Category Archives: Spirit Filled Network

Pope Francis Voter Tour Update: Cristo Rey Community Center Site Visit

Pope Francis Voter Tour Update: Cristo Rey Community Center Site Visit

Gina Kelley
October 13, 2022

During this year’s Pope Francis Voter Tour, NETWORK came to Lansing, Michigan to visit the Cristo Rey Community Center. Members of NETWORK’s East Lansing Advocates Team have been volunteering with this incredible direct service provider and when they heard NETWORK would be traveling ahead of this year’s upcoming election, they recommended a stop at Cristo Rey.

Early in the morning, NETWORK was greeted by Joe Garcia, CEO of Cristo Rey, who welcomed us and provided a rich overview of Cristo Rey’s more than 50-year history of  service to the community.

Originally, Cristo Rey came together to support immigrant communities traveling to Michigan in search of agricultural work and the center helped families find housing, settle down, and commune as neighbors. Over time the need has changed and Cristo Rey Community Center has become an integral support for all those in Lansing experiencing poverty.

A revamped school building now houses a family health center, counseling services, a community kitchen, food pantry, community clothing closet, financial literacy support, personal hygiene and care supplies, and even a steady supply of diapers, infant formula, and other infant needs.

While containing all these services under one roof may seem overwhelming, it removes a huge accessibility barrier for many folks who rely on public transit to receive these necessary supports. With a bus stop directly outside the community center, folks without cars can reach this wide range of services all in one place.

As we toured this facility, asking questions about the community they have created as a staff and the community they serve, we were continually amazed by the breadth and depth of work. In the face of insurmountable challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and other current events, Cristo Rey has remained dedicated to providing service with dignity.

A few of the highlights shared with us about the service they provide:

  • Over 18,000 hot meals provided to Afghan refugees in the last year
  • Nearly all patients are either Medicare/Medicaid recipients or uninsured
  • All patients receive at least a 30-minute appointment, in English or Spanish, and are given the utmost attention and care
  • Community Kitchen serves over 26,000 hot meals a year
  • Distribute approximately 4,000 containers of baby formula and 63,000 diapers

This site visit was a beautiful stop on the Pope Francis Voter Tour and a reminder of the importance of working for federal policies that advance racial, economic, and social justice. To be in community with those who are pushed to the margins by our systems and structures and experiencing poverty is critical to our advocacy efforts at NETWORK. The need for affordable housing, accessible health care, and the ability to put food on the table every week are basic needs that every person should have and yet, due to systemic failures, we have amazing people like the staff and volunteers at Cristo Rey who are called to fill in the gaps left behind by our policies.

We hope everyone will keep these issues in mind when they vote in this midterm election and every election after. Being a multi-issue voter and committing to consistent advocacy for the issues that impact all of us is sacred work.

We are so thankful Cristo Rey opened their doors and welcomed us to learn about their community and the services they provide with such dignity. To support their efforts, you can see their wish lists for donated items here as well as their donation page.

RSVP for upcoming Pope Francis Voter Tour events here, including site visits in Toledo on Monday, October 17; Cleveland on Tuesday, October 18, and Cincinnati on Wednesday, October 19. All site visits will also be livestreamed.

Whether or not you’re able to attend a Pope Francis Voter Tour event, be sure to take the Pope Francis Voter pledge to join us this election season and beyond!

Equally Sacred Checklist - text graphic

Download and Share the Equally Sacred Checklist

The Equally Sacred Checklist is Here!

October 25, 2022
Available Now: Download the Equally Sacred Checklist

How can we know that we are voting for candidates who promote the common good? Pope Francis has given clear instructions for how Catholics and all people of good will are to position ourselves and prioritize social issues.

In his writing and speaking, Pope Francis makes it clear: abortion is not the only issue that matters. Catholics are called to be multi-issue voters in the 2022 midterm elections and in our continued participation in public life. Use the Equally Sacred Checklist as a guide to reflect on the concerns that Pope Francis says are “equally sacred” to the defense of the unborn.

Share the Equally Sacred Checklist with your friends, family, fellow activists, and faith community members.  

Check out these sources to learn more about what Pope Francis says:

Go to more election resources, including nonpartisan Senate side-by-sides

Pope Francis Voter Tour Takes Toledo!

The Pope Francis Voter Tour Takes Toledo!

Colin Martinez-Longmore
October 26, 2022

The Pope Francis Voter tour made a stop in Toledo Ohio, where we took a few days to get some much needed rest and recharge before another week of political ministry.

Our site visit for Toledo was at the Center of Hope Family Services, a family-led nonprofit organization that provides a vast array of programs and services for both youth and adults in the community. We arrived on a cloudy Monday morning and were greeted warmly by Dr. Tracee Perryman, the CEO and Co-Founder of the Center of Hope. Dr. Perryman gave us a tour of the Center’s facility that is in the process of expanding. The impressive facility includes offices, meeting spaces, a direct service and programming area, and even a recording studio! After our tour, we all sat down in their conference room to hear more about the ways the Center of Hope has been a positive change agent for the community.

The Center of Hope Family Services has been serving youths, adults and families in Toledo for 25 years. It started from Center of Hope Community Baptist Church, and thanks to its success and growth, it was able to expand into its own 501©-3 nonprofit. One of the wonderful services we learned about was their court advocacy services that helped countless young people navigate the often-complex and daunting juvenile justice system. We also learned about their ELEVATE program which serves local students from grades K-4 who are at risk for academic failure. The program was such a success that it was expanded into a published curriculum, outlining an eight month afterschool education program that helps children thrive.

After our visit, we held a Speak out in their lobby to a small group of NETWORK supporters and members, and our broader online audience. Dr. Michael Carter, a pastor, community leader and an Elevate parent who has had his children involved in the program, was a featured speaker. He shared his experience about how the ELEVATE program has benefitted his son through their homework assistance program and even some at-home cooking classes that taught him how to cook quiche and dump cakes!

Organizations like the Center of Hope Family Services are inspiring for their innovation and unwavering commitment to underserved communities. We see the Pope Francis Voter spirit alive in their efforts as they tackle the multiple issues affecting their communities. If you are interested in supporting their organization, we encourage you to visit their website: https://www.cohfs.org/

The Pope Francis Voter Tour Visits the University of Detroit Mercy

The Pope Francis Voter Tour Visits the University of Detroit Mercy

Colin Martinez-Longmore
October 25, 2022

The Pope Francis Voter Tour made its first college stop in Detroit at the University of Detroit Mercy. UDM is a Catholic school sponsored by both the Jesuits and the Sisters of Mercy, serving over 5,000 students all throughout the metro Detroit area. The student body is diverse and vibrant, which provided a wonderful atmosphere of interfaith and ecumenical encounters during our time there.

We connected with the University Ministry for our visit, specifically with Sr. Erin McDonald, CSJ, who was our gracious host and collaborator for our events. Sr. Erin is a social worker and serves as the University Minister for Service and Justice, where she is in charge of building community relationships, as well as programming various service and social justice opportunities. Together, we planned to bring our Becoming Pope Francis Voters workshop to the students, to help mobilize and encourage young voters of faith to do the work of being multi-issue voters during the midterm elections!

Our day began with a bit of tabling at the University Library. We set up shop near the entrance, and began to have conversations with some of the students who were walking by. Using our website Turbovote link, we were able to help students check their voter registration status and register themselves if needed. We also shared some NETWORK resources, like our Equally Sacred Checklist, and invited them to join us for our workshop that evening. And since no tabling is complete without some fun goodies, we gave away lots of Halloween candy as well.

Later that evening, we moved over to the university’s beautifully designed Loranger Architecture Building, where we hosted our workshop. There were about 20 students who participated in the interactive workshop, where we talked about what it means to be a Pope Francis Voter. The room buzzed with conversation during the breakout small group sessions and we heard honest reflections from a few students about their hopes for the midterm elections and beyond.

It was a blessing to be able to spend time with the University of Detroit Mercy community. We’re grateful to Sr. Erin McDonald, CSJ, the University Ministry and all of the students who joined us in doing the work to build a multi-racial and inclusive democracy.

This Saturday: White Supremacy and American Christianity

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Earlier this year, thousands of justice-seekers joined us to hear from experts working at the intersection of religion and race — Fr. Bryan Massingale, Robert P. Jones, and Dr. Marcia Chatelain.

Join us this Saturday as Fr. Bryan Massingale and Robert P. Jones return to speak with NETWORK for a follow-up conversation on white supremacy and American Christianity, this time in light of the upcoming midterm elections. Together, we’ll continue learning about the intersection of white supremacy and American Christianity, with a focus on our politics.

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White Supremacy and American Christianity
Saturday, October 29, 2022 | 12:30-2:00 PM Eastern

This event will take place on Zoom.
Co-Sponsored by the National Black Sisters’ Conference

Register and invite your friends and family!

 

Meet Our Speakers

Fr. Bryan Massingale, Robert P. Jones, Joan F. Neal headshots

Robert P. Jones is the President and Founder of PRRI, and author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity. Robert P. Jones speaks and writes regularly on politics, culture, and religion in national media outlets including CNN, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and others.

Fr. Bryan Massingale is the James and Nancy Buckman Professor of Theological and Social Ethics, as well as the Senior Ethics Fellow in Fordham’s Center for Ethics Education and author of Racial Justice and the Catholic Church. Fr. Massingale is a noted authority on social and racial justice issues, particularly in Catholic spaces.

Joan F. Neal is the Deputy Executive Director and Chief Equity Officer at NETWORK where she shares overall leadership of the organization and leads strategic planning and racial equity and justice transformation work. Joan F. Neal is an experienced organizational leader and an authority on the intersection of faith, justice, and federal policymaking.

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It's time to address, repent and repair for the original sin of slavery and the racist laws and policies that followed

Now Is the Time to Address, Repent, and Repair

Now Is the Time to Address, Repent, and Repair

Joan Neal, Deputy Executive Director & Chief Equity Officer
June 17, 2022

On Juneteenth, we honor and observe those in Galveston, Texas who were the last to receive the news that all enslaved people were now free. As important as it is for Juneteenth to be a national holiday, this national commemoration must be paired with support for policies that name and address the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow that continue to this day. To ignore our country’s sin of legalized chattel slavery, to pretend that it did not exist, or that it is no longer relevant to modern life, is to be in complete denial. 

Joan Neal, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Deputy Executive Director and Chief Equity Officer, contributed open remarks for NETWORK’s recent H.R.40 Webinar. Watch below.

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/xEnSe5cPo68?t=530″ width=”360″ height=”300″ title=”Now Is Time to Address, Repent, and Repair”]

Slavery happened. Black human beings were put in chains, in bondage, and in indentured servitude, for more than 200 years. It is a part of America’s history and we must start by telling the truth about it. Especially, people of faith, for whom honesty and truth-telling are values.  Scripture and our religious tradition tell us you cannot be truly free of sin unless you admit that you have sinned, make a firm determination to sin no more, and, make restitution for what was lost.  The sin is not forgiven until all parties are whole again.  As a country, as a people, we cannot move beyond this evil until and unless the country tells the truth about our history and takes responsibility for the wrong it has done to a group of its own citizens.   

The question of reparations for slavery has been on the table in this country for two centuries.  Even though the 13th Amendment ended legal slavery in the United States in 1865, the residual bondage of African-Americans has continued even to this day.  The ideology of white supremacy not only persisted, it found ways to morph chattel slavery into second-class citizenship through laws, structures, systems and cultural traditions at every level of our society.  Enough is enough! 

More than four hundred years of racist policies, laws and practices have deprived African-Americans of equal access to participation in the cultural, political, social and economic life of this country. And the Catholic Church not only condoned this evil, but participated in it. The global Catholic Church supported the Atlantic Slave Trade starting with the Doctrine of Discovery, which appears in the 1455 Papal Bull of Pope Nicholas V, authorizing the enslavement of African people in the pursuit of new territory for Portugal and Spain. In the United States, many religious orders including the Jesuits, as well as individual Bishops, dioceses and churches, embraced enslavement, Jim Crow laws, and other forms of discrimination and racism.   

The Catholic Church gave slave ownership moral absolution and enthusiastic acceptance.  Moreover, centuries of racist violence, like what we saw in Charleston, South Carolina and Buffalo, New York, and oppression, like the many states where voter suppression laws are being passed to depress the Black vote, continue to be incompatible with and contradictory to the Christian call to love one another as we love ourselves and to live in right relationship.   

It is time to confess, to repent, and to repair. The harmful legacy of white supremacy and the enduring racial wealth gap must no longer deny Black people good health, educational and economic outcomes.   

How do faith teachings call us to respond?  What is our moral responsibility in the face of this history as well as the ongoing impact of the legacy of slavery?   

As Catholics and as followers of Christ, our faith calls us to be in solidarity with all who have been or are marginalized and to act for what is right and just. That means in this case, if you are white, to fearlessly tell the truth about white supremacy, racial injustice and lack of equity in our society in order to diminish the impact of historical and contemporary racism in today’s political, social and economic systems, frameworks and institutions. It means that you courageously face up to the original sin of this country, renounce it once and for all, and do all in your power to repair the damage that has been done to your neighbor. It means that you take responsibility for the sins of the past, repair the wrongs done in this day and time, and ensure that the sins of your ancestors are not visited upon your children, your neighbor’s children or their children’s children or anyone in the future.   

The prophet Micah told us what God expects of us– ‘to do justice, to love mercy and walk humbly with God.’  Now is the time for the United States to ‘do justice’ for African-Americans.  Individual reparations programs, like that of the Jesuits, are commendable but they are not enough.  We need a national reparation program that achieves a meaningful closing of the wealth gap between Black and white Americans, now estimated to be $11 trillion.   

That is why we, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, support establishing a federal commission to study reparations, either by passing H.R.40 through Congress, or through an executive order from the Biden-Harris administration. This will take the first step forward to do justice with mercy.  

Now is the time. Now is the time to take the step forward, to say no more evading responsibility, no more denying the truth of the past, no more refusing to repair the wrong.  Catholic teaching is clear: Our entire national community must move forward together toward reparatory justice so we can become that beloved community we envision.   

Now is the time to address, repent, and repair. This Juneteenth, 157 years after that momentous day in Galveston, may our reflections on the symbolic importance of this anniversary move us to action.  

“Time for a Renewed Commitment to the Common Good”

“Time for a Renewed Commitment to the Common Good”

Joan F. Neal Speaks on Catholic Panel on Protecting Democracy
October 18, 2022

Joan F. Neal, NETWORK Deputy Executive Director and Chief Equity Officer, spoke on a panel last week organized by Faith in Public Life, Protecting Democracy & Voting Rights: A Conversation with Catholic Activists.

Joan spoke with fellow Catholic activists Jeanné Lewis, CEO of Faith In Public Life; José-Arnulfo Cabrera, Co-Executive Director of Programs and Policy at the Young Latino Network; Milton Javier Bravo, Vice President for Mission, Values and Inclusion at Edgewood College; and Sr. Bridget Bearss, Associate Director for Transformative Justice, Leadership Conference Of Women Religious. The panel was moderated by John Gehring, Catholic Program Director at Faith in Public Life.

As we approach midterm elections, the dangerous and unjust effects of racist voting restrictions and suppression tactics are as clear and urgent as ever. Joan and her fellow panelists discussed how their faith compels them to act—and how Catholics can take action to uphold voting rights and promote democracy. As Pope Francis says, “Democracy requires participation and involvement on the part of all.”

National Catholic Reporter covered the event, quoting Joan:

“As Catholics, we are called to be multi-issue voters,” Neal said. “Whatever else you do, make sure that you vote.”

Missed the event? No problem! You can watch the conversation here:

Be a Multi-Issue Voter, a Pope Francis Voter and Improve Our Economy, Reduce Racism, and Safeguard Freedoms

Be a Multi-Issue Voter and Be a Pope Francis Voter. Sign Up to Learn How!

Election Workshops Teach You How to Be a Pope Francis Voter and Transform Politics!

Are you a multi-issue voter who is ready to be a Pope Francis Voter and build toward a multi-racial, inclusive democracy? Not sure what that means, but interested in how you can connect your faith, Catholic Social Justice, and voting? Then “Transform Our Politics! Becoming a Pope Francis Voter,” a virtual three-part election workshop series, is for you!

Each week, you will explore one of NETWORK’s Cornerstones to Build Our Country Anew: Dismantling Systemic Racism, Cultivating Inclusive Community, and Rooting Our Economy in Solidarity. The vision and skills you’ll acquire will help you during this election season and beyond. Download the Build Anew Agenda.

Your vote is your voice! Prepare with NETWORK staff to be a multi-issue Pope Francis Voter and transform our politics! We hope to see you at each 90-minute workshop. Session will be recorded.

Workshop I: Dismantle Systemic Racism

Learn how single-issue voting can be a cover for racism, nationalism, and extremism. Key policies that have begun to dismantle systemic racism in the U.S will be highlighted, and we’ll explore more that needs to happen.

Message training will help you take what you’ve learned into conversation with friends and family. Election season can complicate relationships, and so can talk of dismantling racism. NETWORK staff will model how you can use effective messaging to engage in transformative conversations.

Mon., Sept. 12, NOON Eastern/9:00 AM Pacific

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Wed., Sept. 14, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific

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Workshop II: Cultivate Inclusive Community

Explore your understanding of ‘inclusive community’ and break open the Catholic case for democracy. Some assert that inclusive communities create division and foster animosity toward people outside of the group.

NETWORK staff will show how inclusive communities are not exclusionary and are the polar opposite of White Christian Nationalism. We will envision how we can be part of creating a multi-racial, inclusive democracy this election season.

Mon., Sept. 19, NOON Eastern/9:00 AM Pacific

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Wed., Sept. 21, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific

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Workshop III: Root Our Economy in Solidarity

Learn about policies that address the racial wealth and income gap so that everyone has the economic stability needed to thrive. NETWORK staff will help you practice promoting these policies with the people in your life.

Engage in a discussion on the power and benefits of cross-cultural relationships and understanding to build racial solidarity. This must happen to bring NETWORK’s Build Anew Agenda into existence so we can build an economy of inclusion that values people and planet over profit. Participants will also learn how storytelling plays a role in transformative conversations.

Mon., Sept. 26, NOON Eastern/9:00 AM Pacific

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Wed., Sept. 28, 7:00 PM Eastern/4:00 PM Pacific

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A good Catholic meddles in politics -- Pope Francishe best of hiself, so that those who

Catholics Speak Out for Democracy and Our Freedoms

Add your name to this important statement from Faith in Public Life, the Sisters of Mercy, the National Black Sisters’ Conference, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, the Franciscan Action Network, and Catholic scholars and leaders across the country.

Catholics Speak Out for Democracy and Our Freedoms

As Catholic social justice leaders, sisters, clergy, theologians and Catholic university presidents, we are compelled to speak out at a time when democracy and the future of our nation’s freedoms are threatened by powerful interests.

White Christian nationalism —  an ideology heretical to authentic faith — represents a clear and present danger to building a multi-faith, multiracial democracy. Testimony and evidence from Congressional hearings on the violent insurrection against our country last January 6th have only strengthened our urgency to confront attacks against the principle that voters choose our leaders in free and peaceful elections.

We are increasingly alarmed by the signs of the times. Threats of political violence and dehumanizing rhetoric toward elected officials have increased in recent years.The Supreme Court, which in 2013 dismantled key provisions of the landmark Voting Rights Act, will in its upcoming term hear a case that experts warn could empower gerrymandered partisan legislatures to override the will of the voters in the 2024 elections. Lawmakers in states across the country have passed dozens of laws, many based on completely false political premises, specifically designed to make voting more difficult. These laws disproportionately impact Black and Brown citizens — a shameful echo of our country’s ugly history of racial discrimination.

Catholics must not be silent in the face of growing threats to voters, fair elections and democratic principles.

Our faith tradition teaches that every person deserves equal access to participate fully in our democracy. Pope Francis has said that “democracy requires participation and involvement on the part of all.” The Second Vatican Council declared in Gaudium et Spes: “It is in full accord with human nature that juridical political structures should, with ever better success and without any discrimination, afford all their citizens the chance to participate freely and actively in establishing the constitutional bases of a political community, governing the state, determining the scope and purpose of various institutions, and choosing leaders.”

Powerful institutions and political leaders are working to rig the system and erect racially discriminatory obstacles to voting and full participation in American life. Voter suppression is a sin and silence is complicity. The struggle to ensure our government represents and serves all regardless of color, class or creed is a defining moral challenge of our time. We urge our elected officials in Congress and in state legislatures, especially our fellow Catholics, to support legislation that protects and strengthens the freedom to vote without barriers or interference.

Democracies are fragile. In recent years, this timeless truth has been shown in stark ways as demagogues and nationalists in the United States and around the world have attacked the very existence of pluralistic societies. It’s now time for a renewed commitment to the common good that makes full, equal participation in political life a moral priority.

This action alert is now closed. Thank you for your participation!

People cast their votes for federal democracy reform as part of NETWORK’s “Team Democracy” events across the country in 2021. Voting rights, which have come under threat at the state level since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, are a key component of NETWORK’s efforts to defend democracy.

The Faith-Filled Push To Save Democracy

The Faith-Filled Push To Save Democracy

A Stark Choice of Futures Faces Voters in 2022
Melissa Cedillo
October 7, 2022
People cast their votes for federal democracy reform as part of NETWORK’s “Team Democracy” events across the country in 2021. Voting rights, which have come under threat at the state level since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, are a key component of NETWORK’s efforts to defend democracy.

People cast their votes for federal democracy reform as part of NETWORK’s “Team Democracy” events across the country in 2021. Voting rights, which have come under threat at the state level since the U.S. Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, are a key component of NETWORK’s efforts to defend democracy.

Upholding a democracy is a daunting task this year. According to the elections data website FiveThirtyEight, 195 out of 529 GOP nominees on the ballot this year “fully denied” the outcome of the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Dozens of others “raised questions” or accepted the results “with reservations.” Only 71 respondents say they accept the results fully.

As statistics like these surface the vulnerability and fragility of the system, faith groups in Washington and around the country are attuned to the moral urgency that this moment requires.

As the 2022 midterm elections grow closer, the NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice is just one entity among this patchwork of organizations, interfaith coalitions, and campaigns are coming together to respond to election deniers, Christian nationalism, and all the forces that currently threaten democracy in the U.S.

A Particular Threat

Anthea Butler, chair of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania

Anthea Butler

Anthea Butler, chair of the department of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania and a historian of African-American and U.S. religion, notes that one of the long lasting threats to democracy continues to be Christian nationalism. Butler has written and studied the intersection of race, religion, history, and politics extensively. In her book “White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America,” she outlines the long history of Christian Nationalism and racism in the U.S.

“The first thing to understand about a lot of Christian nationalists is that they don’t want democracy,” Butler says. “Because at [Christian nationalism’s] core, it really wants to set up God’s law, rather than the Constitution, as an operating document for what this country is supposed to be.”

Butler says this form of nationalism poses a threat not only to people who immigrated to the country to flee religious persecution, but also to Christians who do not follow the same political beliefs. Denying the separation of church and state, ignoring the fact that many people who are not Christian live in the U.S., or simply not taking the outcome of the 2020 election seriously are some of the ways Christian nationalism erodes the foundation of a country that celebrates religious freedom.

One group responding to the threat of Christian nationalism is the Center for Faith, Justice, and Reconciliation.

Sabrina Dent of the Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation

Sabrina Dent

“The ideology that is being promoted by a small group of people that identify as Christians that causes great harm and moral injuries to the community as a whole,” explains Sabrina E. Dent, president of the center.

The center is a community of scholars, faith leaders, organizers, and citizens working to expand the idea of religious freedom in the U.S. The center also works to put on educational programming. The center has worked on immigration issues, LGTBQ+ issues, reproductive health issues, voting rights, environmental issues, criminal justice issues, church and state issues, and voting rights. Whenever the center feels that there is a justice issue, especially when looking at racial and religious minorities, they are willing to speak up and support these groups.

“A lot of our work is done in collaboration with other groups as well because, like I say all the time, this is not work that we could do by ourselves, “ Dent explains.

The Range of Issues

Others, including NETWORK, also see the work of protecting democracy as extending to other freedoms, especially voting rights. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia, himself a Baptist minister, has explained the political as a way to embrace the dignity of all of humanity in his case for expanding voting rights.

“There is no question that voting rights is a moral issue. I have often said that democracy in a real sense is the political enactment of a spiritual idea. This notion that each of us is a child of God, and therefore we ought to have a vote and a voice in the direction of our country and our destiny within it,” Warnock told NPR at the beginning of the year.

“If we don’t have democracy in this country, all human rights in this country are going to be denigrated. We need to fight for democracy,” says Barbara Hazelett, a member of NETWORK’s Virginia Advocates team.

Her group attends public town halls to make comments about justice issues like paid family leave or eliminating practices like solitary confinement. She has attended the local events to hand out leaflets on different topics and talk about state legislation with Virginians. She has also traveled to Washington to advocate for bills.

The comprehensive nature of this work, focusing across a range of issues, exposes a friction that is especially prevalent in Catholic circles, the issue of single-issue voting. Pope Francis, in his 2018 letter Gaudete Et Exsultate, spoke against this approach when he spoke of poverty and human life issues as being “equally sacred” to one another.

He revisited this rhetoric in a June 2020 general audience, in which he noted that “we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life.”

Min. Christian S. Watkins, government relations advocate at NETWORK, is quick to tie the work of defending democracy to the hyper-racialized rhetoric happening in the U.S. The risk that poses to a healthy democracy is that it continues to feed racist policies that only benefit a few and which intentionally suppress others, especially Black and Brown people. In other words, the system has to live up to its own ideals to protect it in the future.

For the structure of democracy in the U.S. to be authentic, says Watkins, it must include the people that have historically been — and continue to be — left out of democracy: “We have to realize our common bonds, our mutual experiences, our interconnectedness.”