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Justice Jottings September
2008 |
Prayer for a New Community/School Year
Through the summer season,
You have replenished our spirits
in the playfulness of gentle breezes and
refreshing rain,
the laughter of children romping outdoors,
lush colors of flowers and butterflies,
the merriment of songbirds and tenacity of
mother ducks and young,
times of retreat, celebration, professional development, reading and
insight. . . .
Instill in us a spirit of gratitude
that ever delights in the wonders of Your creative Love
brought anew in the freshness of each day,
As we faithfully work with You our Great Teacher and Community Builder
to educate and re-create our world in justice and peace.
Leanne Jablonski, FMI
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New
on our Website
Reflect on immigrant issues: Hot Button Issue #6
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Learn about Voting for the Common Good and sign the Platform for the Common Good. Click here. |
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Everyday
Justice
Journey to Justice: Ecologists and Faith Communities
How did I end up in justice work and in service at the Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC)? I have long felt my call to be a bridge-builder as a scientist and faith community member. I have experienced the Sacred in the truth-seekers in both traditions. It's been a literal wilderness journey, because during my high school and undergrad years of the 70s, there were few models of integration of faith and the environment. Somewhat like Abraham and Sarah, I left my Canadian homeland and dream job as a park-interpreter naturalist with a faint sense of God's promise that one day I would do this again, and I would be able to include the faith dimension . . . . Through the past 10 years, the justice journey has taken me down an exciting and challenging path, as I have dared each little "yes".
Click here to read more about Leanne Jablonski's Journey to Justice. | |
Anti-Racism
Fair and Humane Immigration Policies Click here for more information and read Fr. Ted Casssidy's reflections on a recent immigration conference held in Washington, DC.
Hot Button Issue #6
Assertion: Undocumented immigrants are criminals and commit crimes in the United States.
Immigration Resource Packet
Click here to read a letter and get a copy of materials from the Anti-Racism Team for study and prayer about immigration issues.
Iowa Town an Open-Air Prison
Click here to read about a round-up of undocumented workers, and the conditions their wives and children endure.
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Death Penalty
Florida Prison Warden Now Opposes
Death Penalty
Click here to watch a powerful five minute interview with a former warden at a Florida prison as he explains why he now opposes the death penalty.
Live Radio Show Covers Issues in Texas Executions
A unique public awareness and education tool has been launched in Texas, another state targeted by the Death Penalty Issue Team. Starting at 6:00 pm Central Time on the days that an execution is scheduled in Texas, live coverage and commentary can be heard on the radio and streamed on the Internet. The Texas execution schedule is also available.
Standing Up for Justice at the Maryland Commission on the Death Penalty
"If people knew how the death penalty was applied, I think they would be surprised by the lack of justice. It becomes like rolling the dice - except that some people have loaded dice." This testimony from David Kaczynski, brother of the Unabomber and executive director of New Yorkers Against the Death Penalty, was one of the highlights of the first hearing of the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment. A big thanks to Bro. Jerry Sullivan for his testimony at the hearing. Click here to read an article from the Baltimore Sun. Maryland is one of the states targeted by the Death Penalty Issue Team.
"Marianist Brother Works to Change Attitudes on the Death Penalty" Click here to read this recent article in the Baltimore Catholic Review about Bro. Frank O'Donnell and his commitment to abolition of the death penalty.
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| Alternatives to Violence
Click here to learn about five more ways (#11-15): Contemplation, Groundedness, Creativity, Humility, and Reverence - to practice non-violence in September.
US Nuclear Weapons - How Many? At What Cost?
Click
here to watch a 90 second video about
the size of our nuclear stockpile and the cost to maintain
it.
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Global Economic Justice 
Global Economics - Making Sense of It
Interested in getting a better understanding of economics as it interconnects with our basic Christian principles? Looking for ways to effectively promote human rights, development and sustainability? The Global Economic Justice Team (formerly Sweatshop Labor) invites you to consider attending a Global Economics Workshop at the UN on Oct. 15-17. Financial assistance in available. For more information, contact the MSJC office - 859-291-6197 or jimvogt2@yahoo.com. |
Environment and Ecology
50 Ways to Save Your Water
Conserving water is an important way to assure availability of water for all and to save money on your water bills. Click here for 50 suggestions.
Raise Your Voices about Climate Change
The National Catholic Rural Life Conference (NCRLC) will conduct Raise Your Voices workshops in Catholic dioceses to increase knowledge about climate change and its impacts and demonstrate how Catholics can affect local, state and federal policy through work with the media and elected government officials. (NCRLC seeks reimbursement of travel expenses and a small stipend to conduct these workshops.) For more information, contact Tim Kautza at tim@ncrlc.com or 514.270.2634, ext.12. |
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Adele
Social Justice Project
San Antonio Immersion: A Foundation for the Future
"The June ASJP immersion weekend in San Antonio was a great success laying a foundation for future ongoing communities and ASJP weekends," according to Laura Libertore, Project Coordinator. Participant Cynthia Sias reflected, "Meaningful thoughts were shared with each session and we were challenged to dig deeper and really think about the meaning of each topic. . . . It was a fantastic weekend filled with good conversation and good people." Stay tuned for more about Cynthia's reflections on the San Antonio weekend and other ASJP doings in their upcoming fall newsletter. |
GLBT
Initiative Team
Homosexuality: Choice or Chance?
Click
here to read some reflections on this question by
Beth Garascia, chair of the GLBT Initiative Team.
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| Resources
More Election Resources
Pray for life, justice, and peace with the Novena
for Faithful Citizenship (available
in either text or podcast format).
Sojourners has published a voters issue guide titled
"Principles and Policies for Christian Voters." Click
here to download a copy.
The Platform for the Common Good - read it, promote it, sign it - by clicking here.
Blessed Jacob Gapp, Marianist Martyr for Justice Read this article by Bro. John Samaha about how and why Bro. Jacob Gapp resisted the Nazis, a stance that led to his arrest and execution.
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Action for Advocates
Fighting Poverty with Faith: A Week of Action - Sept. 10-16
From September 10-16, people of faith across the country will be mobilizing their communities to ask their local, state, and national candidates what they will do to address the pressing issues of poverty and the lack of opportunity in America during their first 100 days in office. For more information and to see how you can get involved, click here.
Make Violence Reduction and Prevention a National Priority
The Peace Alliance, the group advocating for the establishment of a U.S. Dept. of Peace, is encouraging Americans to sign this petition calling upon our senators and representatives to make reducing and preventing violence a national priority in the upcoming Congress. Click here to read the petition and sign it.
Redirect Money for Nukes to Programs that Fight Poverty
The Global Security Priorities Resolution (H.R. 1045) would shift tens of billions of dollars from nuclear weapons funding into projects that alleviate global poverty. Help build more momentum for this important funding shift by sending an email today to ask your representative to sign on as a cosponsor.
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| Events
International Day of Peace - Sept. 21
Click here for more information and for ways you can be involved.
Million Doors for Peace - Sept. 20
On Saturday, September 20, volunteer door-knockers across the country will be asking people to sign an 'end the war in Iraq' petition directed to Congress. The goal - one million signatures. In addition, they will be giving out literature inviting people to join local anti-war groups and offering other ideas for how people can get involved. Co-sponsored by Pax Christi. For more info and to sign up, click here.
God Not Guns Sabbath - Sept. 26-28 This annual event asks faith communities to reflect on and respond to the epidemic of gun violence that kills 30,000 Americans every year. Use the last weekend of September to commemorate the lives lost to gun violence and renew your commitment to a vision of a peaceable world. For more information, click here. |
 A Thought to Ponder
"What are less than human conditions? The material poverty of those who lack the bare necessities of life, and the moral poverty of those who are crushed under the weight of their own self-love; oppressive political structures resulting from the abuse of ownership or the improper exercise of power, from the exploitation of the worker or unjust transactions . . . ."
Pope Paul VI | |
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