JUSTICE JOTTINGS

May 2025

A Prayer for Pope Leo XIV (Adapted)

by Javier Carrasco

Loving God,

May you guide Pope Leo XIV in his ministry as he faces challenges in a changing world and Catholic Church;

May he carry on the legacy of a universal, synodal, welcoming and unified church, and continue to unite Christians worldwide as bearers of peace;

May he teach us how to be followers of Christ and missionaries of the Good News;

Grant him wisdom and courage to lead us in his ministry as the Successor of Peter;

May his love for Jesus continue to grow, so we recognize the hope of his resurrection in all our encounters and form vibrant faith-filled communities;

May he continue to advocate for young people, abolishing the death penalty, migrants, the Earth, LGBTQ+ people, racial justice, and women in the Church;

Santa María de Guadalupe; ruega por el Papa León XIV para que su ministerio refleje la vida de tu hijo Jesús en el mundo, así como tu te mostraste como nuestra madre en la tilma de Juan Diego y nos acercas cada día a tu hijo.

[Holy Mary of Guadalupe; pray for Pope Leo XIV so that his ministry may reflect the life of your Son Jesus in the world, just as you showed yourself as our mother on Juan Diego's tilma and bring us closer to your Son each day.]

May the Father, Son and Holy Spirit be glorified in all places through the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Amen.

MSJC EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY

Raising the Light of Hope Virtual Event

“Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience.” — Laudato Si’, No. 217

When: Wednesday May 28th at 2pm HT |5pm PT | 7pm CT |8pm ET 

What: Join the MEEC / MSJC Integral Ecology Team's 75 minute virtual meeting during Laudato si 10th Anniversary week as we share how we’ve been inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical - Laudato si - Praised Be - On Care for Our Common Home and share hopes for the years ahead. Time will include: prayer, several Marianist Family members sharing how they’ve integrated Pope Francis’ integral ecology into their professional vocations, their personal and community lives, and their prayer, small group sharing and learning about opportunities to engage. All are welcome whether new or seasoned in Laudato si!

WOMEN & JUSTICE

Save the Date for the upcoming Women & Justice Team's Fall Retreat! More details coming soon. For questions or to learn more about the Women and Justice Team, contact Erin Anderson-White Face.

MSJC's GIVING DAY: THANK YOU!

Because of your incredible generosity, the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative's 2025 Giving Day was a tremendous success. Together, we raised $7,283 from 48 donors, including 10 new supporters. We surpassing our goal of $6,500 total donations raised! 

We are immensely grateful for this community's commitment to advancing justice and making a meaningful impact. Your contribution will directly support transformative programs across all of MSJC's Justice Teams. Together, we’re united for justice and working toward a more just and compassionate Church and world.

MSJC ACTION ITEMS, REFLECTIONS, & RESOURCES

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY

Raise Hope - Laudato si Week

May 24 - 31 marks the 10th Anniversary since the release of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato si - Praised Be - On Care for our Common Home. Eco-spirituality resources including prayers and a slideshow summary of the encyclical can be found below:

Marianist Encounters Invitation - New Shared Conversations Group

All are welcome to join the New Shared Conversations group on MarianistEncounters.org. Join members across MSJC, Marianist Family ministries and communities as we explore living Pope Francis’ vision in the Laudato si Action Platform and Global Compact on Education.  Learn more and register for access to all resources and updates: https://www.marianistencounters.org/

More info on the conversations can be found the link below:

LGBTQ+ INITIATIVE

Chasing Windmills, Changing Hearts Reflection

by Guest Writer Paul Smith

This month, we’re honored to share a deeply personal reflection from Paul Smith — a friend of the LGBTQ+ Initiative and passionate advocate for justice from Baltimore, MD. In the face of exhaustion and discouragement, Paul turned to an unexpected spiritual companion: Don Quixote. What began as a literary escape became a powerful discernment journey — one that reminded him (and now reminds us) of the beauty and bravery of chasing seemingly impossible dreams.

We invite you to read Paul’s reflection below and be renewed in your own belief that every small act of love and protest moves us closer to the Church — and world — we hope for.

"My arms are weary. Sometimes it feels like we're not getting anywhere with expanding a welcoming space for the LGBTQIA+ community within the Catholic church. I don’t mind taking two steps forward and one step back. But recently, it seems like we are going two steps backward with no progress forward. The long journey towards unreachable stars that we may never see can be daunting and lonely. Am I making any progress in the face of a growing conservative movement that makes it okay to hurt those who are different? Given the political climate of our country, is there even an end in sight? Am I wasting my time with heroic and romantic ideals of revolutions and changed hearts? This fear grew in me and I longed to learn more about impossible dreams. As this fear that I was simply “chasing windmills” evolved, I decided to read about the original windmill fighter: Don Quixote. I have heard about the novel as a story of a fool that reaches toward impossible goals. Maybe it was time to read it..."

Read the full reflection at the link below!