Nonviolence
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Social Justice Tag: Nonviolence

View last year’s grand prize winning video. (*Note: the contest themes have changed for 2025.)

The Mercy Justice Team needs you, a Mercy student, to create a short, social media style PSA (public service announcement) video – think Reels or TikTok – that reflects the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns. Put those creative ideas and video skills to work and you could win $500!

How do women impact the world for good?

How can individuals reduce their consumption to better care for the Earth?

What is a policy or campaign that could help people reduce their consumption?

Who are the heroines of the Mercy Critical Concerns?

To receive information, updates and reminders about this year’s contest, complete this form and we’ll be in touch. Click here to learn rules for entry and how to upload your video.

View the grand prize winning videos from 2023. (*Note: the contest themes have changed for 2025.)

Purpose

For this year’s contest we are seeking short, PSA style videos (30 to 90 seconds) that are suitable for sharing on social media platforms such as TikTok or Reels. Video entries must focus on one of these topics:

The Power of Women
  • Videos should reflect the charism of Mercy and highlight the gifts and contributions that women, either individually or collectively, bring to society.
  • Videos could promote the contributions of women, tell the story, past or present, of a woman or women engaged in Mercy or justice, or dream about the future for women in society.
Reducing Consumption
  • Videos should reflect the Mercy Critical Concerns, especially the Critical Concern for Earth, but do not need to identify the Critical Concerns specifically.
  • Videos should encourage actions toward reducing consumption either on the personal or societal level.
  • Videos could be inspirational or motivational, provide a ‘how-to’ process for reducing consumption or provide information about the consequences of conspicuous consumption.

Contest Webinar

Watch our 17 minute webinar to learn more about this year’s contest.

Who Can Enter

Any student or group of students, high school age or older, enrolled in Mercy high schools, colleges/universities, or involved in a Mercy-affiliated ministry.

Use this tip-sheet to help you as you begin the process of creating your video.

Format

Read the complete rules

Length: 30 to 90 seconds

Language: English or Spanish

Other Requirements

1. Title. Each video must have a title. The title must be indicated on the submission form. The title does not need to be included in the video itself.

2. Credits. Credits must include the name of those involved in the creation of the video. The credits must also include citations for any images, audio, or text used in the video that is not original. The credits do not need to be included in the video itself, but must be included in the submission form.

The Sisters of Mercy may delete title and credit screens before posting videos on social media.

Entrants are strongly encouraged to use original footage and graphics as much as possible.

Important Note on Rules: In order to honor copyright protections, rules regarding use of images and music were updated for the 2022 contest and remain in effect for 2025. See the complete rules for details.

Deadline

All entries must be received by April 1, 2025.

Prizes

A panel of judges will use these criteria to select the winning video. Individual winners will receive financial awards. The Grand Prize Winner receives $500.

Winning entries may be featured on the Sisters of Mercy Institute web site and social media channels. Winners and their winning institution will be formally announced.

Interested?

If you think you might be interested in entering this contest, fill out this form to receive contest information and updates.

Past Winners

Click here to view all of our past winners.

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 it. In this space we are curating resources for education and action in 2024. The following resources do not endorse or oppose any political party, candidate, or PAC.

Tools for Voters

  • Designed for use on college campuses, our Mercy Voter Reflection Guide helps young people, and all people, use Mercy values when evaluating candidates. Scan and share the QR code to access the guide on a phone.
  • The Voter Toolkit from Faiths United to Save Democracy will equip you to educate and empower voters in your community. A product of the Skinner Leadership Institute, Sojourners and the Center for Faith and Justice at Georgetown University.
  • Project 2025 in contrast with Catholic Social Teaching from NETWORK explores the important elements between the contrasting visions of Project 2025 and Catholic Social Teaching.
  • Election Protection-866-OUR-VOTE. Find out all you need to know about elections in 2024. Have questions about voter registration deadlines, requesting absentee or mail-in ballots, or how to vote in-person during early voting or on Election Day? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to speak with a trained Election Protection volunteer.
Pray With Us

Please join the Mercy Community in praying daily for voters to consider the common good in their choices for national, state and local leaders; to treat with respect even those who hold differing opinions about the direction of our country; and to commit ourselves to a peaceful transfer of power after the election.

Let us be Mercy at this time through our prayer, rhetoric and actions at this time of potential national stress.

The Sisters of Mercy of the Americas launched a Vote with Mercy initiative to encourage U.S. citizens to vote in the November elections and to consider a variety of factors and values in determining their decisions.  

As people of faith, we are called to witness for others. As Sisters of Mercy, that witness is expressed throughout Catholic teaching and in our Critical Concerns of immigration, nonviolence, care for our Earth, racism and the education, health and spiritual needs of women and girls. A centerpiece of the initiative is a video highlighting these concerns, available on the website and social media platforms and featured in advertising.

We have also produced a short video on guidelines for not for profit organizations and political activity by members of religious congregations.

Webinars

Georgetown University

The Experts’ Guide to Free and Fair Elections

Voting and Our Common Home: Reflections from the Catholic Tradition

Election Work

White Supremacy and American Christianity

PBS

Brookings

JustFaith Ministries

More 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.

Articles

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

Books

Raise your voice with ours!

Explore our current advocacy efforts and get involved.

Take Action Today

Join 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.

2nd Place
Carli Amos, Aiden Arrington and Luciana Elliott
“Use Your Voice!”
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania
3rd Place
Riley Wichman and Angela Thiel
“Vote with Faith and Mercy”
Mercy High School, Middletown, Connecticut
Honorable Mention – Calliope Beatty, Malley Connor, Addison Foster and Grace Tronoski
“Be a Hero and VOTE with faith!”
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School, Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania

The Mercy Justice Team invites you to make plans to host a local gathering the week of March 17th – 23rd to pray and demonstrate for a ceasefire in Gaza. Local gatherings can be held at convents, offices, life centers, schools or in the local community. The necessary materials are provided at the links below.

The printable prayer service can be downloaded and edited to suit your needs. In addition to praying together, consider these possibilities for your event:

  • Hold your event in a visible area outdoors to draw attention to the issue. Print signs for your participants.
  • Invite family, friends, and the public to join your gathering.
  • Share the background information page with participants and invite them to send handwritten letters to their senators and congressperson calling for a ceasefire. If possible, provide addresses, paper, pens, and envelopes.
  • Write a letter to the editor about your gathering.
  • Take pictures at the event and send them to justice@sistersofmercy.org so we can share them with the greater Mercy community.