A billboard call to justice

The May day was clear, cooled by a light wind. The billboard sparkled. Dominicans and Lorettos and other sisters and friends gathered on the parking lot above Kentucky Highway 55 to pray for immigrants and other marginalized groups and to pray for the grace to act for justice.

In late March, a few members of the Motherhouse Peace Committee and several other communities met to consider what action rural Kentucky religious congregations could take to stand with immigrants. They settled on a billboard. What would it say? Words from the Sermon on the Mount and maybe a picture of the Statue of Liberty. Or the words from “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus that are on the statue? What would it cost and what companies operate such businesses? Rose Marie Cummins OP said she would inquire. Carolyn Jaramillo agreed to coordinate billboard design.

Martha Alderson and Carolyn asked Sharon Kassing to create an initial design. Christina Manweller refined it and two dozen members of the joint committee reviewed it. The cost of two billboards standing for three months, one in Marion County and one in Washington County, would be $2700. Three communities agreed to share the cost.

Another task was to plan publicity and write a press release. Was it enough to announce the two billboards? What if the communities held an event and invited the press? But what sort of event? How about a gathering and prayer service? Loretto had held such an event with another billboard in 2012. It sounded very good to the committee.

Joyce Minkler wrote the initial prayer service. It quotes the “Give me your tired, your poor” stanza by Lazarus. It identifies migrants and refugees from around the world. The prayer, over and over, is, “We pray for the grace to act.” The song was “All Are Welcome” by Marty Haugen.

So where would this reception for a billboard be held? A service road runs behind the Highway 55 billboard and leads to McCain Excavation and Drainage Company. Pat McCormick approached the owner, Terrence McCain, who said yes, he would welcome a group gathering to pray for immigrants. Indeed, he would provide and set up 40 chairs for the event. The planners never expected 40 participants, but in the end, more than 50 attended.

There’s a barbershop next to the excavation company ,and a tattooed manager said, “Is that your billboard? We love it.”

When the service concluded, the sisters and friends stacked the chairs for easier pick-up.