Vibrancy, Not Fragility, at Detroit Town Hall

Writer: Sr. Catherine Darcy, RSM

Sr. Catherine Darcy, RSM speaks at the Town Hall to Vote Our Future in Detroit on Oct. 6.

Vibrancy is the best word to describe the committed and engaged NETWORK Advocates arriving at the Detroit Town Hall. The event, which was held at Gesu Catholic Church, across the street from University of Detroit Mercy, began at 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, the second day of the second leg of the Nuns on the Bus & Friends “Vote our Future” tour of 2024. 

As I greeted some of the attendees arriving, I soon realized that some of those arriving had been present earlier in the day at the rally we had at the International Brothers of Electrical Workers, Local 58 headquarters. My internal reaction was to wonder: Why would anyone come out twice in one day for such similar events? 

As I gently wondered out loud, the response was clear: The 2024 elections are so important that they are not going to miss any opportunity to get out the vote in Michigan. 

That feeling was confirmed as the pastor, Fr. Lorn Snow, S.J. welcomed the 200+ in attendance. His commitment to the Nuns on the Bus & Friends’ mission was also unambiguous.  

A highlight for me was in seeing a few familiar faces: The first was Katie Boller Gosewisch, Executive Director, of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking (AEHT).  Since serving on the Board of Directors for AEHT, I have gotten to know Katie as well as Chair of the Board, Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, Sally Duffy, one of my companions on the Nuns on the Bus. 

In her presentation on Freedom to Live in a Welcoming Community, Sally demonstrates the connection between forced migration and human trafficking. Persons who are forced to leave their country of origin and do not have a legal pathway are far more vulnerable to both sex and labor trafficking then those who arrive legally. I was amazed at the intersection of organizations, NETWORK and AEHT, which were both started by Catholic Religious Women in the USA and with which I am proud to partner. 

A second familiar face I saw was Mercy Sister Karen Donahue, who has worked for decades in Detroit on justice issues. Karen served for many years on the Sisters of Mercy Justice Team and, even after retiring, she continues to mentor many, myself, included. Not surprisingly, Karen had a contingent of Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Associates with her. 

A number of those whom I met for the first time were quite up in years and perhaps physically fragile. However, there is absolutely no fragility in their commitment to the cause. The commitment of women religious never fades. Perhaps that is best lesson of all for me at the Detroit Town Hall. 

This reflection is from the 2024 Nuns on the Bus & Friends bus rider blog.