Category Archives: Front Page

The Ash Wednesday Call for a Compassionate Budget

The Ash Wednesday Call for a Compassionate Budget Faith

Leaders, Members of Congress Hold Ash Wednesday Prayer Service Calling on Congress to Choose Families Over Billionaires

Sr. Erin Zubal, OSU, NETWORK Chief of Staff, distributes ashes at the March 5 prayer service for a compassionate budget on Capitol Hill.

Rep. Jim Clyburn

Representatives of different religious traditions offered prayers as Members of Congress joined with them for a service, “Ash Wednesday: A Call to Action for a Compassionate Budget,” on March 5 on Capitol Hill. After a ceremonial distribution of ashes to mark the holy day, those gathered lamented the the harms the GOP plans on Budget Reconciliation pose to health, food, taxes, immigration/militarization, and democracy.

The Democratic Faith Working Group led by Rep. Jim Clyburn (SC-06) and members of the Washington Interfaith Staff Community came together in the wake of President Trump’s address to Congress and decried how the proposed budget would gut health care and food programs for families to pay for tax cuts for billionaires and the mass deportation of beloved immigrant communities.

Joan F. Neal

Joan F. Neal, Interim Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice addressed the tax injustice at the heart of the Budget Reconciliation:

“Right now, the House Budget Resolution calls for giving at least 4.5 trillion dollars in additional tax cuts to billionaires, which they intended to pay for by taking food from families, and healthcare for millions — this at a time when so many people in this country don’t know where their next meal is coming from or are one medical bill away from financial ruin. That is immoral. The faithful ask Congress today: Whose side are you on?”

The service marked the beginning of the 40-day season of Lent and offered prayers for strength and guidance while lamenting the passage of a budget resolution that would significantly harm millions of hardworking people and families to pay for tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy, if it becomes law. The faith leaders, including NETWORK Chief of Staff Sr. Erin Zubal, OSU distributed ashes to the people gathered.

Rev. Camille Henderson, the Senior Executive Director for Advocacy of the General Board of Church and Society offered the opening gathering prayer. United Methodist Bishop Julius C. Trimble, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society was among the Christian faith leaders who spoke — along with Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, President and National Secretary, National Council of Churches; Rev. Terri Hord Owens, General Minister and President of the Disciples of Christ; Bridget Moix, General Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation; Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Political Director at Faith in Action; and Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia A. Thompson, General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ.

Rep. Clyburn opened the service with his close reading of Matthew 25. He noted that most people jump to the “whatever you did for the least among you, you did for me” portion of the Scripture. But his focus, he said, is on Jesus speaking of how people are to use their talents–things of great value–out in the world. This question, he said, could be reflected in the priorities reflected in the Federal Budget.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05) echoed this sentiment:

“Show me your checkbook and I will tell you what your values are,” said Rep. Cleaver. “The checkbook of the United States declares who we are. … To talk about cutting Medicaid is a sin and an insult to the God who lets us walk around and breathe.”

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver

Cleaver shared what he wanted to call out during Trump’s address to Congress:

“Elon Musk, how much did you get? The poor got nothing! Speaker Johnson, how much did you get? The poor got nothing! Donald Trump, how much did you get? The poor got nothing!”

Rep. Shontel Brown (OH-11) connected the values of her faith to concrete human needs.

“This is not a call of faith but a call to action. Our faith isn’t about what we believe, it is about how we serve,” she said. “Seniors are choosing between groceries and medication. Parents are working multiple jobs but can’t make ends meet. … We are called to walk with one another.”

Rep. Shontel Brown

Rep. Brown added: “In my district, one in five families, thirty-two percent of seniors, and fifty-one percent of people with disabilities rely on SNAP. These numbers represent people, our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow congregants. This is not about politics, this is about people getting the help they need.”

Rep. Chuy Garcia (IL-04) lamented that cuts to vital programs will go to tax cuts for billionaires, as well as mass deportation efforts by the Administration.

Rep. Chuy Garcia

“My ask is that Republicans give up billionaires for Lent and to reflect deeply on the needs of ordinary people across the country, especially the condition of 11 million undocumented migrants needing a pathway to citizenship,” he said.

“I pray that we will also reflect on the violent rhetoric that has been used by President Trump and other Members of Congress, which is rooted in lies and distortions,” he added.

“Immigrants give so much to this country. Let’s not forget that they pay taxes — over $580 billion a year in federal, state, and local taxes. They are our neighbors, small business people, they are the other children who attend school with our own. They are human beings. ”

Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) spoke of a different kind of reconciliation than the budget process:

Rep. Robin Kelly

“Ash Wednesday is a holy day that marks the beginning of repentance and reconciliation,” she said. “But what I cannot reconcile is a budget that harms hardworking Americans.”

She questioned how her Republican colleagues could justify to their constituents back home the cuts they are proposing.

“Thousands of their constituents, just like ours, rely on Medicaid for health care,” she noted. In her own district, she added, over 300,000 people risk losing their health care under the GOP budget.

Rep. Tim Kennedy (NY-26) said a budget that fails in this way is essentially a betrayal of the founding principles of the United States.

Rep. Tim Kennedy

“We have the opportunity right now to actually uplift hardworking families, help our seniors, protect our children,” he said. “Though we humans are not perfect, our forefathers built a democracy that helped lift so many out of poverty, illiteracy, and oppression.”

He added, “Tyrants have no place in our society. We fought to protect our democracy, a system that gives each person a voice in our nation, a voice that time and time again we as Americans have chosen to use for the common good.”

Of the numerous faith leaders from across traditions who spoke at the event, Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould of Faith in Action asserted that the moral and policy perils presented by the Budget Reconciliation require action.

“This season of Lent was the season when Jesus went into the temple and flipped the tables over,” she said. “Our job is not to sit by silently.”

Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould of Faith in Action speaks at the March 5 Ash Wednesday service for a compassionate budget on Capitol Hill

Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould of Faith in Action speaks at the March 5 service, “Ash Wednesday: A Call to Action for a Compassionate Budget,” on Capitol Hill.

The Whole Body Suffers

The Whole Body Suffers

This Black History Month Tests the Health of Our Union and Communion

Joan F. Neal
February 25, 2025

Joan F. Neal, Interim Executive Director at NETWORK

This Black History Month has been hard. I simply cannot sugarcoat it. Just as cold and flu season have ravaged so many people during the month of February, this month has also offered one terrible episode after another which should make all of us worry about the health of our country. The destruction of government infrastructure and institutions combined with the normalizing of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment have ravaged the U.S. in ways that put all of us more at risk of being less financially secure and even less healthy.

For years, the United States has been credited with having the “best health care in the world.” But if that is true, what else is also true is that access to that system is not equitably shared. Health care continues to be an issue for Black communities, and Black History Month reminds us of that fact. It shows us how the structures of society can be weaponized against people just as easily as they can promote stability and justice.

In the U.S., structural racism can be as simple as where a hospital or a grocery store is built; which communities can receive urgent, life-saving care and which lack even adequate transportation to access quality health care. Structural racism decides which neighborhoods have ready access to the fresh fruits and vegetables so essential for a healthy life and which communities are literal food deserts with only small grocery stores and limited options or fast-food outlets. Caring for our health involves both being able to access medical care when needed as well as being able to maintain good health by eating well.

And while we may not realize it, these healthcare gaps are at the heart of today’s debates over the federal budget. Republicans in Congress have once again proposed to slash essential food and health care programs to give tax cuts to billionaires, balancing the budget on the backs of children, families, and ordinary people, many of whom are Black and Brown. These actions not only exacerbate the healthcare situation but also perpetuate the racial wealth and income gap and reverse the gains that Black History Month celebrates.

Families should not lose the ability to feed their babies through SNAP benefits in order to give Elon Musk another tax break. Nor should they lose their Medicaid in order for Jeff Bezos to further pad his considerable bottom line. Our very health and lives are literally caught up in this budget fight, and it is time for all people to speak out!

Families should not lose the ability to feed their babies through SNAP benefits in order to give Elon Musk another tax break … Our very health and lives are literally caught up in this budget fight, and it is time for all people to speak out!

Troubling signs are all around us. At the beginning of February, the report emerged that Black women die at a rate nearly 3.5 times higher than white women around the time of childbirth, an increase from 2.6 times higher only a couple years earlier. The Black maternal mortality crisis is real, a concern of NETWORK, and just one of many indicators of persistent structural racism in U.S. health care. And if the proposed cuts to SNAP and Medicaid go through, they will be no exception.

NETWORK is fighting against these discriminatory policies through our new policy agenda: An Economy for All, which presents a clear plan to create an inclusive economy where everyone thrives – no exceptions. This is the vision that is central to the celebration of Black History Month.

Moreover, in areas such as health care, impacts spread. Scripture tells us that when one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers (1 Cor 12:26). This is important to remember as the Trump administration rolls out its cruel and discriminatory agenda. No one can say “this won’t affect me.” Everyone should be concerned. This month’s Senate confirmation of vaccine skeptic RFK Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary portends a picture of a future where the health of all people in the U.S. will be weakened, where women won’t be able to get the health care they need, where children will die from easily preventable diseases, undoing decades of medical progress that made this country—and the world—healthier.

The whole body also suffers from the moral wound that is inflicted on society by the acceptance of racist policies, whether in health care, foreign assistance, or immigration. It is all morally unacceptable, and it hurts our souls to permit it, even passively. For U.S. Catholics, this Black History Month has tested our Union, the structures that enshrine “We the People” of the country. But it has also tested our Communion, our capacity to be one Body with all God’s children. If we are indifferent to our Black or immigrant friends or abandon our fellow neighbors abroad, we have lost our sense of Communion.

I believe that our country and the church are still healthy enough to rally and offer the moral witness necessary to fight off the harms of entrenched racism and Christian nationalism now ravaging our body politic. But it will require a renewed sense of solidarity, a commitment to being not just one people, but one Body, accountable to all its members without exception. That is a history well worth writing with our actions today.

Holding onto Hope

Grounding Ourselves in Encounter and Community is the Way Forward

Sr. Eilis McCulloh, HM

Nuns on the Bus & Friends riders stand around the graves of Cesar and Helen Chavez as their grandson, Andres Chavez, leads the Prayer of the Farm Worker’s Struggle.

On a warm, sunny morning in Keene, California, Nuns on the Bus & Friends riders stood around the graves of Cesar and Helen Chavez while Andres Chavez (their grandson) led us in the Prayer of the Farm Worker’s Struggle.

“Show me the suffering of the most miserable. Thus, I will know my people’s plight,” Andres prayed, and we repeated.

As we begin 2025 and gear up for a new administration and a new Congress, I find myself returning to this prayer as a source of encouragement amid the struggle that we will be up against with the new Trump administration. I also find myself searching for hope and encouragement to hold onto as we fight for the rights of so many people.

Nuns on the Bus & Friends was a boost of energy and belief in the power of people who come together in search of the common good. From coast to coast, we were welcomed into neighborhoods and communities. We witnessed the resurrection of a community when meeting with the Resurrected Community Development Foundation in Allentown, PA; celebrated liturgy and broke bread with the community in Cleveland at Blessed Trinity Parish; learned from NETWORK’s Coston Fellows at the Town Hall in Milwaukee, WI; and walked along the Border with Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, AZ.

No matter where we were, we heard about the struggle to ensure that all people—no matter their country of origin, faith tradition, economic status, age, or gender—have what they need to thrive. We learned about people who saw a need and did all they could to meet that need in their communities.

Sometimes it included feeding people out of the trunk of their car; other times it involved launching an internet service provider to ensure that neighbors had access to the internet.

Everywhere we went, we heard stories about people seeing a need and meeting a need. This was the gift of the Bus – to give us enough hope, joy, and courage to hold onto as we head into this upcoming year.

As we all know, less than a month after the Bus ended, a stark reality descended upon us. Our fight for thriving communities, for an Economy for All, will be much more difficult.

Make no mistake: the next four years will be difficult and filled with challenges. But we cannot let ourselves lose focus.

We cannot let ourselves be swayed by angry rhetoric that attempts to divide us by demonizing so many members of our communities: immigrants, people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and those who depend on life-saving programs like SNAP, WIC, and Medicaid.

Nuns on the Bus & Friends riders visit the National Chavez Center.

These are times that will require us to dig deep, to root ourselves in our communities across the country, to hold onto hope and joy, and to continue the fight for equality and justice.

We must work together to create a country where all people are welcomed; where all people are seen as created in the image of God; and where all people have what they need to thrive.

As we begin 2025, we may find it easy to think about giving up hope and to throw in the proverbial towel. We must reflect on the words of the Prayer of the Farm Workers’ Struggle, so that we can “let the spirit flourish and grow so that we will never tire of the struggle.”

For some of us, that means we cannot allow our privileges of being safe from deportation or discrimination of any kind to lead us into complacency. With a renewed commitment, we must be led into authentic solidarity with our neighbors, our communities, our cities, and our country.

This story was published in the Quarter 1 2025 issue of Connection.

NETWORK Condemns Unconstitutional and Malicious Policies, Destruction of Federal Government Under President Trump and Elon Musk

Joan F. Neal
February 11, 2025

Call Congress to stop the illegal and cruel actions of President Trump and unelected billionaire Elon Musk

Visit this page to see what you could say on your call: https://networklobby.org/actnow/

Recent actions by the Trump administration during its first three weeks in office, enabling Elon Musk’s attempt to shut down and dismantle key parts of the federal government, fire federal employees, stop federal funding, and shred hard fought civil protections for all of us, amount to an unconstitutional and illegal power grab. “These actions violate protections in our Constitution and founding documents, Catholic social justice teaching, religious freedom, and the dignity of the human person,” said Joan F. Neal, Interim Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. She added that all Catholics, indeed all people across the country, should oppose this Administration and these actions. Her full statement follows:

Catholics believe in the God-given dignity of each person, the right and responsibility of every person to participate in society, and justice as the definition of right relationship between all people, God, and God’s creation. The illegal and cruel actions by Elon Musk, an unelected private citizen, violate our basic democratic principles, the rights of We The People and the Constitutional power of Congress.

They foster injustice and tear apart the fabric of our society. His unfettered access to the internal functions of the federal government and his attempts to destroy it from within are absolute threats to our freedoms and the rule of law, principles that make our country what it is – a democratic republic of the people, by the people, and for the people. Government by autocracy and oligarchy is diametrically opposed to the ideals of a more just, inclusive, and pluralist country.

All of us must take action together against such attempts to erode the very foundations of our democracy.

From attempts to defund Medicaid, SNAP, Meals on Wheels, and other vital programs that working families and vulnerable people depend on every day, to dehumanizing attacks on immigrants at schools, churches, and hospitals, to shutting down USAID and firing its personnel, we are a nation under siege by the unchecked power of the richest man on the planet and an Administration that is more concerned with punishing its enemies than lowering the price of eggs and gas for ordinary people.

Joan F. Neal, NETWORK Interim Executive Director

These actions should give us all pause and motivate all of us, no matter our religion, political party, or station in life, to oppose this Administration’s attempts to dismantle our democracy. No one voted for a king or for rule by an unelected band of billionaires.

History, including U.S. history, is filled with examples of brave everyday people coming together, organizing and resisting efforts by governments to destroy their freedom and safety. Now it is our turn to do the same. Now is the time to take action against this direct attack on our democracy. Now is the time to call our members of Congress and tell them to resist the unconstitutional, illegal, and immoral actions of this Administration. Now is the time for all of us to come together, hold our leaders accountable, organize for justice, and say, “Not this time! Not in our country! Not on our watch!”

Together, we can shine the light of truth and lead the way to a more just, inclusive, and promising future where everyone thrives, no exception.

Honoring Black History Month: Immigration is a Civil Rights Issue

Honoring Black History Month

Immigration is a Civil Rights Issue

Black History Month isn’t just about the past—it’s about fighting for justice today. Immigration is often overlooked in these conversations, but the struggle against nativism and xenophobia is deeply tied to the Black freedom movement. From restrictive immigration policies to the mistreatment of Haitian migrants, we see how racism shapes who is welcomed and who is excluded.

In this powerful reflection, Adam Russell Taylor, President of Sojourners, reminds us that a just and humane immigration system is essential to the fight for civil rights. If we believe in justice for all, we must challenge the policies and attitudes that harm immigrant communities.

Watch the video below, and join us in action!☀️

Want to dive deeper into the systemic inequalities that keep racial and economic justice out of reach for so many? Sign up for our Racial Wealth and Income Gap workshops to learn how we can take action together! Sign up here.

Honoring Black History Month: Advocating for Workers’ Rights

Honoring Black History Month

Advocating for Workers’ Rights

Black History Month is a time to honor the resilience, leadership, and contributions of Black activists, labor leaders, and faith-driven advocates who have fought for justice and human dignity. From the Civil Rights Movement to today’s ongoing struggles for economic and racial justice, Black leaders have shown us the power of collective action in the fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and policies that uplift communities.

At NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, we recognize that this legacy calls us to action. As people of faith, we are called to uphold the dignity of work and ensure that every person—regardless of race, background, or economic status—has access to the protections and resources they need to thrive.

This Black History Month, our Government Relations Fellow, Ralph McCloud, reflects on how our faith compels us to advocate for worker protections and human needs programs. Too often, workers—especially Black and Brown workers—face systemic barriers to fair wages, paid leave, and safe workplaces. As Catholics committed to social justice, we must continue to push for policies that protect workers, dismantle economic inequities, and promote the common good.

Watch the video below to hear Ralph’s powerful reflection, and join us in taking action. Justice is not just a historical movement—it is a present and urgent call. ✊☀️

Want to dive deeper into the systemic inequalities that keep racial and economic justice out of reach for so many? Sign up for our Racial Wealth and Income Gap workshops to learn how we can take action together! Sign up here.

Immigration Policy in the 2nd Trump Presidency

President Trump’s first days in office were filled with a flurry of executive orders targeted not only the safety of our immigrant siblings, but the time-honored U.S. asylum and legal immigration process. Content, which is available at the links below, is accurate as of January 22, 2025.

NETWORK has categorized the Executive orders into four categories:

The entering of refugees and people seeking asylum
Birthright citizenship
Rescinding earlier executive orders
Enforcement, detention, and deportation (This is the executive order category that most concerns NETWORK).

Below are summaries of the Enforcement, detention, and deportation executive orders. You can see more complete analysis on our sister site, networkadvocates.org.

EO action	NETWORK analysis	Known legal challenge
Expands expedited removal	Expands Homeland Security (DHS) application of expedited removal, or the government’s power to quickly “remove” someone from the U.S. without due process. Previously, ICE and CBP were authorized to arrest and remove people within 100 miles of the border, within 14 days of their arrival. This EO allows for the deportation of any noncitizen found anywhere in the United States who cannot prove to the satisfaction of a U.S. ICE agent that they have been in the country for more than two years, unless they can prove credible fear of persecution. Expedited removal is being enforced immediately, but there are no reports of arrests as of Jan. 23.	ACLU filed suit. No hearing set.
Freezes funding for NGOs	Paused federal funding to organizations that support immigrants in “any way.” The Administration directed an immediate review and audit of all contracts with such organizations and will terminate any contract if found guilty of “fraud.” This would impact faith-based organizations like Catholic Charities and Annunciation House. Effective immediately, many organization’s funds have been suspended. However, we have yet to hear of organizations being asked to provide documentation or dates for audit.
Criminalizes aid	Organizations and individuals who support or shelter immigrants may be held criminally liable for supporting “invasion.” Not in effect immediately.
Increases funds for U.S. detention centers	No impact immediately.
Designates cartels as terrorist groups	This could impact churches and faith leaders who work with immigrants across the border and who cross the border to work with immigrants in Mexico. This is effective immediately but there is no impact as of Jan. 24.
Allows ICE and CBP officers into sensitive and sacred locations	The Trump administration rescinded the Sensitive Locations Memo, which for many years protected churches, hospitals, and schools from invasion by ICE and CBP officers seeking to arrest undocumented people. This is effective immediately. We have not heard reports of any arrests or raids except for instances of ICE “visiting” churches–not for prayerful purposes, and making no arrests. NETWORK has Know Your Rights guidance for Immigrants to help you know what to do if ICE or CBP approach.	Filed. No hearing set
Allows ICE and CPB in judicial areas	The Judicial Locations memo was rescinded, ending the policy of keeping public spaces inside or outside courtrooms free of ICE and CBP. Now, all judicial areas, except judicial chambers, are subject to ICE or CBP activity. Effective immediately. No impact reports yet.
Ends sanctuary cities	The federal government will now condition state and city funding on their cooperation with ICE and CBP. This is effective immediately, but the impact will be felt later when funding cycles come up or if there is a natural disaster. No litigation yet.

You can see more at our sister site, Network Advocates

Everyone in the U.S. has Constitutional rights, including including immigrants, with or without a document status. It is important that all of understand your rights if you are approached by law enforcement. NETWORK has created Know Your Rights one-pagers for this purpose. Click to download:

Know Your Rights for Immigrants – Bilingual One-pager
Know Your Rights for Immigrants – One Pager English
Conozca Sus Derechos – Half page Espanol
Know Your Rights for Immigrants – Half-pager English

Where Do We Go Now?

From Sadness and Fear to Community and Hope

Joan F. Neal
January 30, 2025

Joan F. Neal is NETWORK’s Interim Executive Director.

It has always been true in our country — and reflected in our experience at NETWORK — that our greatest strength is in our communities, especially our grassroots friends, neighbors, and families. We were inspired and overwhelmed with gratitude at every stop of the Nuns on the Bus & Friends “Vote Our Future” tour last fall, with the good people and the good work we encountered along the way.

In the wake of the outcome of the recent federal election, we now know these neighborhoods, parishes, local service agencies, and mutual aid networks will be even more important in the years ahead. The incoming administration’s agenda will likely prove disastrous for many of the places we visited. They have promised to slash funding for communities who rely on federal housing, food, and health care programs. The president-elect promised mass deportations of our neighbors, violent repression of our Constitutional freedom to protest, retribution against political opponents, and so much more. This agenda threatens to destroy rather than support our communities.

For many people this is the cause of great fear, grief, disappointment, and even anger. Sadly, Catholics played a consequential role in the outcome of the Presidential election. Exit polls reported that, despite Catholic teaching and Gospel values, 61% of white Catholics voted for Donald Trump and 58% of all Catholics voted for him, an increase in Catholic support compared to 2020, when 50% of Catholics voted for him. This support carried him to victory. On the other hand, according to a National Catholic Reporter poll in seven battleground states, nearly 7 out of 10 Hispanic Catholics and more than 80% of Black Catholics supported Kamala Harris.

Beneath these numbers lie deep-seated beliefs and attitudes. In the PRRI American Values survey, 61% of white Catholics canvassed agreed that “immigrants should be kept in armed camps,” a view that directly contradicts the Catholic teaching about welcoming our immigrant neighbors. This is a systematic failure of catechesis when so many purported followers of Jesus are unable to look beyond a small handful of wedge issues to see how their views and their vote are disconnected from the common good and our shared humanity.

We justice-seekers have some choices to make. We can surrender, or we can speak out and resist every attempt to curtail our freedoms, deepen our country’s corrosive wealth gap, push people to the margins of our society or out of our country altogether, and demonize anyone who disagrees.

We can use our vote, our voice, our values, and our agency to defend our inclusive community, our way of governing ourselves, our principles, our respect for truth and the integrity of our faith, the dignity of all people, and the sacredness of creation. We can be the change we want to see in our neighborhoods, our country, and our communities of faith. But it will take affirmative and consistent resistance to do it.

At NETWORK, we will be joining our coalition partners — faith-based and secular — to stop bad federal legislation and to support positive policies wherever possible. We will mobilize our grassroots members and supporters to lobby their Congressional Representatives and Senators to pass legislation that promotes the common good. We will call out nefarious tactics and promote opportunities for good legislation to pass. We will hold our elected officials accountable at every opportunity.

What we need is to gather our collective courage and move forward, in community, toward the future we all want. As people of faith, we must reactivate our call to civic discipleship — to join in partnership with our brothers and sisters and continue with fervor our quest to protect, preserve, and promote our democracy and the freedoms that only democracy affords its people. Now is a time for unity and affirmative resistance.

But this sort of work requires hope. And there, Pope Francis has provided us with the perfect opportunity. He has announced a worldwide Jubilee Year of Hope, beginning December 24, 2024, and ending January 6, 2026. “[B]y looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision…the forthcoming Jubilee…can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire.”

We must use hope as our strategy to overcome the sorrow of today and carry us into the light of tomorrow. As Catholics and people of faith, we know God has not abandoned us. Even in the face of the abyss, all things are possible. So join us as we go forward in hope and faith toward the Beloved Community and a new day in our country and in the church.

This story was published in the Quarter 1 2025 issue of Connection.

Take Action After the January 2025 First 100 Days Strategy and Action Webinar

The First 100 Days

Strategy & action for the 2nd Trump Administration and the 119th Congress

Take Action

Join with Advocates! Visit your Representative’s local (district) office.

Download the webinar slides here!

Social Media Toolkit

DOWNLOAD

TAKE ACTION!

Make a visit to the district office of your Member of Congress with NETWORK materials.

How to Visit Your Representatives Local Office

During the House January Recess (Jan. 27-31), NETWORK advocates across the country are visiting their Representatives’ in-district offices to share information about NETWORK and our 2025 Legislative Priorities. You don’t have to be a policy expert to participate. This is a quick, relationship-building activity that is focused on values. We hope you will join us!

Making the most of your visit to your Representative’s in-district office
Whether your Representative is brand-new to Congress or has been serving your district for 20 years, it’s important for you to build a relationship with the staff in their in-district offices and tell them about NETWORK and our policy priorities. In-district staff are members of your community, and getting to know them and demonstrating that you care about your district is your first step to building or strengthening your relationship with your Member of Congress.

While this visit is not a formal lobby visit, it is an effective way to introduce yourself and NETWORK to the in-district staff—and increase your chances of getting a meeting with your Representative the next time they’re home. Here are some tips for having a successful visit:

Confirm the office’s location and hours. Depending on the size of your district, your Representative may have one or several offices, and their addresses and phone numbers will be listed on their official house.gov website. Call ahead to confirm the location and find out what days and times you can visit. If you’re going in a group, make sure that everyone knows what time you’re visiting the office.

Important Note: While we are hoping for the visits to take place during January Recess, we also recognize that newly elected officials may not have all their in- district offices set up yet. If your local office isn’t open yet, please maintain communication and visit as soon as you’re able. It’s crucial for new Members of Congress to meet you and learn about NETWORK!

Connect with other local advocates: There is power in numbers! If other NETWORK advocates from your district sign-up to participate, we will do our best to get you all connected. We also encourage you to think about who in your personal network you could invite to join you in your advocacy!

Prepare your materials. In addition to the About NETWORK handout and NETWORK’s 2025 Legislative Priorities, you will also want to include a brief cover letter and make it clear that these materials are for the Representative and the District Director. In your letter, be sure to name that you’re a constituent and what town/neighborhood you live in, and include affiliations such as your parish or community, ministry or workplace, or where you volunteer.

Prepare for your conversation. While this will most likely not be a long meeting, it’s important to think about what you will say. You will of course want to introduce yourself, NETWORK, and our 2025 Legislative Agenda; and if you’re going with a group, make sure that everyone briefly introduces themselves, and you can divide up what you are going to say. Remember: as this is a relationship-building meeting, it’s important to keep the tone friendly and respectful. This is not a time to debate policy. Also, please stick to the policies outlined on NETWORK’s 2025 Legislative Priorities; our Government Relations team has done the analysis, and we know that these are the first issues that the House is going to tackle through the budget reconciliation process. We also want to make sure that the staff understand who NETWORK is and what we work on.

This is also a time to gather important information about the office and your Representative. Here are some things you should learn during your visit:

The names and emails of the District Director and Scheduler. This is key for scheduling future lobby visits!

How you sign up for your Representative’s newsletter

If your Representative is having any public events for constituents, such as town halls, virtual or in-person, in the next few months

Be flexible during your visit. As this is not a formally scheduled lobby visit, you will most likely not know who you are going to meet when you go to the office. Since the House is on recess, you may actually get a few minutes to chat with your Representative. However, it’s more likely that you’ll speak with a District Director or someone in constituent services. Remember that not everyone in an in-district office deals with policy, so you may have to adjust how much you speak about NETWORK’s 2025 Legislative Agenda. Regardless of who you meet with, this is still an important first step to building a relationship with your Representative.

Finishing touch and follow-up. If they’re available, be sure to get business cards for the District Director and Scheduler. Also, sign up for the Representative’s newsletter. And—just like you would for a lobby visit—a day or two after your visit, email the District Director and attach the About NETWORK and the 2025 Legislative Priorities documents to the email. If you met with them, of course thank them for their time. If you didn’t, simply let them know that you dropped by the office and that you’re looking forward to meeting with them in the future.

Follow-up with NETWORK. As you know, we here at NETWORK love to see you in action. Please send us photos of you visiting the office, and, if it’s appropriate, include the person that you met with—especially if you do get a few moments with your Representative! About a week after January Recess, we will be sending out a report-back form so that we can collect information. Please take time to fill out the form!

2025 Legislative Priorities - District Office Leave-Behind

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What’s the Real Reason for High Grocery Prices?

Food prices are unaffordable! What’s going on, and what can we do?

Check out our food prices one-pager here!

Sr. Emily TeKolste, SP
August 30, 2024

Sr. Emily TeKolste, SP, is NETWORK’s Grassroots Mobilization Coordinator.

No matter how old we are, where we live, or what’s in our wallets, every one of us has a right to be free from hunger. It’s a matter of our dignity. Grounded in the teaching and tradition of Catholic Social Justice, NETWORK believes that all of us—especially our children and elderly—have an essential right to good, basic nutrition.

As we all have noticed, grocery prices have skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic. But even after the crisis of the pandemic has subsided, and even as inflation has dropped off in recent months, grocery prices remain high. With food prices up roughly 20% in the last two years, too many of us are struggling to feed ourselves and our families.

Why are our grocery prices so high?

We hear all sorts of explanations for food inflation, but none of them explain why big food corporations keep raising their prices.

So, what is actually behind the continuing rise in food prices? The simple fact is that a few big agribusiness executives are lining their pockets at our expense. Economists estimate that, by mid-2022, 53% of the increase in food prices was the direct result of corporate profiteering. Workers’ wage increases accounted for less than 8%.

While we’re struggling to feed our families…

- - Big corporations made $2.5 trillion in profits in 2021 alone, their most profitable year since 1950—and corporate food executives still raised prices.
    - Tyson Foods made profits of $11 billion, up 48% from 2021.
    - Cargill, a huge commodities corporation, posted $5 billion in 2021 profits.
    - General Mills posted profit increases of 97% in early 2022, as it increased its prices by 53%.
    - PepsiCo raised prices for drinks and snacks by 17%, while its profits grew by 20%.
    - Coca-Cola’s corporate profits grew by 14%.

- - At the same time, food industry CEO salaries became even more bloated, averaging $22 million in 2022—almost 1,000 times the average food worker’s earnings.

- - All this time, a few mega-corporations controlled the food industry, all but eliminating real competition, and driving out smaller businesses.
    - Cargill and three other firms control 70% of the world’s food market.
    - Just four supermarket chains control 65% of the nation’s food retailers.

But you won’t hear big food executives and the politicians they buy mention these realities. Some Republican lawmakers like to blame inflation on the Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies — even though those policies help us afford our groceries. They blame the tax, unemployment, and rental assistance lifelines that got struggling families through the pandemic, and they blame new programs that build well-paying jobs, safely fix our roads and bridges, and give us clean air and energy. They blame these programs to distract us — because they would rather keep corporate profits high than fund the things that actually help us feed our families. They know it, and we know it!

What can we do?

The president alone cannot control inflation. President Biden has no authority to unilaterally issue orders to lower food prices, and a few lawmakers in Congress have blocked meaningful Congressional action.

Advocates at NETWORK’s “Care Not Cuts” rally in Long Island last year. From left to right: Fr Frank Pizzarelli, Sr. Tesa Fitzgerald, Angel Reyes, Serena Martin-Liguori, Monique Fitzgerald

But we can demand better! Together, we will ensure that Congress supports affordable, nutritious food for us and our communities.

As a multi-issue voter, you can ask your elected officials and the candidates on your ballot:

1. Will they ensure that freedom from hunger is an essential right for all of us by fully funding food assistance programs, including:

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including its Thrifty Food Plan that protects SNAP benefits from rising food inflation?
School lunches, elderly meals, soup kitchens, and food banks?
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which offers basic nutrition for pregnant people, new parents, and babies?

2. Will they stop rewarding the executives of mega-corporations and their wealthy shareholders at the expense of ordinary workers and their families by:

Reversing excessive Trump administration’s 2017 tax bill benefits for big corporations?
Imposing needed measures to curb excessive CEO and executive compensation packages for profiteering companies?
Making the tax system fair for workers and their families, with stronger tax credits for children, childcare, and earned income?

3. Will they push the Federal Trade Commission to put the brakes on the monopolization in big agribusiness and protect small farmers and sellers?

Vote Our Future logo And then, of course, VOTE! Head to NETWORK’s Be a Voter page to check your voter registration status, find your voting information, make a voting plan, and tell your family and friends to vote, too!

Together, we will make Freedom from Hunger a reality for all of us, no exceptions! We will ensure that our nation’s food industry isn’t about feeding corporate profits, but about feeding our communities.

See NETWORK’s Food Prices One-Pager Here:

YALL Food Prices One-Pager FINAL

Sources

Head to these links to learn more about the real reasons for rising food costs:

https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2023/january/complex-supply-chains-bottlenecks-and-inflation

https://time.com/6139127/u-s-food-prices-monopoly/

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inflation-is-cooling-the-gop-wants-you-to-remember-its-up-179-since-biden-took-office-152408852.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/23/us/politics/republicans-inflation-federal-reserve-powell.html

https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/06/politics/inflation-gop-fact-check/index.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/errolschweizer/2022/05/10/how-windfall-profits-have-supercharged-food-inflation/

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What’s the Real Reason for High Grocery Prices?

Food prices are unaffordable! What’s going on, and what can we do?

Sr. Emily TeKolste, SP August 30, 2024

Why are our grocery prices so high?

What can we do?

See NETWORK’s Food Prices One-Pager Here:

Sources

Joan F. Neal
February 11, 2025

Joan F. Neal
January 30, 2025

Sr. Emily TeKolste, SP
August 30, 2024