To the staff and members of WOC, WATER, Future Church, and Call to Action, from the members of the Catholic Network for Women’s Equality, (CNWE), Canada
In the aftermath of the mob assault incited by President Donald Trump on the Capitol building at the heart of American democracy on January 6, 2021, we write to offer you our solidarity in these times.
We are aware that many of you, while advocating for justice and equality in the Catholic church, have also devoted your lives to justice in many other areas of American society. These last four years of the Trump presidency have had disastrous consequences for civil discourse, democracy, just policing and the rights of Black, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+ persons, women, Muslims, migrants and refugees in the United States. In addition, the loss of life due to mismanagement of the Covid-19 crisis, has been devastating for so many, as has the absence of leadership on the environment. We stand with you as you raise your voices against these travesties.
As Canadians, we have also been called during this time to ‘look in the mirror’ and see the insidious historical seeds and present manifestations of systemic racism and police brutality, particularly against indigenous people in Canada, the rise of populist right-wing and Christian extremism as well as the impact of Covid-19 on woefully inadequate long term care homes across our country. In both of our nations, as Covid-19 is pointing out, we are ‘all in the same storm’ but not ‘all in the same boat’. In Canada, the poor and homeless, elderly and racialized communities, as well as underpaid personal support workers and migrant farmers have taken the brunt of sickness and death due to Covid-19. The pandemic is offering us all a sobering, stark picture of the work yet to be done.
It is our fervent hope and prayer that the inauguration of President-elect Joseph Biden Jr. and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be without incident and that the integrity of the vast majority of Americans who strive for peace, justice and the common good will prevail.
May you be safe and well in these times and may the ‘silver lining’ of our online connecting across borders continue to grow and be strengthened.
In friendship and solidarity and on behalf of CNWE members across Canada,
CNWE National Work Group (NWG)