Prayer
LCWR has opened a virtual Lenten Prayer Space on the Wednesdays of Lent. It is open 9AM to 9PM. Simply Click the link above and join other LCWR members in prayer.
Advocacy and Action
The MLK's Beloved Community Rally: Action with Love for Justice will be Sunday, April 6, 2025. The rally will be held at the North Avondale Recreation Center Ballfields (617 Clinton Springs Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229) from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. The date is of particular significance as we near the 57th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The rally is dedicated to standing against the rising tide of white supremacy and addressing the recent removal of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives from our democracy. This rally seeks to honor his legacy by bringing together individuals and organizations committed to fostering inclusion, understanding, and love. Rally organizers hope participants will leave feeling motivated to engage in positive actions that challenge injustice, uplift marginalized voices, and work toward systemic change. Please let Teresa Phillips know if you're interested in attending.
The Catholic Climate Covenant and other partners are launching Pilgrims of Hope for Creation, an initiative working with Catholic Communities across the nation to organize local pilgrimages to pray for the grace to encounter Christ through Creation and restore our relationships with God, Creation, and each other. This is a nationwide effort and there will be local opportunities to engage in a pilgrimage in the next few months.
Ohio specific advocacy call! Your state level politics are just as important to engage with as federal. Afterall, it’s the state that draws the electoral maps that are so gerrymandered in most states that it ensures election of one party over another. In Ohio, state officials are about to vote on HB 41. This bill requires state agencies and entities, including schools and service agencies, to collect and report data concerning the citizenship or immigration status of people they serve. This would mean that many children of immigrants would not attend school for fear that their parents would be taken off the street and sent directly to prison without any legal help. This has happened to TPS holders from Venezuela who are now sitting in a prison in El Salvador without criminal charges. It has happened to many others who have found themselves held in Guantanamo Bay without criminal charges. School enrollment has already dropped as have client numbers at service agencies that provide health care and other needs.
In addition, there are already numerous strict qualifications to access public benefits. So instead of our tax dollars being spent tackling the real problems of hunger, affordable housing, and quality healthcare for all, we are spending money on data collection and scapegoating and intimidating immigrants.
You can contact your Ohio Statehouse reps and senators! If you are doing at least one daily call, work this into the rotation. You can find their contact information through the links in the “Useful Links” box at the end of this blog post.
The Franciscan Action Network (FAN) invites you to join your name with theirs and sign their letter to the Senate Budget Appropriations Committee to demand funding for programs to help those most vulnerable. They are seeking sufficient funding for programs like SNAP and Medicare/Medicaid.
You may also wish to read this public statement from SVPD-USA on the cuts to funding food programs in the US. You can add this into your rotation of subjects for making your daily calls on the federal level. These cuts will harm American farmers as well as those who are helped through food pantries and other programs that help feed those who need help. A majority of people who get help at pantries work full-time and still cannot afford to feed their families.
Education and Information
Faith Communities Go Green and the Sisters of Charity – Cincinnati’s EarthConnection invite you to a webinar titled Cranky Uncle vs Climate Change TOMORROW, Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 7:00pm to 8:15pm (ET) via Zoom. Based on the book Cranky Uncle by Dr. John Cook, cognitive psychologist and founder of the award-winning website Skeptical Science, this webinar will explore ways to refute claims made by those who deny the reality of climate change. We can’t often change people’s minds, but you can equip yourself with the tools and information to take part in a discussion. Register.
Education and Information
I was hoping to only need this section of the Weekly Update during the election cycle, but sadly I think it will be needed for a while.
The uncertainty around the globe has made for a rough few months for most. All mention of diversity efforts since the 1960s erased in a matter of days. Our immigrant brothers and sisters live in fear, even those here awaiting legal proceedings. Many around the world in dire straits with funding pulled from health, education, and food programs. There is uncertainty in terms of global finance, economy, and peace.
We must be loud. I have heard many ways to describe advocacy in times when politics are so one-sided. “Be a gnat in the ear of our politicians.” “Be a termite, constantly chomping.” “Be like a bison in a snowstorm.” “In general, be a pain in their…” (I don’t think I can finish that one.)
What does this look like? Daily calls – at least one a day. I challenge you to two – one to a state official and one to a federal official. If you can do more, that’s even better! If you are able, show up at rallies and town halls. If you can, support the campaigns of those running for Congress in other states to help balance the halls of Congress. Support independent journalism. It is so important to do this!!
It’s exhausting and, frankly depressing, to be aware of all that’s happening these days. But I bet both St. Julie and Francoise were exhausted often and maybe even depressed on occasion. Let’s take comfort and strength from them.
This week’s Save Democracy advocacy opportunity:
Learn about and advocate against the SAVE Act. This little piece of legislation is worse than a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is being advertised as a way to safeguard elections. In reality, it will make it exceedingly difficult for many to register to vote. It will impact, among others, the elderly, disabled, people living in rural areas, military serving outside the US, Native Americans, people in poverty and married people who have changed their name. If passed into law, it would require all voter registration to occur in-person at county Boards of Election. No transportation to your county board of elections? You’re out of luck. Are you military serving overseas? You’re out of luck, too. It also requires a higher level of proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. Your driver’s license alone is not sufficient. If you changed your name when you married, you do not have a birth certificate that matches your driver’s license. Guess what… more hoops to jump through to register. Advocate with your Senators and House Rep!
Useful Links: