In our first U. S. presidential election year since the insurrection on January 6, 2021, it is prudent to ask questions about the safety of our democracy and the steps citizens can take to protect. In this space we are curating resources for education and action in 2024.
Tools for Voters
The Equally Sacred Checklist from NETWORK addresses the question: “How can we know we are voting for candidates who promote the common good?”
Websites
- Voting and Democracy, from NETWORK, includes a series of blog posts about elections and politics.
- Vote411, from League of Women Voters, provides information and resources for participating in local and national elections.
- Ensure Every American Can Vote, from the Brennan Center for Justice, explores voting rights issues.
Webinars
Election Work
- July 11 – When We All Do Our Part: The Work Ahead to Vote – and Build – Our Future, will offer faith filled voters the tools and resources needed to be engaged and committed.
- Choosing Community Over Chaos
White Supremacy and American Christianity
- White Supremacy and American Christianity
- How it Harms our Churches, Politics and Communities
- A Consistent Ethic of Hate Threatens our Democracy
- Moving Toward Beloved Community
Georgetown University
- Faith and the Faithful in the 2024 Election – Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life
- How White Christian Nationalism Threatens Our Democracy – Center on Faith and Justice
- The Civil Rights Act of 1964 After 60 Years: Challenges and Questions for Voters and the Nation in 2024 – Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life
PBS
Documentary Film
God & Country is a 90-minute film that explores the dangers of Christian Nationalism, featuring prominent Christian voices including Sister Simone Campbell and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.
Learn more about the film here.
View a discussion with the producers of the film here.
Podcasts
- Just Politics – 3 seasons from NETWORK and U.S. Catholic
- Confronting Christian Nationalism – 6 episodes from Vote Common Good
- Democracy Decoded – from Campaign Legal Center
Articles
- What Catholics need to model this election season, by Kathleen Bonnette at America Magazine.
- Conscience, by Joanne Lappetito, RSM
- How to detect and guard against deceptive AI-generated election information, by Mekela Paditharatne and Shanze Hasan at Brennen Center for Justice.
Books
- A Consistent Ethic of Life: Navigating Catholic Engagement with US Politics, by Steven P. Millies
- The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, by Katherine Stewart
- The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future, by Robert P. Jones
- The Seven Deadly Sins of White Christian Nationalism: A Call to Action, by Carter Heyward
Raise your voice with ours!
Explore our current advocacy efforts and get involved.
Take Action TodayJoin us as a Mercy Advocate for Justice! Click the “Take Action Today” button to the left. Each individual who responds to a call for legislative action or policy change increases the volume of our Mercy voice in the halls of power. Signing up online is easy and customizable. Alerts are available via email or text message. Advocates can choose to receive notices about a single issue or the entire menu of options. Please invite people from your circles and networks to join our efforts by sharing this link with them today: https://sistersofmercy.org/mercy-for-justice/action-alerts/
LCWR’s Transforming Grace: The Work of Transformative Justice invites participants to take responsibility for the personal and collective responses we can make in the challenges we will encounter during the national election period.
Student Videos
Each year, students at Mercy sponsored schools are invited to enter a Social Justice Video Contest and put their creative ideas and skills to work by sharing stories of the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns. In 2024, some of the videos focused on voting. Here are three videos that took home honors for this year’s contest.
Riley Wichman and Angela Thiel
“Vote with Faith and Mercy”
Mercy High School, Middletown, Connecticut
“Be a Hero and VOTE with faith!”
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania