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In This Issue
Dates to Remember!
10/12/2013
Ohio Fair Trade Expo
The Ohio Fair Trade Expo 2013 will take place on Saturday, October 12, 2013, from 9 AM to 4 PM at John Carroll University (Dolan Center for Science & Technology) in University Heights, Ohio.

The day includes: International and national keynote speakers; workshops on a variety of issues including sessions for beginners to experts; a Fair Trade Marketplace with 25+ vendors from across Ohio and the region; a program for Girl Scouts that includes \the chance to earn a "Fair Trade Patch"; and activities for children and families. 

 For More Information Click Here

10/21/2013
CCLG Meeting
We will be meeting at 5:00 p.m. at the Center for Pastoral Leadership (28700 Euclid Ave. Wickliffe, OH 44092). Please join us as we plan events for the upcoming year!

10/29/2013
An Evening
on Comprehensive Immigration  Reform

                 

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

 7:00 p.m. at the Notre  Dame Educational  Center

13000 Auburn Road

Chardon, OH 44024

 The event includes featured speaker Sister Rita Mary Harwood, SND and a panel  of those who have witnessed first-hand the impact of our current immigration laws on the economy, family life and faith-based orgs. Speakers will be followed by a question and answer period.

11/6/2012
Innocent & On Death Row
Joe D'Ambrosio and Fr. Neil Kookoothe are speaking at St. Peter's Church in North Ridgeville on Wednesday, November 6th at 7:00 p.m.. The topic of the talk will be Joe's 22 years spent on death row for a crime that he didn't commit and Fr. Kookoothe's work to get him exonerated.
Click for Event Flier
Office Information
Kelly Ann Davis

Director, Catholic Commission of Lake & Geauga and Catholic Relief Services

28700 Euclid Ave. Wickliffe, OH 44092

(440) 943-7612 (p)

(440) 943-7577 (f)

KDavis@clevelandcatholiccharities.org

 

 
October 2013

Welcome to the first quarterly newsletter of the Catholic Commission of Lake & Geauga. In this newsletter we will share some of the projects that we have been working on as well as opportunities for education and advocacy. We will even have a section dedicated to the good work that you are doing out in the community called "Planting the Seeds of Peace". Please feel free to give me feed back on what you might like included on future issues of the newsletter and send me stories for the "Planting the Seeds of Peace" section. Please join us at the next CCLG meeting to learn more and get involved!

Best,
Kelly

Recent Events
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SEE MORE PICTURES FROM THE EVENT BELOW
Pilgrimage for Immigration Reform
On Thursday, September 5th hundreds of Catholics from across the Cleveland & Youngstown Dioceses joined together at St. Mary Church in Painesville to walk two and a half miles in prayer together for just and compassionate immigration reform. The pilgrimage was organized through the diocesan task force, Welcoming the Stranger chaired by Sister Rita Mary Harwood, SND and Kelly Davis, Director of the Catholic Commission of Lake and Geauga with a strong committee lead by volunteers from St. Mary Church in Painesville.

The pilgrimage began at 5:00 p.m. starting with hymns being sung in Spanish and English accompanied by musicians from St. Mary's. Stops for reflection, marking each of the five principles that the U.S. Catholic Bishops would like included in immigration reform, were included on the route.

These principles include a path to citizenship for undocumented persons in the country; preserving family unity as a corner-stone of our national immigration system; legal paths for low-skilled immigrant works; restoration due process protections to our immigration enforcement policies; and addressing root causes of migration such as persecution and economic disparity. Sister Marcela Machicote, SND translated the speeches and prayers for the entire assembly at every stop. The procession returned to Saint Mary's for a concluding prayer service.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event so successful!

 More Information on Immigration Reform and What You Can Do

signing
Theresa Flores
Human Trafficking Breakfast
"Something Light Before Something Heavy" was presented by the
joint Social Justice Committee of St. Bede, St. John Vianney, and
St. Mary of the Assumption.The breakfast and program on human
 trafficking with Theresa Flores was attended by 150 people from
around the diocese on Saturday, July 20, 2013 at St. Bede the            Venerable Parish in Mentor. 
 More Information on Human Trafficking and the Event

Planting the Seeds of Peace
null In this section we will highlight some of the things that you have been doing in your parishes, schools and communities to promote peace and human dignity. If you have an article that you would like to include please feel free to email it to me at kdavis@clevelandcatholiccharities.org. 

Advocacy Made Easy
Advocacy in two easy steps:
  
Step one - Identify legislative issue that needs action. Sign up for the Diocesan Legislative Action Alerts - click on "join our mailing list!" at very bottom of page.
  
Step Two - Refer to the Lake & Geauga Counties Legislator Guide. Provided in a simple, go-to format is all the contact info for your legislators. Write a letter, give a call, or send an e-mail.
  
Current Advocacy Issues:
  • The U.S. Farm Bill - The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) puts food on the table for millions of people each month, most of them children, seniors and people with disabilities. SNAP represents a commitment to eradicating hunger in America, giving struggling families an opportunity to get on their feet.The House approved a version of the Farm Bill last week that included $40 Billion in cuts to the federal SNAP (food stamps) program. These cuts would mean that at least 4 to 6 million vulnerable people would be removed from the program. This violates our commitment to the common good. At a time of continued high unemployment, these harmful cuts and changes will increase hunger among children, poor families, vulnerable seniors and workers who are underemployed or unable to find employment. Faith communities and charities cannot meet the needs of so many hungry people in our country by themselves. 
    Contact your Legislator about SNAP       
  • Immigration Reform - Current efforts to overhaul the U.S. immigration system has stalled as legislators look to other issues. Help us keep Comprehensive Immigration Reform on their minds.
    Contact your Legislator about Immigration Reform       
  • Syria - The crisis in Syria is a huge humanitarian issue. In this conflict over 100,000 Syrians have lost their lives.  More than 2 million have fled the country as refugees, 1 million of those being children.  There are also more than 4 million people within Syria who have been driven from their homes by the violence; half of them children. Currently the U.S. Catholic Church is assisting the refugees through the work of CRS as we pray for an end to this conflict. CRS and our partner, Caritas Lebanon, are helping thousands of  refugee families receive basic necessities such as food, hygiene kits, psycho-social support services, and access to basic health services. You can help CRS save lives: Click to Donate! 

Quotes from our Holy Father
The National Catholic Reporter
has just come out with a new blog called "The Francis Chronicles."
You can find out what Pope Francis says in his daily homilies, his weekly general audiences and other activities. Get to know the pastoral side of Francis by subscribing to this bi-weekly email update.


"'A good Catholic doesn't meddle in politics.' That's not true. That is not a good path. A good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself, so that those who govern can govern. But what is the best that we can offer to those who govern? Prayer! That's what Paul says: "Pray for all people, and for the king and for all in authority." "But Father, that person is wicked, he should go to hell. . . ." Pray for him, pray for her, that they can govern well, that they can love their people, that they can serve their people, that they can be humble." A Christian who does not pray for those who govern is not a good Christian! "But Father, how will I pray for that person, a person who has problems. . . ." "Pray that that person might convert!"

Pilgrimage for Immigration Reform Pictures
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The crosses on this tree included the names of some of the migrants who have recently died in theArizona desert.
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Diocesan Social Action Office | kdavis@clevelandcatholiccharities.org | http://www.clevelandcatholiccharities.org/DSAO
28700 Euclid Ave.
Wickliffe, OH 44092

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