JUSTICE JOTTINGS

March 2026

MSJC EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

Integral Ecology Stations of the Cross Resource & Event

The Stations of the Cross are a traditional devotional prayer, used especially during the Holy Week before Easter, for deepening our identification with Jesus' Passion and Crucifixion as portrayed in the Gospel accounts. These stations are offered by the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative's Integral Ecology Team. Lead author and team member Tony Garascia, a Lay Marianist and licensed clinical social worker in South Bend, Indiana, was inspired by the stations found in the Laudato Si Movement Prayer Book that relate Christ's suffering as the firstborn of all Creation with the suffering of the Earth and climate anxiety. Included for your individual or communal reflection are carefully-chosen passages from Laudato Si, inspiration from our Marianist founders, and quotes from our recent statement, A Call to Courageous Action on the Climate Crisis. We pray that Mary, Jesus, and our Marianist ancestors guide our ecological conversion process this Lenten season and beyond, so that we may be the gift of faith and love in action that our world so desperately needs!

MSJC's Integral Ecology will be praying these Marianist Ecological Stations of the Cross at their regular team meeting on:



Wednesday, March 25 at 8pm ET | 7pm CT | 6pm MT | 5pm PT | 2pm HT

Email Sr. Leanne Jablonski at ljablonski1@udayton.edu to receive meeting details and the Zoom link. All are welcome!

Image: Terra cotta statue by Sr. Angelica Ballan, PDDM, displayed at the Generalate of the Society of Mary, Marianists in Rome, Italy.

Save the Date: MSJC Giving Day is April 9!

On April 9, 2026, the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC) will host our annual Giving Day—a day to expand the reach and impact of our Justice Teams.

This year, each Justice Team is raising support for a project that will strengthen their work in the year ahead. Initiatives include launching a Marianist Mary Gardens project, creating a short film on immigration justice, expanding trans advocacy support programs, and more.

Your support empowers our teams to lead meaningful programs—community projects, events, training, and direct service initiatives—bringing Marianist values and Catholic Social Teaching to life in a world that so desperately needs justice.

Mark your calendar for April 9 and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks! P.S. You can donate early today at the link below.

Racial Justice In-Person Event

When: Saturday, May 2 from 10am-2pm in Cincinnati, OH

What: Join MSJC’s Racial Justice Team for a special in-person event at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center! The experience will include time to explore the museum together, share lunch, and participate in a facilitated discussion reflecting on the experience and considering how the museum’s message calls the Marianist Family to respond in the work of racial justice.

MSJC will cover museum admission and lunch. Free-will offerings will be accepted on the day of the event to help offset costs. Spots are limited!

MSJC REFLECTIONS, RESOURCES, & CALLS TO ACTION

IMMIGRANT JUSTICE

In a recent article from National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley—president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)—calls on Catholics across the country to pray for peace amid what he describes as a growing “climate of fear and polarization.” In response to several recent deaths connected to immigration enforcement and detention, he lamented the violence and urged the Church to recommit to the dignity of every human life. As a step toward healing, he invited bishops and priests to offer a Holy Hour for Peace, encouraging Catholics to pray for reconciliation where there is division, justice where rights are violated, and consolation for those experiencing fear or loss. 

We invite you to read the full article and reflect on this call to prayer, justice, and solidarity in our current moment. As people committed to faith and justice, how might we hold both prayer and action as we work toward a more peaceful and compassionate society?

LGBTQ+ INITIATIVE

I Wrestled with an Angel

Poem by Erlinda Perlado-Mertens

What story do I want to tell? 

What stories do I have?

It’s a long arduous journey.

And I am not there yet.

A path from the unknown to knowing

I only know I am different.

I wondered from the beginning 

I am five.

I am conscious of a Presence.

Like the wind moving through the bamboo forest, unseen yet alive

I am like any girl, and yet inside 

I know I am different.

I dreamed of Grandfather Jacob

who wrestled with the angel

through the long night.

And the angels climb the ladder

to heaven and down again ---

a bridge between earth and sky.

In my blood another memory stirs.

The memory of the Babaylan priestess,

Women of spirit

Who stood between the worlds,

And the Asog

Queer men priest who wore the sacred cloth.

They too know the Presence

They too listened to the good spirits moving in the trees.

I wrestled with an angel too.

So tell me--- who am I?

I stood on a hill 

by the weeping willow tree

overlooking the playground, 

watching the children

I stood there in deep quiet.

Tell me who I am.

I am different.

I tried to fit in. 

But inside ---

a deep quiet knowing.

Not like the others… inside I am different

I am five.

I do not know how else to be.

Mom said I am a girl… and this I have to be.

I wrestled with an angel.

Inside me “I am”

Mom said I will marry a man, save myself.

Inside me “Mom, you said that. But I AM”

I climbed up my tree.

I sat there in deep quiet.

Like my ancient babaylan ancestors of old.

Six decades have passed since

The night of wrestling is long.

Did Christ’s cross save me?

I am a rainbow.

I am.

As God wants 

me to be.

God saw me first.

Before the wrestling, before the fear.

And you--- who are you?

Who are you when God first saw you?

God saw me first.

And I got born.

And I am good. 

Very good.

So I am ---

Queer.

Like the babaylan who walked between the worlds.

So what?

I am. 

I wrestled 

with an angel.

And I am blessed.

With the wounds of Christ.

I am very blessed.

We all are very blessed.

*The babaylan and the asog are traditional Filipino priestess and priests, queer men are members of the priestly tradition in ancient Filipino tribes.

DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

In a special way during the upcoming Holy Week, when we commemorate the execution of Jesus on the cross, we pray and reflect on the profound presence of Mary at the foot of the Cross -- and on how we are being called to end the death penalty today. Mary’s unwavering faith and compassion remind us of the deep value of every human life, even amidst suffering and injustice. In contemplating her profound sorrow and strength, may we find inspiration to address the issue of the death penalty in our nation with the same persistent spirit of mercy and love that she exemplified at the foot of the cross. Help us to honor her example by advocating for a justice that upholds the dignity of every person, working towards a society that mirrors God’s boundless compassion. Grant us clarity, courage, and unity as we strive for meaningful change, and for justice.

To learn more about ways to put faith into action, visit our Team's webpage or those of our collaborators:

• Catholic Mobilizing Network
• Death Penalty Action

BEYOND MSJC

Join Marianists in Dayton for a Day of Dialogue

When: Saturday, April 25, 9:00am-5:00pm ET at the Chaminade Center on Mt. St. John's Campus (4435 E Patterson Rd., Dayton, OH)

What: How Do We Sustain our Commitments & Maintain a Sense of Hope in Fearful Times? This interactive gathering, sponsored by the Visitation Marianist State Community, will feature presentations by Daniel Horan – educator, author and speaker – as well as small group discussions and opportunities for personal reflection. Discover new sources of strength, support, and guidance as together we explore ways to overcome fear and nurture resilience. The goal is to help participants identify “what is mine to do” and what do I need to do it.

Cost: $35, which includes lunch.