Photo of the Week Nuns on the Bus

NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobby, and its executive director, Sister Simone Campbell, have made national headlines lately with their Nuns on the Bus campaign, a nine-state tour which concluded in Washington, DC, July 2. The Nuns on the Bus visited Catholic social service agencies and offices of members of Congress, promoting awareness of Catholic sisters’ ministries to the economically poor, and advocating for a “moral” federal budget.

Above: The Dominican Sisters of Peace joined a Columbus, Ohio rally in support of the effort. Read more

“Nuns on the Bus rally in Columbus” (story by WOSU-FM Columbus NPR News)

The Nuns on the Bus also visited ministries and motherhouses of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, Adrian and Sinsinawa

“Nuns on the Bus” Hold Education Session at Marywood

“Nuns on the Bus,” a nine-state tour organized by the global justice lobbying group NETWORK, rolled into Grand Rapids and Marywood June 22. The June 18–July 2 tour is aimed at “highlighting the work sisters do to meet the needs of people at the economic margins and revealing how federal budget cuts proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and passed by the House of Representatives will hurt struggling families in these states,” according to a NETWORK press release.

Sisters traveling on the bus are visiting social service agencies and congressional offices to voice their opposition to the proposed cuts in education, health care and other services. They first met supporters at Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids, where Sister Barbara Hansen served as spokesperson on behalf of the Dominican Sisters~Grand Rapids. “We are concerned about the Ryan budget because of the way it targets the already underserved and vulnerable citizens of our communities,” Sister Barbara said. “Our national budget is a moral document and must reflect a conscientious care for the common good.”

Three “Bus” representatives stopped at the downtown office of U.S. Representative Justin Amash to relay their concerns to one of his staff members before the bus headed to the Marywood campus. “About 160 people attended an evening education session to learn about NETWORK, the Ryan budget and how it affects the poor,” said Sister Joyce Ann Hertzig. “Sisters talked about how Catholic social teaching is all about speaking for a right relationship in all things. It makes a difference to have legislators know what we support.”

From the June 2012 issue of JustWord, published by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids