Sink or Climb

The Closer We Get to God, the Closer We Get to One Another

Sr. Erin Zubal, OSU

June 23, 2026

Earlier this year, my fellow Ohioan and Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance said of the direction of our country: “You don’t turn the Titanic around overnight.” 

I believe the term for this is “telling on yourself.” After all, watching the direction of our country over the last year and a half has certainly produced “that sinking feeling.” It should remind all of us that, in times such as these, we should seek authentic spiritual grounding, caring community, and meaningful, Spirit-filled action. 

For many Catholics, spiritual grounding in large part can mean tapping into the Gospel via the “new Pentecost” of the Second Vatican Council. The reception of the council in this country sparked the founding of NETWORK with Pope Paul VI declaring involvement in politics a “constitutive dimension” of spreading the Gospel. 

We must also hold each other close in community. Vatican II urged us to form bonds of relationship and cooperation with all believers. NETWORK carries this forward as well in our ministry as we educate, organize, and lobby for social, economic, and racial justice and equity in our world. 

Growing up in the Midwest, I witnessed these values lived out a different way. When Catholics got involved in politics, it was to champion one or two issues that made it very easy for them to see themselves as naturally fitting in with a political agenda. And the most visible witness of Catholics joining with other Christians was to lobby for those same issues, whether in local marches or by the busload in Washington, D.C. 

Now many Catholics—including our Vice President—cheer on the Trump administration as masked and hooded figures terrify and murder people in the street in broad daylight; gut access to affordable health care and food for millions of people; defy the last two popes; and mock the values of charity, justice, mercy, humility, and practically every other sign of Christ lived out in the world. 

I am rarely hopeless; it is not how I am wired. But lately, even I have questioned what the future holds and how will we, as a country, be able to right the ship. 

 

In ecumenical dialogues, there’s a famous image of a mountain with Jesus at the top and different Christian denominations scaling up the sides. The closer we get to the top, the closer we are to one another. With the divisive politics of our country, we might question if our fellow believers and Americans have sunk to the bottom of the mountain — or are perhaps scaling another mountain altogether, one of cultural dominance, Christian nationalism, and earthly power. 

As we strive for political accountability, an end to the horrors of oppression and inequity, and a future reflective of the common good, we too must be grounded in our source of unity, peace, and universal belonging. There’s no way around the challenges that face us in this country, but we can go up. We must go up. 

When we embrace the idea of scaling a holy mountain rather than succumb to the despairing image of a sinking ship, we equip ourselves for the justice journey ahead. When we draw nearer to the God who sustains us, we can call with confidence on the gifts of the Spirit who fills our hearts and guides our actions. 

Sr. Erin Zubal, OSU,  is an Ursuline Sister of Cleveland and NETWORK’s Chief of Staff. This column originally appeared in the Quarter 2 2026 issue of NETWORK’s Connection magazine.