Addressing the Broken Immigration System

The Ohio Bishops call upon Congress to address our nation’s broken immigration system through comprehensive reform that improves security and creates more legal and transparent paths to immigration. See their letter on immigration and migration here.

From Catholic Climate Covenant

The best way to influence your representatives is to meet with them. Join this webinar on Thursday, April 20, from 2 to 3pm (Eastern) to hear how you can influence your legislator through constituent visits and other strategies, for the protection of our common home and future. (The webinar will be recorded and sent to all who register).

Register here: Raising Our Moral Voice: Legislative Advocacy Training, Thursday, April 20, 2017, 2-3pm (Eastern).

From Global Catholic Climate Movement

Earth Day is April 22 and Mercy Sunday is April 23. Check out this list of 30 Acts of Mercy for our Common Home to give you some “simple daily gestures” you can do to show mercy to our Earth.

First Friday Fast – Peace Around the World

The DSP Peace and Nonviolence Committee invites you to fast the First Friday of each month for peace around the world. Please join us this Friday, April 7. As we prepare to enter into the sacred mysteries of Holy Week, let us pause and reflect on our Lenten journey up to this point. If we have not been as faithful in prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as when we began this journey, let us make a renewed effort to truly walk in Jesus’ footsteps this coming week.

Let us look carefully at the issues that are put before us and see how we can respond, eg, the issue of our immigrants. All they want is a better life for themselves and their families. How can we justify separating children from their parents if the parents are not criminals? Pray, call, or write your elected officials about this injustice.

“One cannot level one’s moral lance at every evil in the universe. There are just too many of them. But you can do something, and the difference between doing something and doing nothing is everything.” ~ Daniel Berrigan

Creation Care Guide

Read the Diocese of Columbus Creation Care Guide. Dominican Sisters of Peace Rose Ann Van Buren and Marguerite Chandler are on the Diocese of Columbus Creation Care Team and helped create this great resource.

Preparing for Earth Day

Catholic Climate Movement is offering this exam in preparation for Earth Day on April 22.

Pizza & Ponder

Last week, our Immigration Reform Committee partnered with Ohio Dominican University Campus Ministry to host “Pizza and Ponder,” an event that brought together Sisters, Associates, faculty, staff and students to watch a film on immigration and discuss the issue together, while enjoying pizza. Checkout photos from the event.

President’s New Executive Order

Click here for information on the President’s new executive order on climate change and find multiple actions you can take.

Catholic Climate Covenant – Educational Program

Access free educational programs from Catholic Climate Covenant for parishes, schools, and congregations to celebrate Earth Day on April 22.

First 100 Days Calendar

The Congregation of St. Joseph is offering the 1st 100 Days Calendar. Click here for April 1- 15.

Action Alert from the Sierra Club

The Trump administration recently approved the presidential permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. Sign a petition urging the Nebraska Public Service Commission to block the Keystone XL pipeline once and for all.

From the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR)

Thanks to your emails, calls, visits and actions the House failed to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and millions of Americans will continue to receive health care. If your Representative pledged to vote no: Thank her/him and tell your Representative you support upholding the gains the ACA has made for coverage and care. Find their local office number here, or call the Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.

Sample Script:
My name is __________I’m a (Catholic sister and/or constituent). I view access to health care as a moral issue. I had serious concerns about the impact the AHCA would have had on access to health care, particularly for the most vulnerable. The bill would have made insurance unaffordable for many Americans struggling to make ends meet, and many would have lost coverage. I believe that the AHCA was not the faithful way forward, and I am grateful that Representative ____ showed the courage to oppose it. Thanks you for listening to the concerns of so many in your district.

10 Commandments of Affordable Healthcare

NETWORK has created the Ten Commandments of Affordable Healthcare – see the commandments!

Justice Conference

Peace & Justice Promoter Kelly Litt recently participated in the Justice Conference of Women Religious March 5-7 in Chicago. Learn more about what was presented at the conference in an article from Global Sisters Report.

CHA Opposes American Health Care Act

Catholic Health Association (CHA) opposes the American Health Care Act and has alerted the ministry about the legislation’s harmful cuts to Medicaid and other changes in the insurance market that will make coverage unaffordable for vulnerable populations. If you haven’t already contacted your senators and representatives, a sample letter to Congress and background materials is still available on e-Advocacy.

Join the Peacemaker Corps

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is currently accepting applications for its Peacemaker Corps. Do you know someone who may be interested in building partnerships to transform violence and oppression? Learn more…

Action Alert – Oppose Federally Mandated Concealed Carry

Find your US Senators along with their contact information.

Call and urge them to oppose Federally Mandated Concealed Carry (S446). This bill would force our state to recognize permits on who can carry hidden, loaded guns from all 50 states, without regard to local gun laws. This is a serious overreach and encroachment on states’ rights and backed up by the corporate gun lobby, who consistently seek profits of gun manufacturers over the lives of Americans.

Here is a sample call script: “Hi, I’m a constituent urging the Senator to oppose S446, the Federally Mandated Concealed Carry bill. This bill is an unacceptable proposal backed by the corporate gun lobby and would threaten our state’s ability to make our own laws about who can carry hidden, loaded handguns in public. My name is _______ and my hometown is _______.”

From Interfaith Power and Light

Click here to oppose the proposal by Enbridge to increase the volume of tar sands oil coming into the US via the Alberta Clipper Pipeline.