Celebrating Advent, next steps

At the beginning of last year, I shared CTA’s vision for the 2020 National Campaign: a coordinated series of occupations in December 2020 would unite our movement’s demands across geographies and changemaking strategies. We would build a stronger infrastructure for people to receive support and guidance to address injustice in their communities. A focus on changemaking strategies would empower people to take intentional action, conscious of what they can offer and what their communities need. 

The events of the year threw a wrench in the works, but the 2020 National Campaign also took new directions in conversation with you, our members. We added a fourth changemaking strategy, “alternatives,” which proved especially relevant to many of our constituents. We learned about the strategies in which CTA is especially strong — and where we have room to grow. Our 2020 Re/Generators played a huge role in the Campaign, organizing events that engaged new audiences, including a significant ecumenical pull. People brought their concerns to the working groups, and we let them pull CTA in unexpected directions. Some of our plans fell by the wayside, perhaps to be picked up again in the future. Many of the projects that came to fruition will directly inform our work in 2021 (see “next steps”). In the coming weeks, watch for more detailed announcements about our plans for the year ahead.

We filled Advent 2020, the culmination of the National Campaign, with liturgies, actions, and reflections. The goal of the National Campaign was to strengthen our strategic thinking and coordination, but it also demonstrated the vibrancy of our movement. On January 23 from 2-3 pm ET/1-2 pm CT/11 am-12 pm PT, we will gather for a Campaign Celebration! We’ll celebrate and debrief everything we accomplished during Advent. Register in advance via Zoom. This event is designed for people who participated in the 2020 Campaign.  

In total…

In Advent 2020, CTA held 12 virtual events attended by over 400 unique individuals. 

We published 35 reflection pieces and released two lobbying projects. 

We organized one action that reached 27 parishes. 

We used four strategies to create change in the Catholic Church. 

Advent of Liberation Calendar

Thousands of people visited the Advent of Liberation Calendar homepage, our second-most popular webpage of 2020. 548 people subscribed to receive the calendar’s reflections in their email inboxes every day. The calendar featured 31 pieces from long-time CTA members and new friends alike. 
Next steps: Inspired by the calendar’s success, CTA is considering other opportunities to share reflections by and for our members.

Answering the Call: An Advent Retreat for 2020

This Re/Generator-organized series featured three prophetic speakers across three separate sessions. 80-90 people attended each session. In total, 146 unique individuals attended one, two, or three retreats in this series. 
Next steps: Attendees hungry for more discussion and spiritual nourishment were encouraged to join upcoming educational events, including a new monthly series started by chapter leaders. 

Bishop Anti-Racism Scorecards

Members of the Lobbying Working group designed nine scorecards, assessing the statements and actions of prominent U.S. bishops as they relate to race, immigration, and policing. Raw data for the scorecards was gathered at a pre-Advent power mapping research session with 41 participants. Released with just two weeks left in the year, the scorecards quickly became the sixth most-viewed news item of 2020 on CTA’s website. National Catholic Reporter covered the project.
Next steps: The Lobbying Working Group plans to release further scorecards in 2021. Existing scorecards will be used as the basis for projects calling on the bishops to take action against racism. 

Church & Colonization series

A 2020 Re/Generator organized a series of four reflections about how colonization in the United States has been entwined with Catholicism. 
Next steps: CTA plans to release further reflections about the Church and colonization, deepening our understanding of Catholic complicity in colonialism. We also hope to support further anti-colonial projects. 

Liturgy of Lament

The Alternatives Working Group organized this space for Catholics who have been disenfranchised from their parish communities because of an abuse of power. 79 people gathered to share and worship together. 
Next steps: Members of the Alternatives Working Group hope to develop a network for Catholics who have become alienated from traditional parishes. This network will provide space for mutual support — and explore ways to create alternative Catholic communities.

Open letter series

Members of the Lobbying Working Group created a series of three open letters, addressing alliances between members of the USCCB and apostolates (organizations dedicated to service or evangelization) and media outlets that promote racist or polarizing rhetoric. The letters received hundreds of views and multiple CTA members reported sending copies to members of the hierarchy. 
Next steps: The letters’ organizers are planning to expand outreach in 2021, perhaps asking CTA members to send copies to clergy who actively promote the apostolates or media outlets. 

Ordination justice action

13 people took action through wheat-pasting, posting flyers, in-person witness, mailers, and emails. Participants joined from St. Louis, Milwaukee, Richmond, VA, Detroit, Streamwood, IL, Auburn Hills, MI, Orchard Lake, MI, Seattle, and Tacoma, WA. In total, CTA members and friends contacted 27 parishes across 10 cities. (Co-organizer Mac Svolos reflects on the experience.)
Next steps: CTA is thinking about how to center nonviolent direct action in 2021. We hope that skilled and experienced organizers will help us use this strategy more strategically, consistently, and effectively. 

Parish trainings

CTA’s Anti-Racism Team organized a trial run of anti-racism parish trainings. A series of three small gatherings brought together Anti-Racism Team members with clergy and diocesan officials from Kenosha, WI. 15-20 participants participated in a curriculum of anti-racism education and caucusing. 
Next steps: The Anti-Racism Team plans to start offering trainings to Kenosha Catholics in early 2021. Moving forward, it will be able to bring the trainings to other dioceses. 

Queer and Trans Led Liturgies

A team of 2020 Re/Generators organized this series of four gatherings, one for each Sunday of Advent. Four queer and trans liturgists joined us to reflect on darkness, lament, waiting, resilience, queer joy, and family. 70-80 people attended each liturgy.

Virtual Border Experience

In November 2019, about 50 Catholics gathered in the Rio Grande Valley to learn about the migrant experience. This gathered the creation of a new group called the CTA WorkGroup: Immigration and Borders. In December 2020, that group held a Virtual Border Experience as a follow-up to the November 2019 gathering. 142 people attended. 
Next steps: The WorkGroup: Immigration and Borders has a follow-up event planned for early 2021 (details TBA).