Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry - Archdiocese of Hartford

Para español haga clic aqui. May / 2015

Advancing Catholic social teaching by educating and preparing parishes

to work for social justice

From the Director

May is the Month of Mary

Refugees stranded at sea, earthquakes in Nepal, ISIS, and the death penalty sentence of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - there's so much to pray for and reflect upon this month.

Our faith calls us to take the daily news and reflect on it through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching. To help us process this, we have the gift of prayer. Through prayer and discernment we can reflect on how God is calling us to respond to the news.

During May, this month of Mary, we also pray for her intercession. We draw strength from Mary, who embraced God's will and freely chose to cooperate with God's grace. Pope Francis, who has said that he prays 3 Rosaries daily, concludes his Prayer of Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Vatican City, October 13, 2013) with:

"Teach us your own preferential love for the little and the poor, for the excluded and the suffering, for sinners and the downhearted: bring everyone under your protection and entrust everyone to your beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus."

We are guided by this preferential love for the poor in our program planning and decision making. Join us in prayer to the Blessed Mother. Together we will put Catholic Social Teaching into Action.

Lynn Campbell, Executive Director

In This Issue

From the Director

Pastoral Planning Survey

2015 Social Justice Conference

Rice Bowl Grants

Assist Nepal Victims

Development for Justice

Waiting for the Pope to Speak

Toolkit for Advocacy

Hartford Earth Festival

Catechetical Sunday 2015

Resources and Opportunities

CALENDAR

MAY

May 31

Archdiocesan Survey Deadline

May 31

Hartford Earth Festival, Riverfront Plaza, Hartford, 12 noon - 5 pm

JUNE

June 6-7

Annual Catholic Relief Services Parish Collection

June 10-13

Book and Media Sale, Archbishop O'Brien Library, St. Thomas Seminary

June 13

Annual Social Justice Conference, St. Paul High School, Bristol

June 15

Rice Bowl Grant Application Deadline

JULY

July 19-23

Social Action Summer Institute (SASI), Portland OR

SEPTEMBER

September 20

Catechetical Sunday "Human Dignity"

OCTOBER

October 27

Annual Social Justice Dinner and Awards, Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville

Join Our List

QUICK LINKS

Visit our WEBSITE TODAY

for resources on current issues

and more information

on our upcoming

Social Justice Conference!

Your Voice Counts!

The Archdiocese of Hartford wants to hear from YOU!

Your input is essential to the open and inclusive pastoral planning process on which we, as members of the Archdiocese of Hartford, are embarking together. Your participation will help shape the future direction of our Archdiocese and help to express our mission in new ways that meet the needs, challenges, and changing opportunities of our times.

Our Holy Father Pope Francis describes the intent of this process best:

"I dream of a missionary option, that is a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church's customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, languages and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today's world rather than for her self-preservation."

Please add your voice by completing the Pastoral Planning Survey, available here through May 31st in English, Spanish and Polish to anyone 18 years or older.

Take Action TODAY

Speak Out Against Human Trafficking

You can help prevent human trafficking by contacting your senator and asking them to support the Girls Count Act. This Thursday, May 21, 2015, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations will mark-up the bill, and as a member of this committee, your senator's support is necessary. Please call 888-562-8232 or contact your senator TODAY and ask them to support the Girls Count Act!

Conference Workshops to Explore Economy, Justice Issues and Personal Responsibility

The annual Bishop Peter Rosazza Social Justice Conference on Saturday, June 13 will welcome guest speaker, Sr. Simone Campbell, and workshop leaders from across the region to address issues related to the economy and social justice. In addition to a thoughtful Keynote Address and a challenging Forum, "A Place at the Table," over 20 workshop topics in English and Spanish will offer information, insights and action strategies on a broad range of topics.

Educators and parents Ben and Liza Peters will share some of their own challenges and recommendations at their workshop, "Parenting Upstream: Living a Faith-filled Family Life," as they explore remaining faithful to core beliefs and values in a "throw-away" culture.

Deacon Art Miller will explore how we can transform violence and hatred into relationship, reconciliation and redemption in his workshop, "Beloved Community: An Antidote to Violence."

Sr. Angela Marie Castellani, FSE will discuss making difficult end-of-life decisions in light of church teachings on human suffering in her workshop, "Human Dignity at the End of Life."

Other topics, including Personal Finance, the Parish as Global Neighbor, Organizing Communities for Action, Worker' Rights, Hunger in CT, Caring for the Environment and more, will round out a full day of learning and conversation. Exhibitors will also be on hand to showcase ongoing justice efforts in the local community.

Plan now to join us on Saturday, June 13 at St. Paul Catholic High School in Bristol. Visit these links for more information on the conference, workshop descriptions and registration details:

Complete Workshop and Speaker List

Schedule and Online Registration

Registration Form and Schedule (English)

Registracion para Conferencia y Horario del Dia (Espanol)

Poster for Display

OR visit our website for ALL the information you need!

We look forward to seeing you there!

"Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid it is man-made
and can be removed by the actions of human beings."

- Nelson Mandela

NEW Rice Bowl Grants

Apply now to be part of our new Rice Bowl Grant Program!

CRS Rice Bowl Image
Catholic parishes, schools, or Archdiocesan entities within the Archdiocese of Hartford are invited to apply for a new grant program funded from a portion of the money collected through the Lenten Rice Bowl program of Catholic Relief Services.

Grants must be used for hunger and poverty alleviation programs within the Archdiocese of Hartford. Preference will be given to new and innovative programs that demonstrate solutions to hunger with specific, tangible goals and outcomes. Grant applications and additional information are available on our website or by contacting our office at 203-777-7279 or info.ocsjm@aohct.org.

Applications will be accepted through June 15, 2015.

Help CRS Assist Nepal Earthquake Victims

CRS on the Ground in Nepal

The death toll from the two recent earthquakes in Nepal continues to climb, with estimates putting it over 8,500 currently with many still among the missing.

Catholic Relief Services has committed $10 million to the Nepal emergency response, and is partnering with Caritas Nepal to provide 75,000 people with temporary shelter, water treatment and hygiene kits, and blankets. Given the scale of devastation, CRS will likely expand support to reach more people.

The timeliness of humanitarian assistance is critical. In addition to catastrophic loss of life, a singular event like an earthquake, especially for those in impoverished parts of our world, can derail a family's stability, deplete a lifetime of savings and push them over the edge into poverty. For communities, the devastation to infrastructure, economy and reserves can set back a generation. Immediate CRS assistance will serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive recovery effort.

How Can You Help?

Your support helps provide immediate relief. The following costs for relief items are estimates

based on similar emergency relief efforts in the region

$8 provides a water kit for a family. This includes a jerry can, a pail and aqua tabs for water purification.
$15 provides an emergency shelter kit. This includes tarps and nails to use with local materials to build shelters.
$22 provides household living supplies. This includes sleeping mats, blankets, utensils, plastics and a cooking pot.
$28 provides hygiene kits. This includes soap, laundry detergent, a toothbrush, toothpaste and towels.

Catholic Relief Services appreciates your prayers and your support. Gifts can be made online at www.crs.org or by phone at (877) 435-7277. Checks may be sent to:CRS, PO Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21297-0303, with "Nepal Earthquake" written on the memo line.

Prayer for the People of Nepal

Background Information Handout

For more about this and other critical CRS projects, visit CRS's NEW Resource Center to find information and ministry tools for prayer, formation and action with a global perspective.

* * * * * * *

Please give generously to the CRS Annual Parish Collection on June 6-7, 2015.

CPS Funds Leadership and Spiritual Development for Justice

Congratulations to St. Rose of Lima Parish in New Haven. Their project, Evangelization-Equipping the Parish for Ministry is one of 35 projects approved for new grant funding from our Cooperative Parish Sharing Program.

Parish leaders will participate in five modules of the School of Ignatian Spirituality, followed by a specialized Ignatian retreat given over a period of 2 weeks. Ignatian Spirituality is a spirituality for everyday life. It insists that God is present in our world and active in our lives. It is a pathway to deeper prayer, good decisions guided by keen discernment, and an active life of service to others.

Parishioners who have leadership roles in the community expressed the desire for more integration between personal piety and public faith witness. They have expressed a thirst to deepen their faith and their desire to act as persons of faith, as a disciples of Jesus.

Please pray for these participants as they go deeper with their devotion and worship, and recognize the call to justice.

Funding for CPS comes from voluntary donations made by parishes throughout the Archdiocese.

Waiting for the Pope to Speak

Two recent gatherings at the Vatican relate directly to the themes and content of Pope Francis' upcoming Encyclical, due out in just over a month.

The first, a workshop entitled "Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity: the Moral Dimensions of Climate Change and Sustainable Humanity," was led by the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences, Religions for Peace, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The final report from this workshop calls for action to "address the challenges of human-induced climate change, extreme poverty, and social marginalization, including human trafficking, in the context of sustainable development."

The second meeting was that of Caritas Internationalis, the Church's worldwide humanitarian and development organization, which explored the theme, "One Human Family, Caring for Creation." In his opening homily, Pope Francis said:

"We must do what we can so that everyone has something to eat, but we must also remind the powerful of the Earth that God will call them to judgement one day, and there it will be revealed if they really tried to provide food for Him in every person(cf. Matt. 25:35) and if they did what they could to preserve the environment so that it could produce this food."

Pope Francis' encyclical on ecology has been called the most anticipated papal encyclical in the past 50 years, and excitement continues to grow as its release date nears. To read some of what people are saying, follow the links below.

Dan Misleh, Catholic Climate Covenant Executive Director in the New York Times
Dan Misleh in the National Journal
Lonnie Ellis, OFS, Covenant Associate Director in the Global Post
Dan DiLeo in the National Catholic Reporter
Our Sunday Visitor Editorial Board
Christiana Peppard, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University in the Daily Beast
Vincent J. Miller, Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton in America Magazine

Toolkit for Advocacy

Catholics Confront Global Poverty (CCGP), an initiative of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services, speaks out on policy issues related to improving the lives of poor and vulnerable people worldwide. To support this work, CCGP has created an all-new Advocacy Toolkit.

The Toolkit explains what advocacy is, explores its many connections to our faith, and gives you the tools you need to become a more effective advocate for social justice and the common good. Included hand-outs are perfect for parish groups, young adults, and all the people in your faith community!

Not sure where to begin in your own advocacy efforts? Download one handout or the entire toolkit, and come back anytime for updated information and additional resources.

Raise Your Voice for the Planet!

EarthDay Logo

Join us on Sunday, May 31st for the Hartford Earth Festival to raise your voice for climate justice!

A Mass will be celebrated at 11 am at St. Joseph Cathedral in Hartford to launch the day, and the Hartford Earth Festival will commence at noon with a short vigil and rally on the steps of the State Capitol. After a march to Riverfront Plaza, entertainment, exhibits on environmental issues, food and fun will highlight the theme of the day from 1 - 5pm. All are welcome, young and old, to celebrate our planet and call for climate justice!

For more information, visit www.hartfordearthfestival.org. Click here for an overview of the festivities.

Catechetical Sunday 2015 to Highlight Human Dignity

"Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Human Person" is the theme of this year's Catechetical Sunday on September 20, 2015.

In his introductory Welcome Message, Hartford's Archbishop Leonard Blair, also Chairman of the Bishops' Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, explains:

"This year's theme reminds us that the dignity of each human person rests in the biblical teaching (Gen 1:26-27) that he or she is made in God's image and likeness. It also reminds us that we the baptized may need to actively support and protect others from all sorts of harm, cherishing human life from the moment of conception to a natural death."

In anticipation of this opportunity to incorporate the theme into catechesis and parish life, the USCCB has prepared a variety of resources on the theme of Human Dignity, available now to help parishes prepare to celebrate this day. Several of these were authored by staff of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development.

More resources are available on topics such as human dignity and disabilities, religious liberty, migration and human trafficking. Please share these resources with your parish catechists and social justice colleagues.

Resources and Opportunities

Scriptural Rosary for Justice

May is the perfect month to pray the rosary in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The U.S. Bishops offer a nice little booklet called Scriptural Rosary for Justice. Using the biblical themes of justice and peace, this booklet contains reflections on the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. This resource includes the Luminous Mysteries and is available in English and Spanish.

A Year of Encounter with Pope Francis

Inspired by the urging of Pope Francis to "encounter" one another, especially those of us that society typically ignores, undervalues or "excludes," PICO, a faith-based community organizing network, has developed a 6-session study guide to both challenge and encourage you, your family, and friends as you seek to encounter and be transformed by your community across race, faith, gender, and economic class. The guide is intended for use in parishes, in all of their diversity, across the United States. Its goal is to start a conversation that leads participants into deeper relationship - with one another and with all people in a parish and community who feel the pain of exclusion. To review the sessions, which include a discussion process as well as videos and resources, click here.

June Book Sale

Are you looking for some summer reading, spiritual reflection materials, CDs, DVDs or gift items? Check out the Book and Media Sale at the Archbishop O'Brien Library at the Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary, Wednesday - Saturday, June 10-13.

Bargains galore, with prices starting at 50 cents! Refreshments will be served!

See schedule and more information here.

Confirmed for Service to the World

Catholic Relief Services has created a new confirmation resource designed to invite students to respond to the call to service through solidarity. Using the issue of global water scarcity as an example, the program explores the connection between Confirmation and service, encouraging those being confirmed to understand service as a part of their Christian vocation, not just a requirement to be fulfilled. (1.5 hour lesson plan, available in both English and Spanish.) Click here to view: In English En Espanol

Join Us at the Social Action Summer Institute in Portland, Oregon

The Archdiocese of Portland will host the 29th annual Social Action Summer Institute, or SASI, on human and natural ecology. Held from July 19 to July 23 at the University of Portland, SASI offers education, professional development and advocacy training for diocesan and parish social action ministers. Registration is now open!