Catholic Social Ministry Gathering to return with a mandate for building hope
January 9, 2025 at 11:44 a.m.
OSV News – Perhaps the largest U.S. gathering of those dedicated to carrying out the social ministry and teaching of the Church, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is set to take place Jan. 25-28 in Washington, a day after the national March for Life.
Christened this year with the theme, "Missionaries of Hope, Advocates for Justice," the CSMG – organized by the Secretariat of Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 10 USCCB departments, and 20 national Catholic organizations – usually attracts up to 500 attendees.
Keynote speakers include Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal ambassador to the U.S.; Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Holy See's Pontifical Commission for Latin America; Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of Yakima, Washington; and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB and head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services.
According to the 2025 CSMG agenda, there will be Masses and meetings; meals, receptions, and exhibits. Dozens of community workshops will address a range of topics as diverse as intergenerational trauma, health care, contemplative action, human trafficking, migrants and refugees, misinformation, the climate, homelessness, war, taxation, global debt and more.
The theme of expectation running throughout CSMG fits with the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year dubbed "Pilgrims of Hope."
"How do we build hope? What does that look like?" asked Emily Schumacher-Novak, associate director of education and outreach at the Secretariat of Justice and Peace. "What is our responsibility to do that at a local level; the national level; on the global level?"
As one of the USCCB's lead staff for the CSMG, Schumacher-Novak is tasked with moving messages from concept to reality, equipping leaders to become advocates for justice and peace.
"We talk about it a lot – but the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is an opportunity to really see it in action," emphasized Schumacher-Novak. "And to see a lot of ways the Church is responding, all at the same time."
Since its 1983 launch, Schumacher-Novak said, the CSMG has excelled at "helping really make concrete ways that the Church is living out the call to love our brothers and sisters."
"It's all rooted in our baptism," she said. "It's rooted in that reality: That we all belong to one another; that we have this responsibility to care for one another, especially those who are the most vulnerable in our communities – whether these communities are here in the United States, right next door, or across the world."
Marie Kenyon, chair of the St. Louis Archdiocese's Immigration Task Force, said next door and across the world combine in the community workshop titled "Encountering Migrants in Your Parishes and at the Border." She and Antonio Cube, national manager of the USCCB's Justice for Immigrants Campaign, are both leading the workshop.
"Our session is really focusing on if you are a non-border state – if you're an interior state – how can you support the migrants and refugees in your community? And how can you educate the faithful on what's really happening at the border?" explained Kenyon.
"Just the truth – not what the media says or what the politicians say," she added, "but from our Catholic perspective: This is what is happening through the lens of the faith."
The media static surrounding immigration and refugees reached a crescendo during November's U.S. elections. It has since maintained its volume as reports emerge about the incoming Trump administration's aggressive new policies – among them, scrapping a "sensitive locations policy" that generally prohibits the arrest of unauthorized immigrants at Churches, schools, and hospitals.
"Once you start talking about Churches not being a safe space," Kenyon said, "it's a religious freedom argument."
Educating the next generation of immigration advocates is a priority for Kenyon, whose St. Louis Archdiocese started taking students to the southern U.S. border about five years ago. The young people – briefed on a 22-hour bus ride – meet with both migrants and those assisting them.
"High school students are old enough that they are becoming critical thinkers," Kenyon said. "So you can give them perspectives from everybody, and then let them decide."
Dan Misleh, founder and executive director of the Catholic Climate Covenant, is also giving thought to how the coming White House transition impacts Catholic advocacy. But like Kenyon, it's not the primary focus of his presentation, which is titled "Pilgrims of Hope in the Climate Crisis."
"The workshop is going to focus on what is a pilgrimage – and what is a pilgrimage for creation," said Misleh, who will have three co-presenters. "It's in concert with, obviously, the Jubilee Year. But next year we're also celebrating the 10th anniversary of 'Laudato Si',' and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis' 'Canticle of Creation.' So those three themes are kind of woven into this initiative."
So how do hope, a 2015 papal encyclical and a centuries-old poem by St. Francis blend together in a response to the climate crisis?
"It might just be getting parishioners after Mass to walk around the parish grounds, and to observe what's going on in their own neighborhood," Misleh said. "It could be something more significant, like walking to a park, or to a polluted industrial site, for example – and contemplating what that means, and the people who are impacted by that pollution."
Flexibility is key. "So it could be any number of things – we're going to suggest ideas, but ultimately it'll be the choice of the local community," explained Misleh. "We're trying to encourage people to do this during the Season of Creation, which is Sept. 1 to the feast of St. Francis, Oct. 4."
Misleh emphasized that, while the presentation is nonpartisan, the incoming Trump administration clearly has "a different view on how we should care for creation." He expected Trump to make moves to roll back some environmental regulations, and to boost oil and gas production "at a time when we really need to stop burning fossil fuels because of contributing to climate change."
Recent headline events – including both the U.S. elections and the Dec. 4 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson – have also impacted discussions at the Catholic Healthcare Association of the United States.
Comprising more than 600 hospitals and 1,600 long-term care and other health facilities in all 50 states, the Catholic health ministry is the largest group of nonprofit health care providers in the nation.
Lucas Swanepol, CHA senior director of government relations, noted the association will host a breakfast and present a workshop titled "Advancing Human Dignity through Policies to Improve Access to Health Care."
"The program itself will be looking at the issue of access," said Swanepol, explaining that the spectrum of patients spans from pregnant mothers to people in hospice care.
"We're looking at it from beginning to the end, and what are those various points of connection to access and the policies that drive them. And of course, what are some of the challenges that are making it difficult?" he said.
The current national conversation, admitted Swanepol, is problematic.
"Which should be the types of things we should be prioritizing as we're having these conversations, and the types of needs that people have?" he asked. "That's what's most important for the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering: How do you take our faith, our understanding of our faith, and apply it to this rather difficult conversation that is happening to both here and around the world?"
While conclusions for such a complex topic may vary, one thing remains constant.
"The right to health care is a basic part of living in human dignity – that you have the access to the care you need to live and flourish and support your family is not unique to this time or this place, or our institutions," Swanepol said. "It is who we are called to be as Catholics."
Kimberley Heatherington writes for OSV News from Virginia.
NOTES: Information on how to participate in the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering can be found here: https://web.cvent.com/event/e8ced946-00f0-4e8a-8b69-11d7e02182ca/websitePage:645d57e4-75eb-4769-b2c0-f201a0bfc6ce
The Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.
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OSV News – Perhaps the largest U.S. gathering of those dedicated to carrying out the social ministry and teaching of the Church, the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is set to take place Jan. 25-28 in Washington, a day after the national March for Life.
Christened this year with the theme, "Missionaries of Hope, Advocates for Justice," the CSMG – organized by the Secretariat of Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 10 USCCB departments, and 20 national Catholic organizations – usually attracts up to 500 attendees.
Keynote speakers include Cardinal Christophe Pierre, papal ambassador to the U.S.; Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Holy See's Pontifical Commission for Latin America; Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of Yakima, Washington; and Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB and head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services.
According to the 2025 CSMG agenda, there will be Masses and meetings; meals, receptions, and exhibits. Dozens of community workshops will address a range of topics as diverse as intergenerational trauma, health care, contemplative action, human trafficking, migrants and refugees, misinformation, the climate, homelessness, war, taxation, global debt and more.
The theme of expectation running throughout CSMG fits with the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year dubbed "Pilgrims of Hope."
"How do we build hope? What does that look like?" asked Emily Schumacher-Novak, associate director of education and outreach at the Secretariat of Justice and Peace. "What is our responsibility to do that at a local level; the national level; on the global level?"
As one of the USCCB's lead staff for the CSMG, Schumacher-Novak is tasked with moving messages from concept to reality, equipping leaders to become advocates for justice and peace.
"We talk about it a lot – but the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is an opportunity to really see it in action," emphasized Schumacher-Novak. "And to see a lot of ways the Church is responding, all at the same time."
Since its 1983 launch, Schumacher-Novak said, the CSMG has excelled at "helping really make concrete ways that the Church is living out the call to love our brothers and sisters."
"It's all rooted in our baptism," she said. "It's rooted in that reality: That we all belong to one another; that we have this responsibility to care for one another, especially those who are the most vulnerable in our communities – whether these communities are here in the United States, right next door, or across the world."
Marie Kenyon, chair of the St. Louis Archdiocese's Immigration Task Force, said next door and across the world combine in the community workshop titled "Encountering Migrants in Your Parishes and at the Border." She and Antonio Cube, national manager of the USCCB's Justice for Immigrants Campaign, are both leading the workshop.
"Our session is really focusing on if you are a non-border state – if you're an interior state – how can you support the migrants and refugees in your community? And how can you educate the faithful on what's really happening at the border?" explained Kenyon.
"Just the truth – not what the media says or what the politicians say," she added, "but from our Catholic perspective: This is what is happening through the lens of the faith."
The media static surrounding immigration and refugees reached a crescendo during November's U.S. elections. It has since maintained its volume as reports emerge about the incoming Trump administration's aggressive new policies – among them, scrapping a "sensitive locations policy" that generally prohibits the arrest of unauthorized immigrants at Churches, schools, and hospitals.
"Once you start talking about Churches not being a safe space," Kenyon said, "it's a religious freedom argument."
Educating the next generation of immigration advocates is a priority for Kenyon, whose St. Louis Archdiocese started taking students to the southern U.S. border about five years ago. The young people – briefed on a 22-hour bus ride – meet with both migrants and those assisting them.
"High school students are old enough that they are becoming critical thinkers," Kenyon said. "So you can give them perspectives from everybody, and then let them decide."
Dan Misleh, founder and executive director of the Catholic Climate Covenant, is also giving thought to how the coming White House transition impacts Catholic advocacy. But like Kenyon, it's not the primary focus of his presentation, which is titled "Pilgrims of Hope in the Climate Crisis."
"The workshop is going to focus on what is a pilgrimage – and what is a pilgrimage for creation," said Misleh, who will have three co-presenters. "It's in concert with, obviously, the Jubilee Year. But next year we're also celebrating the 10th anniversary of 'Laudato Si',' and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis' 'Canticle of Creation.' So those three themes are kind of woven into this initiative."
So how do hope, a 2015 papal encyclical and a centuries-old poem by St. Francis blend together in a response to the climate crisis?
"It might just be getting parishioners after Mass to walk around the parish grounds, and to observe what's going on in their own neighborhood," Misleh said. "It could be something more significant, like walking to a park, or to a polluted industrial site, for example – and contemplating what that means, and the people who are impacted by that pollution."
Flexibility is key. "So it could be any number of things – we're going to suggest ideas, but ultimately it'll be the choice of the local community," explained Misleh. "We're trying to encourage people to do this during the Season of Creation, which is Sept. 1 to the feast of St. Francis, Oct. 4."
Misleh emphasized that, while the presentation is nonpartisan, the incoming Trump administration clearly has "a different view on how we should care for creation." He expected Trump to make moves to roll back some environmental regulations, and to boost oil and gas production "at a time when we really need to stop burning fossil fuels because of contributing to climate change."
Recent headline events – including both the U.S. elections and the Dec. 4 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson – have also impacted discussions at the Catholic Healthcare Association of the United States.
Comprising more than 600 hospitals and 1,600 long-term care and other health facilities in all 50 states, the Catholic health ministry is the largest group of nonprofit health care providers in the nation.
Lucas Swanepol, CHA senior director of government relations, noted the association will host a breakfast and present a workshop titled "Advancing Human Dignity through Policies to Improve Access to Health Care."
"The program itself will be looking at the issue of access," said Swanepol, explaining that the spectrum of patients spans from pregnant mothers to people in hospice care.
"We're looking at it from beginning to the end, and what are those various points of connection to access and the policies that drive them. And of course, what are some of the challenges that are making it difficult?" he said.
The current national conversation, admitted Swanepol, is problematic.
"Which should be the types of things we should be prioritizing as we're having these conversations, and the types of needs that people have?" he asked. "That's what's most important for the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering: How do you take our faith, our understanding of our faith, and apply it to this rather difficult conversation that is happening to both here and around the world?"
While conclusions for such a complex topic may vary, one thing remains constant.
"The right to health care is a basic part of living in human dignity – that you have the access to the care you need to live and flourish and support your family is not unique to this time or this place, or our institutions," Swanepol said. "It is who we are called to be as Catholics."
Kimberley Heatherington writes for OSV News from Virginia.
NOTES: Information on how to participate in the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering can be found here: https://web.cvent.com/event/e8ced946-00f0-4e8a-8b69-11d7e02182ca/websitePage:645d57e4-75eb-4769-b2c0-f201a0bfc6ce
The Church needs quality Catholic journalism now more than ever. Please consider supporting this work by signing up for a SUBSCRIPTION (click HERE) or making a DONATION to The Monitor (click HERE). Thank you for your support.