Weekly Justice Highlights

Charity Day:  The first International Charity Day will be celebrated on September 5.  Individuals are invited to participate in the day in a variety of ways.  For more information and activities, see the September 2013 Action Alert.  (scroll down) 

Immigration:  The Central Leadership and Western Province have delivered a letter urging comprehensive immigration reform to Congressman Brett Guthrie.  LCWR invites individuals to compose opinion pieces for local newspapers, write letters to the editor, pray for legislators and express that in a note along with views around comprehensive immigration reform and join in 40 days of prayer, fasting, and advocacy for immigration reform from September 9 to October 18. 

Promoting Peace:  Urge Secretary of State Kerry and the Obama Administration to push for peace talks and find a political solution to end the bloodshed in Syria.    

Immigration: Phone U.S. Representatives (1.866.940.2439; NO charges apply) to support comprehensive immigration reform that unites families and creates a path to citizenship and oppose the SAFE Act (H.R. 2278) that would encourage racial profiling and harm community safety, expand mandatory and indefinite detention and criminalize all immigration violations.

Women and Spirit Documentary:  The documentary has been made available to all NBC stations, however, there is need to encourage local NBC stations to air the documentary.  Individuals may visit this site to locate their local station and call or write in to urge the showing of the documentary.  Please encourage others to phone in as the more requests the more likely the documentary is to be shown at the local station. 

Water: Urge the Environmental Protection Agency to protect streams and rivers from selenium toxicity that results in deformities and reproductive failure of fish and is in drinking water.  

Care of Earth: Urge President Obama to use his authority to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline as soon as possible.     

Challenge Unjust Structures:  Urge U.S. Trade Representative to keep shark fins off the chopping block while the rest of the shark is placed back into the sea to die of suffocation.   

September 2013 Action Alert

International Peace Day 

September 21 is observed as an International Day of Peace around the world.  First observed in 1982, the United Nations General Assembly declares this day be devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.  The theme for the day this year is "Education for Peace."  In a statement by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, says, "It is not enough to teach children how to read, write and count.  Educations has to cultivate mutual respect for others and the world in which we live, and help people forge more just, inclusive and peaceful societies."  As adults, there is much to reflect upon as well.  This past May, the 30th anniversary of The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response  that was written by the U.S. Catholic bishops rejecting nuclear war and calling on the U.S. to reverse the arms race was remembered.  The 50th anniversary of the March for Freedom and the famous "I Have a Dream" speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Washington at the end of August brought many celebrations. Both documents offer many opportunities for renewed action to live peacefully and empower peace building.

“Peacemaking is not an optional commitment. It is a requirement of our faith. We are called to be peacemakers, not by some movement of the moment, but by our Lord Jesus.”       ~ The Challenge of Peace

The most recent SCN General Assembly calls us to a vision that promotes the dignity and equality of women.  With regard to peace, it appears as though gender injustice is one of the many realities of our world that hinders peace.  Women must be involved in the community laws, the local economy and seen as important in the social aspects of the community for the reality of peace.  Inequality between females and males is an obstacle to peace.  This can be seen in discrimination, lack of control over finances, underrepresentation of women in government, and lack of women's voices in the community among many other indicators.

Several United Nations' meetings have highlighted this relationship and worked to make recommendations to governments through various documents.  Among these are the Fourth World Conference on Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women, and Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.  Individuals may also glimpse how national constitutions, these documents from the UN and recommendations can influence national laws and policies.  Ultimately, there still remains a gap between these documents and the "reality on the ground" with regard to gender justice and thus movement toward greater peace.  Thus much action remains in calling governments to accountability with regard to women's dignity and equality that brings about greater peace-making in the entire community/nation.   

Reflection/ Action:

• Locate the documents listed above and contemplate their words.  What do I hear and how am I called to act?
• In writing “The Challenge of Peace”, the bishops consulted lay women and men, theologians of other faith traditions, and experts in policy and ethics from around the world. All of this was long before social networking and other tools used today.  How does this make the document more relevant to peace-making?  
• What do I know about peace movements in other cultures and countries?  Who have been some of the leaders in world peace?
• What are the gaps that exist between women's dignity and equality and that of peace where I live?  What concrete action(s) can be taken to make positive improvements?  
• September 11 -21 marks 11 days of Global Unity.  Archbishop Desmond Tutu suggests to focus on the shift from "I" to "WE" during these days.  We are global and one and any challenge anywhere to anyone must be a challenge to all of us.
• Play the Compassion Games: Survival of the Kindest.  More information is located here.    
• Who will you make peace with? In a short film, Peace One Day Ambassador Jude Law asks who you will make peace with for Peace Day 2013.
• Resources available for peace education for children through adults is here.   
• Join people throughout the world in a one minute pause for peace at noon in your time zone.
• An excellent 144 page book entitled Peace Lessons from around the World is available here.  
• Search the members of the "nuclear club" and their current stockpiles.  How is the SCN Corporate Stand opposing nuclear weapons as pertinent today as when it was adopted?  
• Organize a peace concert, write a poem, create a "Peace Exhibit" with a group or any other creative endeavor that integrates peace education.  
• Set up a dialogue to engage two opposing viewpoints into the potential of a third viewpoint.  What peace building skills will be necessary for the dialogue?
• Write a letter to the editor describing the importance of peace at the state, national, and/or international levels.

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International Day of Charity

September 5 will mark the first ever International Day of Charity according to a recent United Nation's resolution.  The Permanent Mission of Hungary to the United Nations and the Department of Public Instruction is hosting a panel discussion to mark the occasion that will be webcast on http://webtv.un.org/ from 3 to 6 p.m. Eastern Standard time.  The first half will focus on the role of charity in securing access to clean water and sanitation while the second half will focus on partnership for poverty alleviation, eradication- the role of charity.  Those attending the day at the United Nations will also have the option of attending an observance of the Day of Charity and a film screening and panel discussion on 9/11.   

Individuals may engage through Facebook and Twitter @IntDayofCharity or @UN.  A flyer with more information and activities is located here. Facebook will continue to update activities and provide diverse activities for individuals desiring to observe the day.

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 U.S.  Legislative Updates

September brings many legislative issues to the forefront of Congress.  Among these are immigration reform, the supplemental nutrition assistance program, and Fiscal Year 2014 budget that begins October 1.

Immigration reform still awaits action in the House that includes a reasonable path toward citizenship, however, the atmosphere is one of "piecemeal" at the present moment and could likely prolong comprehensive immigration reform.  From September 9 to October 8 people of faith across the United States will be participating in FAST Action for Immigration Reform.  This will include prayer, advocacy and fasting with encouragement to get others involved in this action.  More information can be found at www.fastaction.us.  Additionally, state information is located here and here for all 50 states.  Individuals are invited to continue contacting their legislators at 1.202.224.3121 and at the Justice for Immigrants website (www.justiceforimmigrants.org).

The Senate included funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as part of the Farm Bill, however, the House has yet to make a decision on SNAP having left it out of their version of the Farm Bill.  It is highly likely that the House intends to pass a separate nutrition bill with even more drastic cuts than when deliberating the Farm Bill reauthorization.  These cuts  or changes to the program will harm poor and hungry people and is against the Christian perspective.  Individuals are invited to continue urging federal representatives to include the SNAP in the reauthorization of the current Farm Bill without any cuts in funding.  There is need for improving people's lives.  

On October 1, FY 2014 begins with regard to the U.S. budget.  Remembering that on March 1 of this year, the sequester (mandatory across the board cuts to most federal programs) went into effect; this means that the upcoming budget is likely to remain in the form of a continuing resolution.  Should a continuing resolution be passed, it may come up against the deadline to extend the U.S. Treasury's borrowing or "debt ceiling."  Individuals are invited to contact their federal legislators urging them to replace the sequester with a fair and just budget that reweaves a circle of protection around those programs that provide necessary services to poor and hungry people, both domestically and internationally before October 1.

Weekly Justice Highlights

Empowering Women:  Urge members of the upper house of the Afghan National Assembly and the Chair of the Legislative Committee to vote against an amendment that would stop relatives of accused persons from appearing as witnesses and allow tormentors of women and children to go free. (International action available)

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge Congress NOT to fast track the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade agreement that threatens jobs, the environment, public health and more .    

Care of Earth:  Sign a petition to Rush urging him not to make claims about climate change that have been proven false.  

Promoting Peace:  Urge U.S. lawmakers to co-sponsor the Sudan Peace, Security and Accountability Act.  This act would demand action to protect those at risk, create a sustainable peace and hold President Omar al-Bashir accountable for his actions.   

Immigration: The Interfaith Immigration Coalition invites you to join in the prayer, fasting, and advocacy for immigration reform. Please join us as an individual, family, congregation, or study group. Sign up here.  

In the Spirit of St. Vincent:  Urge Congress to stop cuts to vital programs (i.e. SNAP) and require corporations and those wealthy enough to do so to pay their share by reducing unfair and unneeded tax breaks as well as make sensible Pentagon cuts that enhance security and end wasteful spending.      

Urge Trans-Pacific Partnership trade countries to advance proposals that promote public health and stem preventable deaths from diseases related to tobacco, by guaranteeing nations' sovereign domestic rights and abilities to adopt or maintain measures to reduce tobacco use and to prevent tobacco-related deaths and diseases.  

Individuals are invited to call their local NBC station asking that the film, Women and Spirit, the LCWR film about Catholic Sisters in the U.S. be available for NBC broadcasts nationwide as part of NBC's "Horizons of the Spirit' series to begin in mid-September.  Spread the word to others once you have made the call.

Send a postcard to either urge your mayor to or thank your mayor for keep/keeping unregistered guns off the streets.     

Urge President Obama to demand real regulation of the poultry industry to protect public health and workers' safety over that of saving big corporations money.     

Human Trafficking Information:  Late last year Allegany Franciscan Ministries awarded a grant to our local Tampa Bay PBS affiliate, WEDU, to produce a documentary film and community outreach campaign on human trafficking.  Our goal was to draw attention to the appalling reality of sex and labor trafficking, particularly within the Tampa Bay community.  On September 26th at 9 pm, the documentary, Too Close to Home, will air on WEDU PBS.  Two PSA's have also been produced; they are airing on the station and may also be viewed on Allegany Franciscan Ministries' web site. 

Louisville: On September 24 at 4:45 p.m., women and their male allies will march to shatter the silence (symbolized by night) that tends to surround sexual and domestic violence, raise awareness about the various forms of violence, and provide support to survivors, partners, family members and friends.  Individuals will gather at MCSquare at Spalding University (large green space on Breckenridge between 3rd and 4th Street next to the ELC building).  For more information, contact Mens Work at 502.494.9044 or www.mensworkinc.com.   

Weekly Justice Highlights

Care of Earth: U.S. residents are invited to call Secretary Sally Jewell's office at 1.888.907.6639 (between 9 am and 5 pm EST) which after a brief message, individuals may provide the following message:  State your name and that you desire Secretary Jewell to act on climate change by stopping the coal leasing program and canceling the two upcoming lease sales.  

Trafficking:  The August issue of Stop Trafficking co-sponsored by the SCN's is located here.     

Immigration: The Interfaith Immigration Coalition invites you to join in the prayer, fasting, and advocacy for immigration reform. Please join us as an individual, family, congregation, or study group. Sign up at www.fastaction.us.  Individuals may urge House members to work for reform right here.

In the Spirit of St. Vincent:  Urge Congress to stop cuts to vital programs (i.e. SNAP) and require corporations and those wealthy enough to do so to pay their share by reducing unfair and unneeded tax breaks as well as make sensible Pentagon cuts that enhance security and end wasteful spending by clicking here.  

Challenging Unjust Systems: Urge Congress to bring transparency and accountability to the closed-door negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and to reject Fast Track procedure when the bill is introduced.   

Urge the Securities and Exchange Commission to enforce the Dodd-Frank's provision on disclosing CEO salaries.    

Urge the U.S. State Department and Honduran officials to protect the lives and human rights of threatened small-scale farmers working to protect their rights to land and to agrarian reform in the Honduras

Urgent Attention Needed on the Bluegrass Pipeline Issue:  Individuals from all over the U.S. are needed to urge KY Governor Steve Beshear ((502) 564-2611 OR  http://governor.ky.gov/Pages/contact.aspx) to address eminent domain in the special session of the 2013 KY General Assembly.     

Weekly Justice Highlights

In the Spirit of St. Vincent: Tell President Obama that he can count on your prayers as he continued to earnestly address hunger and poverty.  

Immigration: In our efforts of solidarity with those without a voice, U.S. citizens are invited to urge Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor to move swiftly forward on immigration that includes a pathway to legalization and eventual citizenship for the undocumented, reforms the family and business immigration system and provides visas for Irish workers by calling 1-866-940-2439 or visiting their contact pages here and here.       

Immigration: Tell Speaker Boehner and Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte how unacceptable Representative Steve King’s remarks likened DREAMers to drug mules.      

Care of Earth: Urge the new Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy to protect public health and support cleaner gasoline and tailpipes.       

Nuclear Weapons: Urge President Obama to engage in negotiation to eliminate nuclear weapons.      

Urge U.S. legislators to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement fast track.   

Urge U.S. Senators to co-sponsor S. Res. 203 expressing “the sense of the Senate regarding efforts by the U.S. to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution."     

Urgent Attention Needed on the Bluegrass Pipeline Issue:  Individuals from all over the U.S. are needed to urge KY Governor Steve Beshear ((502) 564-2611 OR by email) to address eminent domain in the special session of the 2013 KY General Assembly.   

The August-September LCWR newsletter is now available online here.          

Louisville:  The annual Candle Floating Ceremony to mark the 68^th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki will be presented at 8 pm on Friday, August 9 at Willow Lake (corner of Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive).  The ceremony is open to the public. 

Action Alert

August 2013

Charity Federation Focus on Climate Change

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is on August 9.  This day recognizes the global communities’ responsibility to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Persons.  Yet, when it comes to climate change and its effects on those living in poverty, the global community is in need of much growth. 

 

A recent article highlights a 15-year-old from Tami-heruwa village in India’s north-eastern state of Assam who has seen her life reduced from lessons and homework to household chores.  This is due to the consequences of recurrent droughts and floods of which has destroyed their farm land home; they depend on agriculture as a means to sustain their family and of which experts attribute to climate change.  She is among thousands in the geographic area who have been forced to drop out of education and either work in the home or become daily wage laborers to support their families.  According to Centre for Environment, Social and Policy Research (CESPR), girls and women have suffered the most negative consequences from climate change.  The research group noted that when a mother decides to go out in search of work, the responsibility of the house usually falls to the girl and she is asked to leave school. 

 

This story and many others from around the world related to climate change, challenges individuals and groups to reflect and act more intentionally.  The U.S. and Canadian Congregations of the Sisters of Charity Federation of North America social justice representatives and recently the Vincentian Family of North America have been collaborating on justice issues since January.  The group acknowledges that individual congregations continue to put forth efforts around the issues related to Climate Change.  Thus, the following statement:

 

The social justice representatives for the U.S. and Canadian Congregations of the Sisters of Charity Federation of North America as well as the Vincentian Family Collaborators of North America invite us all to respond to the crisis of global climate change as one of the central ethical issues of our time. Vincent de Paul challenged us to see persons living in poverty as the presence of Christ.

 

Faithfulness to our charism challenges us:

• To efficacious compassion toward the brokenness of Earth and its life systems;
•  To recognize that persons living in poverty and on the margins suffer first from the effects of global climate change;
• To learn to discern and celebrate the presence of God in Earth;
• To evaluate our lifestyle choices; 
• To integrate this heightened awareness in our consciousness, congregational documents and actions.        (June 2013)  

In the story above, it is evident to see that not just those currently living in poverty but also those living semi-comfortably likely won’t have the economic or technological resources to adapt to the impacts of climate change.  In addition to addressing the short-term solutions of those living in poverty, long-term solutions also need to be addressed in the form of sustainability.  

 

Does sustainability refer to sustained economic growth, and an environment that is able to maintain the status quo with our energy-intensive, consumer driven needs? Or does sustainability refer to the whole ecosystem, an interconnected web of life with its vast and rich diversity of species? What is the relationship between sustainability and the economy? 

 

According to Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee (editor of Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth), deep ecology maintains that the idea of endless economic growth is unsustainable, and that business as usual will destroy the beauty and diversity of our world. It calls for new economic models, which respect and support the ecosystem of which we are a part.”  Wendell Berry challenges individuals to consider the more spiritual dimension of ecology stating, “that which has long been understood by indigenous peoples is that our relationship to the Earth is spiritually as well as physically sustaining.”  Many individuals are at a disconnect wtih Earth; this is implied in the many ways individuals, businesses, groups, and communities live their lives.  Satish Kumar states, "the contemporary environmental movement, in the main, follows the path of empirical science, rational thinking, data collection and external action. This is good as far as it goes but it doesn't go far enough. We need to include care of the soul as a part of care of the planet."   

 

Reflections/Actions:

• While members of the Sisters of Charity Federation have made commitments around many of the challenges in the statement above, it is imperative to ask, what more can I/we be and do?  
•  Be with these Scripture passages and listen to their voice: Mark 10: 17-22; Luke 6:20-25; Luke 16:13-15. 
• Thich Nhat Hanh asks, “Have I heard the bells of mindfulness through Earth’s experience of floods, droughts, wildfires, and other disasters?”
• How might my/our life/lives change if we were to be in solidarity with the hardships of those struggling as a result of climate change?
• How does my life demonstrate the reality, "the world is not a problem to be solved; it is a living being to which we belong.” 
•  U.S. citizens are invited to call President Obama urging him to reject the Keystone XL pipeline.
• The Earth Charter Initiative continues to call individuals to greater action.
• Scientists continue to share climate change information and its’ socio-economic impacts.
• JoannaMacy has some excellent reflections.
• CatholicSocial Teaching on climate change, the St. Francis Pledge and many other resources.
• The Do The Math documentary is a 42-minute film about the rising movement in the United States to change the terrifying maths of the climate crisis and challenge the fossil fuel industry.  You can find the video on youtube.  More information is here.  
• ChasingIce is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet. 
•  The Forum of Religion and Ecology at Yale is international and inter-religious in scope.
• Three magazine websites that continue to highlight the issue include Orion, Yes, and Mother Jones.            
• Consider praying with this ecological examen
• All creation (i.e. all that is of Earth) reflects the beauty and blessing of God’s image.  Where am I most aware of this today?
• How am I currently making a conscious effort to care soulfully for any aspect of God’s creation? 
• What challenges and joys do I experience as I become more interdependent, physically and spiritually, with all creation?
• In what aspects do I maintain an unspoken sense of superiority with creation?  What might I do to repair these broken aspects of relationship? 
• In what areas do I ask for grace to be more mindful of the Incarnate Christ in my relationship with all creation?
• Prayer: The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one.  I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.  (adapted from Joseph Carver, SJ)

Immigration Legislation Update

While the Senate passed one piece of legislation in June, the House has yet to pass any piece of legislation and certainly does not desire the Senate version (S.744).  The House Judiciary Committee recently held hearings with undocumented youth in an effort to examine a pathway to citizenship for those who were brought by their parents.  No path has yet been set out for undocumented adults.  As a result, it appears as though the House is going to piece-meal immigration reform.  Will coalition pressure, the solidarity of undocumented youth who may have a path to citizenship or the economy persuade House leaders to embrace a pathway to citizenship for all?  

Farm Bill Update

Both the Senate and House have passed their version of the Farm Bill.  Missing in the House bill was domestic (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) and international food aid.  The House Farm Bill was sent back to the House to decide if a separate nutrition bill will be taken up or if they wish to negotiate off the Senate bill.  SNAP  is permanently authorized and will not be in any danger until September 30 as is the current Farm Bill.  If no decision is reached, congress does require SNAP to continue being funded through annual appropriation bills. 

Reflections/Actions:

• Watch and take the latest action for comprehensive immigration reform at Justice For Immigrants and watch the SCN Newsline for further action.
• NETWORK has a fact sheet on immigration and a site to urge Congress that immigration reform is needed now at this location. 
• Urge U.S. Representatives to strengthen programs that reduce hunger and improve nutrition in the U.S. protecting SNAP from any cuts and structural changes.  Additionally, urge them to sustain robust international food aid and to improve the nutritional quality of food aid.