On Tuesday, June 24th, Sister Mary Feigen drove to Washington, D.C. to participate in Sisters Speak Out, a demonstration by 50 congregations at the U.S. Capitol Building. Sisters and activists gathered to urge the Senate to reject steep budget cuts that will gut healthcare and food assistance, inflicting serious harm on families, children, the elderly and disabled, and to oppose the massive increase in spending for inhumane roundup of immigrants, deportation without due process, and cruel family separation.

The action specifically opposed provisions in H.R. 1, President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was passed by the Senate on July 1st.

Sisters Mary Feigen (Hope), Didi Madden (Blauvelt), and Emily Masse (Amityville)

Sister Mary was part of the initial planning of the event through JCWR, and wanted to support an action that constituted “one large event together instead of lots of small things alone.”

According to the Global Sisters Report, the coalition of Catholic sisters who gathered in Washington represents 17,800 sisters in 37 states and 11 countries. Speakers included experts in immigration and healthcare.

GSR reports that Notre Dame de Namur Sr. Patricia Chappell, former executive director of Pax Christi USA, said the sisters present aren’t just sisters to one another, but to the millions who stand to be affected adversely by the bill.

“These families, these are our brothers and sisters,” and it is for them that sisters need to speak out, she said, for their lack of access to food, for their lack of access to education and other social benefits they deserve, no matter who they are because they, too, are children of God.

Sister Patricia Chappell, SNDdeN addresses the group.

She implored women religious not to be afraid to speak out for fear of losing tax-exempt status.

Sister Mary said that having tax-exempt status as a congregation has been “a gift…for a long time.” She agreed that fear of losing that status can’t prevent sisters from speaking up for human rights and dignity.

“I have a big problem with us not being willing to rake risks in spite of things that might happen to us,” Sister Mary said. “We have to speak up and take action. I believe in that.”

Sister Mary noted that the signs, fellowship, and rousing talks were profound. She was most moved, though, by the contemplative prayer of the group, which included a rosary on the sorrowful mysteries.

Joining the group’s rosary at the Capitol, the Dominican Sisters of Hope hosted a virtual rosary on Zoom at the same time. The session was open to the public; all were invited to pray along with the sisters in support of Sisters Speak Out. Over 160 participants joined from 28 states, as well as Canada, Puerto Rico, and South Africa.

For Sister Mary, praying together both virtually and in Washington D.C. was powerful.

“To me, when you have contemplation in communion with each other, even when it’s silent, a lot of energy emerges,” Sister said. “It’s very effective. I would have liked to see more of that. I hope to see more of that in the future.”