Nearly 20 years ago, when she was in ministry with Legal Services and Catholic Immigration Law Program in St. Louis, Sr. Kate Reid signed on as a plaintiff on behalf of over 1,300 Peruvians, who were children at the time and suffered lead poisoning from the smelting plant in La Oroya, Peru, which was owned and operated by Missouri-based Doe Run Resources. Kate has followed the case all these years, meeting with involved families, lawyers, researchers, and church authorities close to the involved victims. Recently, one day before the landmark case was set to begin trial in Missouri, the company reached a $150M settlement with the Peruvian plaintiffs. Following where Maria De Mattias called her, Kate’s small steps, as she calls them, helped bring big justice for the poor and marginalized people of La Oroya.
Over the past three years, Sr. Miriam Rau has been actively involved in Justice Together, a network of over 40 faith organizations forming together a multi-faith movement to “do justice” in Wichita and Sedgwick County. After her attendance at last year’s Assembly, dismayed that no Catholic parishes were involved, Miriam wrote to Bishop Kemme of Wichita sharing about the movement and asking him to do whatever is possible to promote this among the Catholic parishes. Bishop Kemme thanked Miriam for making him aware of the movement, and this year, he gave the address at the 2026 Justice Together Assembly, followed by hosting with Justice Together a workshop on Catholic Social Teaching and how its principles inform the shared call to do justice. From a “small step” of letter writing, now two Catholic parishes have formally joined this shared justice ministry, and more are encouraged, as they spread good works in Wichita and answer God’s call to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.” Miriam continues her participation and is delighted to share that Justice Together was recently honored with this year’s HumanKind Ministries Golden Rule Award. As ASC, Miriam continues the legacy of Maria De Mattias, “a woman passionate for mission to her dear neighbor.”
Drawing on her many years of experience in Bolivia and most recently among immigrant communities in southern Illinois, Sr. Ann Fearday has joined forces with the Immigration Commission of the Office of Hispanic Ministry in the Belleville Diocese. They have been meeting and vigorously working to plan for the first diocesan gathering for National Migration Week, to be held September 26. Anitawa brings a heartfelt enthusiastic energy to the group at they look for ways to share the Church’s call to welcome, protect, accompany, and serve immigrants.
