The New Wine Press July 2018 | Page 7

• Significantly build up nonviolent practices in skills training, advocating for nonviolence and the investment of resources • Offer accompaniment and protection to vulner- able populations and other marginalized persons along with all of God’s creation • Build up alternatives to war and to other forms of direct violence and to move away from justifying war Questions Let us pray and reflect on the following questions: How do I intentionally practice nonviolence in my life at home and in the work place? How have we, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, used both our charism and experience as reli- gious leaders, to significantly build up practices and a culture of nonviolence? In what specific ways have we responded and can we respond to this resolution as individual members and Companions and leaders of faith communities?  Editor, continued from page 2 Permanently separated. Workers who are not al- lowed to touch or hug the children under their care. In one shelter, the children are required each morn- ing to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance in a language they don’t know. Some parents are now being told that they can have their child back if they sign a document forgo- ing a court appearance. Children as hostages. President Trump has now explicitly advocated depriving undocumented immigrants of their due- process rights, arguing that people who cross the border into the United States illegally were invad- ers and must immediately be deported without trial or an appearance before a judge in violation of the Fifth Amendment. This policy is traumatizing children and families, many of them fleeing violence and danger in their homelands. No mercy, no compassion, no nuance. A seeming aversion to new people coming into the country—from an administration which is almost all white, wealthy, and male. Racist and nationalist policies which seek to limit even legal immigra- tion—and make it “merit based,” which is code for people from the “right countries.” To quote the president: “Why can’t we have more people from Norway?” (Worldwide there are about 13 million displaced Syrians in need of humanitarian assis- tance. In the first three months of this year, the United States has accepted 11.) Racism is racism and needs to be called out. Taking children away from their parents and using them as pawns is reprehensible and evil. Sometimes right is right and wrong is wrong, and there is no hiding spot in between. As Precious Blood people, we are called to speak out against these evils. We are called to act—whether it is speaking out when we hear our neighbors echo the administration’s hate, contacting our representatives to encourage change, or providing comfort and aid to refugees. As our province leadership said in a recent statement: “The soul of our nation is at stake. When we treat refu- gees with contempt rather than compassion, our souls are at risk.” We can help make our families and parishes, our states and our country, beacons instead of barriers. Shining places on the hill where “the doors are open to anyone with the will and the heart to get there.”  Find Us on the Web! preciousbloodkc.org Go there for: Province Events The Weekly Wine Press The New Wine Press and more! July 2018 • The New Wine Press • 5