Roses Blooming in Concrete:
Social Justice during a Pandemic By S. Marge Kloos
S
igns of the times always point us toward seeds of hope. Blossoms of hope push through the harshest of realities when concerned humans join with one another to address the ravages of poverty, injustice, inequalities, and suffering.
Family Assistance during COVID-19
Hunger and Food Insecurity
Transitional and Employment
As a partner, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati engage with organizations capable of improving the quality of life for the most impoverished and disenfranchised of our sisters and brothers. Partnerships leverage resources and potentially bring about much needed systemic change, making a crack through which blossoms of life can grow.
A Year of Unique Challenges COVID-19’s unrelenting impact on those already struggling under the weight of poverty, racism, environmental degradation, and marginalization is undeniable. As a sign of the times, Americans have sadly witnessed first-hand the uncontrollable force of a disease that unfairly makes its way to the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters. Nationally, the pandemic has magnified the disparities of health care access for brothers and sisters of color, bringing into focus racism’s egregious and pervasive consequences. “For decades, Black people have been starved of the investments, the systems of care and quality environments that are needed for sustained, healthy growth and development as a people. For even a rose, as the writer Nikki Giovanni reminds us, can 18
bloom from the concrete, if we give it the resources, care and love it deserves,” reflects Jay Phillips, program officer for youth development in California.
of congregational outreach since Elizabeth Seton’s first inklings about her own faith and Jesus’ imperative for justice in the Gospel.
Locally, the pandemic’s raging disregard for human life intersects with racism in indisputable ways. “The pandemic must be approached as an issue of public health,” acknowledging social disparities best understood through the lens of racism. The Sisters of Charity have joined our voice and resources with multiple other organizations, religious groups, and individuals to promote lasting systemic change in the Cincinnati community and beyond.
As Pope Francis has stated, “our response to the pandemic must be twofold: finding a cure for this small but terrible virus but also curing a larger virus, that of social injustice, inequality of opportunity, marginalization, and lack of protection for the weakest.”
Timeless Gospel Message: Option for Those Living in Poverty Empowerment has been the cornerstone
Challenges for those struggling with poverty do not hibernate during a pandemic. During the year funding requests came from organizations and agencies that were on the front lines of COVID relief. This pandemic era has helped us all better understand the suffering and dilemmas posed especially for those living in poverty. I n tercom
