Weekly Justice Highlights

Care of Earth: India citizens are invited to ask their Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar to listen to keep India’s fish in Indian waters.

Care of Earth: Urge the Target Corporation to provide responsible take-back options for all electronics sold, promoting reuse of working equipment and safe recycling and disposal of e-waste.

Death Penalty: Sign a petition urging Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin to reconsider granting clemency to Garry T. Allen who is scheduled for execution on April 12.

Promoting Peace: Urge Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to do what she can to stand with the Sudanese people for peace.

Promoting Peace: Urge President Lee Myung Bak of the Republic of Korea to save the eco-systems of Jeju Island by stopping the building of a naval base that is opposed by the citizens and is currently being built.

Holding corporations accountable: It appears as though Walmart is more interested in profits than listening to its customers who have delivered nearly half a million petitions, 8500 calls and held events at more than 150 Walmart stores in the country with regard to selling genetically engineered (GE) sweet corn. Hoping that thousands of citizens act and Walmart takes heed, individuals are asked to sign a petition refusing to buy Monsanto’s GE sweet corn located here.

During the weekend of May 18th, representatives from the largest eight economies will meet in the U.S. for the G8 summit with the G20 summit a month later in June. As the debt crisis spreads, a new way to address debt must be implemented. Sign a global petition for an international debt court that will promote neutrality and address each nation’s own reality on a case-by-case basis. 

Urge U.S. Representatives to co-sponsor and/or support H.R. 4173 (Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons and Stop War Through Diplomacy Act) that would promote long-term dialogue over sanctions. 

Demand respect for human rights in Columbia by contacting the U.S. Embassy in Columbia and the State Department to demand a transparent police investigation into the illegally detained and death of Manuel Ruiz and his 15 year old son Samir de Jesus de Ruiz by paramilitaries.

Urge federal legislators to co-sponsor and/or support the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act (S. 952 and H.B. 1842).

The U.S. Catholic Bishops document on the topic of elections entitled, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship is available here.  Many of the resources are available in Spanish as well as English including homily notes, voter registration, voter education, and liturgy/prayer suggestions.

Prayer is needed with less than 20 negotiating days left before the Rio+20 summit in June. Pray that specifics can be put forth for Sustainable Development Goals and accountability as they are implemented.

Louisville: On April 6 (Good Friday) from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. for the Justice Stations of the Cross. Meet at Martin Luther King Park next to the Mazzoli Federal Building (south side of Chestnut between 6 and 7 streets).

KY: Annual rankings show where Kentucky counties do well and where they can improve on health. The Rankings, available here, include a snapshot of each county in Kentucky with a color-coded map comparing each county’s overall health ranking.  Any county in the country can also be viewed on this site.

Louisville, KY: On July 29 to August 1, a coalition of Catholic sponsors will host the Summer Social Action Institute at Bellarmine University. Registration opens in late April with tuition for the entire institute at $225. Track I will focus on the foundations of Catholic Social Teaching and Track II will address poverty today. Information for this four day institute for Catholic social justice ministries is located here.