Call To Action (CTA)

In 1990, CTA issued a “Call for Reform of the Catholic Church” urging the religion to reevaluate its positions on priestly celibacy, birth control, homosexuality, and male-only priests, in addition to racism, sexism, militarism, and poverty in modern society. In the 1990s CTA became a national movement. ¹

Since then, CTA has incorporated promoting communal living, abortion, anti-capitalism, addressing the “apocalyptic” environment, and a range of social justice causes, such as LGBT, racial, and immigration, all seen through the lens of anti-racism and anti-oppression principles. ^{2 3}

CTA has stated, “Capitalism is a monster. Acquisition is how it feeds.” Regarding the 2020 lockdowns, CTA also stated, “COVID-19 may have wounded capitalism, but it’s a poor hitman. It didn’t get the job done.” ⁴

Background

The local Chicago Call to Action was established in 1978 in response to ongoing debates stemming from the Roman Catholic Church’s Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). CTA was part of the debate demanding the Church address “chronic racism, sexism, militarism and poverty in modern society” in addition to reevaluating “positions on issues like celibacy for priests, the male-only clergy, homosexuality, and birth control.” ⁵

In March 1990 CTA founders printed a full-page ad in the New York Times chastising the Church for “ignoring” issues such as the environment, poverty, drug abuse, and international conflicts; CTA offered solutions to its initial debate issues. With Vatican support, Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz excommunicated CTA and other groups due to activities and stances that contrasted with the Catholic faith. ⁶

As of 2022, CTA’s declares its mission as justice (racial, LGBT, church worker), women and girl equality, lay engagement, and immigration seen through the lens of anti-racism and anti-oppression principles. ⁷

In 2008, 2,500 people attended CTA’s national conference; in 2018, 300 people attended; in addition, CTA had lost about 5,000 members over a decade. ⁸ To cure this, CTA developed Re/Generation, an intergenerational mentorship program, which implements projects “to address the injustices of the hierarchical Catholic church” resulting in the emergence of “a new network of intentional communities.” ⁹

Advocacy

Call To Action released a statement regarding the Supreme Court case Dobbs v. Jackson that overturned the national right to abortion created by Roe v. Wade stating, “We are facing a new, fraught reality in which women, trans, and non-binary folks will be surveilled, harassed, and criminalized as health care is being pushed underground or, worse yet, placed in the hands of authoritarians.” ¹⁰

CTA claims the Catholic Church participates in “silencing and erasure of trans people,” writing that “trans people [need] to assert their presence and power … This Pride Month, trans leaders across the country have embodied the revolutionary roots of Pride, which included riots started by trans people of color against police violence and brutality.” ¹¹

CTA hosted a presentation “Staying Awake Amidst a Great Uncovering: Practical Discipleship under Climate Ultimatums,” by the activist theologian Ched Myers, who states he “will look at our ‘apocalyptic’ moment of interlocking social and ecological crises, and briefly touch on some of the roots of our civilizational dilemma.” ¹²

CTA stated, “Capitalism is a monster. Acquisition is how it feeds.” Regarding the 2020 lockdowns, CTA stated, “COVID-19 may have wounded capitalism, but it’s a poor hitman. It didn’t get the job done.” ⁴

Through CTA’s history some of its members have lived in intentional communities, co-ops, communal farms, or worker houses. ³

Affiliated Organizations

CTA has independent chapters throughout the United States. ¹³

Funding

The website displays the annual reports of 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 that lists contributions from numerous donors and their level of giving, which makes up a substantial portion of their revenue. ¹⁴

Donor organizations include DignityUSA, which promotes changes to the teachings and in the practices in the Catholic Church for the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people; ^{15 16} the John D & Catherine T Macarthur Foundation; ^{17 18} Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund a commercial provider of donor-advised funds (DAFs); ^{19 20} and the Fund for Theological Education or Forum for Theological Exploration which provides resources, events, networks, grants, and fellowships to cultivate tomorrow’s Christian leaders; ^{21 22} FutureChurch, which seeks to change Roman Catholic Church policy to allow priests to marry; ²³ 8^th Day Center for Justice, a left-of-center Catholic-aligned organization that promoted anti-war views, increased government control over the economy, and left-progressive views on civil rights and civil liberties; ²⁴ and the Quixote Center, which supports programs for impoverished families and communities at different times focuses on different countries of need. ^{25 26}