Justice Jottings #6
November 2004
An Email Update from the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC)
New on our website!!
Testimony of 3 garment workers from Bangladesh - movinging accounts of their work in sweatshops - and their hopes for the future.
New Justice Reflection - by Paul Fitzpatrick, SM on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict
What's Happening with MSJC - new MSJC annual report as well as the annual reports from our 5 issue teams.
Visit us at: www.msjc.net
The website is now interactive.
All you have to do is get a password and you can enter into discussions with other MSJC members about social justice issues.
NOTE - if you are using the AOL browser, you can view the website but cannot enter any of the discussions with that browser.
Help us out!! Give us your opinion!
Justice Jottings has been emailed every two months during this past year. We're thinking of moving to monthly so we can be more timely. But we don't want to strain already bulging inboxes. Do you have a preference? If so let us know by emailing jimvogt2@yahoo.com. Type "monthly" or "bimonthly" as the subject to indicate your preference.
Scroll down to read over the following items:
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Issue Team Updates
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MSJC Steering Committee Update
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After the Election - some next steps
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Resources
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Sharing the Good News - justice happenings in the Marianist world
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A Thought to Ponder
Issue Team Updates
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Ecology & Environment
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Team member Marilyn Schwieterman suggests an easy action to promote the sale of Fair Trade coffee. Click here to learn more.
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Anti-Racism
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The team has almost completed a Statement on Racism that will be submitted to the Marianist Family Council. All Marianist communities and institutions will be asked to pledge to this statement
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A team of lay and professed Marianists will be attending the Conducting a Cultural Audit Workshop on January 6-8 in Burlingame, CA. The team will then make this tool for understanding cultural influences available to all Marianists.
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Sweatshop Labor
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The nationwide tour of garment workers from Bangladesh was incredibly successful. Thousands heard their moving stories. Click here to read the reflections of team chair Al Prendergast on their presentation in St. Louis. The tour will also be featured on the Dateline TV show in November or December.
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A report on the first half of the tour is available at www.nlcnet.org.
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Death Penalty
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Bro. Frank O'Donnell, SM attended the Second World Congress to Abolish the Dealth Penalty October 6-8 in Montreal, Canada. To find out more about the World Congress visit: www.montreal2004.org.
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Distributing "Execute Justice, Not People" decals to Marianist institutions in the days prior to a pending execution. If you are interested in getting some, contact team chair Brian Halderman - brian.halderman@notes.udayton.edu
MSJC Steering Committee
After the Election
Regardless of whether your candidates won, check out these "next step" resources:
Resources - know any good ones? Share them with us
The Peace Pulpit - www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/peace - weekly homilies by US bishop and peace activist, Thomas Gumbleton.
Sharing the Good News - let us know if you have some to share
Jesse Hernandez reports that, as a follow-up to the Anti-Racism Issue Team workshop on Cultural Diversity, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Helotes, TX did a Unity in Diversity program attended by 125 parishioners. The parish is also now a member of 2 ecumenical organizations that advocate with elected officials to address social justice issues. For more information, contact Jesse at troy30@sbcglobal.net
A Thought to Ponder
"What if what unites us is more than we realize and what divides us is less than we fear?"
-Let's Talk America