What do you think of when you think of nuns? Do you think of economic equality? Do you think of social justice? What about a bus full of nuns traveling the mid-west?
“Nuns on the Bus” is exactly what sounds like, a bus full nuns travelling the country, making their way to Washington D.C. to see Pope Francis.
They’re advocating, educating and most importantly listening to individual’s concerns on matters such as: the economic divide, gun violence and social justice.
Sister Simone Campbell is on that bus, and is the Executive Director of NETWORK.
NETWORK is a Catholic lobbying organization founded in 1972, and is a leader in advocating on matters of social and economic transformation.
Sister Campbell said “Nuns on the Bus” is a mobile campaign, that is ran under the guidance of NETWORK, and was founded in 2012 after the Vatican expressed their dissatisfaction with the social issues they were choosing to focus on.
“The Vatican said our little organization was working too much on issues of poverty and not enough on other issues the bishops cared about,” Campbell said.
She said they have since made peace with the Vatican, and “Nuns on the Bus” continues to work towards economic and social justice for those who fallen between the cracks.
Sister Richelle Friedman, who is also travelling on the bus, said NETWORK and the “Nuns of the Bus” campaign is traveling in order to hear experiences of individuals across the nation.
This eleven day journey will take them through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Washington D.C.
“We listened yesterday for example, to someone in St. Louis who makes eight dollars and 50 cents an hour bringing dignity to elderly and seniors in their home. To people with disabilities so that they might have dignity, and yet this person struggles to pay her own bills. So things like the minimum wage, things like the education system that is open and available to all, quality education,” Friedman said.
Sister Friedman also feels the United States does not have a strong enough social safety system that provides and allocates services to those who need it the most.
Another issue that Sister Campbell has noticed with this social safety net is that businesses rely heavily on it, but rarely advocate for it.
“What I’ve come to realize is that businesses that pay low wages are the ones that depend on the safety net because they want their employees to be able to use the safety net so that they can get some kind of support in terms of health care, food stamps, those kinds of things, and they don't pay fair wages,” Campbell said.
She said there either needs to be a stronger safety net of government assistance or the working poor will require businesses pay employees fair wages.
While the organization is rooted in the Catholic faith, Sister Campbell wants everyone to know that NETWORK and the Nuns on the Bus tour is not exclusive to the Catholic Church.
“The only thing that we ask is that people share our commit to the dignity of everyone and to our catholic social teachings, the kind of things Pope Francis talks about, and if you are share our passion for justice, join us,” Campbell said.
While in each city the sisters will also meet with the legislatures, attend town halls and hold rallies in order to hear the concerns of individuals.
