Prayer
The Adrian Dominican Sisters invite you to join them for the Season of Creation Peace Prayer. They are hosting a peace prayer from 4:00 to 4:30 PM (ET) every Tuesday during the SOC. The prayer will include a scripture reading, reflection, chant and intercessory prayers. You can join This virtual event each Tuesday (Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24 and Oct. 1st).
Advocacy and Action
In late May, the USCCB sent a letter to Congress - co-signed by multiple agencies - on the Farm Bill, both supporting some aspects and advocating for change in others.
The Farm Bill touches on a number of areas, including access to food, support for farmers, and foreign aid. It is a massive bill, renewed every five years, that touches the lives of tens of millions of people. We are being STRONGLY encouraged to reach out to our elected officials and encourage them to keep the different components of the Farm Bill in line with the church’s commitment to the dignity of all people, special care for those made poor, the dignity of work, care for creation, and solidarity with sisters and brothers around the world.
Pat Hornschemeier, leader of the Region B Catholic Rural Life Conference, has drafted a consolidated version of the USCCB's letter. You can download the letter here. Please edit the letter, sign it, and send it to your elected federal officials. You can also take action by signing this Action Alert from the USCCB that specifically asks Congress to protect SNAP in the Farm Bill. For additional resources, please check out the materials from Bread for the World: Bread Statement on House and Senate Farm Bill Frameworks - Bread for the World.
Did you know that lawmakers can freely invest in weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and more? The lawmakers who own those stocks are the some of the same ones who approve $800 BILLION Pentagon budgets. And every year, about HALF of that amount flows directly to weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and more. A bipartisan group of senators is attempting to dismantle this corrupt practice with the “Ending Trading and Holdings In Congressional Stocks” or ETHICS Act (S. 1171).
This bill would end the war profiteering by banning congressional stock trading altogether. Recently the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs pushed this urgently needed legislation past a crucial hurdle. We the people now need to make our voices heard. We need to contact our senators and demand a YES vote on the ETHICS Act (S bill 1171). Contact your senator today. Phone is best, but email is good too!
Education and Information
The Catholic Church in the United States will observe National Migration Week (NMW) from September 23-29, 2024. This annual celebration culminates with the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR), established by the Holy See over 100 years ago and commemorated by Catholics across the globe. The theme for NMW 2024, “God Walks with His People,” underscores our church’s solidarity with migrants as they journey to find security, safety and peace for themselves and their families. In preparation for this celebration, please take an opportunity to read Pope Francis’ WDMR message. Be sure to check out the Justice for Immigrant’s NMW page, 2024 toolkit and prayer resources.
Democracy Watch and Resources
The Georgetown University Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life will host a public dialogue titled Faith and the Faithful and the 2024 Presidential Election: Political Realities and Catholic Social Teaching on Wednesday, September 11, the evening after the first debate, from 6 to 7 PM ET. For details, a list of presenters, and to RSVP for the livestream, click here.
NETWORK Advocates for Catholic Social Justice has released a document comparing the Project 2025 plan to the Social Justice teachings of the Catholic Church. It can be found here.
Share with everyone – you can get all information regarding voting – registering, early voting rules, ID requirements, polling location, and more – at your state’s Secretary of State website. It’s all there! Just Google it.
USEFUL LINKS
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