets for Faith," which encourages faith leaders to lead us toward environmental responsibility and consciousness. Following him, Fr. Peter Rožič of the Laudato Si' Research Institute at Oxford University will delve into the theological foundations of integral ecology and its role amid the sciences, the social sciences and the humanities.

REGISTER HERE FOR THE AUG 8 WEBINAR

Part Two:
At 9 am, join a small group dialogue to discuss Fr. Peter Rožič’s and Alberto Palecchi’s ideas and share how they apply to our faith journeys and work around the world.

REGISTER HERE FOR THE 40-MINUTE DISCUSSION ON AUG 8
 

The theme for this year's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (7/30) is “Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking.”

A staggering 1 in 3 victims of human trafficking are children. Children are twice as likely to face violence during trafficking than adults, according to the 2023 UN Global Report on Trafficking in Persons. Regions such as Sub-Saharan and Northern Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, have the highest incidences of child trafficking which accounts for 60 percent of detected trafficking victims.

The 2024 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, issued by the US Senate, chronicles the efforts of 188 nations to combat human trafficking in their countries. The report receives international attention as nations which are cited as Tier 1 - permissive and supportive of human trafficking - can be sanctioned by the US government. The 2024 report explores the intersection between digital technology and human trafficking; technology that can be used to expand human trafficking networks, but can also be used to root them out. 

Read more
 

This webinar from the Laudato Si Action Plan delved into the grassroots efforts that contribute to transformation and identified the challenges local communities face in implementing sustainable practices. Alfonso Apicella, Global Campaigns Manager at Caritas Internationalis, shared insights on tackling grassroots challenges through community collaboration. He also discussed the impact of community collaboration on ecological goals, strategies for overcoming local challenges, and the potential for inter-community collaboration. This event was ideal for community leaders, environmental activists, policymakers, and anyone interested in grassroots movements’ role in ecological transformation.

Watch the recording here: 

Earlier this week, historian Heather Cox Richardson talked about Project 2025 and drew an online crowd of 42,000 people. More and more people are becoming aware of what this extreme project means for American democracy and personal freedoms. Want to learn more? Watch this Red Wine & Blue recording with Heather or do some research on your own - there is A LOT out there!

While presidential candidate, Donald Trump, is denying any knowledge of Project 2025, his 2024 GOP Platform has very similar language. Listen to what Heather has to say around the 23-minute and 32-minute marks of this recording, and you decide.
 

July 17, 2024, marked the fourth anniversary of civil rights hero and Congressman John Lewis’ passing. 

For six decades, John Lewis fought tirelessly to expand and protect the rights of Black voters and all Americans. The Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 was one of the crown jewels of his lifelong fight for justice and equality.

But, in recent years, the Supreme Court has gutted this crucial civil rights law, ushering in a new era of suppressive state laws and politicians attempting to silence our voices.

We can fix that by passing the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which will restore and strengthen essential protections of the VRA, shielding millions of voters from potentially discriminatory voting laws.

EVERY voter should be able to cast their ballot on Election Day – free from obstruction or intimidation. Passing this bill would be a major step towards creating the democracy we deserve.

Here are frequently asked questions, answered by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Use this form to tell your senators to take action and pass this crucial legislation.
 

Open this article as a PDF 

Sisters Monica Justinger, Julie Ann Krahl, and Clare Lawlor fish on Marble Lake, Michigan. They caught blue gill and bass in a location of good water quality. Inland spring-fed lakes are clean and stocked.

The Department of Natural Resources performs on-site checks for appropriate fishing licenses and approved catches of specific species. The State Department of Natural Resources protects the natural environment against pollution and misuse. True fishers and hunters appreciate DNR efforts advocating for the environment and protecting the outdoors.

How does the water quality of fish impact care for Earth?

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, climate change impacts hunting and fishing in many ways. Changing weather patterns cause species to shift the timing and location of migrations and where they choose to live. Droughts, wildfire, and harsher storms alter habitat and affect the availability of food, water and shelter animals need to survive. Warmer temperatures increase the threats of disease and spread invasive species. Hunters and anglers may need to change what, where, when, and how they hunt and fish. 
https://www.fws.gov/story/hunting-fishing-and-climate-change 

Water quality requires a sustained effort to eliminate single-use plastics as much as possible. Pope Francis told Nora O’Donnell during an interview, “It is a lack of conscience to use a plastic bottle and then throw it to the sea. This makes the sea unhealthy. We have to be conscientious about repurifying nature.” (National Catholic Reporter, June 7-20, 2024, page 4)

Have you had a conversation about how to use less plastic? 
How to protect our waterways from hazardous waste?

Sister Mary Ann Czaja toured the National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium in Edenton, NC. Americans like fish. America’s fish are in trouble. Aquatic habitat is declining because of erosion and sedimentation, altered stream flows, dams and obstructions, pollution, and invasive species. The Fisheries Program conserves species at risk for extinction and raises native fish and other species. (http://fisheries.fws.gov).

Are you looking for a way to teach children about creation care and the Catholic faith?

Download “God’s Creation Waits,” a free, downloadable PDF, for kids grades 2-5 and their adults, on noticing, appreciating, and protecting God’s Creation. View the free booklet here.

We stand in solidarity with all victims of gun violence and advocate for the swift passage of H.R. 698/S. 25, the comprehensive federal assault weapons ban legislation. 

In the wake of the tragic violence and attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Nuns Against Gun Violence mourns the loss of Fire Chief Corey Comperatore and the perpetrator Thomas Crooks, and the injuries sustained by Mr. Trump and two other attendees. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Camperatore and Crooks families and all affected by this weekend’s trauma.

This tragedy was just one of 300 mass shootings in the United States to date in 2024, according to the Gun Violence Archive. It has heightened our awareness of the constant drumbeat of gun violence and its accompanying fear. We stand in solidarity with all victims of gun violence and advocate for the swift passage of H.R. 698/S. 25, the comprehensive federal assault weapons ban legislation. Military-style firearms have no place in civilian hands. We urge Congress to prioritize the safety and well-being of all Americans by enacting this lifesaving legislation. Every life is precious.

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes is part of Nuns Against Gun Violence, a coalition of Catholic Sisters and their allies, compelled by their faith, representing more than 60 communities to speak with a united voice against the crisis of gun violence. We affirm the value of human life through prayer, education, and advocacy for common-sense, evidence-based gun violence prevention.
 

The annual High Level Political Forum (HLPF) will take place from 8-17 July this year. It functions as the central United Nations platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each year, the forum focuses on a select few SDGs, and government leaders voluntarily report on their national progress toward achievement of these SDGs. The SDGs of focus this year are 1, 2, 13, 16, and 17.

In addition to reports from governments, the HLPF also includes events sponsored by civil society groups, to highlight their perspectives on implementation and progress toward the SDGs in their respective countries. JCoR will join the conversation by offering a series of virtual discussion, which we are calling the “JCoR SDG Lab.” This series will showcase Catholic Religious and their partners’ perspectives on progress and good practices towards sustainable development. It will run from 22-26 July and include sessions dedicated to each of the aforementioned SDGs of focus for the 2024 HLPF.

All are welcome to attend these JCoR SDG Lab sessions. 

Get details and register

As the U.S. grapples with another mass shooting, America’s top doctor issues a first-of-its-kind advisory declaring gun violence a national public health crisis and recommending it be treated as such. 

In a recent 40-page publication, the surgeon general declared gun violence a public health crisis. What does that do? In a June 25, 2024 NPR article, Dr. Vivek Murthy says “a public health approach can guide the nation’s strategy and actions as it has done in the past with successful efforts to address tobacco-related disease and motor vehicle crashes.” He adds, “It is up to us to take this generational challenge with the urgency and clarity the moment demands. The safety and well-being of our children and future generations are at stake.” Read the full article.

To further understand the report, watch this Meet the Press video.

Please continue to follow, or join the efforts of, Nuns Against Gun Violence. Watch the recording of their June 18, 2024 webinar - “Firearms & Faith: Navigating Catholic Social Teaching in a World of Gun Violence.”
 

Since the Emancipation Proclamation reached the last U.S. slave state on June 19, 1865, the struggle for Black freedom, reparations, and sovereignty has remained as relevant as ever. In the last century, Black land ownership plummeted from a total of 15 million acres in 1907 to only 2.4 million in 1997, as a result of systemic discrimination, racist land use policies and more.

Today, we honor the ongoing struggle for Black liberation and land justice by introducing the work of Black Land and Power, an initiative of the National Black Food & Land Justice Alliance.
The Black Land and Power (BLP) project works to deepen collective visioning and strategies toward Black land retention, recovery, stewardship, and defense. Black land, safe space, and the means for self-determination continue to be assaulted and undermined, thus the need to form an organized, multifaceted response is urgent.

Black Land and Power aims to save 15 million acres of land from the speculative market for the benefit of Black farmers and land stewards. Right now, they are raising $150,000 in their first social media fundraising campaign, #defendblackland.They are more than a third of the way there with a little over a week left!

The CSA JPIC Office has proudly made a donation to Black Land & Power. We hope others will consider doing the same! Donate here.
 

The “Movies That Matter: Informing Your Vote” series from the Franciscan Peace Center continues in June with a virtual screening of A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting.  Advance registration is required to view the film online between June 11-27.  A follow-up presentation by survivors and a viewer discussion session will be held on June 27.

The film provides an in-depth look at the tragic events of October 27th, 2018, when a gunman opened fire inside a Pittsburgh synagogue, killing eleven people as they prayed, in what would become the deadliest antisemitic attack in American history. A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting is a deeply personal portrait of the survivors, victims, and family members, who share their harrowing first-hand accounts of the impact of the shooting on the community.

The film is rooted in a community in the aftermath of a violent attack, as they work to rebuild and heal. Despite core differences, they come together to determine what justice looks like and how to best move forward while honoring and learning from the past. The film sheds light on the collective trauma suffered by a tight-knit group and brings into sharp focus the hate-based rhetoric that surrounds many of the mass shootings today, threatening the fabric of our society.

After registering for the event, participants will receive a link to view the film online at their convenience between June 11-27. On Thursday, June 27, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. CDT, viewers are invited to a live Zoom session that will begin with a presentation from Carol Black and Audrey Glickman, survivors of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. Following the presentation by our panelists, viewers will be able to participate in a discussion session about the film with other viewers from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. CDT

There is no cost associated with viewing the films or participating in the discussion sessions. Interested individuals can learn more and register online at https://form.jotform.com/241414381478155 to secure their spot in this transformative series.

The “Movies That Matter: Informing Your Vote” series offers monthly access to thought-provoking documentaries addressing a spectrum of topics relevant to voters, including immigration, gun violence, overcoming partisanship, care of the Earth, voting rights, and more. Each film will be available for streaming over a two-week period, providing ample opportunity for reflection and dialogue.

The Franciscan Peace Center, established by the Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, Iowa, provides meaningful programming that addresses systemic issues integrating spirituality with the mission of promoting nonviolence and advocating for social justice, including immigration reform and human rights.

For more information about the series and other educational opportunities, visit www.ClintonFranciscans.com.
 

Take Action NOW to shut down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline that threatens Tribal land, the Great Lakes and our climate.

Watch this informative short video that introduces the problem.

Then watch this full length film “Bad River” which is a chronicle of the Wisconsin-based Bad River Band and its ongoing fight for sovereignty; a story which unfolds in a groundbreaking way through a series of shocking revelations, devastating losses, and a powerful legacy of defiance and resilience. WATCH FOR FREE HERE. The movie trailer is also available here.  

The Army Corps has released a Draft Combined Decision Document for the proposed Line 5 construction. In the document, the Corps makes a number of preliminary determinations that will inform its upcoming decision about whether or not to issue a permit for pipeline construction. The Corps is seeking in-person and written feedback on its preliminary determinations. 
On June 4, the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers held an in-person public hearing in Ashland, WI. Catholic sisters from La Crosse attended a public hearing on June 4 in Ashland, WI. You can hear all the comments with this recording. 

Now, written comments to the Army Corps can be sent to CEMVP-WiL5R-CDDComments@usace.army.mil. The deadline for submitting written comments has been extended to August 4.
This is a critical opportunity to share our concerns about Line 5 with the Army Corps and the Biden Administration. Join the Sierra Club of Wisconsin by telling President Biden to shut down the pipeline with this online petition.
To prepare your written comments, here are some helpful resources including points to consider, sample testimony and links to additional websites. Remember, submit comments by August 4. Your action is crucial. You may also email your comments to Beth Piggush at bpiggush@fspa.org and she will forward them to the Corps on your behalf. Thank you!

The Civil Rights Act shapes our current choices and how faith calls us to advance the common good through a principled and active commitment to resist racism.

Sixty years ago, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed and signed into law after a long moral and political struggle. This act fundamentally changed the United States, enacting legal protections against racial discrimination, prohibiting discrimination in public places, integrating schools and other public facilities, and making employment discrimination illegal. Catholic and other religious communities played key roles in this effort, which offered hope to people who had been excluded from opportunities in education, housing, and employment simply based on race, color, or national origin.

These are not abstract or historical issues. As Pope Francis has said, “Racism is a virus that quickly mutates and, instead of disappearing, goes into hiding and lurks in waiting. Instances of racism continue to shame us, for they show that our supposed social progress is not as real or definitive as we think.” For Catholics and others of goodwill, we are called to examine our history and act now to defend the lives and dignity of all our sisters and brothers. After 60 years, what has changed and what has not? How has racial discrimination been overcome, and where and how does it continue? In particular, what are the key racial justice issues facing voters, parties, and candidates as we choose a future for our nation this November?

On June 4, a dialogue, co-sponsored with Georgetown University’s Racial Justice Institute and Center on Faith and Justice, explored how this history shapes our current choices and how faith calls us to advance the common good through a principled and active commitment to resist racism and ensure that we continue to honor and protect the essential freedoms that the Civil Rights Act enacted for all Americans 60 years ago. This recording is available now.
 

Sisters formally announce the adoption of their anti-racism stance just as the country celebrates Juneteenth.

Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States.

On June 11, 2024, CSA released the following press release to announce their formal adoption of their Anti-Racism stance. They continue their celebration - and the response that comes with anti-racist work - at Fond du Lac’s annual Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, June 15 at Buttermilk Park from 11 am - 5 pm. All are encouraged to attend or find a celebration in your area. Here are details of a couple more events happening in Wisconsin this month: 

June 15 @ Penn Park in Madison - 11am - 6 pm

June 19 in Milwaukee - 9 am - 4 pm  

The Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) has officially adopted a corporate stance on anti-racism. The stance has also been affirmed by the US CSA Associates.

CSA Corporate Stance on Anti-Racism
Reaffirming our commitment to those whose faith life or human dignity is threatened in any way, the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) opposes racism in all forms, encourages education, and supports actions to eliminate racism, bringing understanding of our complicity, prejudice, bias, and privilege to the forefront.

Sisters of St. Agnes have been working to reduce the impacts of racism and bigotry in various ways for many years. As early as 1850, CSA Founder Father Rehrl opened schools to all children regardless of background or religion. In the 1960s, many sisters took part in fair housing marches in Chicago and Milwaukee. In 1983, CSA opened Unity House in inner-city Chicago as a haven for those seeking cross-cultural immersion through residential living. These are a few examples of activities that contributed to CSA receiving the MLK Spirit Award from Marian University in 2020. Today, CSA continues this long-standing culture of justice and call to action with their adoption of the CSA Corporate Stance on Anti-Racism.

During the last half of 2023, the sisters and associates spent time intentionally studying racism and how to be actively anti-racist on a day-to-day basis. Each month, sisters and associates spent time researching individually and in small groups focusing on topics of defining race and racism, how to be an anti-racist, recognizing personal bias and bias in media, racial inequities in housing, education, and criminal justice systems, exploring white privilege, white fragility, and public fear around critical race theory and white replacement theory, and finally delving into healing, repair, and justice. A small group also gathered for an intergenerational discussion with local high schoolers on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January.

In early February, the entire congregation voted to issue an official corporate stance on anti-racism. CSA has issued six corporate stances since 1987 with the following rationale: 
“As CSA, our promise has, from the start, been to follow and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have done so through teaching, care of the sick, the aged, orphans, and wayfarers. As global realities have become increasingly apparent, so also has our awareness been heightened to issues regarding the dignity of persons, human rights, and justice; the need for structural change; efforts at ‘simplicity of life’ and a greater appreciation of the gifts of creation. The concerns that we pray about and the causes that we pray for have grown.

“That is not enough. We must use all the power we have, first in areas where we have direct impact, through the services we ourselves provide or through our sponsored ministries, then through wise use of our power as shareholders in significant corporations and membership in significant organizations with a social justice agenda. After appropriate study and discussion, we can make public statements of our convictions in areas of major or global importance and concern. These statements, our corporate stance, help create the positive pressure that can lead to a more just society.” - CSA Policy on Corporate Stances

CSA will have a booth at Ebony Vision’s 16th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Buttermilk Park, June 15, 2024, from 11:00am-5:00pm. Juneteenth, is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.