Faithful from across South Jersey are invited to gather May 9 for a public expression of faith and solidarity, as St. Joan of Arc Parish, Marlton, prepares to host a prayerful “Stations of the Cross for Social Justice.”
The event, scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m., will bring together Catholics from the Camden and Trenton Dioceses for a communal walk across the parish grounds. Participants will move between designated stations, reflecting on contemporary social issues through prayer and Scripture.
The gathering is part of a broader national movement, Season of Faithful Witness – Catholics in Communion, which calls on Catholics to respond to social and moral challenges through visible, faith-based action. Beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing through Corpus Christi, it includes events across the country centered on prayer, discernment and public witness.
“This is a moment where we feel called to stand together,” said Terrence Thompson, coordinator of the Laudato Si’ Movement’s New Jersey chapter. He pointed to a range of concerns – immigration, environmental degradation, economic inequality, artificial intelligence replacing human connection, and social isolation – as motivating factors. “Our gathering is an act of solidarity with those whose dignity is being challenged in so many ways,” he said.
The Stations of the Cross will be adapted to highlight present-day struggles affecting vulnerable populations. Organizers describe the event as both spiritual and civic, rooted in Catholic social teaching and aimed at encouraging participants to reflect on real-world injustices.
SueAnn Jeral, pastoral minister at St. Joan of Arc Parish, said the initiative responds to what some Catholic leaders have described as a “pastoral emergency of hope.” Emphasizing the need for Catholics to engage more visibly in advocating for human dignity, she said, “We are called to be voices of truth, standing against cruelty and dehumanization in our communities.”
The effort follows a pastoral framework of “See, Judge, Act,” encouraging participants to recognize issues in their communities, evaluate them through the lens of the Gospel, and respond through both prayer and action.
Organizers note that the gathering is part of an ongoing commitment to solidarity. Lia Romero, coordinator of the parish’s Life, Justice and Creation ministry, said she hopes the event will inspire continued collaboration with the national Catholics in Communion movement.
“This is about walking together with those who are marginalized and continuing that work beyond a single day,” she said.
St. Joan of Arc Parish is located at 100 Willow Bend Road. For more information on the Season of Faithful Witness, visit: www.catholicsincommunion.org.
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