A New Light on Solidarity: Crossroads Collective

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”

- St. Teresa of Calcutta

More than ever this time in history makes evident that it’s not “us and them,” it’s just "us.” No nation, no people group, no political party, no economic class is exempt from COVID-19, and in fact, the whole world stands in need at the very same time.

We are in solidarity.

And yet, in these unusual circumstances, some of our regular means of expressing solidarity with one another are not possible. In some cases, our normal ways of being “with” one another in suffering are even selfish or reckless in light of the greater expression of charity through social distancing. CCA’s committed volunteers and donors of food and material goods are temporarily barred from serving with us in typical ways.

Solidarity lived out on the most basic level means being intentional about our actions and our decisions realizing that, as witnessed with the novel coronavirus, everything we do affects someone else. We belong to each other, and the way that we choose to live and the decisions we make (seen and unseen) always have impact in the lives of others.

Crossroads Collective (formerly Crossroads Catholic Bookstore) gives the community the option to purchase intentionally in a way that directly supports the most vulnerable in our community. Given to Catholic Charities in July of 2019, Crossroads Collective is now a social enterprise whose profits directly support the programs of CCA and reinforce the idea of solidarity.

“The work that we do at Crossroads Collective is simple and important: We show solidarity with Catholic Charities and our brothers and sisters who are experiencing hunger, poverty, and homelessness by providing a retail experience that invites customers to think outside of themselves, and realize that their purchase goes beyond a transaction.”

-Emily Cortese, Crossroads Collective DIRECTOR

Check out Crossroads Collective online by clicking here.