November 15, 2020

Latin Grammy nominee Gina Chavez finds her voice as a queer Catholic

Growing up in Austin, singer-songwriter Gina Chavez was a "super Catholic geek."

Throughout her adolescence, she attended youth groups and Bible studies and World Youth Day. During junior year at the University of Texas at Austin, she joined the UT Catholic Center.

And it was through the Catholic Center — on a retreat after graduation — that she met Jodi Granado, who would later become her wife.

...

Chavez, now 38, describes herself as a queer, multi-ethnic Latinx Catholic, who attends Mass with Granado at St. Austin Parish, just outside the campus of her alma mater.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/media/latin-grammy-nominee-gina-chavez-finds-her-voice-queer-catholic?fbclid=IwAR3u3b5zx4_sOpsPELjkkb9VULJlJKqsFtFOdT-jqSfyNem4s-no16DwEb4

November 8, 2020

Betsy DeVos's precinct voted for Biden!

https://twitter.com/CMHerweyer/status/1325262977835151363

Ada Township Precinct 1 in Kent County, Michigan (very first precinct on this list).

October 1, 2020

Mom's obituary

I started writing it a few weeks ago, when it was clear that she wasn't going to be with us much longer. I thought about some of the things by which I wanted people to remember her. I mentioned some of these things during my last conversations with her last week; I wanted her to know the impact she had.

I didn't just want people to know that she died - I wanted people to know that she lived.

https://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?n=karen-ann-urbanowski&pid=196869626&fhid=10156

September 7, 2020

Solidarity Forever

July 12, 2020

Pope Francis recognizes 'Padre Kino,' Arizona's missionary priest

Pope Francis on Saturday recognized the heroic virtue of the life of a 17th century Italian Jesuit missionary who evangelized – and mapped – much of what is now northern Mexico and the southwestern United States.

On July 11, the pope formally recognized the life of Servant of God Eusebio Kino, S.J., as one of heroic virtue. Kino, an explorer and missionary, took part in numerous expeditions through the American Southwest and is widely considered an apostle to the native population of Arizona, and defender of their rights.

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-recognizes-eusebio-kino-arizonas-missionary-priest-48422?fbclid=IwAR1Qrgo4PxCkPd_c24iXfF_bIp4H2koYUFIzTQv0zCvam8pSXT2n4IgBNkc

June 19, 2020

Dominican sisters commit $46 million to seed new climate solutions funds

Sixteen U.S. congregations of Dominican sisters have pooled more than $46 million to establish a new investment funds initiative aimed at financing solutions to address climate change and assist communities worldwide most at risk.

The new Climate Solutions Funds are a collaboration five years in the making between the Dominican sisters and prominent investment firm Morgan Stanley. The sisters provided initial seeding of $46.6 million in 2018 for the funds, which with additional capital investments have grown to $130 million. The money will be directed toward global projects pursuing solutions to climate change as well as achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The initiative was announced June 18, the fifth anniversary of the public release of Pope Francis' social encyclical on the environment and human ecology, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home." The Vatican and Catholics worldwide began celebrating the milestone in May.

"We are bringing these resources to the marketplace to help address our deep concern about the integrity of God's creation and the people most impacted by climate change," the Dominican congregations, representing approximately 3,500 U.S. women religious, said in a press release.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/dominican-sisters-commit-46-million-seed-new-climate-solutions-funds?fbclid=IwAR2_vM5k350a22K_cnq0ujVTbTl0fprLrW5BWl9obg0vHs7JIv0EWG4ifyY

June 7, 2020

Friendly reminder: You can still make IRA contributions for 2019 through July 15

There's some good news if you contributed less than $6,000 to IRAs in 2019 (or $7,000 if you were born on or before December 31, 1969). Since the tax filing deadline was pushed back to July 15, you can still make a contribution and have it earmarked for 2019.

The government limits how much you can invest in these tax-advantaged IRAs each year. But the good news is that you have until July 15, 2020 — the special deadline to file your 2019 federal tax returns — to contribute for the 2019 tax year and maximize your annual tax break as well as your future savings.

By earmarking your contribution for 2019 instead of 2020, you can contribute a full $6,000 (or $7,000 if you were born on or before December 31, 1970) between July 16 and April 15 and have it counted toward 2020.

Also, if you contribute to a traditional IRA, that means you can take the deduction and count it toward your 2019 taxes. If you contribute to a traditional IRA but have already filed your 2019 taxes, you can file an amended return with the IRA deduction any time between now and July 15, 2023 (three years after the original filing deadline).

June 2, 2020

'It's a learning moment': Catholic institution raises Pride flag for first time in its history

It was an emotional morning for many staff and students, as St. Jerome’s Catholic University raised a Pride flag for the first time in its history.

“I almost started tearing up, I'm not going to lie,” says Meaghan Hymers, president of the student’s union at St. Jerome’s University.

“It felt really affirming and really validating, as a queer person myself.”

...

“Raising the flag says to the LGBTQ+ person that you belong here,” says St. Jerome’s Interim President Scott Kline in his opening remarks.

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/it-s-a-learning-moment-catholic-institution-raises-pride-flag-for-first-time-in-its-history-1.4959831#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=Facebook&_gsc=ybzHkrW

April 20, 2020

Greed, Inequality, and a Pandemic (Franciscan priest reflection)

April 14, 2020

The Endorsement.