Every year the US Conference of Catholic Bishops holds a “Catholic Social Ministry Gathering” (CSMG) to pray, learn, and advocate together on issues important to Catholics. In 2020 the in-person CSMG drew 649. This year the conference was conducted virtually and was attended by 992 delegates; 22 were from North Carolina.
The goal of this four-day event is to gather Catholic leaders together to pray, connect, learn, and act on pressing current domestic and global challenges affecting our most vulnerable brothers and sisters at home and around the world. With plenary speakers, a variety of breakout workshops, liturgies, and interactive discussions, there was much to take in.
The gathering concluded with attendees making virtual visits to Capitol Hill to meet with their senators and Congress people to address issues of concerns in our fight for justice. “When we speak to our elected officials, we speak as missionary disciples, as followers of Jesus Christ,” said Archbishop Gomez, the President of the USCCB, in the closing message to the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering.
On February 9, Deacon Josh Klickman, the Human Life and Dignity Minister for the Diocese of Raleigh, led the NC delegation on two separate virtual meetings with the offices of Senators Burr and Tillis to discuss the items on this year’s agenda. The meetings went well and started with basic discussions about promoting human life and dignity. Deacon Josh thanked the senators for their support for life and stated that “Catholics affirm the American belief that the government cannot limit life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The delegates then spoke from their experience about the issues taken as one Catholic voice to Congress at the start of 2020.
First, Catherine Pleil of Immaculate Conception, Durham, and Mary Ellen McGuire of St. Thomas More, Chapel Hill, asked that additional COVID-19 relief address people’s need for food, housing, health care, employment and income support and safety in prisons and detention facilities.
Then Marguerite Demarse of St. Michael the Archangel in Cary and Matthew Irwin of the Newman Center at UNC-Chapel Hill asked that there be an increase in funding for international poverty-reducing development and humanitarian programs in fiscal year 2022 appropriations to save lives, address the root causes of conflicts, and reduce crushing poverty.
Next, CSMG veteran and St. Francis of Assisi minister Becky Cawley and Deacon Luis Royo of St. Thomas More asked that there be bipartisan immigrant reform that gives a path to citizenship to the undocumented, address root causes, protect farmworkers, upholds the rule of law, and restores due process for asylum seekers.
The staff from the offices of senators asked questions, voiced support on the points where there was agreement and thanked the delegates for sharing their views.
The meetings wrapped up with a summary and a thanks for the work that the senators have done affirming life and a closing statement to keep in mind that these three issues are instrumental in achieving global security and peace, as Pope St Paul VI said, “If you want peace, work for justice.”