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Justice Jottings April 2008 |
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| Everyday Justice - Personal stories of those living out social justice day by day
LOVE LEADS TO JUSTICE
April's reflection comes from Sr. Grace Escobar, SNDdeN who lives and works in Chicago.
"This note is to share with you the way I live out social justice everyday. Everyday I go to Our Lady of Tepeyac High School (OLT) where I teach religion to Freshwomen and Sophomores. These young women are from a low socio-economic class. Many of them could not afford a Catholic education if it were not for OLT. OLT has the lowest tuition in the City of Chicago -- $4500. All the girls receive financial aid in order to come to OLT.
The school is made up of 85% Latinas and 15% African-American. When the African-American girls first came eight years ago there was a lot of drama. In my religion class I always stress that we are sisters, part of the Christian family. In the last few years there has been less drama. Our focus is to love God with all our heart, and our neighbor as ourselves. Love and peace to you.
Sr. Grace | |
 Anti-Racism
Fr. Ted Cassidy, SM attended the Social Ministries Conference in Washington, DC recently, and while there attended a workshop on immigration. For the next several months we will be sharing the valuable information he received. To start off, we present a set of "Hot Button Issues in the Immigration Debate." We'll start off with this "button."
Assertion: Undocumented immigrants do not pay taxes . . . and Response: Click here.
In His Own Words, the text and video of the speech of Senator Barack Obama on racism can be found by clicking here. While MSJC is not endorsing Obama or any other candidate, we encourage Justice Jottings readers to reflect on an important speech like this. The Anti-Racism Team decided some time ago to encourage reflection on what is happening regarding racism in this country. This speech is such a significant event. Please read or watch it and let us know what you think. E-mail the Issue Team Chair, Fr. Ted Cassidy at tcassidy@capemaymarianists.org.
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Death Penalty
Death Penalty Action in Maryland
March 6 was a momentous day for death penalty opponents in Maryland, one of the Issue Team's five targeted states.
On that day the Urban Institute released a study revealing that the average cost to Maryland taxpayers for reaching a death sentence was $3 million, $1.9 million more than a non-death penalty case.
The research concluded that seeking the death penalty had cost $186 million more over a 20-year period than would have been spent seeking a lesser sentence.
Scheduled the same day was a hearing before the state's Senate Judiciary Committee which is considering repeal legislation. A number of murder victims' family members gave testimony. The Committee heard that "as long as the death penalty is still on the books, it would continue to harm families."
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From The Marianist Environmental Education Center:
Peaceful Earth Works, our 2008 Gallery St. John show, opens March 29 and runs through April 27. The show features the work of 100 artists exploring the intersection of peace and the environment. Visit Gallery St. John at Mount St. John Wednesdays through Sundays from 1-4 p.m.
Other offerings include:
Namaste: Greeting the Planet Within Us: March 31
Another Look: Peaceful Earth Works: April 10
Retreat and Workshop: Spring Inspiration -- Peace and the
Environment: April 19
For flyers and more information about these programs, Click here.
Earth Day-- April 22 -- this year, the connection between poverty and climate change is probed. For more information Click here. |
Adele Social Justice Project
Preliminary applications are now being accepted for the next Adele Social Justice Project immersion weekend, June 13-15 in San Antonio. Click here to visit the ASJP web page for more information about being a part of an amazing weekend in an amazing town connecting with other young adults working towards social justice.
Can't make the June weekend? You can still be a part of the ASJP experience. Contact us for information on resources, other Young Adult communities supporting the mission and even bringing an immersion weekend to your area! Contact Laura Libertore at asjplibertore@yahoo.com for more information. |
 MSJC
Steering Committee
Think Globally, Act Locally - How Can We Do It Better: Saturday, May 10 in Philadelphia.
MSJC will offer this one day workshop for Marianist Family members and friends at the Marianist Center in Philadelphia. The program will focus on helping participants understand globalization, how it affects them, and how they can respond more effectively in the decisions and choices they make in their everyday lives. For more information or to register, contact Pati Krasensky, patikras@hotmail.com. |
GLBT Initiative
The GLBT Team has scheduled the workshop "A Place at the Marianist Table" with the following groups:
Anawim Marianist Lay Community (Cincinnati), Marianist Sisters Community (Dayton),
Cape May Retreat Center Youth Group,
and the youth staff at St. Anthony Parish (Maui, Hawaii)
If you are interested in scheduling a session with your group or community, contact Beth Garascia (BGarascia@sbcglobal.net.) |
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Events
Pax Christi, Network, The Center of Concern and other national Catholic organizations will host the "Convention for the Common Good" in Philadelphia from July 11-13. Click here to read more about the event. |
The Faithful Citizenship Site for young Catholics is now up and running! Some of the exciting, new, youth-friendly resources that you will find on this website include:
E-postcards with cool images and messages
An interactive quiz: "Are you a
Faithful Citizen?"
"Top 10 Ways You Can Be A
Faithful Citizen" -a poster
Youth Prayer Ideas
A Coffee Discussion Guide
The website will continue to be updated with new resources, such as several exciting videos, coming soon. Youth ministers and religious educators can reach out to youth and young adult Catholics and encourage them to just click here.
Fool for Christ: The Story of Dorothy Day. Sandra Milici's one-woman play on Dorothy Day is now available on DVD. Fr. Dan Berrigan, friend of Dorothy, has this to say about the play: "Without Dorothy Day's courage and constancy, the church (and myself) would have been impoverished beyond my power of telling... In this monologue -- passionate, funny, and heartfelt, Dorothy lives. I can think of no greater praise: "Fool for Christ" is worthy of the original Dorothy." For more information click here.
An Election Guide from the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns: Loving Our Neighbor in a Shrinking World, is a 12-page booklet addressing crucial foreign policy issues that should be considered during this year's campaign cycle. Included are reflections and questions for candidates on the following topics: economic justice, migration, climate change, peace and security, and HIV/AIDS. To download a PDF version click here.
Toward a Just and Peaceful Solution in Iraq For the 5th anniversary of the war and occupation of Iraq, Pax Christi USA has issued a new policy paper, Toward a Just and Peaceful Solution in Iraq." It answers a variety of questions related to the Bush Administration's claims of success due to the recent surge, concerns regarding what would happen in Iraq should our troops leave, and the long-term designs the Bush Administration has regarding Iraqi oil and a permanent presence in Iraq . The paper also examines the human and economic costs of the war, the war as it relates to Catholic Social Teaching, and most importantly, offers possibilities for a solution to the war and occupation. Click here for related resources like talking points, an Iraq fact sheet, questions for candidates for political office and more. |
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Act Now for Justice
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is launching a national petition campaign calling on Burger King to join with fast food corporations like Taco Bell and McDonald's in working with CIW to:
* improve the wages and working conditions of the men and women who harvest their tomatoes,
* support an industry-wide effort to end human rights violations and modern-day slavery in all of Florida's fields.
The petition will also serve as notice that those who sign are "prepared to stop patronizing Burger King now, and other food industry leaders in the future, should they fail to do so."
To download the petition to collect signatures in your community, click here. If you would prefer to sign the petition online, click here click here.
Pax Christi USA Sign-On Statement commemorates the 25th anniversary of the U.S. bishops' peace pastoral, The Challenge of Peace, and challenges the Bush Administration's efforts to upgrade and expand U.S. nuclear weapons capabilities. It will be published in the May 2nd issue of The National Catholic Reporter and selected diocesan newspapers, and delivered to members of the U.S. Congress and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The deadline is April 15, 2008. To sign on, click here. |
A Thought to Ponder
One artist complements the other.
Luke portrays the scene; Rouault provides a key detail.
Disciples -- two of them -- are on their way to Emmaus, one named Cleopas; the other, no name-- clue enough to see in No-Name,
No-One, another one of those anonymous women Luke proclaims as part of the Good News.
So, Rouault would then be right on target, putting beside good Cleopas a woman. Why not his wife?
Why not that Mary who stood at the foot of Jesus' Cross, whom John identifies as the wife of Cleopas? Coincidence? Or deeper truth?
Woman and man, together, lost, disconsolate, questioning, searching, open to the Stranger opening up, for both, the meaning of it all.
Walt Bado, SJ
Nov. 5, 1999 Georges Roualt
National Catholic Reporter 1939
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