Prayer
As we prepare for another hot weekend, we pray for those who have no relief:
Prayer for those Without Necessities
God, as the heat of summer intensifies, make us mindful of the needs of people around us. We pray for those made poor who are without air conditioning, electricity, clean water, and health care. We pray for the unhoused who face the heat with no protection. We pray for asylum seekers on their journey. We pray for those just trying to survive.
Action
A small bright spot on the immigration front! Last Tuesday, the Biden Administration announced two big policy changes that will provide immigration relief to hundreds of thousands of people. The “Parole-In-Place” policy removes barriers to allow over half a million undocumented immigrant spouses of U.S. citizens and their children to apply for green cards. The second policy will help DACA recipients and undocumented college students obtain work visas.
These announcements came after the Administration’s almost total closure of the southern border. Certain people's right to seek asylum has all but been removed. Fixing one problem and creating another is not the answer to our broken immigration system. Please get in touch with the White House to thank the President for these two policies but clarify that the right to seek asylum must be protected and that a cohesive immigration system must be designed.
The Native Organizers Alliance calls on justice seekers to support their fight for their ancestral lands. They are asking us to urge our elected officials to support the End Corporate Welfare for Polluters Act. In 2023 alone, fossil fuel companies spent nearly $137 million to lobby Congress to gut environmental protection laws, block investments in renewable energy, and prioritize fossil fuel profits. They have undermined and silenced Indigenous communities who disproportionately bear the burden of increased wildfires and droughts caused by fossil fuel development. The NOA believed that passing this legislation would reduce the influence of fossil fuel companies. Contact your Congresspersons and tell them to support this bill. The Native Organizers Alliance has partnered with Americans for Tax Fairness with this online tool to make it easy.
Education
Are you aware of the congregational video on the SNDdeN Clean Water for Life project? I thought everyone had seen the 20-minute video until someone told me otherwise. It is available on our website. It is a hope-filled and uplifting view of the water project. If you haven’t seen it, take a look.
Democracy Watch
Updates from NETWORK:
The first presidential debate will take place tomorrow, Thursday, June 27th, at 9 PM EST on CNN. NETWORK has created a debate issues checklist to help you track the candidate’s comments and evaluate what you have learned.
NETWORK will host a webinar on Thursday, July 11th at 7 PM EST called “When We All Do Our Part: The Work Ahead to Vote and Build Our Future.” REGISTER..
NETWORK is partnering with Faiths United to Save Democracy this year to recruit and train faith leaders to serve as Poll Chaplains in Arizona and Ohio (as well as AL FL GA MI NC PA TX & WI) during early voting and the November 5th election. Faiths United to Save Democracy (FUSD) believes that everyone is created in the image of God and deserves to vote in free, fair, and safe elections. With violence threatened at the polls in many states during the 2024 Elections, their multi-faith, multi-racial, intergenerational poll chaplains (ordained and lay leaders) and peacekeepers will help provide a calming and moral presence to vulnerable voters, such as the elderly, disabled, youth, and other disenfranchised citizens. If you’re a faith leader and interested, you can learn more at: https://www.turnoutsunday.com/
Resources:
Faith and Public Life has started a new podcast/radio show titled Wrestling Out Loud: Faith and Liberation.
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.