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Sisters Speak Out

Posted on August 6, 2025, by Loretto Community

A group of elders, some religious community members, at a speak out event in a bright room in a library.

The Lebanon, Ky., librarian was thrilled when Loretto Co-member Carolyn Jaramillo asked if space was available for a meeting where Loretto Community members would lead a “speak out.”

Carolyn explained that the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) had planned an event in Washington, D.C., and called on sisters to echo the event across the United States. As Carolyn explained, the librarian, Jamie Collins, grew so enthusiastic that Carolyn asked, “Would you like to speak?” “Indeed I would!” said Jamie.

Posters that say "expanding medicaid is holy work" and "Longer tables not higher walls" "many faiths one beloved community" "love your neighbor no exceptions" "protect families reject deportations" "everybody deserves care no exceptions"

We gathered on July 12. Loretto sisters and co-members participated, and the Loretto Community Forum set aside time to join us. Joyce Minkler led us in an opening litany. Mary Catherine Rabbitt spoke about Medicaid; Alicia Ramirez about immigrants; I spoke about Loretto’s Gaza statement; Susan Classen about farms; good friend Briar Clark spoke about gay rights and Jamie, about the need for libraries.

Loretto Co-member Martha Alderson read aloud a poem she had written called “Let Us Take Up Arms”

Let Us Take Up Arms

We must take up arms.

Not armaments of guns and knives

But muscle, sinew, physiques;

Flex and thrust.

We’ve marched and sung,

Argued and preached.

Now is the time to reach and shout,

To correct with righteous certainty.

Disaster has arrived.

We dreaded and feared;

Now it is here.

Rights are withering.

Kings are imposing.

Rulers are claiming more and more.

Sensible folks are succumbing.

We’re on the brink of having marriages dissolved.

It takes money, letters, songs, chants

But also arms — and feet and voices and fingernails and cramped toes.

This is no longer time for polite disagreements.

People are dying, children are lying in hunger,

Rational thought is losing.

A third term for a president?

Unchecked power for the executive branch?

No need to vote again?

Dismantling government?

Deporting non-white citizens?

Nazism, fascism having rebirth?

Let us take up arms!

In closing Anna Koop explained the table of take-home material and Maria Visse led us in a rousing rendition of “Solidarity Together.” LCWR had requested echo events. Lebanon, Ky., resounded with echoes of sisters’ calls to justice.