We stand with all people whose lives are threatened by violence, war and hatred. Thus, we hold firm to the belief of the human dignity of all persons. Grounded in our witness to the Gospel, Catholic Social Teaching and our charism of unifying love, we affirm that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and thus is sacred and demands love.
Violence perpetuates violence and deepens the suffering of our dear neighbors already experiencing oppression. In the past week, the U.S. government has taken actions that we understand as political violence and that disregard the value of human life. We oppose the U.S. government’s use of military force in Venezuela, negating the sovereignty of a nation. We also oppose the killing of Renée Nicole Good in Minneapolis, which shows a failure to uphold the sanctity of human life.
We believe in the power of dialogue, negotiation and diplomacy. Therefore, we call on government employees and agents to commit to nonviolence in their interactions with U.S. citizens and all who live in the United States. We further call upon the United States Congress to exercise its constitutional and moral responsibility regarding any use of force that violates our shared commitment to protect human life and the common good.
We echo the words of Pope Leo XIV who stated that peaceful political solutions to the current situation should be sought in keeping in mind the common good of the people in respecting the will of the Venezuelan people and safeguarding human and civil rights of all.
We also stand behind these statements from within our Catholic community:
- Leadership Conference of Catholic Women
- Maryknoll Office of Global Concern
- Message of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV for the LIX World Day of Peace
- Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province
- U.S. Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph
In solidarity with the Venezuelan people and the community of Minneapolis, please consider acting in one or more of the following ways:
Please share these opportunities for prayer, education, and advocacy with friends and family.