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Just Issued Action Alerts |
From
Catholics Confront Global Poverty:
Sign the Petition
(click here)
Raise your voice for peace and prosperity for all the people of the Holy Land. Join the Catholic community of the Holy Land to oppose the re-routing of the separation wall in the Cremisan Valley. Your signature will be delivered to the appropriate Israeli authorities. The final court ruling will be held on February 12 so make sure to sign now.
The Cremisan Valley, an agricultural area near the Palestinian city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, is best known for its olives, fruits and grapes used in local wine production as well as a recreational area for family outings.
This area is now in danger of being destroyed due to Israeli occupation and security policies that would reroute the Israeli-Palestinian separation barrier through it. More than 50 Palestinian families and two Salesian convents will lose their lands and their livelihoods.
The Salesian Sisters Convent and School that provides education to more than 400 children in the adjacent villages will be surrounded by a military presence and inhibit many children from going to school. Families will lose access to important green space that defines the community, and Palestinian youth will be cut off from friends, teachers, and mentors.
The Catholic Bishops of the United States and Catholic Relief Services have long called for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will build just and lasting peace for all people of the Holy Land.
From
USCCB :
Take Action to Help Prevent Gun Violence!
Call Your Senators and Representative and Urge Them to Support Polices That Reduce Gun Violence
In the face of the terrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, and because of the daily examples of gun violence in our homes and communities, it is important that we speak out against the culture of violence infecting our country. All of us are called to work for peace in our homes, our streets, our communities and in our world now more than ever.
Senator Brown:
Washington, DC: (202) 224-2315
Ohio:
Toll Free: 1-888-896-OHIO (6446) or
Cleveland: (216) 522-7272
Lorain: (440) 242-4100
Senator Portman:
Washington, DC : 202-224-3353
Ohio:
Toll-Free: 1-800-205-6446 (OHIO)
Cleveland: 216-522-7095
USCCB POSITION/CHURCH TEACHING: In 2000, the U.S. bishops issued their pastoral statement, Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice. In the statement the bishops called for all people to work for a culture of life and to do more to end violence in our homes and especially for legislators to:
- Support measures that control the sale and use of firearms;
- Support measures that make guns safer (especially efforts to prevent their unsupervised use by children and anyone other than the owner);
- Call for sensible regulations of handguns;
- Support legislative efforts that seek to protect society from the violence associated with easy access to deadly weapons including assault weapons; and,
- Make a serious commitment to confront the pervasive role of addiction and mental illness in crime.
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Dear Friends,
A special thank you to all our supporters. Because of you, both through your contributions and through your advocacy, we have become more effective. We are bringing more information on issues of concern to you; we are hearing your stories and your concerns; and we are linking the priorities of the diocese and Catholic Charities to your ability to participate.
All four current directors will be in Washington, DC for the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering. This is a time when 16 Catholic groups come together to unite our voices around common priority issues. The group includes the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, Catholic Charities USA, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Relief Services, JustFaith Ministries, Justice for Immigrants, associations representing Catholic colleges, Catholic religious orders, St. Vincent de Paul Societies, and special groups, to name a few. You can go to http://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/catholic-social-ministry-gathering/partners.cfm to see the full list.
One of the partner organizations is the Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors. Our own Patrick O'Bryan is chair of the board. See below for more information.
The most important time of the conference is the issue briefings followed by the hill visits. We will be visiting both senators and some of our representatives. This year, there are two priority messages:
1. Draw a Circle of Protection around programs that impact the poor and vulnerable both here and abroad.
2. Pass comprehensive immigration reform that is humane and just.
To understand what is happening, you can view the USCCB Advocacy Issues Powerpoint. There is also more information below about how you can help advocate for these issues. Follow what is happening, read the background on issues covered in workshops, and much more at: http://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/catholic-social-ministry-gathering/index.cfm
Thanks for all you do!
Sr. Kathleen Ryan, Karen Leith, Pat O'Bryan, Kelly Davis, and Ann Coplan |
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Patrick O'Bryan Named Chair of the Roundtable | | |
"I am pleased and looking forward to the opportunity to work with colleagues across the country to learn and collaborate on issues, projects, actions, and programs that can have a wide impact on our work of Catholic social action, teaching, and development in my diocese/state and across the U.S." You can read about Pat on the staff page of our web site: www.catholic-action.org.
Mission Statement:
The Roundtable is the national association of Catholic diocesan social action directors and their staffs providing professional support to members through education, formation, professional relationships, and management development. The association is committed to deepening the capacity of social action directors to engage in the social mission of the church.
Social action directors founded the Roundtable Association of Catholic Diocesan Social Action Directors in 1985. This document provides a brief introduction to the Roundtable.
Read more about the history and purpose of the Roundtable. |
| Roundtable Symposium: "Living the Vision of Vatican II: The Church as 'The People of God'" | | |
Joseph Torma, PhD, from Walsh University will be one of the speakers at the symposium. Pat O'Bryan was instrumental in putting together this symposium that will enhance the understanding of the role of the laity in bringing the Gospel into our world.
See the full program flier by clicking here.
Click here to learn more about the 2013 Roundtable Symposium, "Living the Vision of Vatican II: The Church as the 'People of God'". |
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Catholic Social Ministry Gathering Brings Two Issues to the Hill on Tuesday, February 12 | | |
Circle of Protection around Programs that Serve Poor and Vulnerable People at Home and Abroad
A. Circle of Protection around International Assistance
1. Preserve poverty-focused international assistance for the poorest countries and communities, especially those in crisis. Increase emergency assistance (for refugees, disasters), e.g. Syria, Mali, drought in Africa.
2. Lift the FY 12 hold on funding for Palestinians to meet urgent needs and build capacity for a future state.
B. Hill Issue - Domestic Poverty
1.The bishops, in conjunction with Christian leaders, continue to advocate a "Circle of Protection" around effective domestic antipoverty programs.
2. Sequestration threatens across the board cuts of over five percent to programs that people rely on to meet basic needs, and that the Church relies on to provide services. This is on top of the over $1.5 trillion in total spending cuts already passed.
3. Programs that help poor and vulnerable people--homelessness and affordable housing, workforce training and work supports, child and maternal health, school lunches--were already failing to keep up with increasing demand for services. Further cuts mean less people receive the help they need.
4. Congress can replace sequestration with a balanced and thoughtful alternative that eliminates unnecessary spending, addresses the long-term costs of health care, and raises adequate revenues.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform
U.S.C.C.B: Elements necessary for a Just Immigration Reform Proposal *
Provides a path to citizenship for undocumented persons in the country;
Preserves family unity as a corner-stone of our national immigration system;
Provides legal paths for low-skilled immigrant workers to come and work in the United States;
Restores due process protections to our immigration enforcement policies;
Addresses the root causes (push factors) of migration, such as persecution and economic disparity;
Inclusion of the DREAM Act and AgJOBS.
* Detailed document with more information about the elements for immigration reform is available at
http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/documents/CIR-USCCB-Principles-2013_002.pdf |
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Ways You Can Support The Hill Visits | | |
1. Call the district office with a supporting message.
2. Arrange a district office visit when Congress is in recess for President's week (week of Feb. 18). USCCB offers helpful guidelines at:http://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/catholic-social-ministry-gathering/district-visits.cfm .
3. Use email contact forms to send the messages. You can find your representatives and senators at house.gov and senate.gov.
4. Put information in your parish bulletins encouraging others to support our message. You can use the background and message sheets that have been prepared. The message sheets can be left with the local offices if you do office visits. See the next section for the links to all this information.
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Official Background and Message Information for Priority Issues | | |
The following Hill Notes and Backgrounders will prepare you to effectively articulate the Catholic position on the following legislative priorities:
International Legislative Priorities:
Talking Points on International Assistance
Backgrounder on Poverty-Focused International Assistance
The Church views international assistance as an essential tool to protect human life and dignity, advance solidarity with poorer nations, and enhance security throughout the world. Foreign aid is not simply an optional commitment; it is a moral responsibility to assist "the least of these" (Matthew 25). In these difficult times of high budget deficits, the Church recognizes the need to reduce future unsustainable deficits. The federal budget is more than just numbers; it is also a moral document. It is a reflection of our national priorities. Our national budget must not be balanced by hurting the least fortunate of our brothers and sisters: the poorest of the poor overseas and the victims of disaster and conflict. Catholic Social Teaching offers clear moral guidance for setting our nation's budgetary priorities. We support a "Circle of Protection" for the poorest and most vulnerable people.
Backgrounder on the Middle East
Since the advent of the "Arab Spring" in February 2010, the Middle East has undergone radical changes, shifting many countries from despotic control to weak and sometimes chaotic democratic rule and sectarian stalemate. Significant challenges and pressing decisions await the Administration in its second term.
Domestic Legislative Priorities
Talking Points on A "Circle of Protection" Around Domestic Antipoverty Programs A Circle of Protection: A Statement on Why We Need to Protect Programs for the Poor
Talking Points on Comprehensive Immigration Reform |
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CCUSA on Comprehensive Immigration Reform | | |
In order for legislation to be debated on the floor, the House and Senate will first hold hearings, likely in February, followed by legislation to be introduced at some point in March. As always, Catholic Charities USA will work alongside the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and other Justice for Immigrants partners in our pursuit for comprehensive reform of our broken immigration system. We will also continue to monitor all developments on this important issue.
To learn more about these proposals, please see
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