Bending the Arc

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.