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JUSTICE JOTTINGS
October 2026
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Friends in the Mission,
We are so excited to share with you the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative's 2025-2026 Annual Report! We encourage you to look over the report and celebrate our accomplishments and our hopes for the future.
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This year, MSJC celebrates growth in new volunteers, sponsored events, and participants in numerous programs. We have not only expanded but deepened our commitment to important societal issues, including racial and immigrant justice. Importantly, we have set a path for the future that will continue this growth.
Under our new 6-year strategic plan, we will engage the Marianist Family more broadly, reach more people with our work, and become more inclusive and responsive to the world’s needs. These actions will be supported by financial stability, more effective communication, and enhanced coordination across Justice Teams.
In 2027, volunteers from all Justice Teams will gather for the first time to probe our Marianist tradition for inspiration and share what Teams have learned. What will emerge will be renewed and more effective and creative ways for the Marianist Family to engage in the quest for justice.
As my six-year term as chair of the MSJC Steering Committee ends, I am confident that MSJC will continue to grow with new leadership, volunteers and partnerships. I invite you to get involved and meet dedicated and talented people who work together with respect, care and laughter to make the world better.
With renewed hope,
Marge Cavanaugh
Chair of the MSJC Steering Committee
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Communion Film Screening & Discussion
Monday, November 9 from 4-6pm PT | 5-7pm MT | 6-8pm CT | 7-9pm ET
There's still time to register for a special screening of Communion, followed by a live conversation with writer and performer Matthew LaBanca, but spots are going fast!
Following its acclaimed Off-Broadway run, Communion tells the true story of a gay Catholic school teacher whose marriage to his husband cost him his job and reshaped his relationship with the Catholic Church. Through storytelling, music, and humor, the film explores faith, identity, and belonging.
This event will invite participants into meaningful conversation about faith and LGBTQ+ inclusion and is co-sponsored by MSJC's LGBTQ+ Initiative and Retreat to Broadway.
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MSJC REFLECTIONS, RESOURCES,
AND CALLS TO ACTION
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What We Mean When We Call Someone "Illegal": Remembering the People Behind the Numbers
Immigration enforcement statistics can be difficult to comprehend. In July, ICE arrested almost 50,000 people. Behind every arrest is a person with a story, relationships, responsibilities, and hopes for the future. In this reflection via Substack, Rev. Cameron Trimble invites to look beyond the numbers and consider the human consequences of immigration enforcement, particularly for people who are seeking asylum or have no criminal convictions. The words we use to describe immigrants matter, too. Read this reflection and consider how our language shapes the way we see our neighbors—and how we can uphold the dignity of every person, regardless of immigration status.
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Do You Know Your Watershed?
Reflection by Team Member Tony Garascia
Where does your water come from, and what does it mean to care for the waters that sustain us? In this reflection, Tony invites us to see the connections between our own bodies, our local watersheds, and the living Earth. Drawing on Marianist spirituality, the symbolism of water in our faith, and the call to integral ecology, Tony challenges us to move beyond taking clean, life-giving water for granted. Read his reflection and discover how learning the watershed where you live can deepen your connection to creation and inspire you to care for our common home.
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The Disappearers and LGBTQ+ Advocacy Today
Reflection by Beth Garascia
Beth explores The Disappearers, a novel by Marlon James about anti-LGBTQ+ violence in Jamaica, and reflects on the realities of hate crimes, bullying, and rejection experienced by LGBTQ+ people in the United States. Drawing connections to the Stonewall uprising and the ongoing struggle for acceptance, Beth invites us to consider how prejudice affects a person’s sense of safety, identity, and hope—and how we can respond. Read Beth’s reflection and join her in considering how each of us can help confront prejudice and build a world rooted in dignity, peace, and acceptance.
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Discussion & Support Group for Dads of LGBTQ+ Children
Fathers of LGBTQ+ children are invited to join a monthly Zoom gathering for conversation, connection, and support. Facilitated by Ryan Turpin and Tom Brill, two Catholic fathers and leaders in Fortunate Families Ministries, this welcoming space offers an opportunity to share questions, concerns, experiences, and insights with other dads who understand the journey. There’s no set agenda, and no topic is off the table—just an open conversation rooted in love for their children and a desire to grow in understanding.
The group meets at 6 p.m. Eastern on the third Sunday of each month, starting this Sunday, October 18. You can sign up anytime and receive further details including Zoom information, by contacting Ryan Turpin at ryanturpin1975@hotmail.com or Tom Brill at dabrills@gmail.com.
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