More than 20 billboards with this image have been placed in Iowa, southwest Wisconsin and western Illinois. The campaign is sponsored by Catholic Sisters of the Upper Mississippi River Valley. (Carol Hoverman)
by Carol Hoverman
Contributor
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As the eyes of the nation focus on the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1, the 13 congregations of Catholic Sisters of the Upper Mississippi River Valley want to capture the attention of participants to call for an end to environmentally destructive policies and practices, placing more than 20 billboards in strategic locations throughout state, southwest Wisconsin and western Illinois.
The billboards, posted in January and into February, carry the message "Standing with Pope Francis; Caring for our Common Home." In his latest encyclical, Laudato Si', Pope Francis urgently calls people all over the world to take action to protect the earth.
Environmental issues have not yet gotten much attention with the candidates and many voters. The billboards are an effort to change this.
