Rallying for a Vote
Oct 16, 2024
NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus & Friends — a Catholic advocacy group that tours the country, speaking with people about social justice issues — stopped in Brentwood at the Sisters of St. Joseph property earlier this month to rally multi-issue voters ahead of the presidential election.
“I’m riding this bus because I understand that we are multifaceted people who do not vote for just one single issue; we’re multi-issue voters,” said Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal denomination.
“I’m riding this bus as an act of solidarity,” she continued. “I’m tired of the division in America. I’m tired of the kind of rhetoric that some politicians share that suggests that not all of God’s children are welcome. This is an act of solidarity that is an antidote to that toxicity that seeks to divide us and seeks to leave some of God’s children out of democracy.”
Vote Our Future
The Oct. 2 event was the fourth stop amongst 25 on the tour, which started Sept. 30 in Philadelphia and is set to end this Friday, Oct. 18, in San Francisco.
This year’s tour — the eighth since its conception, and the first physical one in six years — is themed “Vote Our Future.” In Brentwood, the Nuns & Friends called on attendees this election season to help protect the freedoms necessary for a future where all can thrive.
“We’re here representing everyone,” S. Tesa Fitzgerald ’64, CSJ, president of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, said at the rally. “Nuns on the Bus and the work of NETWORK have been a source of inspiration, hope and truth for all of us over the years. And now, as we stand at the threshold of the 2024 election, NETWORK’s fullhearted efforts to engage people of goodwill in multi-issue voting is crucial.”
The event showcased New Hour, a nonprofit organization housed by the Sisters that offers support to current and formerly incarcerated women, as well as their children and families.
“New Hour is a shining example that when we bring God’s great love to one another, to all of God’s creation, nothing is too marvelous for God,” said S. Erin McDonald, CSJ, one of the riders on the bus.
The Many Ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph
The event also celebrated all the ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph, such as the Long Island Immigration Clinic and the Refugee Resettlement Program — just two of many — which touch on social justice issues relevant to voters.
“Here in our Brentwood Campus, the needs of our dear neighbor are recognized, valued, and acted upon with compassion, vision, and inclusive love,” S. Tesa said. “When we exercise our right to vote, which is an honor and responsibility that should never be taken lightly, we support all the good work that’s done here on our campus, and also by the religious communities gathered here today, to raise up and be a voice for the poor and the marginalized in our world.”
Updates from the Road
S. Janet Kinney, CSJ, director of the Long Island Immigration Clinic at the Sisters of St. Joseph Brentwood Campus, joined the Nuns on the Bus tour on Oct. 8 from Chicago. She shared photos and details as she continued on the tour, which you can check out below.
On Oct. 8, we gathered for a Town Hall at the “Old” Saint Patrick’s Church in downtown Chicago, where a full auditorium of concerned Chicagoans met to discuss the issues most important to them. Presenters included Faith Partners Rev. Adam Taylor, the CEO and Editor of Sojourners magazine and Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune, COO of the National Council of Churches, USA.
The final rally for week two took place at Dominican University’s satellite campus. Presenter Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia of the 4th district of Illinois said, “My social justice values are deeply connected to my faith and upbringing as a Catholic. That’s why I joined Nuns on the Bus & Friends, to reaffirm our commitment to the right to seek asylum, as well as health care, climate, economic and racial justice.”
Sisters convened to celebrate 12 years of NOTB. A joyous night of reconnecting with Sisters from across the country ensued! S. Simone Campbell, the former Executive Director of NETWORK, was able to be with us to share stories of how NOTB came to be after the Vatican had opened its apostolic investigation into American Sisters, singling out NETWORK for the work it was doing.
On Oct. 11, we said goodbye to the bus in Chicago, blessing our bus driver on his way…26 hours of driving, while we fly to Tucson! Oct. 11 and 12, new ‘nuns and friends’ flew in.
On Sunday, Oct. 13, we began anew, traveling to the border and Nogales, where we will visit the Kino Border Initiative.
At one of our stops in Tucson, AZ, we met Alicia, a community organizer for Corazon Arizona. Alicia spoke about the needs of her community and her fears as we face this year’s election. After Alicia signed the bus, she turned to the Sisters & Friends, with tears in her eyes, and asked us to pray for herself, her family, and her community. It was a profound moment.
What is most touching as we travel is the sincere desire of everyday Americans to make our country a better place. Many express concern for our democracy and its survival – all dependent on who we elect this November. Let us continue to lift each other’s hopes and dreams up as we journey these last weeks to Election Day. We are each other’s HOPE as we “Vote Our Future.”
We visited an ice cream shop in Phoenix called La Flor de Michoacan, where we did an impromptu rally. The owner prides herself on bringing “a little of home” to her Latino neighbors.
On Tuesday, the Nuns & Friends had a remarkable visit to Three Square, the largest food bank distribution site in southern Nevada. They serve nearly 350,000 food-insecure people in their communities. The center is most concerned about cuts to SNAP and WIC programs and are lobbying to pass a Farm Bill that supports nutrition programs for children and seniors. Who we elect in November will have a significant effect on their work.
Wednesday’s highlight was visiting the farm workers at the United Farm Workers in Keene, California, which is an expansive campus that includes their offices, educational center, the late Caesar and Helen Chavez’ home, and the burial site for both in a beautiful setting. Caesar’s grandson, Andres, gave us a history of the worker movement and personal insights into his grandfather’s life and legacy. It is now a national park, one of only three Latin national parks in the country.
Nuns on the Bus & Friends is winding down – but not our spirits!
Thursday we had a fantastic visit to Notre Dame High School in San Jose, a 640-student all girls academy. During the rally, students and bus riders (I was one of them) spoke about the freedoms that we hold dear. Four students spoke about the school’s efforts to work toward better mental health care, environmental efforts, nonviolence, and care for the homeless.
We had the opportunity to visit with Mission Action, which opened both the first HIV/AIDS Hospice in the 1980s (Cohen Residence) and the first shelter that welcomed LGBTQIA and gender fluid individuals (Jazzie’s Place) in the country. After a guided walk through the streets of the Mission area of San Francisco, we concluded our visit with a Press conference, at which residents of these programs spoke.
On to Marina Green in the heart of San Francisco we then went, which overlooks the Golden Gate Bridge. Here we held the closing rally, which was also live-streamed. Ana Garcia-Ashley, a community organizer and ‘friend’ on the Bus, gave a rousing call to action to the students of Ignatius High School and all present, imploring everyone to vote and get others to vote, for candidates who will assure for the future of our democracy and give HOPE to the youth of our country who ARE our Future.