Update from the Office of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation, May 3, 2023

Earth Day 2023

Prayer

Prayer On Monday, I was feeling sad about our March weather on May Day. Then I remembered Rushawn, who ‘went viral’ on social media singing this song in this village school. It’s always a beautiful day ay ay ay ay! Just another way of sharing the Goodness of God. Happy May!

Advocacy and Action

There is much Congress can do with the Farm Bill to address hunger in the US and across the globe. When SNAP benefits were increased during the pandemic, it lifted nearly 3 million people out of poverty. It is important we let Congress know we are watching. Please see attached for both a letter on the bill from several Catholic social service agencies and an accompanying letter for you to sign in support. In the general search bars at these links, you can Find a Senator and Find a Representative

Uranium mining around the Grand Canyon has been happening for many decades. These mines, once exhausted, are simply abandoned and not cleaned up. Most of these mines are on the borders of Native American lands. And now, these mining companies want to reinvigorate and expand the mines. Native Organizers Alliance invites you to contact President Biden and ask him to use his authority under the Antiquities Act to establish a new national monument -- Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument, totaling 1.1 million acres – to protect the cultural, archaeological, and sacred places of ancestral importance to Indigenous peoples and Tribes. You will need to enter your phone number and then scroll down and hit “send”.

Education

As we approach a new election cycle, the Center for Common Ground invites us to a webinar on May 11 at 8:00 PM ET called Building a Representative Democracy. You can register here. Wisconsin’s first Black Lt. Governor and former candidate for the United States Senate, Mandela Barnes, will lead this discussion on the importance of supporting diverse and groundbreaking pro-democracy candidates across our country.