Justice Jottings
An Email Update from the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC)

Welcome to our first issue of Justice Jottings.  It's one way for MSJC to help keep you updated about peace and justice issues, resources and activities.  We're also hoping it will be a way to begin some interaction with those of you who want to develop a greater commitment to peace and justice within the Marianist Family.  We are sending it to everyone who said they'd like to be connected with our work.  We will try to keep it short and relevant.  Let us know how we do.

Jim Vogt, MSJC Director
Jimvogt2@yahoo.com

Visit our website - www.msjc.net

Scroll down to read over the following items:

• Issue Team Updates - why not get involved and join one of our teams?
• Sharing the Good News - justice happenings in the Marianist world
• MSJC Steering Committee Update
• Resources
• Events - "Home Places - Discovering Locally, Envisioning Globally"
• Featured Justice Resource Group - Co-op America

Issue Teams Update - For more info or to get involved, click on the contact listed

• Ecology & Environment - Developing a monthly environmental fact sheet to help Marianists and their communities live more sustainably, engaging students in Marianist schools in environmental justice work, making our buildings more energy efficient and sustainable, and exploring how to make non-sweatshop goods (like
         cloth shopping bags) that are also ecologically friendly.  Contact:  Don Geiger at: donald.geiger@notes.udayton.edu
• Anti-Racism - Had a full house at their Multiculturalism Workshop in Sept. - very informative and challenging weekend; developing tools and resources to help our communities deal more effectively with racism.  Team meets in Feb. in St. Louis. Contact: Ted Cassidy at: tcassidy@capemaymarianists.org
• Sweatshop Labor - If you're interested in really changing unjust structures, this team is doing it - by developing a worker-owned, sweat-free factory in Bangladesh with Fr. Bill Christensen.  Also working with the National Labor Committee to raise awareness of how individuals can support anti-sweatshop efforts.  Team meets on Jan. 16 in Dayton.  Contact: Al Prendergast at: alprendergast@prodigy.net
• Death Penalty - sponsored the Journey of Hope speaking tour in Ohio and will sponsor the tour in Texas in 2004; working to involve Marianist schools and students, as well as other youth, in working to end the death penalty. Contact Brian Halderman at: Brian.Halderman@notes.udayton.edu
• War and Peace - War: what are the alternatives?  Focused especially on raising awareness about the threats to liberty and fundamental rights in the War on Terrorism.  Contact Laola Hironaka at: HironakaFMI@aol.com

Sharing the Good News - justice happenings in the Marianist Family.  Let us know about others and we'll pass them along.  Send to jimvogt2@yahoo.com.

• About 75 students and staff from the U. of Dayton took part in the demonstrations against the School of the Americas at Ft. Benning, GA.
• 3 people from Honduras who have worked in sweatshops shared their experiences with almost 200 students at Moeller HS.

MSJC Steering Committee meets Jan. 16-18 in Dayton.  Main agenda item - goals and action plan for the next 1 1/2 years. 
       Dayton area people - join the MSJC Steering Committee on Saturday, Jan. 17 for an evening of socializing and fellowship.  Contact Leanne Jablonski for details - jablonski@udayton.edu.

Resources - know any good ones?  Share them with us.

• National Day of Prayer, Fasting and Action on Dec. 28 for the children of the world, sponsored by Pax Christi www.paxchristiusa.org
• Facts Have Faces - fact sheets from Church World Services on Uprooted People (refugees) and Hunger in a World of Plenty  www.churchworldservice.org
• Catholic Social Teaching - Our Best Kept Secret.  A newly revised classic overview from the Center of Concern of the history of the Catholic Church's social teaching, presenting outlines and summaries of recent and historic Church documents.  www.coc.org

Events

Artists, Writers, Poets, Educators - Call for Submissions

The Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) annual art and education show (Mar. 10- Apr. 25 in Dayton) will celebrate the beauty and address the environmental concerns of the countries where lay or religious Marianists live.  Theme:  "Home Places - Discovering Locally, Envisioning Globally" 

Special feature: "Letters from Home" - writing in the Spirit of our Marianist Founders, a suitable activity for communities, classes and groups to learn about the tradition of letter writing in our Marianist heritage and to express our environmental issues in the form of a letter.   By each of us discovering the landform, flora and fauna and environmental justice issues of our own home region and sharing that with others, we can learn more about our Marianist Family throughout the world.

Information available at www.udayton.edu/~meec.  Intent to Submit forms due mid-January.  Contact MEEC at meec@udayton.edu or phone 937.429.3582 for more information.

Featured Justice Resouce Group

Co-op America - www.coopamerica.org

Co-op America's mission is to harness economic power -- the strength of consumers, businesses and the marketplace -- to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. Co-op America works with people and businesses in their economic roles, providing resources that help them rethink their consumption practices, shift their purchasing dollars to companies that are committed to social and environmental responsibility, invest in more responsible companies, and use purchasing power to demand change. Some other websites they offer:

www.greenpages.org - The Green Pages list 10,000 companies with demonstrated commitments to social and environmental responsibility.  All businesses have been screened for principles, policies and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, communities and the planet.
www.sweatshops.org - Guide to Ending Sweatshops features practical tips, resources, educational materials, and action steps to support consumers committed to fair labor practices and fair trade.
www.woodwise.org - Co-op America's Woodwise Program preserves forests by reducing the demand for wood products and promoting sustainable alternatives.
www.responsibleshopper.org  - Helps you find out what your consumer dollars support by investigating the environmental, social, labor, and ethical records of hundreds of products and companies.
www.socialinvest.org - The Social Investment Forum offers resources on socially responsible investing, community investing and shareholder advocacy.