Catholic Community of Pleasanton

Social Justice Newsletter

December 26, 2013

  

    

Two LETTERS TO THE EDITOR were received. Both commented about  the article "Making the U.S. Congress More Responsive to People, Less Responsive to Money" (link to article).  Click to read
 
 
 
  
 
Pope Francis's Apostolic Exhortation: Evangelii Gaudium
  
News of the Pope's exhortation was included in this newsletter two weeks ago. Now there is a more detailed news report as well as a summary available, see link
 
The complete document is also available online, and it has a clickable Table of Contents which makes it easy to browse through and easy to go back to. It is written in a very straight-forward style.  It is well worth reading again and again. Exhortation.
 
Please send us your comments about the Pope's message and possibly about how it relates to the article on Social Inclusion and Exclusion.  Write to [email protected].
        
 
Upcoming Events
  
Thursday, January 2, 7:00 P.M.
Social Justice Committee meeting
"Cry Room", St. Elizabeth Seton Church
All are welcome to attend

Wednesday, January 8, 7:00 - 8:00 P.M.
Peace Vigil sponsored by Pleasantonians 4 Peace, P4P link
Meet in front of Pleasanton Museum, 603 Main Street, Pleasanton

Saturday, January 18, 9:00 A.M. - Noon
MedShare
Please join the group of volunteers from CCOP going to sort medical supplies at MedShare in San Leandro on Saturday morning, January18 from 9:00 A.M. until noon.
MedShare is an organization that reclaims new, unused medical supplies (of all types) that local hospitals would ordinarily discard into local landfills. Through agreements with the hospitals, MedShare collects these supplies and brings them to their warehouse in San Leandro where volunteers sort and package the supplies for shipment to free clinics in the US and hospitals and clinics in third world countries or in areas suffering from natural disasters.
Groups of 20-25 volunteers from CCOP have been helping MedShare for several years, and we would like to invite you to join us. If you would like to participate, or if you would like more information, please contact Mark Nevins, [email protected], or 925-846-1014.
People who have volunteered in the past have found it very worthwhile and rewarding. I hope you can join us.


Articles in this issue
:: Pope Francis's Apostolic Exhortation: Evangelii Gaudium
:: Upcoming Events
:: Social Inclusion and Exclusion
:: Brief Links

 

 Social Inclusion and Exclusion

    

To what extent in our own personal lives do we welcome persons we do not know and to what extent do we tend to exclude them?  In our neighbors and social circles are we inclusive or exclusive?

 
At CCOP Fr. Paul now and Fr. Padraig before him have made a great effort to be welcoming.  Is the City of Pleasanton a welcoming community? Pleasanton ranks third in the nation in percentage of households with incomes exceeding $100,000.  Its percentage is 59.8.  The percentage of households with incomes of $100,000 to $150,000 is 22.8%, $150,000 to $200,000 is 14.7%, and above $200,000 is 22.3%.  (Source: nerdwallet link).  Is our city welcoming to strangers?  It has been slow to provide affordable housing, but generally it has not turned away people who can afford to live here.

  
What about where we work?  Have our businesses tried to hire people who are unemployed?

  
Please give us your thoughts about social inclusion and exclusion. Social exclusion deprives people of the opportunity to participate in economic, social and civic activities, and limits their ability to lead productive, creative lives. The protection of workers' rights, equality in the quality of public education, adequacy of public transportation and health services, adequacy of public safety, shelter and restrooms are all factors in the inclusiveness of a community.  Write to [email protected]

  

 

 Brief Links

 

A Formula for Happiness, Opinion Piece by Arthur C. Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, New York Times, December 14, link

  
White House Speeds Release of Report on Changes to N.S.A., link 

  
The Metropolitan Revolution: How Cities and Metros Are Fixing Our Broken Politics and Fragile Economy, by Bruce Katz & Jennifer Bradley, Foreword and Introduction of the book, link

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 
 
Social Justice Committee