Nuns on the bus are back

I wonder if we can ever too much of a good thing. Not with “Nuns on the Bus!”

NETWORK, the national Catholic Social Justice Lobby founded by nuns, has just announced another nationwide bus tour, this time to give a crucial push to immigration reform, which has already cleared its first legislative hurdle in the Senate Judiciary Committee this week.

This is a fitting follow-up to last year’s bus tour, which supported budgetary policies beneficial to those at the bottom of the economic ladder, and opposed the budget put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).

This bus trip too concentrates on the neediest in our society -- and the welfare of all Americans in the process. After all, immigration reform will benefit all of us.

These nuns (and other “fellow travelers”) will call on members of both the Senate and House to support an immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship, protects immigrant workers and gives priority to family unity.

The itinerary could not be better. They launch at the Statue of Liberty on Monday, May 28, then head down the east coast to Florida. From there, they follow the southern border of the U.S. through Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona and conclude with an extended visit to much of California.

Here’s a link to the route and the schedule.

Along the way, the Sisters and other bus riders will meet with social service providers in immigrant communities, Congressional staffers, and thousands of people of faith who have been organizing and praying for commonsense immigration reform.

Immigration reform is considered to have a very good chance in the U.S. Senate, but the House is more uncertain. Perhaps “Nuns on the Bus” can help push it over the top!