Sr. Emily TeKolste

"The life of Christ and the life of the prophets call me to take his spirit with me into my work and my political choices forever," writes Sr. Emily TeKolste.

Hope is what keeps us able to continue fighting for the liberation of all creation during political and social turmoil.

Through taxes on those who have the most, we could provide a good life for our communities. We must demand our elected leaders act in our collective best interest so that we can all live in the world as God sees it.

Horizons - My healing work has taken a lot of time. Having the freedom for that personal work, I've been asking questions about how we make healing possible in this world, for each and every person.

For many of us, the eclipse gave us a vision — a reminder — of what moments of community with all of creation can look like. 

Everyone is welcome at the table. Everyone has food to eat. Everyone experiences safety and shelter. Everyone has an opportunity to contribute and to develop their own gifts and talents.

Catholic social teaching makes it clear: it's not enough to be a good person. It's not enough to volunteer at or donate to our local food pantry. These things are good and important and commendable. But they're not enough.

Horizons - I've been reflecting on the interplay between federal and local governments. In many ways, it resembles the interplay between solidarity and subsidiarity in Catholic social teaching. 

Horizons - What could our society look like if everyone had access to resources to put food on the table, live in decent housing, and have the security to work toward their dreams? There is enough to go around.

Horizons - Recently I reached out to the nurse and executive director of a senior center, to find out about experiences of food insecurity that their members might be facing. The stories they shared were profound.

Horizons - My work, where I live in Terre Haute, Indiana, is to build cross-racial solidarity so that we can build a world where all can thrive. Where is your work? Where does your community hurt?

Are all welcome in our church, our nation, our world? Only if we are willing to ensure all have what they need to thrive will all be truly welcome.

Those of us who are both white and Christian must begin to atone for the ways these intersecting identities build upon each other to create spaces where we can dominate the narrative and the expectations.

Horizons - Are we listening? Are we shining our light into the darkness? Are we bringing attention to that which the powers-that-be would prefer remained hidden?

Horizons - When both a billionaire and a minimum wage worker have to rent an apartment for $3,000 a month, that's equality of opportunity, but it leaves the worker homeless. Equity says that is not enough.

"Sisters, is your life easy?" an acquaintance asked. It was relatively easy for me to answer: "Easy? No. Good? Yes." Still, the question has stayed with me.