Equally sacred matters

As the 2022 midterm elections near, Sister Emily, Sister Eilis, Joan, and Colin discuss the importance of being a "Pope Francis Voter"—a multi-issue voter willing to do the work to build and protect an inclusive democracy where every person can flourish. Pope Francis calls concern for poverty, environmental destruction, and other issues "equally sacred" to the care for the unborn that is central to the political engagement of so many Catholics, especially in the United States. That's why NETWORK is currently traveling to cities across the United States on the Pope Francis Voter Tour, helping spread word that when people of faith limit their advocacy to only one or two issues, they enable the division, extremism, and obstructionism that do so much harm in our politics.

In this episode, Joan dialogues with NETWORK's executive director, Mary J. Novak, about the breadth of the vision of Catholic social justice and how Catholic sisters have continually lived it in their ministry in the 60 years since the start of the Second Vatican Council. And Sister Eilis and Colin speak with Sister Pegge Boehm, P.B.V.M., Sister Teresa Wolf, O.S.B., and Cathy Brechtlesbauer, three organizers of the Love Your Neighbor Tour, an effort to get Medicaid expansion passed via a ballot initiative in South Dakota. The sisters on this tour made 25 stops in the span of five days, sharing with their fellow South Dakotans how expanding Medicaid will benefit so many people in their state.

Ursuline Sister Erin Zubal, NETWORK's chief of staff, closes this episode with a pre-election prayer, speaking to the anxiety and uncertainty so many people feel in our politics today.

You can learn more in the links below.

Pope Francis Voter Tour
https://networklobby.org/network-launches-pope-francis-voter-tour/

Equally Sacred Checklist
https://networklobby.org/equallysacred

White Supremacy and American Christianity
https://www.mobilize.us/network/event/522133/

South Dakota Constitutional Amendment D to expand Medicaid eligibility
https://sdsos.gov/elections-voting/upcoming-elections/general-information/2022-ballot-questions.aspx

Just Politics is sponsored by Loyola Press
https://www.loyolapress.com/