Proposed Policy Regarding Letters to the Editor
The CCOP Social Justice Newsletter welcomes and encourages letters to the editor. Publishing of these letters is intended to stimulate thought and further discussion. The Editor will publish letters relevant to the articles in the newsletter or written in response to previous letters.
Opinions expressed in a Letter to the Editor are solely those of its author. No endorsement is implied.
Letters must include the author's first and last name, which will be published along with the letter.
The Editor reserves the right to reject letters which are defamatory or lack civility.
Send letters by email to socialjustice@catholicsofpleasanton.org
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Bay Delta Conservation Plan
A Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) and associated Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) is now available for Public Review. The Public Comment period will extend to April 14, 2014. Learn more.
A website has been created to describe the plan and reasons for it and to present the plan and other documents.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (Delta) is a vast and vitally important ecosystem and water source located east of the San Francisco Bay and just south of Sacramento. As an estuary (an inland body of water where fresh river water mixes with salty sea water), the Delta and its islands create a habitat for hundreds of aquatic and terrestrial species, some of which are unique to the region. The Delta is a place with historic towns, working farms, and waterways used for boating, bird watching, and other recreational activities. The Delta region also supports critical infrastructure of statewide importance, including energy transmission lines; transportation routes for ships, trains and trucks; and water delivery structures. The Delta is home to 500,000 Californians and has a thriving agricultural economy; it is also a critical link in California's water supply system.
Freshwater originating in the Sierra Nevada flows through the Delta, providing water supplies for 25 million Californians and the economies in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Central Valley, and Southern California. Delta water irrigates farms where much of the nation's domestic fresh produce is grown.
The heart of California's water system, the Delta, is crucial to the health of the state's natural environment, its residents, and the economy.
Wikipedia has an article on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
The Los Angeles Times has provided a compilation of newspaper articles about the Delta.
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Brief Links
Video "America the Possible", link
Review by Thomas Nagel of Death and the Afterlife by Samuel Scheffler (philosophical discussion of a person's concern about future generations, January 9 issue of the New York Review of Books), link
On Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) by J.M. Coetzee (from the January 9 issue of the New York Review of Books), link
Article about Interfaith Interconnect, a Tri-Valley organization, p. 11 of the Pleasanton Weekly for Dec. 27, 2013, link
How Women in Afghanistan are Challenging Gender Roles with Bikes (posted on the http://www.good.is website), link
Want to Raise Crop Yields by 2.5 Billion Tons? Give Land a Break (posted, by a link, on the http://www.good.is website), link
Why We Should Treat Poor, Rural Farmers as Customers Instead of Charity Cases (posted, by a link, on the http://www.good.is website), link
Video: 2013 Catholic Social Tradition Conference: Peace Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, CELEBRATING 50 YEARS SINCE PACEM IN TERRIS, March 21-23, 2013, University of Notre Dame, Rev. Kenneth R. Himes, link
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Stereotypes, Social Status, and Social Exclusion
It can be difficult for us to
- not let stereotypes influence our judgments of people
- not attach undo importance to social status in how we relate to others and in how we think of ourselves
- withstand social pressures to practice social exclusion rather than be welcoming and willing to help others impartially
We can help ourselves by thinking about the inherent dignity of every person. Part of the fascination of human life is the diversity of people, the richness of cultures and the uniqueness of each individual. Each of us has our own history of experiences, successes and failures, social encounters with others and secluded moments of silent prayer and thought. We can follow Christ's example of being open to others. We can get to know some number of people well and form close friendships. We can use our talents to help others, and we can experience the satisfaction of working with others and combining our talents to accomplish things very worth doing.
Some elements of Catholic Social Teaching can help us.
1935 The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it:
Every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design.
1936 On coming into the world, man is not equipped with everything he needs for developing his bodily and spiritual life. He needs others. Differences appear tied to age, physical abilities, intellectual or moral aptitudes, the benefits derived from social commerce, and the distribution of wealth. The "talents" are not distributed equally.
1937 These differences belong to God's plan, who wills that each receive what he needs from others, and that those endowed with particular "talents" share the benefits with those who need them. These differences encourage and often oblige persons to practice generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods; they foster the mutual enrichment of cultures
The paragraphs just quoted are from the Social Justice section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
A more extensive document on Catholic Social Teaching is the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. Chapter IV sets forth "Principles of the Church's Social Doctrine". Subsequent chapters have to do with "The Family", "Human Work", "Economic Life", "The Political Community", "The International Community", "Safeguarding the Environment", and "The Promotion of Peace".
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Upcoming Events
Saturday, January 25, 10:30 A.M.
Walk for Life - Bus leaves St. Elizabeth Seton promptly at 10:30 A.M. For more information please contact Dominik Pietro at (925) 462-4665 or pietro11@comcast.net |
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Action Alerts
Urgent! Act now to support low-income children, special learning needs youth, and foster youth
Take action
Urgent! Act now to support tax relief for parents and new teachers
Take action
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