By The Rev. Lori Mills-Curran, Executive Director
ProGente Connections is an ecumenical partnership, but was granted start-up funding from the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Last month, I attended the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Austin, TX. General Convention is the legislative authority of the Church, at which representatives gather every three years to address questions of doctrine and mission. But a growing aspect of General Convention is to allow the gathered Episcopalians, who attend from all over the world, to make a public witness on issues of moral importance to Christians.
This year, 1000 Episcopalians rode a fleet of 19 busses to the T. Don Hutto Residential Center where women immigrants in the custody of authorities are held. The Hutto Center is a for-profit prison which holds 500 detainees. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry addressed the crowd: “Jesus said, ‘Love God and love your neighbor.’ We come in love, that is the core of our faith, that is the heart of it. We come because we don’t believe that a great nation like this one separates children from their families. We come because we believe that this nation, conceived in liberty, dedicated to the proposition that all people are created equal, we believe that we must call this nation, America, back to its very soul. We are here because we love this nation. Because if you really love somebody, you don’t leave ’em the way they are, you help them to become their best selves. We are here to save the soul of America.”
ProGente Connections doesn’t claim to be saving the soul of America. But we are grateful for the convictions of our various partners in mission, who affirm that the work of Christian believers is to welcome the stranger, and have provided resources to do it. I know it’s the work of me and my staff, and I think it’s the work of us all.
For full coverage of the Hutto protest: