In response to the recent military action in Venezuela, LCWR offers the following action steps for congregations and individual Sisters who want to show their support for our brothers and sisters in this troubled country.
1. Support Local Efforts
Identify organizations in your local community that are supporting Venezuelans in the United States. Your local Catholic Charities office may be a helpful place to begin.
2. Stay Informed
Commit time each day to reading or listening to reputable news sources so that you are well-informed and able to engage thoughtfully in conversation, advocacy, and decision-making. Deep listening and careful discernment are essential to our moral witness.
3. Advocate with Congress
Write to your members of Congress to express your concerns about:
- Appropriations for military action
- The humanitarian crisis resulting from misuse of power
- The overreach of the executive branch in authorizing force without congressional approval
The current federal budget has only been approved through January 30, making this a particularly critical time to communicate with the legislative branch. Letters sent to the LCWR National Office will be delivered weekly throughout January, guaranteeing their arrival at the offices of your legislators.
4. Pray Publicly and Communally
Look for opportunities to participate in or organize prayer vigils on behalf of the Venezuelan people. You are also invited to join LCWR congregations participating in 100 Days of Prayer and Advocacy, continuing through Sunday, January 11.
5. Join the LCWR 24-Hour Prayer Vigil
Consider joining the 24-Hour LCWR Prayer Vigil on Monday, January 19, honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Together we will pray for nonviolent responses to aggression in our world—and within our own hearts.
Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88345486734
Additional Resource
Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns offers timely background and advocacy tools:
https://maryknollogc.org/action/take-action-to-stop-a-war-on-venezuela/
As we reflected in LCWR’s Response to These Times, this moment calls us to remain informed, to listen deeply, and to engage in serious discernment — so that our choices do not contribute to fear, division, or violence, but instead witness to hope, love, and moral courage for the sake of the world."
For more information on LCWR’s project to deliver letters to Congress, click here.
Thank you, I have already written re: as I have fist-hand experience of damage drugs have done to our young men population in prison. But also don’t much trust the motive and reason behind the “overtaking” of these countries and territories …… especially who is to be in control of the ‘oil money’?