At a time when Americans find it difficult to express their political views to others who disagree with them, the friars have been practicing how to have a constructive dialogue over issues that matter. In September and October, during the peak of the 2024 election season, the friars gathered for online meetings to talk about critical issues like immigration, the economy, the climate crisis, respect for life, gun violence, and our democratic institutions. To guide their reflections, they applied the principles of Catholic social teaching and the U.S. Catholic bishops’ catechetical letter, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.

We thank all our brothers who participated in these forums. Special thanks to Fr. Jack Rathschmidt and Fr. John McHugh for organizing the forums, and to our presenters Fr. Benedict Ayodi, Fr. Brendan Buckley, Fr. Salvatore Cordaro, Fr. David Couturier, Fr. John Gallagher, Fr. Scott Leet, Fr. Will Tarraza, and Fr. William Winters.