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A message for all of us:
True joy "springs from an encounter, a relation with others, it comes from feeling accepted, understood and loved, and from accepting, understanding and loving" others Pope Francis told 6,000 seminarians and men and women considering entering religious life.
For full article from The Catholic Voice see Talk
Governor Brown vetoed AB 1229, which would have reversed the Palmer court decision and allowed cities to require rental housing developers to provide some affordable units to renters. His veto message is at veto.
House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders have announced that the first public meeting for the 2013 Farm Bill conference committee will be held on October 30, see public meeting. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1:00 P.M. Eastern Time (10:00 A.M. Pacific Time) in Room 1100 of the Longworth House Office Bldg. Live audio and video broadcasts will be available, see audio/video.
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Aims for U.S. Policy
Excerpt from Op-Ed piece by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, op-ed
It is time to put an end to governing by crisis and focus on accelerating economic growth and job creation. If we are open to what we can achieve together rather than simply setting our sights on our divisions, there is a lot we can do to support America's workers and businesses. This is what the American people expect from their leaders in Washington.
We can start by hammering out a budget agreement that builds on the progress we have already made to lower our budget deficits. This is an opportunity to improve our nation's long-term fiscal health, and it should be achieved through a comprehensive package that shrinks our deficits, protects Medicare and Social Security for those who rely on it, and expands our economy well into the future. That means closing wasteful tax loopholes and making targeted investments to improve our education system, increase domestic energy production, and expand our manufacturing base.
We must come together to fix the blunt spending cuts known as sequestration, once and for all. These indiscriminate, across-the-board cuts, which went into effect earlier this year, were intended to be so mutually disagreeable that they would force Congress to find agreement on a balanced package of deficit reduction measures. But that agreement was not reached in time. As independent economists and business leaders will tell you, these cuts have already slowed economic growth, just as the economy was getting traction. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that by the third quarter of next year, sequestration will have reduced real gross domestic product by as much as 1.2 percent, which means as many as 1.6 million fewer American jobs.
In addition to tackling our budget challenges, Washington can take several actions to support economic growth.
Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform. The bipartisan bill already passed by the Senate would strengthen our borders, provide a pathway to earned citizenship, and boost growth by more than a trillion dollars while reducing our deficits.
Another piece of bipartisan legislation that has passed the Senate, but not the House of Representatives, is the farm bill. Getting this bill signed into law is not only important for America's farmers and protecting America's most vulnerable children, it is important for our economy.
Finally, we need to come together soon to complete the bipartisan work that has already begun to reform our business tax code, modernize our housing finance system and renew trade promotion authority while repairing our deteriorating roads, highways and bridges.
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Action Alert
Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Time to Bring Our Neighbors Out of the Shadows: After years of little progress, Congress seems to be on the verge of making a breakthrough on this critical issue. Your voice on this matter can make a real difference in Washington D.C.
The Senate has passed S. 744 - a comprehensive review of our immigration system. The House of Representatives are now engaged in fashioning their legislation. Please ask them to support comprehensive reform. Take action!
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Update on Seneca and Maggie Ferrill re Foster Care and Adoption
The September 26 issue of this Newsletter had an article mentioning the Seneca Center and its Strategic Initiatives and Development Coordinator, Maggie Ferrill, see article. Maggie works with individuals and groups of volunteers to devise work projects matching interests and abilities with needs. For example, she recently guided a Girl Scout group to taking responsibility for stocking a library. She is also available as a speaker to describe the needs of children entering the foster care system or up for adoption and the work of the Seneca Center to help meet those needs. She can be reached at 510-654-4004 extension 2227 or margaret_ferrill@senecacenter.org
As the website briefly states,
"Seneca Center sustains children and families through the most difficult times of their lives.
"In many cases, we are the last hope for young people who have come to see failure and discouragement as a way of life. Here at Seneca, we offer each child a simple but profound promise: You will be supported every step of the way, no matter what challenges you face.
"By supporting each child and family in identifying and building upon their resources and strengths, we enable them to approach the future with renewed optimism and a stronger sense of the possibilities for creating a new and different story for their lives."
Copied from http://www.senecacenter.org/home
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Upcoming Events
Wednesday, November 6, 5:30 - 7:30 P.M.
East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO) Annual Membership Meeting & Celebration, RSVP
to Anthony, Anthony@ebho.org or 510-663-3830 ext. 313 Satellite Affordable Housing Associates' Satellite Central 540 21st St., Oakland (two blocks from 19th Street BART station)
Thursday, November 7, 7:00 P.M.
Social Justice Committee meeting
"Cry Room", St. Elizabeth Seton Church
Friday & Saturday, November 22 & 23
Multi-Diocese Faith Formation Conference, see link
Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara
Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013 9am - 5pm & Sunday, Nov. 24 9am - noon Participate in Theater to Spark Community Dialogue, see program
Maryknoll Regional Center
16642 Ashland Ave., San Lorenzo
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Brief Links
Catholic Immigration Network, link
The Pope: how the Church will change Dialogue between Francis and La Repubblica's founder, Eugenio Scalfari: "Starting from the Second Vatican Council, open to modern culture". link
The Iranian Nuclear Dilemma (Three Views), Peace Policy, Sept. 18, Kroc Center for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame, link
U.S. Bishops welcome end to shutdown, link
U.S. Relations with Bolivia fact sheet, link
The Shame of Our Prisons: New Evidence. Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates and in Juvenile Facilities Reported by Youth, 2011-12, link
Summit between the presidents of Sudan and South Sudan, link
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