Our blog and our Facebook page are one in the same. We encourage you to read the feed below and follow us. That way, you can always see what we’re up to and it’ll be that much easier to stay in touch.
From Kim Griggs, RCWP Western Region: ![]()
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As many of you may have seen already, Women's Ordination Conference created a recent campaign that calls for the Vatican and Pope Francis to stop criminalizing God's call to women. They are encouraging everyone to sign the petition, and we would like to help them in their campaign that resists the patriarchal heirarchy's criminalization of women's ordination. ![]()
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We ask that you join us in:![]()
1. Reading and signing the petition at www.womensordination.org/pope-francis-stop-criminalizing-gods-call/. ![]()
2. Posting the link to the petition to your personal facebook and social media accounts. ![]()
3. Sending an email or letter to your local bishop, explaining why you are signing the petition and why you care about uplifting women's ordination. ![]()
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WOC's campaign comes in the wake of the Vatican affirming the harsh punishments for people ordaining women and women-ordained. RCWP can join WOC in spreading a message of the evident, empowering, and flourishing embodiments of Christ through women-priests. God's call should not be criminalized.
Pope Francis: Stop Criminalizing God's Call - Women's Ordination Conference
www.womensordination.org
Dear Pope Francis, Your recent codification of the “crime” of ordaining a woman is nothing less than an attempt to criminalize God’s call. This effort is theologically unsound and incompatible with our common understanding of God’s boundless creativity, power, and mercy. The new canon 1379...
A note from Phil Owen, SideWalk Executive Director: ![]()
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March of last year heralded a frightening and lonely time for us all. It impacted people experiencing homelessness in a fierce way. Restaurants and retail shops closed. Windows were boarded up. Pedestrians disappeared from the sidewalks. People experiencing homelessness witnessed the world disappear.![]()
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Answering to the closure of critical services for our most vulnerable neighbors, SideWalk mounted a response. We doubled our operating hours. We set up a bank of phones and computers for people to use for accessing services. We converted our backyard to a day center. We worked quickly to create a remote system for our volunteers to provide housing services. And finally, our hard-working team of housing case managers continued to provide wrap-around services to those with the greatest need.![]()
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Despite all the challenges that a global pandemic brought us, SideWalk helped 226 people safely move off the streets and into homes in 2020.![]()
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I'd personally like to thank our community partners, fellow social service providers, and donors. We owe you an enormous debt of gratitude for the outpouring of support that allowed us to expand services.![]()
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And to our amazing volunteers, interns, and staff, thank you for seeing us through these difficult times. You persevered. You served others with more dedication and compassion than humanly possible. ![]()
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In service and with deep gratitude...Phil
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RESCHEDULED: Honest Conversations on Racism (Now on June 16)
us02web.zoom.us
Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Honest Conversations on Racism (Rescheduled). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Sunday: CTA Metro NY is pleased to welcome Lincoln Cochrane to speak about the Tulsa Race Massacre and its historical significance today, 100 years later.
The Tulsa Race Massacre: 100 Years Later
www.eventbrite.com
Lincoln Cochrane, a leader in Black Wall Street Alliance, will speak about the historical significance of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Pope Francis: Stop Criminalizing God's Call - Women's Ordination Conference
www.womensordination.org
Dear Pope Francis, Your recent codification of the “crime” of ordaining a woman is nothing less than an attempt to criminalize God’s call. This effort is theologically unsound and incompatible with our common understanding of God’s boundless creativity, power, and mercy. The new canon 1379...
www.todaysamericancatholic.org
The author, activist, and pastor shares her vision for the future of the Catholic Church.
Interfaith Works is hosting a Summer Camp for children Grades 2 - 6 from July 26-30. For more information, please see the link below.
www.interfaith-works.org
Join us for 2021 Faith Explorations, an Interfaith Works Summer Camp, July 26-30, 2021.
tonight:
www.dignityusa.org
In March, the Vatican released a statement saying that the Catholic Church could offer no blessings to the same-sex couples. While disappointing, we know that millions of Catholics all over the globe already support, affirm and bless LGBTQI individuals and couples couples with their care. True ble...
www.womensordination.org
Pope Francis’ June 1 changes to the Code of Canon Law (Book VI) on offenses and punishments fail to correct the mischaracterization of the “grave crime” of women following their authentic vocations to ordained ministry. While not new, the revised canon 1379 is a painful reminder of the Vatican...
Urge Your Senators to Pass The George Floyd Justice Policing Act!
actionnetwork.org
On this anniversary of the murder of George Floyd, we continue to cry Black Lives Matter! Since the death of George Floyd, according to Mapping Police Violence at least 1,068 people have died at the hands of the police in the United States. Racial disparities persist at alarming rates. Black people....
Laudato Si’ Week 2021: Everything you need to know - Laudato Si Week
laudatosiweek.org
Laudato Si’ Week 2021: Everything you need to know, who is speaking, where, and how you can participate and watch on YouTube.
bridgetmarys.blogspot.com
people-2577925_1920 c.jpg (Pixabay/StockSnap) An international group of theologians and scholars released an academic statement on May 4...
Celebrate Pride Month. Bless LGBTQI People.
www.dignityusa.org
Add Your Name to the Catholic Pride Blessing In March, the Vatican released a statement saying that the Catholic Church could offer no blessings to the same-sex couples. While this statement has caused pain and will continue to harm many, we also know that millions of Catholics all over the globe al...
The Community Kitchen’s team needs your help. We have ten days to raise a total of $5K for the 2021 Hunger Walk. You can donate here to join our team! The event ends May 2nd and we may reach our goal yet. If The Walk is successful this year, The Community Kitchen, Senior Services and Thurston Food Bank will each receive $20,000.
app.99pledges.com
A Virtual Walk to equally benefit Thurston County Food Bank, Senior Services for South Sound and The Community Kitchen. 100% of the funds raised go to feeding people of all ages. Hungry neighbors get warm meals delivered to their homes, in encampments, at shelters, and other locations while others p...
Like the traditional barn raising rooted deep in Midwestern tradition, this is our time to join together and "Raise the House" for our most vulnerable neighbors.
Raise the House For the Love of our Community
mailchi.mp
You have a part in contributing to raise $2 million to turn the new Interfaith Works Shelter into a home where quality is never compromised.
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"Ask a seminarian"
www.youtube.com
The second installment of my series, without the lamb puppet this time.
Ecumenical Advocacy Days is coming up next week (April 18-21) and it is not too late to sign up for this year's virtual gathering.
Home - Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice
advocacydays.org
Annual gathering of Christian advocates and activists grounded in biblical witness and shared traditions of justice, peace and the integrity of creation.
Volunteers needed for Covid Vaccine Distribution...
COVID19 | United Way of Thurston County
www.unitedway-thurston.org
COVID-19 Response & Recovery Volunteers Thank you for joining United Way of Thurston County in our response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Your support means a great deal as we unite to mobilize the caring power of our community to fight for the health, education, and financial stabilit...
People's Catholic Seminary announces new program: Belle Coeur Spiritual Formation by Sibyl Dana Reynolds
"Unbreakable Solidarity" Online Course
mailchi.mp
"Unbreakable Solidarity" is an online course from White Awake that focuses on how we build collective power on the bedrock of interdependence and use this power to get free. Register today!
PCS 703 - Icon Painting with Peter Pearson
pcseminary.teachable.com
Paint a simple icon with Iconographer, Peter Pearson
People’s Catholic Seminary Announces New Course beginning in April 2021. This course provides new perspectives on the legacy of Jesus in the earliest Christian communities that include a fresh mixture of the traditional New Testament Gospels alongside a treasure chest of ancient texts that were lost for centuries and now have been discovered and translated: the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Thomas, the Acts of Paul and Thecla, the Prayer of Thanksgiving, and The Thunder: Perfect Mind. These texts are just as important as the canonical New Testament in shaping early Christian communities and beliefs. They reveal a fuller portrait of the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus that broaden intellectual understanding and spiritual growth.
PCS 505 - A New, New Testament: Exploring Sacred Texts
pcseminary.teachable.com
Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan, MA, D.Min, ARCWP, a Sister for Christian Community, is one of the founding members of the People’s Catholic Seminary. She is a member of the pastoral team at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sarasota, Florida. Bridget Mary presides at liturgies, of...
The Vatican 'Doubts' Same-Sex Love, But More Doubt The Vatican
religiondispatches.org
Beware the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar went to his reward in 44 BCE. This was the day that the “Responsum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) to a dubium regarding the blessing of the unions of persons of the same sex” was unleashed for public consumption. In the tim...
Join with Olympia UU’s and other faith groups around the globe in launching a Green Faith Initiative, “Sacred People, Sacred Earth” on March 11 at noon. During this virtual gathering, faith groups will make demands and take action for our collective social and environmental well-being. March 11 will begin eight months of advocacy in the name of love and equity to prepare for the global November 2021 Climate Conference. The Olympia launch will include mindful prayer, song, and a listing of demands by different faith groups, as well as a call for concrete actions. Registration is preferred, but not required. ![]()
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Register by e-mailing olympiagreenfaith@gmail.com. You can join us by Zoom with meeting ID: 899 8077 5923, and passcode: 258381.
GNRC is responding to recent events in Ghana, where Catholic Church leaders have targeted LGBTIQ groups and their right to operate in Ghana. GNRC recently issued this press release regarding this issue.
rainbowcatholics.org
The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics reports that the Ghanaian LGBTIQ community is under attack following a letter from Ghana’s Catholic Bishops. English / Español / Portuguese / Italian / French / Chinese 3 March 2021. The Global Network of ... Continue reading →
Fasting - Almsgiving - Prayer The Great 100 Days
Fasting - Almsgiving - Prayer The Great 100 Days
vimeo.com
This short video expounds upon the practices of fasting, alms giving and intensive prayer, the essential practices mentioned in The Great 100 Days video.
The latest on housing at the legislature...
docs.google.com
JHO friends and family, A lot has been happening at this year's legislative session. Housing advocates and engaged community members have been working hard to push for legislation aimed at keeping people in their homes and preventing the continued worsening of our region’s housing and homelessn...
On March 25th, we will celebrate the 27th annual World Day of Prayer for Women's Ordination with "digital greetings" to vocations directors, bishops, and USCCB representatives with the message from the day's Feast of the Annunciation:![]()
"Nothing will be impossible with God."![]()
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More details coming soon.
Olympia Mutual Aid Partners (OlyMAP) is raising emergency funds for replacement tents, tarps, heaters, and survival necessities for our houseless neighbors.![]()
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We’ve already had a heavy snowfall and today is supposed to be even worse. Storms like these always fell branches and wreak havoc on tents and makeshift structures. When they do, homeless folks are often faced with the additional loss of whatever was stored inside, now ruined by the wet and the cold.![]()
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We know that many of us in our community can’t look outside from the comfort of our homes without thinking about those without. Please consider giving what you can. For those without the very basics of survival, a little help can make a big difference.![]()
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If you are able to give, you can use the link below. Please share!
Snowstorm: Support our houseless community!, organized by Robert Bruce
www.gofundme.com
Olympia Mutual Aid Partners (OlyMAP) is raising emergency funds for replaceme... Robert Bruce needs your support for Snowstorm: Support our houseless community!
Perspective | Black Catholic women like Amanda Gorman are forgotten prophets of American democracy
www.washingtonpost.com
Recalling their history is crucial to understanding the history of civil rights.
Pope Francis' Latest Moves To Empower Women In Roman Catholic Church
www.npr.org
Pope Francis has appointed women to two Vatican posts previously held only by men. One of the appointments is to a high position in the bishop's synod, which helps decide Catholic rules.
DignityUSA has just launched an advocacy campaign aimed at broadening the number of homes available to children in foster care. On their way out the door, the previous administration changed HHS policy to enable publicly-funded religiously affiliated providers to reject LGBTQ+ applicants from licensure as foster/adoptive parents. We’re asking the Biden Administration to act quickly to overturn this change. Please help us gain the broadest possible endorsement of this effort by signing yourselves and sharing with your network.
Ask President Biden to Restore LGBTQI Family Protections
www.dignityusa.org
Take Action. Ask the President to Restore LGBTQI Protections In early January 2021, the outgoing Presidential administration changed an important rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Previously, the HHS prohibited organizations and agencies that receive federal funding from disc...
Interfaith Works - 2020 Review
www.youtube.com
2020 was a year full of pivots and surprises. In this video, we reflect on all the incredible happenings of the year.
www.interfaith-works.org
A WEEK TO REFLECT, REMEMBER, AND HEAL February 6-13, 2021
We are pleased to offer the Women’s Ordination Conference’s first-ever virtual retreat February 26-28, 2021, titled “Creative Wisdom, Subversive Spirit.” ![]()
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This is an invitation to come as you are, wherever you are, and know that the living Spirit already meets you there. It is a chance to be renewed and strengthened in the journey for ordination justice in the Catholic Church. ![]()
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The retreat will combine online gatherings with pre-recorded offerings for reflection that fit into your life and schedule. We anticipate a time commitment of 1.5 hours on Saturday and 1 hour on Sunday, plus individual reflection time. In addition, we will have an option, informal meet-and-greet on Friday evening. To participate, you will need to be able to access Zoom on your computer or via phone. ![]()
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Click the link for more information.
Register for "Creative Wisdom, Subversive Spirit" Virtual Retreat
r20.rs6.net
Join WOC for a virtual retreat on the weekend of February 26-28, featuring in-person Zoom meetings and solo reflection materials to fit within your own schedule. The retreat is free for members, and we can offer financial assistance to those who cannot afford a membership in this season.
Please take a minute to read and sign the pledge.
docs.google.com
Good Troublemakers of RCWP-Western Region join with people throughout the world, in committing ourselves to racial justice. And so we pledge together: WE SUPPORT justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. WE AFFIRM that white privilege is unfair and harmful to those who have it and to those...
Through today only, there's a special free screening of the documentary The Third Harmony. Password is 3H5@1R
vimeopro.com
Join the web’s most supportive community of creators and get high-quality tools for hosting, sharing, and streaming videos in gorgeous HD with no ads.
The latest from Interfaith Works...
mailchi.mp
Join Us for A Week to Reflect, Remember, and Heal — February 6-13, 2021
Prayer services tomorrow and Monday
Press Release: The Good Troubler Makers of Roman Catholic Womenpriests-Western Region
docs.google.com
Press Release: The Good Troublemakers of Roman Catholic Womenpriests-Western Region We stand united in sorrow by our witness of fellow Americans who perpetrated the violent assault on the United States Capitol, and the disruption of a Constitutionally-mandated meeting of Congress. This insurr...
Watch: How to make spiritual sense of the attack on the Capitol
www.americamagazine.org
“Yesterday revealed a deep part of who we are as Americans,” said Father Bryan Massingale, in an interview with America’s editor in chief, Matt Malone, S.J.
Catholic Reform Organizations Condemn Violence at U.S. Capitol.docx
drive.google.com
Valarie Kaur's Prayer on 1/7/21
Valarie Kaur's Prayer on 1/7/21
www.youtube.com
From the emergency prayer for the soul of the nation hosted by Faith in Public Life following the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building on 1/7/21.
www.youtube.com
Ring Out Wild Bells- poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Written in 1850, when he was declared poet laureate of England. I took the best photos of 2020 from people...
An Interfaith Works fundraiser...
mailchi.mp
The only way forward is together—We invite you to stop, take a deep breath, and hold our shelter guests and front line staff in your heart and mind as we move through these dark winter months towards brighter days.
Coming in late January...
Online Course with White Awake
mailchi.mp
"Before We Were White" is an online course for people with European ancestry (white and/or multiracial) who want to work with this ancestral line as a means of bringing greater emotional resilience to their participation in collective liberation struggles. Register today!
Coming soon: "Taste of Compassionate Listening"
vr2.verticalresponse.com
This online session will introduce you to the practice of Compassionate Listening, with an overview of the model and core practices along with a brief experiential dive into the work. A perfect 'taste' of the work to prepare you for the upcoming "CL in Polarizing Times" course - or as a stand alone....
Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Advent: "We Cannot Tame the Presence of God." by Fr. Richard S. Vosko, PhD, Hon AIA from Clifton Pk, NY
drive.google.com
RCWP's Advent newsletter is on our website...
www.holywisdomicc.org
Just Housing's new orientation date info:
zoom.us
This orientation will include: - An introduction to JHO, our history, goals, values, & past & current projects -An introduction to the current housing & homelessness situation in Thurston County -Overview of our advocacy and organizing strategies -Overview of volunteer roles, responsibilities, recom...
From OlyMAP: OlyMAP will be hosting our first New Volunteer Orientation on Saturday, Dec. 19th from 2:30-4:30 pm. ![]()
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This orientation will include:![]()
1. An introduction to OlyMAP’s story, our goals, values,![]()
2. An introduction to the current housing & homelessness situation in Thurston County![]()
3. An overview of OlyMAP’s current camp projects, the history of those projects, and why we do the work we do.![]()
4. Overview of volunteer roles, responsibilities, required & recommended trainings, Code of Conduct & Code of Ethics![]()
5. Time for questions and discussion
zoom.us
This orientation will include: 1. An introduction to OlyMAP's story, our goals, values, 2. An introduction to the current housing & homelessness situation in Thurston County 3. An overview of OlyMAP's current camp projects, the history of those projects, and why we do the work we do. 4. Overview of....
The latest Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest newsletter is out...
aidnw.org
#WOC45 Prophetic Voices: A Celebration of WOC
#WOC45 Prophetic Voices: A Celebration of WOC
youtu.be
This weekend is about the journey we are on together toward ordination justice, equity, and transformation as protagonists in our faith. It is not about clos...
“This is still a pending fight within the Roman Catholic Church, and that's why it's so important that the women who have a clear consciousness that this is an injustice and contrary to the witness of the Gospel do not disappear, do not leave the Church.” — Sr. Teresa Forcades, OSB youtu.be/zBKnD8CCe0M #WOC45
“We look forward to continuing to work with you until such time as women have their rightful place at the table.” — We Are Church Ireland youtu.be/axX_I9xosYA #WOC45
“The mission of the Women's Ordination Conference is critical, not only for those women with a call for ministry, but for all of us who need to be represented in every single place where decisions about our lives are being made.” — Lilian Medina Romero youtu.be/DWGyv3IiI9E #WOC45
“You’ve lived through hard times, through dark times...but you were not intimidated, you did not kowtow or bow down. You kept speaking your message loudly and clearly and for that you deserve great credit.” — Fr. Tony Flannery youtu.be/atdEZvWrhoU #WOC45
More on the WOC Facebook page...
www.youtube.com
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
“I know personally what it's like to be prejudiced, excluded because of a biological characteristic of race, and so whenever biology is used to exclude, it is an act of injustice and needs to be called out.” — Nontando Hadebe youtu.be/6r6bMmFOB2E #WOC45 #OrdainWomen
“When Pope Francis said ‘the door is closed to women priests,’ Bishop Erwin Krautler responded, ‘As long as a door is there, it should be open.’”— Fr. Luke Hansen, SJ youtu.be/ulnYFxUU4Gs #WOC45 #OrdainWomen
“You've shown generations of women that remaining prophetically Catholic is possible and necessary.” — Dr. Natalia Imperatori-Lee youtu.be/3WhkzuDhOXs #WOC45
“Who are we as men to say that our call from God is authentic, but God's call to women is not? As the Catholic priest, I have to face the truth: the problem is not with God, but with our all-male clerical culture that views women as lesser than men and as a threat to their power.” — Fr. Roy Bourgeois youtu.be/DYT-VlYPdbI #WOC45 #OrdainWomen
“The Church is a superspreader of sexism. This hugely influential institution is saying to the world that women need to be restricted and ring-fenced and they need to let the men get on with the business of running the show.”— Miriam Duignan youtu.be/6ffRlpV7KrM #WOC45
Our first #WOC45 Prophetic Voices video is live! Watch our Board president Jen O'Malley and her wife Liz Carlin kick off the day with a warm welcome and a shoutout to our sponsors. #WOC45 youtu.be/2IeYK7aPedE
“This weekend is not about closed doors but about ![]()
being protagonists in the renewal of our Church.” — WOC Executive Director Kate McElwee![]()
youtu.be/kYmSny11Vus #WOC45
See more 45th Anniversary Gala postings at the Women's Ordination Conference Facebook page...
#WOC45 Prophetic Voices: Dr. Margaret Farley, RSM
www.youtube.com
Dr. Margaret Farley, RSM spoke at the first Women's Ordination Conference in 1975, calling women's ordination a "moral imperative," and in this video, 45 yea...
Coming this Advent...
Queer & Trans Led Liturgies — Call To Action
www.cta-usa.org
During these ecumenical liturgies held over Zoom, we will reflect on topics including darkness, lament, waiting, resilience, queer joy, and family. We welcome queer and trans folks looking to nourish their spiritualities in a life-giving and alternative way throughout this Advent season.
Advent Guide 2020: Building a Culture of Peace
maryknollogc.org
Join us as we pray, study, and act this Advent on building a culture of peace.
Study Guide: Pope Francis' Fratelli Tutti
maryknollogc.org
Download our 6-page guide in English or Spanish to study the new encyclical on peace and dialogue.
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Advent resources...
All Things Advent: Children's Lessons, Advent Kits, Music Ideas, & More!
us12.campaign-archive.com
We've added a number of Advent posts to our blog to support you in all the ways we can this season.
Today, SideWalk is joining with 75 other nonprofits across South Puget Sound as part of the 2020 Give Local campaign. Together, we're raising funds to change the lives of the people in Thurston County, asking people to #GiveWhereYouLive.![]()
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Since the start of the pandemic, SideWalk volunteers have helped nearly 200 people escape the streets of Olympia. For a person experiencing homelessness, it's some of the best news they receive all year. That's what keeps us going – making good news happen each and every week.![]()
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And that's what we need your help with. We want to #MakeGoodNews happen well into the future – and it starts with giving to SideWalk as part of the Give Local campaign.
spsgives.org
SideWalk is an Olympia nonprofit on a mission to end homelessness. Since 2012, SideWalk volunteers have helped nearly 1,700 people escape the streets of Thurston County. That's pretty good news! Help us #MakeGoodNews happen again!
Coming soon...
CMN Washington State Allies Virtual Gathering
catholicsmobilizing.salsalabs.org
You are invited to a virtual gathering of Washington State allies to learn about CMN’s faith-based mission to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice.
A new Matter of Spirit is out...
Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center » A Matter of Spirit
www.ipjc.org
A Matter of Spirit A Matter of Spirit (AMOS) is the quarterly justice journal of the Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center with analysis, theological reflection and action on justice issues. Our Governing Council selects four topics for the year, which are then given to our Editorial Board to determ...
standwithpopefrancis.org
Sign the Catholic petition for Just COVID and Climate Actionand joining the community supporting the Pope in his efforts to lead the way to a regenerative economy in response to the interconnected crises we face.
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This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.