Angela Howard-McParland Says Americans Must Stay Alert to Backsliding

Angela Howard-McParland argued in a New Ways Ministry column that Americans must stay alert to political backsliding while rejoicing in the historic inclusion of LGBTQ+ lawmakers in the 120th Congress.

The reflection, published on November 15, 2026, draws on liturgical readings for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Howard-McParland, a member of the Justice Team of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, wrote that her reading of the scripture followed a Civil Rights immersion experience in Montgomery and Selma, Alabama, alongside the Sisters of Mercy and the Catholic Mobilizing Network.

That journey occurred in the wake of an election that she described as a rebuke of authoritarianism and a politics of cruelty. Witnessing the history of Montgomery reminded her of the forward movement of history, such as the abolition of slavery, contrasted against a backswing into lynchings, Jim Crow, and modern mass incarceration.

She wrote that xenophobia and white supremacist ideas driving past injustices mirror the vitriol currently directed at immigrants. She pointed to the targeting of LGBTQ+ people through Title IX rollbacks, restrictions on gender identity on federal documents, and trials for trans military members as deep-rooted fears of the "other."

These experiences shaped her perspective on her advocacy, prayer life, and church engagement, drawing her toward Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians. The ancient text features apocalyptic themes and urgency regarding the return of Jesus, prompting the Thessalonians to stay alert.

While the 120th Congress features a historically diverse group of lawmakers, including the most openly LGBTQ+ members in history, Howard-McParland argued that citizens cannot afford complacency. Lawmakers must face continued pressure to prevent backsliding, reinstate equality protections, and reject anti-LGBTQ+, anti-immigrant, and anti-DEI narratives.

Matt stone angela howard attending the britannia awards held at the hilton hotel in los angeles usa

Drawing on Reinhold Niebuhr’s framework, she warned against the “children of light” who place naive trust in democracy and reason while ignoring human nature’s worst impulses. Simultaneously, she cautioned against the cynicism of the “children of darkness,” suggesting instead that believers heed Paul’s call to remain vigilant while holding onto hope.

“No matter how bad things may become, we hold the vision of the Beloved Community before us and stand on the shoulders of all those who have gone before us to their heavenly reward,” Howard-McParland wrote.