01/23/2025
The world has witnessed the strength and courage of a true warrior and ally.
During the inaugural prayer service yesterday at the Washington National Cathedral, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde embraced the long and honored tradition of speaking truth to power when she addressed President Trump directly with the following words:
“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you, and as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now.
There are gay, le***an, and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and independent families, some who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meatpacking plants, who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurdwara, and temples.
I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love, and walk humbly with each other and our God, for the good of all people, the good of all people in this nation and the world. Amen.”
When asked about her words in an interview following the sermon, Bishop Budde said that she was moved to address the president directly because she was concerned about “the level of license to be really quite cruel” that some people feel now and due to "the fear that I have seen and experienced among our people -- people that I know and love, both within the immigrant community and within the LGBTQ community, and how terrified so many are.” She reflected that, "I was trying to say, ‘The country has been entrusted to you.' And one of the qualities of a leader is mercy, right? Mercy. And to be mindful of the people who are scared.”
Thank you to Bishop Budde for speaking with such moral courage and clarity!
To inspire children and teens with the true stories of women who stood up for women's rights and the rights of others throughout history, visit our blog post, "Dissent Is Patriotic: 50 Books About Women Who Fought for Change," at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=14364
For two excellent resources to help tween and teen girls learn how to assert themselves with confidence and let their voices be heard, we highly recommend "A Smart Girl’s Guide to Knowing What to Say" for ages 9 to 12 (https://www.amightygirl.com/a-smart-girl-s-guide-to-knowing-what-to-say) and "Express Yourself: A Teen Girl's Guide to Speaking Up and Being Who You Are" for ages 12 and up (https://www.amightygirl.com/express-yourself-guide)
And for empathy-building book for young kids about the importance of being kind to others, visit our blog post "25 Children's Books That Teach Kids to Be Kind," visit https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=19359
To read more of her wise words, Bishop Budde is the author of "How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith" at https://amzn.to/40IDAc7
For more inspiring stories of pioneering girls and women throughout history, you can sign-up for A Mighty Girl's free weekly email newsletter at https://www.amightygirl.com/forms/newsletter
