Webinar 1/3: members at their local statehouse
What role do lobbying and political engagement play in progressive Catholic faith and spirituality? How can Call To Action members and all progressive Catholics live our faith by expressing our values through bold political action? Join members of the Metro and Upstate New York Call To Action chapters for a conversation about their efforts at the New York State Legislature to lobby for stronger protections for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
CALLED TO ACTION: CTA MEMBERS AT THEIR LOCAL STATEHOUSE
See also Discerning Our Call To Action: Focusing Our Time and Energy, 10/15/2019
See also Progressive Catholicism in Action: Building Local and National Movements for Change, 2/24/2020
ABOUT PANELISTS
John Noble (facilitator) is a Master of Divinity student at Brite Divinity School in Forth Worth, Texas. As an aspiring church historian, he studies the history of Catholic political engagement and ecumenical encounter. He currently works for Pastors for Texas Children, a ministry to Texas’ public schools, and serves on the board of NETWORK, a lobby for Catholic social justice. Through PTC, NETWORK, and previous involvement with groups like Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, John has developed a passion for faith-based social and political transformation.
Art McGrath, Rosemarie (Roe) Sauerzopf and Nancy Lorence all serve on the board of the Metro NY Chapter. Art comes from a psychology background, Roe from a social work career, and Nancy from an education and union organizing background.
Steve Powers comes from a criminal justice background and has been the long-serving leader of the Upstate CTA chapter until he retired from that position a year ago.
ABOUT CHAPTERS
CTA/Upstate New York consists of five branches (Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Syracuse and Binghamton) in four dioceses spanning 300 miles in Upstate New York. The chapter organizes annual events for the celebration of Mary Magdalene in July, and publicly witnesses for the inclusion of women in the priesthood on the days of priestly ordinations. Twice a year, they host a notable speaker for their “Thruway Tour” with events in the five district branches. Some of these speakers have addressed the issue of child sex abuse in the church. CTA/Upstate New York is a member of the Catholic Coalition of Conscience and have advocated for the Child Victims Act through legislative action, media outreach and letter-writing campaigns.
CTA/Metro New York was formed in 2011 with the help of the national office and CTA/Upstate New York. The chapter has a strong commitment to social justice and sponsors multiple speaking events per year focused on the New Missal, Vatican II, the inclusion of the LGBTQ community in church life, the role of women in the church, and more. Justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse has been a priority for six years, during which they advocated for the most inclusive of several bills in the state legislature, the Child Victims Act. For that work, they organized a number of public forums as well as trips to the state capital Albany for key lobby days, visits to district offices of legislators, and rallies in front of the cathedral. They formed a coalition, the Catholic Coalition of Conscience, with CTA Upstate New York and VOTF NYC. Importantly, they worked closely with survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
