Resisting the Throwaway Culture: Pope Francis’ Message on Human Life and Dignity

The Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life of Georgetown University had its second event for young Catholic professionals, Resisting the Throwaway Culture: Pope Francis’ Message on Human Life and Dignity. This Salt and Light Gathering featured the anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean, C.S.J. (who was famously played by Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking) and Kim Daniels, a founder and director of Catholic Voices USA, who recently was a spokesperson for the president of the USCCB. John Carr, the director of the Initiative, provided the opening remarks and led the discussion. Here are the highlights (in the easily digestible form of tweets):

"Grace wakes us up." -Sister Helen Prejean #saltandlightgu

— Catholic Mobilizing Network (@CMNEndtheDP) September 30, 2014

Each of us should live authentically … Where is the spirit alive in us? @helenprejean #saltandlightgu

— Catholic Mobilizing Network (@CMNEndtheDP) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: I didn't even know African Americans as peers growing up and they became my teachers, awoke me to privilege #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: The ultimate throwaway is how many poor people we throw in prison in the US. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

The criminal justice system makes the most vulnerable permanently disfranchised. @helenprejean #saltandlightgu

— Catholic Mobilizing Network (@CMNEndtheDP) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: Francis is saying we gotta cross boundaries and meet people who aren't like us. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean is explaining how the death penalty is mired in racism and class bias #saltandlightgu #throwawayculture

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: The death penalty does not help the victims family at all. Just gives them an empty promise. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: Of course being pro-life is about protecting the unborn, but what about children living in poverty? #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: it's a national scandal that we accept poverty in the United States. @Georgetown @GUberkleycenter #SaltandLightGU

— Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) September 30, 2014

.@helenprejean: Beauty of Catholic faith is that we do things in community. We can't do it alone. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

No greater power in the world than being able to love and give love. @helenprejean #saltandlightgu

— Catholic Mobilizing Network (@CMNEndtheDP) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: Countercultural witness is what changes people's minds. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

Kim Daniels: The encounter with committed Catholics is more transformative than a merely intellectual or aesthetic faith. #SaltandLightGU

— Stephen White (@Stephen_P_White) September 30, 2014

Kim Daniels: We must not let culture and politics compromise our commitment to life in all things. #saltandlightgu

— Stephen White (@Stephen_P_White) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: Defending the unborn and social justice are not conflicting agendas. #saltandlightgu #WholeLife

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: Reject materialism, individualism, consumerism. Be insurgents in your political party. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: Republicans, in particular, should be challenged on the economy. And Democrats on the unborn. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: The peripheries/margins are everywhere. We can have that personal encounter in our everyday lives. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: My kids learned about the death penalty from the movie Dead Man Walking. It's one of the most Catholic movies. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

.@KDaniels8: If you are complacent about your faith, you aren't growing #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

John Carr: #PopeFrancis says Christians must fight against #throwawayculture. #SaltandLightGU

— Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) September 29, 2014

We measure our society's success by how the weak are cared for. -Pope Francis #SaltandLightGU

— Catholic Mobilizing Network (@CMNEndtheDP) September 29, 2014

John Carr: The iconic image of Francis is him embracing a disfigured man not someone famous or powerful. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 29, 2014

Carr: Francis links defense of unborn to every other human right. #wholelife #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 29, 2014

Carr: Francis challenges all of us to protect the life and dignity of all. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 29, 2014

John Carr: #PopeFrancis says the globalization of indifference has made us unable to weep. #saltandlightgu

— Christopher Hale (@chrisjollyhale) September 29, 2014

Carr: Francis says everybody has to build bridges of solidarity. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

Carr: The obsession with sexual matters is not just in the Church, but in the culture and the media. #saltandlightgu

— Millennial (@MillennialJourn) September 30, 2014

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