We arrived at the Old Courthouse in South Bend welcomed by a wonderful group of people whose umbrellas were being put to good use because of the rain pouring down. 

Sister Robbie Pentecost, OSF led the group in a welcoming prayer and message of gratitude for those who waited so long for the bus to arrive.

Jessica Brock, a former NETWORK staff member spoke about the focus of NETWORK and the importance of NETWORK’s mission in the reality in which we find ourselves.  Her message stressed the importance of working together for the sake of the common good and understanding that the Constitution says “We The People.” She believes that we need to operate out of that value, rather than as individuals looking after ourselves.

Cheryl Ashe, from Faith in St. Joseph’s County, shared her story of her struggles with asthma and the need for her to have affordable health insurance.  It is important to cover pre-existing conditions, but she said, there needs to be some regulation on the amount that insurance companies can charge for premiums.

Cassie Walker-Sleman a mother who advocates with Little Lobbyists shared the story of her 4-year-old son Bruce who was born prematurely. Bruce’s life depends on therapy and prescriptions that would be unaffordable for her family without access to affordable healthcare.

Sister Simone underscored the importance of voting and reminded all who had gathered  that we need to hold our representatives accountable since we are the constituents who put them in office.

Father Ed Reutz sent us off with a moving blessing and prayer for the continuing work of the Nuns on the Bus in making the Gospel message a reality in our world.

When we arrived to our Town Hall for Tax Justice in East Lansing, the gymnasium was full of very enthusiastic supporters of Nuns on the Bus. There were members of a number of congregations in the East Lansing area and a number of denominations.  There were some who traveled from as far away as Kalamazoo, and others from near-by communities. 

We presented our Nuns on the Bus explanation of the economic inequality in our society, showing how it will only be made worse by the new tax law passed in 2017.  The responses of the group brought forward some ideas that had not expressed in other sessions.  During the discussion time, a number of “problems” the policy causes in Michigan included: the increase of violence, fear, and poor education for our children.  Solutions included the necessity to vote and help get out the vote, and the need to diminish the military budget.

Our message of Tax Justice was very well received and the participants in East Lansing were enthusiastic and creative in their responses about how to work for the common good.

From the outside, St. Sabina’s looks like any other church built early in the century. That, however, quickly changes the minute you walk through the doors. Your eyes are immediately drawn to a huge picture of a Black Jesus with his hands outstretched in welcome behind the altar. This church is all about preaching Christ’s message and living out His gospel values, and anyone who knows St. Sabina’s will attest to that fact.

Hospitable, smiling and hopeful faces welcomed us into this space and the tone of the evening was set by the youth choir who lifted up their voices and spirits in a beautiful rendition of Glory by Common. This song was particularly meaningful and appropriate as it was written for the movie “Selma.”

The struggle against oppressive structures and policies still continues many years after Selma. The poor are getting poorer, as elected officials choose to reward themselves and their cronies by creating policies that benefit themselves and them only. 

The people who attended the Nuns on the Bus Town Hall in Chicago are tired of the status quo and are wiling to work for change. This commitment was apparent as the audience represented people from different Chicago neighborhoods, but also a woman who had flown in from New York specifically to attend the event. A Sister had returned to Chicago early from a visit home to Cincinnati in order to participate in the gathering. Women and men had given their week night to come, learn, and share about how concerned citizens can unite to restore justice, hope and morality in their society.

The Republican tax bill and its ensuing effects are sinful, immoral, and reprehensible. Tp begin, today the lowest earners in the U.S. are in a worse-off position than they were 36 years ago. The rich have gotten richer while the majority of the nations inhabitants are teetering on the verge of poverty. 

Martin Luther King reminds us that, “Capitalism does not permit an even flow of economic resources. With this system, a small privileged few are rich beyond conscience, and almost all others are doomed to be poor at some level. That’s the way the system works. And since we know that the system will not change the rules, we are going to have to change the system.” This is the reason why the Nuns are on the Bus and this is why everyone eligible to vote must do so, and then hold their elected officials accountable for the rest of their time in office. 

View additional photos from this event here.