PRONOUNCEMENT: CROSSING FRONTIERS / CONNECTING HUMANITY

Representatives of 15 organizations from 10 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, Japan and the United States, below as signatories, gathered in Alamo, Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA to participate in Crossing Borders/Sharing Humanity. Learning from one another through popular education, we focused our attention on Human Migration and Human Trafficking.


As such, we denounce the criminalization of migration and affirm:

1. Migration is a worldwide phenomenon that is manifested by the movement of people in search of a better life. 
2. People do not choose to migrate. They do so to escape poverty and/or violence. Migration causes people to be estranged from their homeland, their culture and their family. 
3. Migrants are human beings and should be treated and respected in their entirety. 
4. The greater the restriction in laws and the higher the walls, the greater the risk people will undertake in their search of a better life. The implementation of measures of persecution and exclusion, and the laws that generate repression benefit clandestine and criminal organizations that profit from the suffering of others.
5. Current immigration policies are unacceptable and degrading. They create an environment that fosters human trafficking and increases the risk of the most vulnerable sectors. 
6. Victims of Trafficking live in silence and intimidation. Discrimination, objectification and oppression, especially towards women and girls, condemn them to situations of profound exploitation.

We call on governments to:
- Implement changes needed to guarantee a dignified life for all people so that every person can exercise their right to migrate or their right not to migrate.
- Guarantee the labor rights of workers
- Provide safety, dignified treatment, and respect for Human Rights of each and every migrant

We are committed to:
• continue working to respect the universal human rights of migrants.
• continue to advocate for immigration reform in our countries in an effort to guarantee the safety of migrants so they do not become the prey of groups operating outside the law
• continue to welcome, promote, protect and integrate migrants in our own organizations.
• denounce trafficking in persons and everything that leads to it
• strengthen our work by participating in networks in favor of migrants and victims of trafficking.


April 13, 2018  Alamo, Rio Grande Valley, TX

JPIC Office Statement on Gun Violence

The Office of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) for the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word – in response to the suffering caused by various forms of violence around the world - continues to say No! to the violence that demeans and destroys God’s holy creation, and Yes! to a culture of life.  We extend our deepest sympathies to all those in the Parkland, FL community who were impacted by the most recent school shooting in our country.  As a Congregation that seeks to incarnate the healing and saving love of God in the world, we stand strong in our commitment to Gospel nonviolence and lament the rampant and senseless violence plaguing our society today. 

Just four days prior to the shooting in Parkland, FL, a meeting of “Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America” was held at the University of the Incarnate Word with candidates for state and federal office present to discuss their gun violence prevention policies.  Many Incarnate Word Sisters and Sisters of other congregations participated.  It is the responsibility of all people of faith and good will to work together to promote a culture of peace and nonviolence, where students and teachers don’t have to fear for their lives each day as they enter school. 

Our CCVI ministries include a high school in St. Louis, MO, two high schools and a university in San Antonio, TX, and more than 8 educational institutions in Mexico.  We are aware of and share in the fear and uncertainty felt by students, parents, and staff of educational institutions, and are inspired by their powerful determination to prevent future school shootings and gun violence. 

We stand in solidarity with the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and others around the country who are rising up to demand action on gun control legislation so that no other school and community have to face this tragedy.  While we keep all those impacted by gun violence in prayers, we follow the lead of Pope Francis who reminds us that we have to take action to answer those prayers as the Body of Christ in the world today: “You pray for the hungry.  Then you feed them.  That’s how prayer works.” 

We pray for the victims and those mourning, and we seek to prevent future tragedies and end senseless gun violence by calling upon our elected officials to find the courage to reject the influence of the corporate gun lobby and immediately pass legislation that:

1) Bans semi-automatic assault weapons with high-capacity magazines (such as the AR-15);

2) Requires universal background checks for all gun purchases; and

3) Makes gun trafficking a federal crime. 

Please join us not only in thought and prayer, but in action by contacting your current elected representatives (both state and national) and demand the legislative points above.  Also educate yourself about the candidates up for election in the mid-term this year and make gun reform a top priority.  Future mass shootings are not inevitable. 

We draw our hope and strength through Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word, who inspires us to co-create a culture of peace and nonviolence.  Let us be his healing hands in the world today. 

Sisters at the United Nations

Sr. Jean Quinn (left)

Did you know that many religious congregations are members of the United Nations through a joint coalition called UNANIMA International?  Global Sisters Reports recently featured an interview with Sr. Jean Quinn, the executive director of UNANIMA which represents 22 congregations on issues of human rights, women and children, migrants, and the environment. 

You can learn more and read the interview HERE.

Also in the most recent LCWR Newsletter, women religious who are connected to the United Nations shared the following updates:

February 6—International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM
Ending the practice of female genital mutilation would have profoundly positive effects across societies as girls and women reclaim their health, human rights, and vast potential. The UN and NGOs affiliated with the UN have learned important lessons about what can be done to end this practice which reflects deep-rooted inequality and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls.

February 20—World Day of Social Justice 
The UN recognizes that social justice is essential for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. For the United Nations, the pursuit of social justice for all is at the core of its global mission to promote development and human dignity. Social justice lies at the heart of the work of the UN and includes promoting gender equality and the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants, as well as removing barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, or disability.

United Nations Seeks Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees According to International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
Director General William Lacy Swing in these times of the unprecedented movement of people around the world, it has become clear that global leaders must focus on making migration safe and legal rather than trying to halt the flow of people fleeing conflicts, drought, and poverty. In fact, world leaders from Pope Francis to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have noted that solidarity with migrants has never been more urgent.

On September 19, 2016 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, a landmark political declaration that is directed at improving the way in which the international community responds to large movements of refugees and migrants, as well as to protracted refugee situations. Negotiations are now underway that will lead to the adoption of a Global Compact for Migration (GCM) at an international conference in 2018.

The agreement to move toward this comprehensive framework means that migration, like other areas of international relations, will be guided by a set of common principles that will lead to universal guidelines on the treatment of migrants in vulnerable situations. Work is also being undertaken by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to develop a Global Compact on Refugees (GCR) for adoption by the General Assembly. The aim is to achieve a more equitable sharing of the burden and responsibility for hosting and supporting the world’s refugees. The GCR will flesh out the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) articulated in the New York Declaration with specific actions to ease pressure on host countries, enhance refugee self-reliance, expand access to third-country solutions, and support conditions in countries of origin for return in safety and dignity.

Unfortunately, on December 3, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson announced that the United States was ending its participation in the UN process to develop the GCM. The administration objects to the New York Declaration’s commitment to “strengthening global governance” and to a number of policy goals that are, according to Secretary Tillerson, “inconsistent with US law and policy” and “could undermine the sovereign right of the United States to enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders.”

Work to End the Death Penalty for #RespectLifeMonth

"The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty."

- Pope Francis, September 24, 2015

In the two years since Pope Francis's plea, we have made great strides towards ending the death penalty. Let's continue this important work to end the death penalty this October. 

With Respect Life Month now here, Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN) has created a Respect Life Month Toolkit to enable you to educate, advocate, and pray to end the death penalty.

Below we've also highlighted three things you can do right now to raise your voice for life this October.

Take Action to Stop an Execution: There are five executions scheduled this month. Raise your voice now through CMN's easy one-click letters and insist the dignity of all life be respected. Sign-up for CMN's Mercy in Action and take meaningful actions that are making a difference.  

Educate, Advocate, and Pray: Sign CMN's National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty and encourage other's to sign. Join advocates and leaders like Sr. Helen Prejean, Fr. Jim Martin SJ, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, and many more who have already taken the Pledge! 

Advocate for ALL Life in your Parish: CMN has prepared a Respect Life Month Toolkit filled with new and exciting materials including a new vigil and prayer service. Put these free, downloadable tools to use.  

Thank you for raising your voice and advocating for the dignity of ALL life!  

URGENT: Oppose the Graham-Cassidy Healthcare Bill TODAY!

We need you NOW. Please call today and every day until Graham-Cassidy is defeated.

 

All calls are important but we must especially call those Senators who are on the fence or persuadable. We especially encourage members in West Virginia—Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Maine— Senator Susan Collins, Ohio—Senator Rob Portman, and Alaska—Senator Lisa Murkowski to call their Senators.

 

Please join LCWR and NETWORK and make the calls.

 

Call 1-888-738-3058 (twice to be connected to both Senators) to tell your Senators that they must not take away healthcare from millions of Americans. If your Senators have already pledged to oppose the bill, please call and say “THANK YOU!”

 

The new legislation, referred to as the Graham-Cassidy proposal, is even more devastating than past repeal attempts. Your phone calls stopped ACA repeal in July, and we need them now more than ever. The Senate is reportedly one vote away from passing this bill and fundamentally altering our healthcare system. It would, among other things:

      --Cause 15 million people to become uninsured next year

      --Leave approximately 32 million people uninsured by 2027

      --Eliminate ACA’s expansion of Medicaid for low-income people

      --Eliminate ACA’s subsidies that help people afford premiums

      --Decimate Medicaid through “per capita caps” leading to funding limits and billions of dollars in cuts

      --Allow states to gut consumer protections – including protections for people with pre-existing conditions

 

Here is a sample script you may want to use:

 

"Hello, My name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY/TOWN]. As a person of faith, I believe access to healthcare is a basic human right. I'm calling to urge the senator to oppose the Graham-Cassidy bill. This bill would take millions of dollars out of [YOUR STATE]. We need bipartisan fixes to expand coverage, not take it away. I oppose any efforts to cut or cap Medicaid. Please protect the human dignity of 32 million Americans who would lose coverage and state your opposition to the Graham-Cassidy proposal. Can I count on the Senator to vote NO on Graham-Cassidy?”

 

Please call 1-888-738-3058 (twice to be connected to both Senators) to tell your Senators that they must not take away healthcare from millions of Americans.

 

Please share this action alert with as many people as possible.

 

Together, with many people of faith we were able to save healthcare in July. We need to do it again!

Advocacy at the Village

On Monday, June 19^th twenty CCVI sisters and one collaborator gathered in The Village with JPIC Office Assistant Director Jennifer Reyes Lay, to hear about her recent trip to Washington DC for Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) and engage in some advocacy of their own.  EAD was a gathering of hundreds of faith leaders from many different denominations who came together around common values of promoting a moral budget that protects the common good, does not increase Pentagon spending, and cares for our earth.  Jennifer shared with those gathered the highlights of EAD including the “leave behind” list of asks for congressional representatives and senators.   There were copies available for the sisters to sign as well and mail in to their representatives and senators.  Some sisters shared the letter with other residents of the Village, and over 50 signed letters were collected and sent in to Texas senators and representatives advocating for a moral budget that protects the common good. 

Two other advocacy topics that were covered at the gathering were the issue of refugee resettlement in coordination with the World Day of Refugees, and the pending American Health Care Act (AHCA) proposed by the GOP members of the Senate.  Participants received a handout with background information on each topic along with a sample script for calling their senators and representatives or writing a letter.  There was a lot of lively conversation around the topics of protecting health care, protecting the environment, and supporting immigrants and refugees.

Overall it was a wonderful gathering that reminded everyone of our important responsibility as citizens of the United States and people of faith, to contact our elected representatives and speak up on behalf of the most vulnerable in our communities to ensure that their human dignity and rights are protected and respected. 

STOP THE AHCA IN THE SENATE

Call 1-888-738-3058 Now!

The Senate would rather keep it quiet, but we need to make some more noise about healthcare. Call your Senators at 1-888-738-3058 now to oppose the American Health Care Act (AHCA).

The Senate is where this bill will live or die -- and we just heard from Senate offices that numbers of phone calls have dropped to pre-election levels. We need to keep the pressure up (in Republican and Democratic offices!) because people’s lives are on the line.

If the AHCA becomes law, 23 million people will lose health coverage, Medicaid will be cut by $834 billion, and the very wealthiest will be $660 billion richer through the Trojan horse tax breaks in this legislation. This is cruel, irresponsible, and deadly. The Senate is restricted in what changes it can make to this terrible bill -- and your calls can save the lives of millions of Americans by stopping the AHCA once and for all.

Call your Senators at 1-888-738-3058
Call twice to reach both Senators.

When you call, here’s what you might say:

“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I am a constituent from [CITY/TOWN]. As a person of faith, I’m calling to oppose the American Health Care Act. I oppose any efforts to cut or cap Medicaid, and no one should lose coverage as a result of any healthcare replacement. Please protect the human dignity of 23 million Americans who would lose coverage and oppose the American Health Care Act.”

Reflections on Ecumenical Advocacy Days 2017

By Jennifer Reyes Lay

“When Christians come together, transformation happens.”  

These were some of the opening words at the 2017 Ecumenical Advocacy Days (EAD) gathering in Washington DC, where hundreds of Christians from a variety of denominations came together to reflect on Martin Luther King’s message in his “Beyond Vietnam” speech 50 years earlier, warning about the giant triplets of racism, militarism, and materialism.  As we spent time with his prophetic words and reflected on our currently reality, we quickly realized that despite the passage of 50 years, racism, militarism, and materialism continue to infect our communities and world, challenging the realization of the beloved community. 

In a pre-conference panel sponsored by the National Council of Churches (NCC), these giant triplets of racism, militarism, and materialism were prophetically called out as nothing less than idolatry by the Rev. Dr. Shannon Craigo-Snell.  Idolatry denies dependence on God; it is putting our trust in something other than God and designating worth as coming from something other than God.  Racism and white supremacy create worth based on proximity to whiteness.  Materialism creates worth based on wealth.  Militarism creates worth based on might, force, and control.  She challenged us to address the idolatry that is fueling injustice, but make sure that we are not simply replacing one idol for another. 

The official program kicked off with a powerful keynote by Tamika Mallory, one of the co-organizers of the Women’s March on Washington.  She challenged us to take an honest look at ourselves.  Are we really part of the problem, or part of the solution?  What kinds of conversations are we having in our families, in our churches?  Because the reality is an overwhelming majority of white Christians voted in this current administration.  And she reminded us that it is what we actually do, that speaks to what we really believe.  We have to get uncomfortable and be ok making others uncomfortable.  One of my favorite lines that she said was, “If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club.”  Powerful words for us to reflect on. 

In thinking about the work that predominantly white churches have to do, we listened to a powerful keynote from the Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer, current President of the United Church of Christ, on America’s Possessive Investment in Whiteness.  The UCC has developed a curriculum for churches to engage this topic and have the tough conversations, and it is free to download. 

A good portion of EAD focused on education around the president’s proposed budget and other important pieces of pending legislation such as the health care bill and tax reforms.  This was important information because on Monday, after two and half days of intense presentations and conversations, we went to meet with our congressional representatives and senators to speak to them about these very issues from our faith-based perspective.  We heard from lobbyists and policy experts about the negative impacts cuts to both local and foreign aid would have.  These cuts would impact the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world, and we have a moral obligation to speak up on their behalf.  One of the speakers from Bread for the World helped us make the connections between militarism, racism, and materialism in our foreign policy.  The US is more proliferate in selling arms to other countries than sending food and aid.  We ignore human rights abuses for profit from wars.

In addition to the stimulating conversations and powerful presentations EAD, being a gathering of people of faith, included multiple opportunities to gather together as a faith community in praise and worship.   I found this one of the most hopeful and moving experiences of the entire conference, to be able to gather together across denominations, recognizing our connectedness as Christians, and celebrate that faith in a unified way.  Together we sang songs of freedom, lament, and praise, received the Word through moving and challenging preaching, and placed our collective prayers for peace and justice before our God.  In these spaces and moments it didn’t matter what church we went to back home or what theological disagreements or dogma separated us; we were one family, centered in the love of God, and joining together around a common commitment to live our faith in a way that takes us one step closer to the kin-dom of God, the beloved community.  “When Christians come together, transformation happens.”  I saw and felt the truth of that declaration in the Spirit present at EAD.  This same Spirit called us forth out of that safe space and into the halls of power, meeting with our Congresspeople as a unified, faith-based voice advocating for the protection of the environment and the protection of all programs and services that support the most vulnerable. 

Besides the congressional meetings, two other prophetic actions many participants of EAD engaged in were a march to and prayer service at the Pentagon and a faith leaders press conference and march to the Senate building where a handful of leaders were arrested for civil disobedience.  At the Pentagon we lifted up our laments for the lives that have been lost or destroyed, and joined hands to pray peace into that space and commit to working for greater peace and nonviolence in our own hearts, in our communities, and in the world.  At the press conference faith leaders cried out for a moral budget that would support the common good, protect the vulnerable, and care for the environment.  They then led a march to the Senate building where seven faith leaders were arrested for participating in an act of civil disobedience.      

You can learn more about the 2017 EAD Conference on their website here:  https://advocacydays.org/2017-confronting-chaos/.  There are videos of the keynote speakers, photos, and you can also download their lobby day ask resources to add your voice to this ecumenical advocacy effort and contact your own representatives and senators about the issues we discussed.  

Training Develops Social Justice Advocates at Our Universities

By Monica Cruz, Director of the Ettling Center for Civic Leadership, University of the Incarnate Word

I have had the wonderful opportunity to serve as a member of the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee (JPIC) for the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word for nearly 2 years.  Our committee has hosted several educational and inspiring presentations to understand the importance of creating a sustainable environment, Laudato Si and understanding the plight of victims of human trafficking and refugees around the world.  

Another important area of JPIC is to develop the advocacy skills of members who wish to increase their civic participation on important social justice issues.  Last summer, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Changemakers gathering sponsored by the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative.  During this event, we were asked to commit to develop a project or initiative that we felt was important to further develop leaders who understood and embraced social justice causes in our community.  As someone who has taught State and Local Politics courses and serves on the CCVI JPIC committee, I was inspired to commit to developing a Social Justice Advocacy Training for university students.  I had been playing with this idea for quite some time but my involvement as a member of JPIC propelled me into action to develop this training for students that focused on Texas public education and finance—an issue that the students selected to focus on.  

The 3 day training took place during spring break with the first two days in San Antonio and the third day with a trip to the Austin capitol.  Students from 6 colleges in San Antonio gathered to become knowledgeable about school finance and curriculum development; more knowledgeable about the public policy process for education; and more comfortable speaking and advocating about these issues in the community and in government through the lens of social justice. Students critically analyzed Senate bill 3, the school voucher bill and learned how the idea of equally distributing public school vouchers to children in Texas did not necessarily translate into achieving equity in our schools.  

Robert Cavazos, a student from the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) who participated in the training stated, “All of us recognized how important, and unfortunately how rare it is, for college students to engage in local and state politics and advocate for social justice. We considered what we can do to further our training and advocacy experience beyond this spring break conference. We felt the burden of responsibility that UIW instilled in us through an emphasis on Catholic Social Teaching; and with the tools of social justice advocacy now at our disposal, we are ready to make our public schools and our communities better through our willingness to care.” 

It was truly inspiring watching these students walk through the halls of the state capitol advocating for equity in our public schools.  We hope the experience gave them the tools to continue as social justice advocates on issues affecting the most vulnerable in our community for years to come.   

Called to Live Mercy in Our Common Home

By Jennifer Reyes Lay

The weekend of January 23^rd-26^th I traveled to Washington D.C. to attend the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering on behalf of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word.  The theme for the conference was “Called To Live Mercy in Our Common Home,” drawing on both the Year of Mercy and Pope Francis’ encyclical Ladato Si’.  It just so happened that Blizzard Jonas was also visiting Washington D.C. that same weekend, but that didn’t stop the 200 or so of us from attending, and thanks to technology we were still able to connect and hear from most of the major keynote speakers! 

The Conference brought together various social ministries throughout the United States, some national organizations like Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Charities, and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, and other smaller, local groups like state Catholic Caucuses, justice coordinators, campus ministers, and students from Catholic Universities. 

A major part of the first two days were Keynote presentations.  The opening keynote was given by Bishop Nelson Perez, a member of the USCCB subcommittee for Hispanic Affairs and subcommittee for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD).  Bishop Perez talked about the power of encounter, how Christ doesn’t make appointments but just shows up in our lives in unexpected ways in the form of our brothers and sisters, in the form of the poor.  We are called to be the living Mercy of God, and there is transformational power in these encounters we are invited to have during this Year of Mercy. 

The following day Sr. Kathleen McManus, OP, Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Portland gave the Slat and Light Plenary on the Global Suffering of Women as an Ethical Imperative for the Church.  She used the Scripture story of the bent over woman in Luke who is healed and can stand straight as an example of encounter on the periphery with those who are suffering, and the transformative journey to freedom and liberation.  She offered some powerful and challenging testimony on how the patriarchal theologies of the Church function to reinforce the global suffering of women.  She also shared about the power present in acts of resistance which is the power of the resurrection, of life saying no to death.  After her talk there was a powerful panel of women witnesses who shared about their own experiences as women, particularly through the lens of their other identities as women of color, immigrants, or differently abled. 

There were various workshops to choose from and I attended one on Living the Jubilee year of mercy and Global Solidarity presented by Fr. David Garcia (from San Antonio!) and Laudato Si in Action presented by Eli McCarthy and Joan Rosenhauer.  Fr. Garcia gave a wonderful presentation on the context for declaring a Jubilee Year of Mercy and global solidarity as a response to what Pope Francis has called the globalization of indifference.  Eli and Joan talked about the work being done in Catholic communities throughout the U.S. to implement Laudato Si.  Participants in the workshop also shared about their own experiences sharing Laudato Si in their parishes, schools, and congregations, including what has worked well and what challenges have come.  I was able to share about the community conversations we have been having throughout the CCVI Congregation and Institutions in the U.S., Mexico, and Peru.  There are many opportunities and resources to implement the call of Laudato Si in our lives, and it was wonderful to hear about what others around the country are doing. 

A big focus of this conference was on advocacy, and putting our faith into action through political participation, advocating for policies that support our Catholic values.  Most of Monday was spent on political education preparing for Congressional visits the following day.  Unfortunately the Congressional visits were cancelled due to the blizzard, but we still received good information to take home for local congressional visits.  Some of the main topics identified were relating to immigration, climate change, criminal justice reform, and the budget.  This was an important part of the conference that was a good reminder about the power of our collective action and appealing to values over partisan politics.  I learned that the number of Catholics in the Democratic party and the Republican party are very similar in both the House and the Senate.  This shows that Catholic values could be a unifying bridge, appealing to their common values, in what is currently a very divided Congress.  We were also reminded that you don’t have to be an expert to contact your representative or senator and tell them what you care about and why you want them to vote a certain way.  Our elected officials need to hear from us, and value what we have to say, even if at the end of the day they don’t vote how we want them to.  

Overall despite the blizzard raging outside, we kept warm and fired up inside with engaging discussions and challenging presentations, motivated to carry what we learned with us back into our communities and also back into our local and national politics.  I am grateful for the opportunity to have participated in this Conference, and was able to make a lot of wonderful contacts with potential future partners whose organizations are also working to incarnate the love of God in the world by responding to the suffering of the poor and most vulnerable throughout our world.