FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2013

BUS TRIP CONTACT: Casey Schoeneberger, Faith in Public Life, 202-569-4254, casey@faithinpubliclife.org

NETWORK CONTACT: Stephanie Niedringhaus, NETWORK Commun. Coord., 202-347-9797 ext. 224,sniedringhaus@networklobby.org

(Washington, DC) – Joining with labor, civic and fellow faith leaders, NETWORK’s “Nuns on the Bus” are hitting the road for a 6,500-mile, 15-state tour to raise their voices for bipartisan, commonsense immigration reform. The trip is scheduled to begin across from Ellis Island at Liberty State Park in NJ on May 29 and conclude with a rally in the shadow of San Francisco’s Angel Island on June 18.

Catholic Sisters on the tour are urging lawmakers to support legislation that provides a roadmap to citizenship for 11 million aspiring Americans, promotes family unity, and protects the rights of all immigrant workers.

The tour is called “NETWORK Nuns on the Bus: A Drive for Faith, Family, and Citizenship.”

“Catholic Sisters and people of faith know that when America celebrates and promotes our history as a nation of immigrants, we are better prepared to meet the challenges of the 21^st Century,” said Sr. Simone Campbell, organizer of the original “Nuns on the Bus” in 2012 and Executive Director of NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby. “While some fringe politicians have tried to promote anti-immigrant rhetoric, Americans have flatly rejected that nonsense. Rebuffing fear and valuing the contributions of current and future immigrants doesn’t limit opportunity, but rather opens us up for limitless success and future innovation.”

Featuring Catholic Sisters from around the country, and sponsored by NETWORK, the bus will stop at historical landmarks, drive through the Southern states, plains of Texas and border towns throughout the Southwest. Sisters will rally with community members at more than 50 faith-based agencies and local congressional offices to lift up the voices of both aspiring Americans and citizens who have been impacted by America’s broken immigration system. Catholic Sisters stand with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in calling for immigration reform that addresses the root causes of migration and provides a roadmap to citizenship for fellow neighbors, colleagues, and friends seeking protection from further senseless exploitation.

Week 1 Schedule…Arriving in a Different Region Every Day!

See Here for Complete Itinerary!

Date	Place
May 28, 2013(7:00 PM)	Pre-event Prayer Service @ St. Rose’s Church 115 Blatchley Ave, New Haven, CT 06513
May 29, 2013(10:00 AM)	Event Launch: Liberty State Park Liberty State Park, NJ
May 29, 2013(2:00 PM)	St. John Neumann Parish 628 Hemlock Street, Scranton, PA 18505
May 30, 2013(9:00 AM)	Saint Joseph’s Pro-Cathedral 2907 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08105
May 30, 2013(1:30 PM)	TBD Washington, DC
May 31, 2013(9:30 AM)	TBD Virginia Beach, VA
May 31, 2013(2:30 PM)	Church World Service-RDU 112 South Duke Street, #4B, Durham, NC 27701
Jun 1, 2013 (10:00 AM)	TBD Charlotte, NC
Jun 1, 2013 (2:00 PM)	St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church 309 Gower Street, Greenville, SC 29611
Jun 1, 2013 (7:30 PM)	Circular Congregational Church 150 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29401
Jun 2, 2013 (9:00 AM)	Mercy Convent 11801 McAuley Drive, Savannah, GA 31419
Jun 3, 2013 (10:00 AM)	Office of Daniel Webster 300 West Plant Street, Winter Garden, FL 34787

SEE FULL SCHEDULE HERE

NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus is a campaign of NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, which was founded by 47 Catholic Sisters more than 40 years ago.  www.networklobby.org