As Catholics, What Is Ours to Do?
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Catholic Worker
Jan 5, 2026, 9:23:17 AM (5 days ago) Jan 5
to National-CW...@googlegroups.com
Dear Catholic Workers,
My name is Matt Harper and I help run the Los Angeles Catholic Worker.
For the last five months, I have been part of a collaboration of Catholics (not Workers) wrestling with the question: What does it look like to be a faithful Catholic at a time like this? Though these folks already lead meaningful faith-driven change work across the country, we knew this particular moment invites all of us to dig a little deeper. We gathered with the goal of building a strong network and loose program that could both realign our Church's witness with that of Jesus while also growing Her local and national commitment and capacity to change the material conditions of our society.
Though I still believe the best work flows from the ground up at local springs, sometimes it helps to be connected to something bigger to draw inspiration, guidance, and support from. Like the relationships many of us share together.
As we pondered that question, we considered things like: centering the voices of the marginalized, building bridges and connecting our sometimes divided people, deepening our formation programs, growing a healing and restorative culture, grounding ourselves in our rituals and Tradition, organizing people to take bold public action, and so much more.
As people inspired by the Catholic Worker tradition, many of you have already risked taking the Gospel seriously. Many of you have already invited the people around you to step up in powerful ways. But if you think you would be interested to learn more about this endeavor and see if it could offer you something for the work you are doing locally, we are hosting a 7-8pm (PST) Zoom call on Friday, January 9th to explain more of the details. (Sorry East coast friends)
Though the in-person group will specifically be talking about Los Angeles, our hope is that the digital group will be able to share what feels particularly alive for you all and how you might see this being useful in your specific contexts. If nothing else, the hope would be to whet your appetite and, at the end, if you are interested in learning more, connecting you to someone who is looking to build something closer to you.
Will you join us? Please RSVP here.
If there is anyone you'd like to be a part of this conversation, please spread the word. If you can't make it but are interested to learn more, let us know. And of course, don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. Thank you.
Matt
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Matt Harper
White People 4 Black Lives: awarela.org
@wp4bl
@wp4bl
The Liminal Space blog
"For the African American knows, [Thomas] Merton caustically observed, that for white people 'your material comforts, your security, and your congenial relations with the establishment are much more important to you then your rather volatile idealism, and that when the game gets rough you will be quick to see your own interests menaced by [the Black community's] demands. And you will sell him down the river for the five hundredth time in order to protect yourself." - Albert J. Raboteau, American Prophets
"For the African American knows, [Thomas] Merton caustically observed, that for white people 'your material comforts, your security, and your congenial relations with the establishment are much more important to you then your rather volatile idealism, and that when the game gets rough you will be quick to see your own interests menaced by [the Black community's] demands. And you will sell him down the river for the five hundredth time in order to protect yourself." - Albert J. Raboteau, American Prophets
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