Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry - Archdiocese of Hartford
Para espa�ol haga clic aqui.                                                              
January/2016
Advancing Catholic social teaching by educating and preparing parishes 
to work for social justice
CALENDAR
JANUARY
January 21 6-9 PM
Holy Family Retreat Center 

FEBRUARY
February 8, 7pm
Prayer Service on Human Trafficking Awareness
Our Lady of Victory, West Haven

February 29, 6-8pm
Social Justice Series: Living Mercy in the Year of Mercy 
Holy Family Retreat Center

APRIL
April 9th
Spring Laudato Si Workshop

April 20
"This Changes Everything" 
Patrick Carolan,
Holy Family Retreat Center

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From the Director
Happy New Year! On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff members, I wish you a blessed New Year, filled with mercy, peace, and love.

The New Year is a time to make resolutions, individually and collectively. As the archdiocesan pastoral planning process moves forward, we are pleased to announce our office strategic priorities. These are not resolutions to be forgotten in a few weeks, but rather a guide to which we continually hold ourselves accountable.

1.  OCSJM will be more effective, efficient, and responsive to the growing needs of the parishes and the people of the archdiocese.
2.  OCSJM will be recognized as the "go-to" source of information and leadership on social justice issues.
3.  OCSJM will build the capacity of the people of the Archdiocese of Hartford to advocate and organize for social justice, acknowledging their diversity.
4.  OCSJM will strengthen and expand our collaborative efforts with archdiocesan offices and external organizations.

I hope that you will find this newsletter as one such source of information. I look forward to a year in partnership with you, as living signs of God's mercy and witnesses to the joy of the Gospel.


Peace,
Lynn Campbell
Lynn Campbell, Executive Director
 Human Trafficking Awareness Prayer Service
Human Trafficking
Monday, February 8th at 7:00pm
Our Lady of Victory Church
600 Jones Hill Rd.
 West Haven, CT

Deacon Dean Macchio, will be leading the service with music by Ed Perez.
               All are welcome.
Save the Date!
Conference Logo
2016 Bishop Peter Rosazza Social Justice Conference
Saturday June 11, 2016

St. Thomas Seminary, Bloomfield

"Rooted in Faith, 
Caring for Our Common Home"
Thank You to Our Exiting Board Members 
Two members of our Board of Directors who each served for  6 years were honored on January 7 for their service. Sister Elaine Betoncourt and Patricia Verde were recognized for their service and commitment to the mission and vision of the office.

Sister Elaine served on the nominating committee, ensuring that the work of the Board continues with qualified and committed members. She also served on our Environmental Justice Committee, a concern Sister is passionate about.

Patricia served 2 years as Board President, and oversaw many transitions within the administration of the office. 
Consider becoming an intern with us!
Do you have an interest in fighting poverty?

Would you like to work with a committed group of people, putting Catholic Social Teaching into Action?
 
Consider becoming an intern with us!
 
We have received grant funding for a 2016-2017 Academic Year Internship and we are looking for interested applicants.  Working from our office in Bloomfield, an intern will have opportunities for one-on-one interactions with local CCHD groups, research, training and outreach, and parish interaction, under the supervision of the Archdiocesan CCHD Director.
 
CCHD internships are open to Catholics in the United States who have leadership abilities, community service experience, and effective writing/communication skills. Openness to the CCHD values of solidarity building, participation of the poor, and Catholic social teaching is essential. Low-income people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply. The intern will be required to attend an all-expenses-paid orientation in Washington, DC on Wed., June 1 through Friday, June 3, 2016.  To apply, complete the application form found on our website and send it to our office with your resume. Applications must be received by March 1, 2016. For more information contact [email protected]
The Tweetable Pope - Book Review
Boston Globe journalist Michael O'Loughlin opens a wonderful window into the heart and revolutionary mission of Pope Francis in his new book, The Tweetable Pope. 
 
Using Pope Francis's almost daily "tweets" to his 21 million followers in 9 languages to explain why this pope has captured the world's imagination, O'Loughlin captures a new level of his ministry. By exploring the strategy and vision the Pope has for the Catholic Church, as told through the lens of social media and grouped by the Pope's most pressing concerns-forgiveness, mercy, injustice, poverty, war, joy, the environment, and more-The Tweetable Pope uses Francis' 140 word thoughts as a way to view the biographical, historical, and spiritual context of his messages and how each is part of a larger vision to make us better Catholics!

Submitted by Katie Byrnes
CCHD Social Justice Grants Available Locally
The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hartford is offering social justice grants to nonprofit organizations located within the Archdiocese. Organizations interested in applying for a grant have until  April 1, 2016 to send in their applications. The grant money comes from the National Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) annual collection, taken up at all parishes on the weekend before Thanksgiving.
 
In order to qualify for a CCHD grant, an organization must assist people living in poverty, and allow them to have a dominant voice in the organization. The project must demonstrate a change from traditional approaches to poverty by attacking the basic causes of poverty and/or by effecting institutional change.
 
For additional information on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and grant guidelines and applications visit www.catholicsocialjustice.org.
Justice for Immigrants
Justice for Immigrants
The chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Migration has written that the migration surge from Central America is a refugee crisis because children and mothers with young families are fleeing extreme violence. Moreover, the USCCB has called on the Administration to offer a humanitarian response to these migrants and "protect and care for children and families fleeing violence in the region," which includes due process and legal assistance to adjudicate asylum and refugee claims as well as addressing the root causes of violence forcing so many individuals to flee.
 
On December 23, 2015, media outlets reported that the Department of Homeland Security was planning raids to deport Central American children and adults who entered the United States seeking asylum and have had a final order of removal since January 1, 2014. This includes children and families who lost their asylum cases because they were unable to find adequate legal counsel, as well as individuals who were given deportation orders in absentia or through "rocket dockets" that are meant to expedite trials but in reality deny due process.
 
It is now being reported that more than 120 people have been apprehended by DHS and will soon be deported. USCCB/MRS strongly disagrees with this action.
 
As a result, this has generated fear in our immigrant brothers and sisters. Our office is receiving many calls for help.  We are responding by offering "Know Your Rights" workshops in parishes.
 
We need your help. 
 
Please also call the White House at 1-866-961-4293 or the White House Comment Line directly at 1-888-907-2053. Here's a sample script:
 
"I am from City, State, and as a Catholic/person of faith, I urge President Obama to immediately STOP plans to deport Central American children and families. These individuals are refugees fleeing violence and should have access to legal counsel so that they can apply for asylum and protection in the United States."
 
Tell the White House to STOP planned raids on Central American children and families!
CRS Rice Bowl: Local poverty alleviation efforts
Did you know that 25% of the total Lenten Rice Bowl collection goes into the Local Archdiocesan Rice Bowl fund to be used to support hunger and poverty alleviation programs in our archdiocese?

The following organizations received funding for local projects: St. Mary, Branford, Sacred Heart/St. Anthony Church, New Haven, St. Gabriel Church, Milford, St. Rose of Lima Church, New Haven, St. Mary Church, New Britain, Sacred Heart Church, Hartford, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Waterbury, and Centro San Jose, New Haven. These organizations will use the money this year to provide food assistance for families who are in need. Winter is an especially difficult time for many families who must balance heating costs against reduced income due to their seasonal employment.

This is still time to order your Rice Bowl materials online at: CRS Rice Bowl

Here's a quick video to show how your parish or school can enhance its Rice Bowl engagement: How to Kickoff CRS Rice Bowl.
Pray with Us
As part of the Archdiocesan offices Christmas gift to the Archbishop, the OCSJM will be praying for the Archbishop during the month of January. Please pray with us each week:

Jan 3rd-  During National Migration Week, the OCSJM will pray for our brothers and sisters forced to leave their homes and reflect on how the Archdiocese of Hartford can embrace the theme, "A Stranger and You Welcomed Me."

Jan. 10th-  This week, the OCSJM will pray that the Archbishop keeps the people of UCAN, NVP, and all the CCHD grant awardees, who live out the Gospel call to bring good news to those who are poor and oppressed (Lk4:18) by working for long term solutions to address the root causes of poverty, in his prayers.

Jan. 17th-  Today is the 2016 World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Pope Francis asks us to reflect on the theme "The Response of the Gospel of Mercy." This week, the OCSJM prays that the Archdiocese of Hartford will be respond to the Syrian Refugee crisis in a humane way and that the Archbishop will continue to support the migrant and refugee community.

Jan. 24th- Isaiah 58 describes how true worship of God includes working for justice and caring for those who are poor and the oppressed. This week, the OCSJM will pray that Archbishop continues the work of connecting our Sunday worship to our weekday witness across the archdiocese.
New! Year of Mercy Resources Available
Incorporate the Year of Mercy into your ministry with the OCSJM's downloadable Corporal Works of Mercy series that can be used as discussion starters or for parish bulletins.

If you would like to learn more about the intersection of the Corporal Works of Mercy and Catholic Social Teaching, Mercy Works: An Evening Workshop for Parish Catechists at Holy Family on January 21, 2016 (Snow Date: 1/28).
Resources for the New Encyclical Laudato S� 
8 Page Study Guide from the Sisters of Loretto
The following study guide is divided into 7 sections, the 6 chapters of the Encyclical are followed by a final discussion on how to live the teaching. A meeting template for group discussions is included. You might want to meet in one large group or divide into smaller groups; you could meet on 6 separate occasions or you could meet less frequently and combine chapters. Click here for the pdf.  
 
19 Page Pauline Press Study Guide
Pope Francis addresses his encyclical Laudato S� to all the people of the world. This guide can be used either for individual study or for group discussion of this important document. The guideincludes a summary of each chapter of the encyclical, along with study questions and some reflections for prayer. Click here for the pdf.
 
CRS and Ave Maria Webinar
In this webinar Ted Miles, Youth and Education Relationship Manager at Catholic Relief Services, highlights some of the core themes of the Holy Father's recent encyclical in light of the environmental challenges faced by the world's most vulnerable people. Explore the collection of resources offered by Catholic Relief Services and others that aid in fostering dialogue and faith-filled engagement with young people on this core issue of our time.  Watch it here.