Compassionate Citizens Foundation

Thy Kin-dom Come...

America is deeply divided, ecologically unsustainable, and economically inequitable. It need not be.

Most Americans would like to see an America that works for ALL. What if we could mobilize that majority, and politically empower our collective wisdom and compassion, to co-create an America that works for ALL, as a beacon for a world that works for ALL?

We think that we can.

We share Pope Francis' belief that we can create a #BetterKindOfPolitics.

We believe that empowering Deliberative Democracy in the U.S. is an important step towards a Politics of Communion, and towards the co-creation of an America (and ultimately, a world) that works for ALL (i.e., an Economy of Communion).

In 2022, we aim to demonstrate the possibility and the power of uniting the myriad "silos of compassion", across theological and political differences, in West Side Chicago.

We will be focused in 2022 on supporting the collective impact mission of West Side United and its partners -- broadly engaging compassionate citizens, to co-create a West Side Chicago that works for ALL.

We are a growing, informal network of leaders in America who are committed to empowering #BelovedCommunity, with a focus on uniting and funding four aligned movements:

1. The #CaringCulture movement (e.g., Karen Armstong's vision for Compassionate Communities; Bobby Austin's #PublicKinship vision; The USCCB's call for Loving Our Neighbor through Dialogue);

2. The Ecological Civilization movement (e.g., Cobb Institute, Institute for Ecological Civilization, National Religious Partners for the Environment; Catholic Climate Covenant).

3. The movement for an "Economy of Well Being" (WIN Network; Healthcare Anchor Network), and the aligned Asset Based Community Development movement (e.g., Christian Community Development Association, Parish Collective, ABCD Institute)

4. The Focolare Movement's vision for a Spirituality, Politics and Economy of Communion (which we denote #CaringCulture, #WiserDemocracy, #CaringEconomy).

Pope Francis' Oct 3, 2020 encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, is a powerful exhortation for Public Kinship and a #CaringCulture: http://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html

Civilize It is a Catholic led movement centered on "Loving Our Neighbor Through Dialogue", and on "Building a Better Kind of Politics". It embraces Fratelli Tutti.

The (&) Campaign is a Protestant led movement to catalyze faithful civic engagement.

Integrating those two Faithful Citizenship movements into an inclusive Compassionate Citizenship movement is the #CaringCulture plank of our mission.

There are already thousands of organizations working on cultural, political and economic transformation, including over 500 organizations who are affiliated with the following three hubs (the first two of which are actively engaged with the Partnership for American Democracy):

1. #CaringCulture: #ListenFirst Coalition

2. #WiserDemocracy: Bridge Alliance Network

3. #CaringEconomy: New Economy Coalition

Because so much of our deeply divided nation is related to the divide within the Christian Church (with which 65% of Americans identify), there is an ecumenical dimension of our mission, which centers on inviting all the participating communions at Christian Churches Together (representing around 110 million "Unity Christians") to "empower #BelovedCommunity" in their neighborhoods.

Inviting Christians to come together, across political and theological divisions, to pursue the Common Good reflects our commitment to Missional Ecumenism, a movement to unite Christians who believe that "the love of Jesus might exceed all divisions".

Our vision is #BelovedCommunity, globally.

Our mission is #BelovedCommunity in America.

Our invitation is to ALL Americans, to co-create an America that works for ALL.