| |
|
|
|
Justice Jottings August 2009 |
Want to help support MSJC? It's Easy Now
Last year was MSJC's best year for donations from individuals. We believe continued financial support from those in our MSJC network will be a key to our long term financial health. Now it's even easier for individuals - like you! - to support MSJC. Just go to our website - www.msjc.net - and you'll find a "Donate Now" button. Click on it to see what MSJC projects need your support and then consider a contribution of any amount via credit card. If you want to focus your donation particularly on the Adele Social Justice Project, click here to find a separate "Donate Now" button specifically for that project. Either way, please consider a donation to the work of MSJC. It will be put to good use. | |
|
|
|
New on our Website
Social Justice Programs - For Your Marianist Community or Group. Click here to view the page.
We've added a new category, titled
Consistent Life Ethic, on the Links page of our website to include organizations who are working to protect life on several fronts. Click here to view the page. |
| |
|
Action for Advocates
Act Now - Let Your Voice Be Heard About Health Care Reform
The debate about health care is heating up. NOW is
the time to let your voice be heard. Click here to read an Alert about Health Care Reform from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and click here to send an email message to your representative and senators. If you want to receive ongoing updates on this issue from NETWORK - the National Catholic Social Justice Lobby, click here.
Support Gulf Coast Civic Works Act
The Gulf Coast Civic Works Act of 2009 (H.R. 2269) would create 100,000 "green" living wage jobs and
training opportunities for Gulf Coast residents and
displaced people to rebuild critical infrastructure,
restore natural flood protection and increase energy efficiency. The MSJC Steering Committee is supporting this legislation. For more information and to send an email to your US representative,
|
| Everyday Justice
"How Do Marianists Do Social Justice?" in the Nazareth Community
Jean Nickleman, a member of the Nazareth Lay Marianist Community in Dayton OH, wrote about how her community used the article, "How Do Marianists Do Social Justice?"
We found the discussion questions to be very good and thought-provoking. One point that came to us: we understood that complete trust in the Providence of God is at the heart of true solidarity with the voiceless.
To order copies of "How Do Marianists Do Social Justice?" click here. To get the community discussion resource that Jean refers to, click here. | |
| Racial and Immigrant Justice
Immigration Bulletin Quotes from the Vatican and US Bishops
Parish leaders - click here to get some Church quotes about the issue of immigration that can be inserted in your bulletin. Good thought provoking material.
|
Death Penalty
U. of Dayton Law Student Does Summer Death Penalty Work Dan Perry, a UD Law School student, just completed a summer internship, sponsored by the MSJC Death Penalty Team and the UD Law School, with the Ohio Public Defender's Death Penalty Division. Dan says, "I have had an utterly memorable experience. I have learned and experienced many different things that not many people get to experience. I am actually going to continue Pro Bono work for them on a part-time basis during the year." To read more of Dan's reflections, click here.
Racial Bias and the Death PenaltyOn August 11 North Carolina Governor Beverly Purdue signed the state's Racial Justice Act into law. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, "The law allows pre-trial defendants and death-row inmates to challenge racial bias in the death penalty system through the use of statistical studies." This is important because, as two noted researchers recently wrote, "a defendant's odds of getting the death penalty in North Carolina increased by 3.5 times if the victim is white." Read more about the new law and the research into racial bias.
Ohio is on a Record Pace of Executions
Ohio is on a pace that would lead to eight executions in the last seven months of 2009. The previous high was seven, covering all of 2004. Ohio Public Defender Tim Young says, "This should never become ordinary, it should never become run-of-the-mill, it should never be a normal happening like the turning of a calendar page." Read more about why this happening -- and about Mr. Young's reaction.
U.S. Supreme Court Orders Review of Troy Davis Innocence Claim
On August 17 the U.S. Supreme Court ordered a federal judge to consider Troy Davis' innocence claim. Click here for a discussion of the decision, and click here to read about some early reaction. |
| GLBT Initiative
I Don't Understand But....
Homosexual? I don't understand that, but I can only tell you this. In the small farming village where I grew up in Bavaria, there were two younger men who lived together and had a farm together. People in the village, including my own family, made fun of them; told very mean jokes about them and belittled them behind their backs. I guess that really made me wonder about them, and I paid special attention to the way they lived and acted.... Click here to read more.
|
| Global Economic Justice
Improvements for Bangladeshi Garment Workers
There's been an important breakthrough at a key garment factory in Bangladesh. Click here to read the hopeful update from the National Labor Committee. |
|
Adele Social Justice Project
Some of the participants- Front: Sarah Eichner, Leanne Jablonski,FMI, Holly DeHaven, Sarah Luckhaupt, Kelly Grace. Back: Lori Hanna, Rick Monnier, Mary Tracy, Mallory Beck, LaPria Wilkes
Cleveland Immersion
Inspired by the example of founder Adele, an engaged community of young adults gathered in east Cleveland, Ohio during the weekend of June 12-14 to deepen their commitment to social justice.
Focusing on how the current housing crisis has affected the community of Northeast Ohio, a simple ride on the bus became a powerful way to experience the devastating effects this crisis has had on neighborhoods that were already struggling.
The weekend's housing/inner city poverty focus was further developed as the group participated in Star Power, a game that simulated how having power in society affects one's economic status. Participants also served at two local non-profits: the largest men's homeless shelter in Ohio and an organization that repurposes materials from foreclosed homes.
For some this was their first experience with the Maranists or really getting to know Adele and her story, but there was no denying that a fruitful community was built and will continue to grow. Everyone left excited and inspired to share the gospel and continue Christ's work of building community for the common good.
Click here for information on ideas for upcoming immersions. |
| Events
Julie Nagasako Reports on Lay Marianist Meeting
The MSJC Steering Committee selected Julie Nagasako to represent MSJC at the 5th International Meeting of Marianist Lay Communities, held from August 1-7, 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya. Delegates from Marianist Lay Communities around the world gathered for a productive and reflective week of dialogue and planning.
Pictured are the participants from one of the four international regions, which includes North America, Asia, Australia, and Ireland. Those from this region who participated in the Assembly included delegates, assessors, and observers from Canada, Haiti, India, Korea, and the United States.
Front Row: Richard Thibault, Johneleen Lardera, Eun-Hee Theresa Kim, Sr. Susana Kim FMI, Isabella Moyer, Lisa Vega, Susan Vogt, Fr. Dominic Park SM
Middle Row: Wesley Etienne, Marie-Paule Guenette, Peter Christophar Kachhap, Jin Bong Sebastian Lee, Fr. Marianus Lugun SM
Back Row: Salomi Ekka, Julie Nagasako, Jacqui Griswold, Tony Garascia, Michael Pera
The event also included visits to several of the Marianist works in Nairobi, such as IMANI vocational training program for young women and youth and Our Lady of Nazareth Primary School located in Mukuru kwa Njenga slum of Nairobi.
Sharing by MLCs around the world of their efforts to build community and respond to justice issues in their environment was extremely powerful, and further information on these projects will be shared in future reports.  Lisa Vega, Delegate from Hawaii, at Our Lady of Nazareth Primary School
The delegates discussed, reviewed and approved a document "The Role of Marianist Lay Communities in the Church and the World". Click here to read this report and to learn more about the meeting. Thank you to all those who had been lifting prayers for a successful gathering. May the vision and hope identified through the collaboration of all our communities around the world, continue to magnify our shared mission. |
| Resources
Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth)
Click here to get a copy of Pope Benedict XVI's latest encyclical. To get a summary of the encyclical, click here. To get a discussion guide, click here.
|
|
A Thought to Ponder
"History is full of instances where people, against enormous odds, have come together to struggle for liberty and justice, and have won - not often enough, of course, but enough to suggest how much more is possible.
"The essential ingredients of these struggles for justice are human beings who, if only for a moment, if only while beset with fears, step out of line and do something, however small.
"And even the smallest, most unheroic of acts adds to the store of kindling that may be ignited by some surprising circumstance into tumultuous change."
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|