Prayer circle of over 500 forms at North Dakota pipeline protest site

'We...have been challenged ourselves to ask the question about the structural causes of injustice and how they're all related.'

Over 500 ministers and religious leaders, including two members of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, joined together November fourth to pray and speak at the protest site of the North Dakota pipeline.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The 1,200-mile pipeline is currently mapped to pass through the Sioux's ancient sacred grounds and poses a possible danger to the reservation's water supply.

Knowing the damage and disrespect the pipeline would cause, as well as the rising tensions between construction workers and tribal members, the prayer circle was formed.

According to the Catholic Herald, in late October, Reverend John Floberg, an Episcopal priest serving the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota, heard of rising violence when two construction trucks were set on fire October 28 after protestors were forcibly removed from a nearby camp.

Rev. Floberg called people of faith to stand with the Standing Rock Sioux to show support.

When they arrived they saw the Sioux had also been joined by other Native Americans near the construction route.

The entire group stood in solidarity while the Texas-based pipeline production company, Energy Transfer Partners, claimed their line is following strict safety procedures and is complete, save for this final construction.

Sisters Aine O'Connor and Kathleen Erickson explained they wanted to respond to "the call to come and bear witness."

Sister Erickson, a native of North Dakota, said she wanted to stand with those whose rights often go ignored.

The Sisters were joined by Mike Poulin, a member of the Sisters of Mercy Justice Team's West-Midwest region.

The trio admitted the environmental and tribal concerns were not their only priorities.

"I'm concerned about the fixation on the petroleum industry and what we seem to be willing to give up long-term in favour of short-term (energy) solutions," Sister Erickson shared.

Sister O'Connor mentioned Pope Francis' call to care for the environment in his encyclical Laudato Si, on Care for our Common Home.

"We as Sisters of Mercy, in addressing the critical concerns we've adopted, have been challenged ourselves to ask the question about the structural causes of injustice and how they're all related," she explained.

The day the prayer circle was held, everyone walked from the camp to a blocked bridge, where the burned trucks remain.

Campaign director of LA RED, of the PICO National Network, Eddie Carmona, explained a group of ministers met with tribal elders, who said the trucks need to be moved to allow emergency vehicle access.

Following the meeting, roughly 100 religious leaders went by caravan to the North Dakota State Capitol in Bismarck, where they were met by heavily armed police.

Fourteen clergy were able to enter the capitol to conduct a sit-in and demand a meet with Governor Jack Dalrymple to discuss shutting the project down.

When they refused to leave, authorities arrested them for criminal trespassing.

The remaining leaders marched to the governor's residence, but eventually returned to the Standing Rock Camp.

In September, the federal government decided to halt construction until another review is completed. The previous review ended in a federal court judge denying a tribal motion to stop the pipeline project.

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