by Therese Horvat
Special to The Leaven
LEAVENWORTH — In his keynote remarks at the recent Justice Matters Policy Summit hosted by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth (SCLs) here on Nov. 5, Archbishop Shawn McKnight shared his vision that every parish, every religious community and every Catholic organization be a center of charity and a sanctuary of mercy.
“How else can we fulfill our call to bring glad tidings to the poor?” asked the archbishop. “How else can we become a church of the Beatitudes?”
“The mission of the church in our place and in our time requires prophetic acts of justice and mercy and actions,” he declared.
At the outset of his remarks, the archbishop commended the summit theme: “Rooted in Justice, Propelled by Faith.” His focus was on pastoral and ecclesial realities and the conversion needed to “become the living church in communion with the apostles in what we believe and how we pray and how we live and how we treat the least among us.”
Archbishop McKnight echoed the dream of the late Pope Francis who advocated for a more missionary and synodal church, one that proclaims glad tidings for the poor. The archbishop referenced Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic exhortation, “Dilexi te” (“I have loved you”) in which the Holy Father called for changing mindsets and developing effective policies for societal change.
He also said that being more synodal requires spiritual renewal and structural reform that allow for a more participatory church, a “new way of thinking about our mission and how best to accomplish it.”
Summit stems from mission
Mission was the driving force behind development of the Nov. 5-6 summit held at the SCL motherhouse. Ashley Hernandez, organizing and policy coordinator of the SCL Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, said the office’s mission is to advocate for justice and systemic change for exploited and marginalized people through education, advocacy and action.
“This cannot be done without working together with our entire community (Sisters, associates and partners) and that is exactly what we did with the summit,” she explained.
The summit gave the Sisters and SCL associates the opportunity to interact with advocacy partners and policy experts. Participants heard presentations on issues including health, housing and race; homelessness and housing; U.S. policy in Latin America and the politics of immigration; access to health care; climate justice; and food insecurity.
Faith-driven advocacy
Rabbi Moti Rieber, executive director of the Kansas Interfaith Action, an issue advocacy organization, keynoted day two of the summit. He traced his personal journey in faith-based advocacy, and said a defining transition occurred through his involvement with the Kansas chapter of Interfaith Power and Light — what the rabbi described as “a religious response to climate change.” While talking to congregations and giving statehouse testimonies, he learned to use the language of faith to make his point.
When Interfaith Power and Light evolved into the Kansas Interfaith Action, Rabbi Moti assumed the leadership position. Through direct advocacy and education, the organization addresses racism and discrimination, violence, economic injustice and climate disruption.
At the summit, Rabbi Moti emphasized the importance of basing advocacy on human rights and of living out God’s vision and the scriptural call to care for those in need.
“As we travel toward a shared future,” he said, “we have to reclaim the idea that the world can be better, and that we have to be part of making it better. We need to be clear about what we believe in and ask God to help us in this work.”
Rabbi Moti acknowledged Sister Therese Bangert, SCL, who served as her congregation’s social justice coordinator for several years and who continues to advocate. In a separate presentation at the summit, Sister Therese discussed her advocacy experiences.
In concluding the summit, participants were invited to post their advocacy promises on a commitment wall in the conference room.
