Catholic mothers in the US launches the “Dorothea Project” to help migrants

A group of Catholic mothers in the United States, inspired by Catholic social doctrine, urges migrants in the country through Dorothea Projectwhich seeks to defend human dignity, respond to injustice and educate others about Catholic social doctrine.

Katie Holler, a Catholic mother of two children, felt the call to act when he learned of the treatment that migrants received in the midst of mass deportations. He resorted to social networks, published several publications on the situation and quickly brought together a dozen Catholic mothers with related ideas.

Through online meetings, mothers gave their first initiative in July: launching a card campaign to US bishops, urging them to raise their voice publicly and advocate for a better treatment towards migrants.

A parishioner who is worried wrote a letter that has been placed on the group’s website. This says:

“In this moment of deep crisis, they respectfully urgently and actively sympathize with our migrant brothers and sisters. As a shepherd of the Church, their voice entails moral authority and hope. In the light of the church’s teachings on human dignity, the preferential option for the poor and the call to welcome abroad, I think now is the time for a bold and brave leadership in defense of the marginalized.”

In the two weeks since the launch of the campaign, more than 150 cards have been sent to 75 bishops. The group has received a response from the Indiana Catholic Conference to deepen the subject.

While the group began with only Catholic mothers, it has now expanded to include any Catholic woman interested in participating. Currently, almost 300 women are linked to the Dorothea project.

The group found inspiration for their name in two Catholic women known for denouncing injustices: the servants of God Thea Bowman and Dorothy Day.

The first was born in Canton, Mississippi, in 1937, and became the Catholicism of a girl, inspired by the Franciscan sisters of perpetual worship and the missionary servants of the Holy Trinity, teachers and pastors of the Church and school of the Holy Child Jesus in Canton.

The testimony of the Catholics he met, who took care of the poor, inspired Thea Bowman to enter the Catholic Church. At the age of 15, he told his family that he wanted to join the Franciscan sisters of perpetual worship and became an evangelizer, teacher, speaker and very acclaimed writer.

For his part, Dorothy Day actively participated in political activism being young. He became Catholicism in 1927 and in 1933 he co -founded the movement of the Catholic worker, which combined direct aid to the poor with non -violent action in favor of justice.

Day lived in voluntary poverty, defending the rights of workers, racial equality and peace, even when this meant challenging both church leaders and government policies. Always defending the marginalized, she was arrested multiple times by acts of civil disobedience.

Holler declared CNA – Ewtn News Administration – that, although the card campaign has ended, “we continue to help women send letters sharing our template on our website.”

“We continue our efforts looking for ways to forge relationships with parishes and priests for prolonged education, prayer, solidarity and action related to issues of Catholic social doctrine,” he added. “We are also starting to work on new campaigns focused on specific festivities. Both are in the initial planning phases,” he said.

“We are growing rapidly and we are very grateful to connect with so many women from all over the country who feel moved by the Gospel and the love of neighbor,” Holler said.

Translated and adapted by the ACI Press team. Originally published in CNA.