Prayer
In light of the recent almost total border closure to asylum seekers at our southern order…
Pray for Those Who Wander
Heavenly Creator,
Your beloved son, Jesus, taught us to ask, to seek, and to knock. We come before you in this spirit of prayer for those who are far from their homeland walking the path of migrants.
They are our sisters and brothers, refugees fleeing violence, families fleeing poverty. They are knocking on our doors. They are seeking shelter. They ask for our love, compassion, and assistance.
They seek a place where they can live in peace and with dignity. Help us to remember that we are all members of your one human family. Guide us to respond with your love to those who are in need of our care. Give us the courage to speak out on their behalf.
Your son, Jesus, experienced the hard days of exile together with Mary and Joseph. Help us to recognize him in the faces of those who are marginalized. Open our hearts to all who come in search of refuge.
Amen
(A CRS Prayer)
Action
On World Refugee Day, June 22 from 11 to 3, Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio will host World Refugee Day Celebration 2024. They are looking for volunteers! It is a wonderful event with people from all over the world. Volunteers may help with crafts, serving food, or clean-up. Most importantly though, volunteers are needed to provide “a welcoming environment to our refugee friends, families, and supporters.” This event is in Roselawn at the Academy of Multilingual Immersion Studies. If you would like to volunteer, see the link above to sign up.
Still available – the letter to encourage people to register to vote. Would you like to write to a few citizens and encourage them to register to vote? The letter is mostly written, you just add two sentences about why you vote. This is non-partisan! No mention of candidate or issue, only why you vote. If you are interested in writing a few letters, let me know. I’ll bring them to you. If you are not located in Cincinnati, you can sign up to write letters at www.voteforward.org
Education
You may have heard about the Biden Administration’s executive order that has, for the most part, closed the southern border to new asylum seekers. It is complex and a departure from what we have come to expect from this administration. The Department of Homeland Security has created a webpage outlining the new EO. Most feel this is a political move, but it is disconcerting all the same. If you have an opinion, you are encouraged to call the White House switchboard at 202-456-1414 or the White House comment line at 202-456-1111 (TTY/TTD Comments: 202-456-6213) and let them know.
The Sierra Club would like to share with you their ideas on how to have a Plastic Free Kitchen. Not only is this good for the planet, but it is also good for the people! Many plastics that are considered “food grade” contain PFAS, or toxic forever chemicals – the ones that stay forever in our environment and our bodies.
Attached to this email is the monthly update on immigration issues from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Immigration Taskforce. I hope you find it useful.
Democracy Watch
I will soon be inviting those of you in Cincinnati to join me in writing a few non-partisan letters to registered, but inactive, voters to encourage them to get out and vote. I hope you will join me in this effort.
Resources:
The USCCB has released new materials for Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. We are invited to read and share these materials, which guide our political responsibility as Catholics and faithful citizens. The information is available in English and Spanish.
New Introductory Note to Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: English | Spanish.
The Role of the Church in American Political Life: English | Spanish.
The Dignity of the Human Person: English | Spanish.
The Common Good: English | Spanish.
Solidarity: English | Spanish.
Subsidiarity: English | Spanish.
“In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.” — Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, No. 13. The USCCB encourages us all to form our conscience and vote! It is a call of our faith.