Catholic Spirituality and the Election
Catholic Spirituality and the Election
A group of over two-hundred people from various Catholic organizations and parishes in the St. Louis area gathered over breakfast to hear Simone Campbell, SSS, Executive Director, NETWORK, this past February. Simone, an attorney experienced in public policy and advocacy for systemic change, lobbies on issues of peace building and economic justice in Washington D.C.Simon’s presentation was inspirational as well as practical, calling us to “wake up and claim our country back” from a complacent government that lacks accomplishment. Grassroots begin as “We the People” recognize the power we hold to demand our government solve the problems of the day. It is also appropriate since Vatican II, that “We the People” are also Church, as our spiritual leaders are just as important as our political leaders. As grassroots people, we remain confident the Spirit of God is working, no matter the issue and culture, and that each person attending to the crying needs of this world does so in the name of Christ. The challenge left for us, “how do we talk across all the issues?”
“We hope we are on the edge of waking up…and not just electing a person for our country but a leader for our world.”
To that end, NETWORK plans to convene a broad cross section of Catholic organizations at a Convention for the Common Good in Philadelphia, July 11th to 13th, 2008. The goal is to claim back the best of our country’s idealism and demand that elected leaders resolve the most pressing needs of our times in the light of Catholic Social Tradition. Between now and the Convention, NETWORK invites religious congregations and laity to work in small groups across the nation to wrestle with the aching needs of our time and what can be done about them. At the Convention, a platform for the common good will be adopted as well as a Declaration of Interdependence that will be signed by religious communities and used to ensure that politicians address the most pressing issues.
On November 4th, we turn out to vote; on November 5th, we begin holding our elected officials accountable, demanding that both parties be different.
Some of the “crying needs” that came to light during the discussion were: white privilege; unequal distribution of wealth north Americans not relating to the crisis of other countries; how the Church can better respond to the human family; climate change; education; ending the Iraq war; trafficking; addressing the politics of taxation to fund programs for the needy; and the rights of workers to organize.
Submitted by Gale Thackrey, Justice Ministry Coordinator
For more information on this or other justice issues and events, please email Gale at gthackrey@fsmonline.org.