Issuu

Reflection “ We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts [of people] willing to be co-workers with God, and without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the forces of social stagnation. We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right. Now is the time to make real the promise of democracy and transform our pending national elegy into a creative psalm of brotherhood. Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.”

LOOKING BACK

Youth Action Team Interns and Fellows We welcomed 18 interns and seven returning fellows between the end of August and early September! The new interns are learning the ins and outs of organizing and preparing for their fall listening campaign. The fellows are building their first coalition meeting, set to take place in October.

— Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 1963

Questions for Reflection:

✩ Where do you see people in your community participating in and

strengthening democracy? Where do you see people excluded, discouraged, or prevented from participating?

✩ King warns against the “appalling silence of the good people.”

Where are you tempted to remain silent or disengaged because an issue feels too political, complicated, or beyond your control?

✩ King calls people to become “co-workers with God” in the

work of human progress. What might it mean to understand participation in democracy not simply as a civic responsibility, but as part of our responsibility to one another?

✩ How might your faith shape the way you engage with people whose

political beliefs differ from your own?

✩ King writes that “the time is always ripe to do right.” What is one

concrete way you can help strengthen democratic participation in your community—not only by casting your own vote, but by helping others exercise theirs?

✩ What gifts, skills, or resources could you offer? Could you register

voters, serve as a poll worker or election chaplain, provide transportation or child care, share reliable election information, or simply help someone navigate the voting process?

FA L L 2 0 2 6 • N O. 1 5 1

NEW MISSION AND VISION STATEMENT FOR THE YOUTH COALITION In August, YATF team met to begin envisioning this upcoming year. As part of that process, they developed a mission and vision statement along with short- and long-term goals for the coalition. We are thrilled to share their statements below: MISSION Inspired by Catholic social teaching, our mission is to unite and empower Catholic-affiliated young leaders to build relationships, educate ourselves on issues affecting our community, and act for long-term social change. VISION We envision a community of belonging and safety, where youth have the power to raise social awareness and act collectively for justice and to create a world where all people have equitable access to their basic necessities and can live into their full human dignity.

“ Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.”