FEATURE – Public Witness: Showing What We Stand For

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On Friday, April 18 in Arlington Heights – the Christian holy day of Good Friday and during the Jewish holy time of Passover – dozens of people of faith lined a busy intersection in the business district, just one mile from the Viatorian Province Center. We stood quietly with signs quoting Scripture and advocating for solidarity and human dignity. This group gave witness in Chicago earlier this year and is gathering regularly in Arlington Heights. So what is public witness and why should we do it?

What Is Public Witness?

Fr. Tom Long, CSV has spent decades advocating for human rights and social justice, especially for immigrants. His example is a north star for many Viatorians, priests and religious, and Catholics. “When people feel something inside – be it joy, stress, anger – they need to express it to someone. When Mary was pregnant, she went to share the news with her cousin, Elizabeth, who was pregnant, too,” Fr. Tom explains. “A public witness event is where someone takes a stand that expresses moral values. It may be a solitary event or a mass public event.”

Work for justice often must start with charity, direct acts of service providing urgently needed food, clothing, or shelter. Other times, we can focus on advocacy actions such as gathering letters, such as our Provincial Council’s statement on immigration, pooling phone calls, or mobilizing people to present elected officials with policy demands. In public witness, a person or group publicly demonstrates what they stand for and seeks greater awareness and mobilization.

Fr. Tom encouraged Viatorians to attend a May Day march in Chicago, and Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV and Fr. Dan Lydon, CSV drove up from Bourbonnais-Kankakee.

“The march went from Union Square to Grant Park, and Fr. Tom was at the Union Square Rally. Bishop Chris and I marched from Old St. Pat’s to Grant Park,” Fr. Dan said. “There were 5,000 people, and it had great energy.”

While the Arlington Heights witness occurs on one busy corner, this Chicago event involved rolling street closures, a three-mile march, and mainstage presentations to rally the group. “A group of us clergy stood together on stage as a public witness of our commitment to the dignity of each person regardless of immigration status. That had a greater impact than if just one of us did,” Fr. Tom said.

“Some held signs explaining that they were once considered essential workers and now are being treated like disposable people. We were a clear sign of the support for immigrants of at least part of the Church,” Bishop Chris said, noting that Fr. Dan, himself, and many others marched in clerical garb to demonstrate formally their churches’ support of human rights and dignity. “It was clear that folks appreciated the support of the Catholic religious men and women.”

Why Make a Public Stand?

Fr. Corey Brost, CSV considers it essential. “We come together to strengthen each other and witness together to the larger public that this is who our nation should be – the more that people see us coming together and witnessing to these values, the more they feel the courage to stand up on their own, too,” Fr. Corey said. “We don’t necessarily have control directly over what the government does, but we have control over how we respond.”

For those with privilege and stability, it’s a way to exercise such freedom and strive to protect it. Fr. Tom quotes German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller as a cautionary tale: “First they came for the socialists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Fr. Tom believes joining a group with a shared commitment can get one past that mindset. “In a large public event, there is comfort that others feel similarly. And strength in numbers brings a certain potency – the larger the event, the greater possibility that those in authority may listen,” Fr. Tom said.

He sees growing callousness in government officials that could further humanitarian disaster in Gaza, cuts to American health-care systems, and worsening treatment and even disappearance of people in immigration in the US, if we allow it. “Those of us who are Caucasian are at this time protected. If we hold the value of Pope Francis and Pope Leo that all of us are equal before God and form the body of Christ, we must acknowledge that when one part is hurting, it impacts the whole body,” Fr. Tom said.

Many Americans trace their cultural identity to immigrants in their family heritage, and American Viatorians can find inspiration both in family history as well as our brothers’ witness. “I know that one of my grandfathers of Irish origin came to the US to work in a coal mine in Lovington, near Decatur, Illinois. They fought for workers’ rights back in the day, and we continue to do that today,” Bishop Chris said. “It reminds me also of Fr. John Maguire, CSV and Chicago priest Fr. Joseph Donahue, who worked closely with unions fighting for workers’ rights in their ministry. Our witness testifies to the dignity of each human person, their right to live here securely, and their right to work for a just wage for the good of their family.”

So, What’s the Point?

For Fr. Tom, it’s part of being Christian. “For a value to truly be a value – and not a platitude – one must put it into practice. Participation in public witness events is one way, though not the only way, to put our professed values into action and make them reality,” Fr. Tom said.

Bishop Chris finds deep value in the communion of such action. “I very much felt part of that broader human family and in solidarity with my brothers and sisters who feel threatened, as officials make this rush to deport many recent immigrants who are seeking asylum and safety,” Bishop Chris said. “Viatorians are walking with our people and witnessing to a desire to build justice and peace.”

Fr. Corey agrees that it starts as faith in action. “As people of faith, we’re called to continually witness to what the Gospel stands for in our lives. Especially when policies don’t reflect our values, it’s important that we show others where we are and what we stand for.”

From there, he sees the potentially massive impact these actions can have today by reflecting on past examples. “In the history of our nation, action begins with public witness that grows to public movements, and then changes our nation,” Fr. Corey explained. “We don’t expect that one hour in downtown Arlington Heights is going to change Trump administration policies, but these witness events make sure the policies don’t change us or quiet us. And these events help grow this from witness to movement. Over time, that can change politics.”

The next public witness will be on Friday, May 23, 5-6pm, in Arlington Heights, Illinois at the corner of Northwest Highway and Arlington Heights Road. Participants are welcome to use the Viatorian Province Center (1212 E Euclid Ave) for parking and carpooling.