With six weeks of steady reporting about the influx of Central American children and families crossing the U.S. border and no quick solutions being presented for what will happen to them, many people are asking their churches and dioceses what they can do to help. In a July 10 panel discussion during the National Migration Conference in Washington, some of the possible ways volunteers, financial donations and other types of resources might be put to use were outlined by representatives of various Catholic organizations.

A Latin America expert for Catholic Relief Services, the head of the bishops' migration committee and the president of a Catholic college in Michigan were among those urging the government toward humanitarian responses to a surge of children and families crossing the U.S. border from Central America. Among their recommendations were: fully funding a requested federal appropriation for services to deal with the influx of people

GSR Today - When we're frustrated with our politically biased media sources, we might miss that reporters here in the U.S. are able to share the news as they see it without risking their lives in the way many others around the world do. According to the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists, in 2014 seven journalists have been murdered worldwide. Eighty-six percent were political reporters.

Across the United States, Catholics have stepped in to help the unprecedented numbers of children without parents flooding the border, despite protests, threats, and government reluctance to give access to detained children. Immigration officials have detained nearly 60,000 children without their parents at the southern border since October, more than double the number picked up the year before. Naturally, Catholic sisters are among those offering humanitarian and spiritual assistance.

The church has a vital role in helping the world move forward toward unity through the Gospel values of peace and justice, but such movement will not happen unless there is a conscious awakening to the expanding universe and the evolution of biological life, an awakening to the cosmos as our home. Can the church revitalize the Gospel life as one that embraces change, complexity, chaos, future and new creation?

"Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish . . . ."

GSR Today - Sr. Teresa Maya has been elected to lead the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. And late last year the Sisters of Humility in Davenport, Iowa, joined the Twitter world and started a new blog called A Nun’s Pocket.

"What, do you wish to know your Lord's meaning in this thing? Know it well, love was his meaning."

GSR Today - What does it mean to live in this world but not of it? “Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered.” These words of encouragement in James' epistle are also useful for those of us today trying to navigate two conflicting cultures, trying to follow the theological mandate to oppose the oppressive systems that benefit us.