Pham, who is Pope Leo’s first bishop appointment in the United States, said that when the agents saw the faith leaders, they scattered. Faith communities can tap into spiritual power, and offer a hopeful, divinely inspired vision of what we are fighting for, alongside what we must oppose. When the government banned protests, the faith communities organized pray-ins, which the government couldn’t shut down. Faith communities have provided resources, mutual aid and sanctuary to mitigate repression targeting vulnerable groups. Faith communities have actively refused to cooperate with repressive regimes.