Prayer
Prayer Praying with all of you in thanksgiving for the life of Pope Francis as we mourn him. We also pray for the conclave who will choose the next pope, that the cardinals are able to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I did enjoy this Prayer of Thanksgiving from the Church of England. I think it would make Pope Francis smile at the ecumenical response to his life.
Advocacy and Action
You may have seen the request on First Class to advocate on behalf of Ameri-Corps, the government agency with whom our own NDMV partners. This advocacy request continues! It is not too late to start. If you have started, keep the pressure on. Here is an advocate's guide from Voices for National Service.
Many of you may have already heard from our volunteer, Kay Brogle, and her idea of writing to Vice President JD Vance. The idea is to acknowledge him as the one of the last people to visit with Pope Francis before his death and to ask him, as a Catholic, to bring the teachings of Pope Francis to the Oval Office, the country, and the world. There is a sample letter attached to this email. If you would like to write the VP, I am happy to help sisters do so. Please let me know.
URGENT! CRS has issued an urgent Action Alert on preventing the rescission of already appropriated funds for humanitarian aid. A rescissions package could be introduced any day, and we want our congresspeople to be prepared and know what we think before it does. An Action Sheet with more information on the Remissions Package and Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations is attached to this email. Ways to connect to your Congresspeople are at the end of this update.
Education and Information
Join Georgetown University on May 6 at 7:00 PM ET in Remembering Pope Francis. After the death of Pope Francis, the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and the Office of Mission & Ministry at Georgetown University will bring people together to remember and reflect upon his faithful service, courageous leadership, and caring ministry. This dialogue will also explore his continuing impact and how Georgetown, the Catholic Church, our world, and all of us can continue to advance his message: mercy in the Church, justice in the economy, care for God’s creation, and peace in the world. RSVP here.
The Laudato Si’ Movement has posted a remembrance for Pope Francis and his living legacy on their website. A beautiful tribute to a creationist pope.
Democracy Watch
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 means our opposition must be often and loud. We can support candidates that believe in the system of checks and balances in our government. We can support independent journalism. We can be “a gnat in the ear of our politicians.” What have your daily calls been about this past week? This week, I want to offer this article from the Horizon Project for your reflection. It is not a faith or spiritual piece, but I found it heartening and hopeful.
This week's Save the Democracy Opportunity:
Common Cause-Ohio is watching a concerning set of bills in the Ohio statehouse, SB 153/HB 233, which are the latest attempt to rewrite Ohio’s election laws. They are massive, unnecessary, and deeply harmful. They would change over 40 sections of Ohio law governing voting and elections and create 3 entirely new sections – all to make it harder for eligible Ohioans to vote and harder to collect petition signatures, while at the same time placing impossible bureaucratic and financial burdens on our county boards of elections. There will be a hearing soon for those who oppose the bills. Common Cause is seeking people who would be willing to testify at that hearing. If you are unable to do that, could you consider writing a Letter to the Editor? If you are willing to do so, and need help crafting and submitting a letter, please let me know. I can help! The more letters that get written, the more likely at least one or two will be published.
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