Advocacy Partners, Members of Congress Welcome Announcement of Nuns on the Bus & Friends ‘Vote Our Future’ Tour 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 24, 2024 

WASHINGTON—Advocacy partners and other collaborators of NETWORK, including Members of Congress, welcomed the return of the Nuns on the Bus with the announcement on July 23 of the Nuns on the Bus & Friends 2024 “Vote Our Future” tour. The tour, which is the first in-person Nuns on the Bus tour in six years, will call on Catholics and all people of goodwill to be multi-issue voters who promote a future where “everyone thrives, no exceptions!”   

NETWORK Executive Director Mary J. Novak opened the media conference. “This year, it is important to be reminded that nothing is inevitable, that we actually have to ‘Vote Our Future.’ And as Pope Francis reminds us, ‘The only future worth building includes everyone,’” she said. “We have taken all of this to heart in creating our 2024 bus tour and we have decided to have a mix of Catholic sisters, lay leaders like myself, and our interfaith and secular partners on this bus tour: Nuns on the Bus & Friends.”   

The event featured remarks from bus riders—including Catholic sisters, coalition partners, and NETWORK staff — as well as members of Congress.  

“I am here because I support Pope Francis’ call for Catholics to be multi-issue voters,” said Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-4). “My social justice values are deeply connected to my faith and upbringing as a Catholic. That’s why I joined Nuns on the Bus & Friends, to reaffirm our commitment to the right to seek asylum, as well as health care, climate, economic and racial justice.”

Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-2) shared, “We are here today to commit ourselves to fighting for a more vibrant democracy… for racial justice, a cleaner planet, and a fairer economy that puts workers at the forefront.”

At the multi-faith gathering, many spoke about voting for the common good as central to what it means to live out one’s faith and values.  

“There is nothing that says faith in action like Nuns on the Bus. Faith that is just words is not really faith. We have to act. And we act by voting,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5).  

“Voting is not just a statement of your values, it’s a way to actualize the changes you want to see in society. How will you discern how your voting practice can support the freedom to live in a welcoming society?” asked Giovana Oaxaca, Program Director for Migration Policy at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s Office for Witness in Society, a former associate at NETWORK, and a rider on the 2024 bus tour. 

Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) said, “Our work in Washington and the legislation we advance are a statement of our values and—to ensure a bright future for all—those values must run the gamut of addressing the climate crisis, protecting voting rights, strengthening health care, and more.”  

Several speakers spoke about the issues and freedoms at stake in the 2024 election. Rep. John Larson (CT-1), for example, spoke emphatically about the future of Social Security. “I want to thank NETWORK for their advocacy encouraging all Americans to get involved and make their voices heard,” said Rep. Larson. “Together, we are working to end hunger, combat climate change, and strengthen Social Security for the first time in more than 50 years. I look forward to seeing the incredible impact you will make as you travel across the country and highlight the importance of being a multi-issue voter. Nuns on the Bus, we stand with you, and we ride with you!” 

“I deeply admire all those joining Nuns on the Bus to encourage Americans to exercise their fundamental right and participate in their democracy,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT-3). “This multi-issue, multi-faith approach will prepare and educate Americans on the issues that matter most before they cast their ballots in November. This is about creating a government that works for the people – fixing our tax code, restoring compassion to the federal budget, and enacting policies that help Americans thrive.”

Others spoke to the power of advocating alongside Catholic sisters. A strong vision of an inclusive future emerged in the speakers’ remarks. Sojourners President Rev. Adam Taylor summed up this vision: “We can build a country where everyone is equally valued, where diversity is seen as a strength and not a weakness, and where everyone can thrive.” 

To this vision, Amelia Kegan, Associate General Secretary for Policy and Advocacy at Friends Committee on National Legislation, added: “May the history classes of tomorrow look back at this moment, and see a trail of advocates and activists, organizers and good troublemakers, together illuminating a pathway to justice and that vision of the world we seek!”

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson, President and CEO of Children’s Defense Fund, closed the gathering with a blessing: “God, be with us all as we work toward a vision that is not yet in our nation, a future where children are centered in our public policy, where those who have a voice in democracy stand up and stand out for the last, the least, and the left out.”  

Nuns on the Bus & Friends is a project of NETWORK Advocates for Catholic Social Justice. Founded by Catholic Sisters in 1972, NETWORK is an inclusive, national, Catholic advocacy organization open to all who share our values.  For 52 years, NETWORK has been educating, organizing, and lobbying for federal policies that serve the common good, honor the dignity of all, and foster an inclusive, multiracial, multi-faith democracy.   

For more information on the Vote Our Future tour, visit: nunsonthebus.org   

For more information on NETWORK’s nonpartisan voter education campaign, visit: networkadvocates.org/election-2024  

Founded by Catholic Sisters in 1972, in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, NETWORK is an inclusive, national, Catholic advocacy organization open to all who share our values, working to achieve equity and justice for everyone. Grounded in Gospel values and the Catholic social justice tradition, NETWORK transforms our society by shaping federal policies that achieve racial, economic, and social justice; serve the common good; and honor the dignity of all. 

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