“Nuns On The Bus” Visits Youngstown

Many Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown were among the 200+ people who welcomed the “Nuns on the Bus” to Youngstown, Ohio, today.The “Nuns on the Bus” are a group of Catholic Sisters touring the Midwest speaking out against the U.S. House of Representatives Republican budget, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), which slashes funding for services that help the poor, especially women and children. At left are Sisters Therese Ann Rich and Martha Reed.
 

The Sisters rolled into Dorothy Day House, a collaborative ministry between the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown, Humility of Mary Sisters and lay persons, just after 9 a.m. today. Between 100-115 meals are served daily Monday through Thursday each week to men, women and children who might well otherwise go hungry.
 

Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of Network, a social justice lobby in Washington, D.C. ( hugging Ursuline Sisters’ General Superior Nancy Dawson, who’s in tan), is heading the bus tour and addressed the crowd, asking them to chant the mantra, “Reasonable resources for responsible programs.” She also called on lawmakers to be more responsible with how they delegate funding.
 

The large crowd, comprising not only Ursuline and HM Sisters but also concerned citizens of all ages, cheered Sister Simone’s suggestions.
 

After the presentation, Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown Sister Patricia McNicholas, Executive Director of Beatitude House, answered questions about this ministry of the Ursuline Sisters and how budget cuts will impact the women and children aided through this ministry.
 

This was day 11 of the “Nuns on the Bus” 16-day, 9-state tour. Various nuns are joining or leaving the tour as their schedules dictate.
 

To learn more about the tour, click here.
 

To see more pictures from today’s event, visit our Facebook page.