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words of hope
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“Whatever I had read as a child about the saints had thrilled me. I could see the nobility of giving one’s life for the sick, the maimed, the leper. But there was another question in my mind. Why was so much done in remedying the evil instead of avoiding it in the first place? Where were the saints to try to change the social order, not just minister to the slaves, but to do away with slavery?” —---Dorothy Day
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Take Action
April 8, 2013
Greetings friars and friends,
May God give you peace! With Congress back from Easter break this week, a vote on legislation to prevent gun violence could happen as soon as tomorrow. Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence is asking people of faith to write their Senators today and call them tomorrow, April 9, to tell them which gun violence prevention laws you would like to see enacted.
You can go to http://faithsagainstgunviolence.org/, wait for the Be the Wind at Congress' Back or 48 Hours of Action banners to appear and click on the "Take Action" button or "Monday - send a FAX" to send a FAX. Peace and all good,
Sr. Donna Graham, OSF
Franciscan Justice and Peace Office
OFM Province of St. John the Baptist
Cincinnati, OH, USA
513-721-4700 ext. 3229
sjbjpic@franciscan.org
www.franciscan.org
February 6, 2013
Greetings friars and friends,
May God give you peace!
When the JPIC animators of the Americas met in Quito, Ecuador, in Nov. 2011, we heard of the destruction to the Amazon rainforest caused by oil companies and other corporations. They have been logging the forests, decreasing the carbon absorbing "lungs of the planet" and displacing the indigenous people who have lived in this natural environment for centuries. We made a commitment to do what we can to stop this devastation and support the indigenous people of the region.
The President of Ecuador has the power to protect the Amazon region in his country from oil exploration. You can send a message to him by signing the petition at the website of Avaaz. This message can be signed by anyone around the world. I encourage you to add your name in support of the Amazon region and its people, especially the indigenous people whose entire life is dependent on the Amazon's natural resources.
Peace and all good,
Sr. Donna Graham, OSF
Franciscan Justice and Peace Office
OFM Province of St. John the Baptist
Cincinnati, OH, USA
513-721-4700 ext. 3229
sjbjpic@franciscan.org
www.franciscan.org
January 17, 2013
Greetings friars and friends,
May God give you peace! The JPIC Animators of the U.S. provinces sent a letter to President Obama encouraging him to advance comprehensive immigration reform in his second term. This was done with the support and encouragement of the ESC provincials. You can read the letter at http://www.franciscansforjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Immigration-letter-President2.pdf .
The epidemic of gun violence in the U.S. has finally led to action as President Obama is now proposing stricter gun control measures, background checks, mental health resources, etc. Our U.S. bishops called for a strengthening of firearms regulations and improved mental health treatment following the Newtown tragedy. CMSM, LCWR, and other Catholic groups have signed an interfaith letter to Congress calling for more stringent gun control laws. In an editorial the National Catholic Reporter says gun control is a pro-life issue and calls for an assault weapons ban.
NETWORK is also calling for action on gun violence prevention. Read more and send a letter to your congresspersons on NETWORK's website.
You may also be interested in the following articles:
US preoccupation with guns is the enemy within by Joan Chittister
Boston researcher: Public health strategies could help reduce gun violence
Peace and all good,
Sr. Donna Graham, OSF
Franciscan Justice and Peace Office
OFM Province of St. John the Baptist
Cincinnati, OH, USA
513-721-4700 ext. 3229
sjbjpic@franciscan.org
www.franciscan.org
June 28, 2012
Greetings friars and friends,
May God give you peace! We don't always hear good news in the JPIC world. So I thought you might be interested in some success stories.
Two weeks ago we asked you to contact your Senators in support of the 2012 Farm Bill. Thanks to your advocacy, the bill passed with many of the features our bishops and other organizations saw were needed. The bill will now go to the House, where there is concern that programs for the hungry, family farmers and conservation will not secure support. We are asked to write our Representatives encouraging them to provide for these needs in the bill. You can read more and send a letter at the USCCB website. http://usccb.org/issues-and-action/take-action-now/capwiz/index.cfm .
Last week the Supreme Court struck down three of the four most controversial provisions in Arizona's punitive immigration law. The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) have issued a joint statement of support for the Supreme Court's decision on these three provisions and their disappointment at upholding the provision requiring police officers to check on the immigration status of anyone they detain if they have a "reasonable suspicion" that they are undocumented. You can read the statement on CMSM's website.
School of the America's Watch (SOAW) tells us that the president of Ecuador has agreed to no longer send Ecuadoran soldiers to the SOA (Now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation or WHISC.) Ecuador joins Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentina and Bolivia in pulling out of the SOA, whose trainees are often credited with human rights abuses. You can read more on the SOAW website and at NCR.
There is a wonderful article about "Green Burials" that are better for the environment and, the author contends, more spiritually enriching on the website of National Catholic Reporter. And the July issue of St. Anthony Messenger has a great editorial on simple ways to decrease your carbon footprint. But it is not currently online.
Finally, the July issue of U.S. Catholic has some great articles on Social Justice and Catholic Social Teaching. They are not online as yet, but you will find articles Why social justice? Because we're Catholic and In God we trust: Faithful money managementon their website.
Peace and all good,
Sr. Donna Graham, OSF
Franciscan Justice and Peace Office
OFM Province of St. John the Baptist
Cincinnati, OH, USA
513-721-4700 ext. 3229
sjbjpic@franciscan.org
www.franciscan.org
March 27, 2012
Greetings friars and friends,
May God give you peace! Last week two proposals were put forth regarding the U.S. budget for fiscal year 2013. Rep. Paul Ryan's budget proposes cuts to domestic programs for the most vulnerable, increases military funding and maintains tax cuts for the wealthy. A national interfaith coalition proposes different priorities, submitting a document to Congress called, "Priorities for a Faithful Budget: Acting with Mercy and Justice as One Nation Under God." It proposes, "Act with mercy and justice by serving the common good, robustly funding support for poor and vulnerable people, both at home and abroad, and exercising proper care and keeping of the earth." Signers of this document include the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) and the Franciscan Action Network (FAN).
On NETWORK's website you can read more and send a letter to your Congresspersons to oppose the Ryan budget and support a budget with the Faithful Budget priorities.
A related article in the April issue of US Catholic, "Not our cup of tea," shows how the Tea Party's "core priorities - particularly on smaller government and fewer taxes - contrast sharply with Catholic values" of solidarity and the gospel command to care for our neighbor, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Another helpful article in the economic debate is in the March 12 issue of America. In "Occupy the Future", the author shows how the Occupy movement may be a "force for economic democracy, a contemporary vision of society and economic justice that has deep roots in Catholic and Protestant social ethics." The movement seeks to promote the common good and challenges the economic inequality present today.
Peace and all good,
Sr. Donna Graham, OSF
Franciscan Justice and Peace Office
OFM Province of St. John the Baptist
Cincinnati, OH, USA
513-721-4700 ext. 3229
sjbjpic@franciscan.org
www.franciscan.org
There are several environmental organizations that make it
easy to write to Congress in support of legislation that protects the
environment. Some recommended ones are:
Union of Concerned Scientists, www.ucsaction.org;
Natural Resources Defense Council, www.nrdc.org/action/default.asp;
NETWORK, a National Catholic Social
Justice Lobby, has an easy way to stay updated on the issues in Congress and
let your Congresspersons know how you want them to vote.You can go to the NETWORK web site, www.networklobby.org, click on Legislative Action Center and get
information about bills and issues and also NETWORK’s position on each.You can then directly write your senator or
representative, even if you’re not sure who they are. All you need is your zip code. You can go directly to the letter-writing
site at capwiz.com/networklobby. Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) has a similar site at capwiz.com/fconl/home/. |
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White House Comment Office: 202-456-1111
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
White House Comment Office: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
Send E-mail at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Capital Switchboard number for all Members of Congress: 202-224-3121
Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20520
202-647-4000
http://www.state.gov/secretary/ |
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