BVM Congregation Signs On to Sisters Speak Out
On June 24, 2025, women religious, associates, and their allies will gather in Washington, D.C., for Sisters Speak Out: Prayer & Public Witness for Immigrants and a Just Economy.
Sponsored by more than 50 congregations including the Sisters of Charity, BVM, the event calls attention to pressing justice issues such as harsh immigration policies, environmental rollbacks, and deep federal budget cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
Participants will pray the rosary while walking to various Capitol locations, speak at a press conference, and can leave messages with U.S. Senators. The event reflects the deep Gospel-rooted commitment of religious communities to advocate for the most vulnerable.
HOW CAN YOU JOIN THE BVM SISTERS?
SPEAK OUT FOR IMMIGRANTS AND A JUST ECONOMY—Make Your Voice Heard!
Contact your U.S. Senators to Speak Out against the proposed budget.
To view the bill, visit: congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1.
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From Convents to the Capitol
CATHOLIC SISTERS SPEAK OUT AGAINST INHUMANE BUDGET
Sisters call on Congress to reject spending cuts, cruel immigration policies
Catholic sisters from about 50 congregations will gather for prayer and a press conference at the Capitol on June 24 at 10:00 a.m., joined by social justice groups and concerned people of faith, to urge the Senate to reject steep budget cuts that will gut healthcare and food assistance, inflicting serious harm on families, children, the elderly and disabled, and to oppose the massive increase in spending for inhumane roundup of immigrants, deportation without due process, and cruel family separation.
For more than a century, Catholic Sisters have been at the forefront of serving vulnerable communities in the United States through ministries of healthcare, education, and social services. They sponsor many of the nation’s largest Catholic hospital systems, universities, and social services agencies. They witness daily to the struggles faced by these vulnerable people, and how they will be harmed by these inhumane, unprecedented cuts to social safety net programs—paired with billions in proposed new spending to target and deport hardworking immigrant families— all to extend tax cuts that help a small group of the wealthiest Americans.
Catholic Sisters will travel from convents across the country to speak out at the U.S. Capitol to pray and express their outrage over the draconian budget cuts, including three prominent leaders.
Sister Norma Pimentel, MJ, of the Missionaries of Jesus, and Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, will speak at the press conference on the proposed $150 billion in new immigration enforcement spending.
“The false narrative exists where the situation is out of hand, and [immigrants] are painted as criminals and invaders so that we can suppress our consciences,” Sister Norma said. “But being misled does not excuse or justify our actions.”
For three decades, she provided critical support to migrants seeking refuge in the United States along Texas’ border with Mexico. In recognition of her ministry, she was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in 2020.
Sister Mary Haddad, RSM, of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, is President and CEO of Catholic Health Care Association of the United States, also will speak at the event to decry cuts to Medicaid.
“Our health care system should be accessible to all, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to thrive,” Sister Mary said. “Congress has a pivotal opportunity to advance policies that protect Medicaid, guarantee affordable coverage, protect essential safety net programs, strengthen rural hospitals, and support long-term care services.”
Sister Maggie Gannon, OSF, a Sister of St Francis of Philadelphia, is a co-founder of ACCESS Community Center in Chester, Pennsylvania, which serves families who live in an area that is a food desert with no hospital, where people face real fear about growing food insecurity that will result from the cuts to the SNAP food assistance program.
“Yet, in the midst of these challenges, our neighbors are some of the most clear reflections of Christ I have ever encountered,” she said.
Sister Reg McKillip, OP, of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa (Wisconsin), who serves as the Promoter of Peace and Justice for the order, said, “Every ministry that Catholic Sisters have been involved in—education, health care, and social services—is under attack by the Trump Administration. We are here to speak out on behalf of the people we serve and work alongside in these ministries.”
For more information, go to Sisters Speak Out! information, go to Sisters Speak Out!
ABOUT SISTERS SPEAK OUT:
Sisters Speak Out is a collaborative effort of 50 congregations of Roman Catholic women religious (sisters) and 10 Catholic advocacy and social justice organizations, inspired by the Gospel to advocate for policies that recognize the fundamental God-given dignity of every individual, promote protections for the most vulnerable among us, and conserve our common home.
Dominican Sisters of Hope, Dominican Sisters of Houston, Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa (Wisconsin), Dominican Sisters of Sparkill (New York), Erie Benedictines for Peace, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart, Religious of Jesus and Mary, Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary – US Region, Religious of the Assumption, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Atlantic Midwest Province, School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province, Sisters of Bon Secours, USA, Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, Office of Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Office of Peace, Justice, & Integrity of Human Creation, Sisters of Charity of New York, Sisters of Christian Charity, Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Sisters of Loretto / Loretto Community, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur – Ohio Unit, Sisters of the Precious Blood – Dayton, Ohio, Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, New Windsor, NY, Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Sisters of St. Dominic of Blauvelt, NY, Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, IA, Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque, IA, Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, IN, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, Sisters of St. Francis of Rochester, MN, Sisters of St. Francis, Sacred Heart Province, Sisters of St. Francis, Sylvania, OH, Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY, Sisters of St. Joseph of Northwestern PA, Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester, NY, Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, MA, Wheaton Franciscans JPIC Office,
Participating organizations include the Franciscan Action Network, Loretto Motherhouse Peace Committee, National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, Pax Christi USA, U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and WATER: Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual.