Marianist Call to Action for Just & Humane Immigration Reform
Have you made your commitment yet? It's a Marianist priority for 2011. Click to see the pledges already made and how you can be involved. The Pledge is also now available in Spanish.

Immigration Symposium - Violence and Immigration along the Border
San Antonio area folks - The Mexican American Catholic College (MACC) is sponsoring this symposium on Oct. 19-20.  Click here for information and a registration form.  Discounts and scholarships are available.

Karen Martinez - One More Girl in School
The Racial and Immigrant Justice Team, as a result of their recent immersion trip to the US/Mexico border, committed to sponsoring a child, Karen Martinez, (shown here with her grandmother) for a year of schooling. This program is through the Las Flores Education Fund, a non-profit dedicated to providing education for the children of Las Flores, Mexico who otherwise would not have access to schooling. The Sisters of St. Dorothy, with whom the team met in Texas, travel frequently from Progresso, TX to the border town school they sponsor in order to check on the children's progress and make sure they are attending classes. They make home visits and assure that students who are being sponsored have the materials and resources they need for success.    

Immigrant Teens - Their Stories

New Immigrants Share Their Stories

Take a look at this video of a remarkable project focusing on recent immigrant high school students. The immigrant students were paired with native born students at another school who helped document the immigrant kids' stories. It's a very creative and moving project that helps get beyond immigration as a political issue.

 

 

Environmental Signs of the Times -
Marianist World Day of Prayer &
Feast of St. Francis

With the upcoming feast of St. Francis (October 4th), the Catholic Coalition on Climate Change features resources to assist  individuals, communities and groups to PRAY, LEARN,  ASSESS, ACT and ADVOCATE to reduce energy use and better care for the integrity of God's creation. As we celebrate the Marianist World Day of Prayer on Sunday October 9th and Blessed Chaminade's inspirational vision at Our Lady of the Pillar in Saragossa, we reflect together on how we can respond to this critical justice "sign of our time."
The Marianist Family in the greater Dayton area will gather at Mount St. John for 10:30 Eucharist, local foods lunch, presentations and idea sharing and a gentle hike.  Click here for more information and to RSVP. Join with us in spirit, and tell us about your environmental initiatives. See other resources and ideas and email MEEC so we can share the good news.
            
How Big is Your Ecological Footprint?        Click here to find out.

Kitchen appliances consume 27% of the average American household's electricity.  More than half of that goes to the refrigerator. Any fridge more than 10 years old may be a candidate for replacement.

Resources

 

The Busy Christian's Guide to Catholic Social Teaching  Get this excellent resource from US Catholic that offers not only a brief summary of all major documents relating to Catholic Social Teaching, but also includes fun trivia, each document's significant or key innovation, and historical and cultural facts relevant to the time period in which each document was produced.

"The Poor You Shall Always Have with You"  The Census Bureau's new statistics on poverty in America are staggering. In this rich country of ours, 15 percent of all Americans - 46 million people - earn less than the poverty line of $22,314. Among children, the rate is even higher with almost one-in-four children living below the poverty line. Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good offers a reflection on this scandalous situation.  

 

Questions, comments, or feedback for Justice Jottings can be sent to Jim Vogt.