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CALENDAR
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APRIL
April 16th, 1pm
Jeanie Graustein Lecture on Environmental Justice
St. Thomas Moore Center at Yale University
April 20, 6-9pm
April 22nd - 9am--3pm Open House
Catholic Social Justice Ministry Office
St. Thomas Seminary
Bloomfield - 3rd Floor
JUNE
June 3rd, 9:30-300
Mercy Center, Madison
June 11 8am-3:45pm
Bishop Peter RosazzaSocial Justice Conference
St. Thomas Seminary
Bloomfield CT
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Join Our List
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| From the Director |
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Last June Pope Francis gave us Laudato Si' and it has become part of our conversation as an office. We want to help make it a part of your conversation! We created a speaker's bureau which, along with other resources, is available on our website. We're holding workshops and meeting with parish leaders unpacking this important encyclical. Our annual conference, less than 2 months away, will feature Laudato Si'. We are also modeling possible action steps.
In Laudato Si' we are called upon to examine our own lifestyles: energy use, consumption, and consumerism. Pope Francis points to consumerism and wastefulness as major contributors to climate change. The throwaway culture and the proposal of a new lifestyle is one of the main themes of Laudato Si. Diocesan employees at the Chancery and the Seminary are making a move away from bottled water. There are many good reasons for this lifestyle change.
1. It saves money - a glass of tap water costs less than a penny.
2. It reduces waste - there is a limited market for those disposable water bottles; even those that eventually make it to the recycling truck, are likely to end up in a land fill.
3. It saves water - there are estimates that it takes 3 liters of water just to manufacture and transport a 1 liter bottle of water.
4. It conserves energy -consider the energy used to create and to transport the disposables.
In the words of Pope Francis, "We must not think that these efforts are not going to change the world. They benefit society, often unbeknownst to us, for they call forth a goodness which, albeit unseen, inevitably tends to spread" (212).
Will you join us in our effort?
Lynn Campbell, Executive Director
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Laudato Si'
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"Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change." (Laudato Si', 202)
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WE MOVED!!
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Please take note of our new Information:
We are now located at:
St. Thomas Seminary
Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry
467 Bloomfield Ave
Bloomfield CT 06002
Phone: 860-242-5573
Fax: 860-243-0649
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OPEN HOUSE
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Join us for Coffee And ....... Now that we have settled into our new space, we'd love for you to stop by and see us.
Friday, April 22, 9 am-3 pm
Catholic Social Justice Ministry Offices
St. Thomas Seminary-3rd Floor
467 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield CT 06002
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Save the Date!
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2016 Bishop Peter Rosazza Social Justice Conference
Saturday June 11, 2016
St. Thomas Seminary, Bloomfield
"Rooted in Faith, Caring for Our Common Home"
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Spotlight on Bishop Peter Rosazza Conference Workshops
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This workshops will be offered during the Bishop Peter Rosazza Social Justice Conference:
The Influence of Laudato Si on Our Decision Making
Sr. Ruth Rosenbaum, CREA, Center for Reflection, Education and Action
Pope Francis asks, "In whose hands does all this power lie, or will it eventually end up?" In Laudato Si, he asks us to reflect, think, pray, and act. Learn practical ways in which we can use our power as citizens, and as consumers, to press for a response to the challenges facing us as global citizens. You can link to Sr. Ruth's website
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This Changes Everything: Laudato Si', Our Planet and Our Common Future
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Laudato Si' Retreat
April 20, 2016,
Holy Family Retreat Center, West Hartford
6:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
The new encyclical, Laudato Si, mi Signore, is, perhaps, the most important document written in our lifetime. The Holy Father writes, "Many things have to change course, but it is we humans, above all, who need to change. We lack an awareness of our common origin, of our mutual belonging, and a future to be shared by everyone." Pope Francis challenges us to rethink who we are in relation to all of creation and gives us hope for a shared future. Patrick Carolan, executive director of the Franciscan Action Network, will discuss what Pope Francis' groundbreaking encyclical means to us as individuals, as a Church, and as a global family. This evening retreat includes an engaging presentation, discussion, and a prayer service for peace with musicians from Holy Family's music ministry. Offering: $40, includes dinner. Register here.
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Board Member Iris Ramos Honored
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Former Board member Iris Ramos is one of 6 women being honored at the Malta House of Care Sixth Annual "Celebrating Wonder Women" on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at the Bushnell, 5:30pm-8:30pm.
Iris is a role model to all for pursuing education and giving back to the community. Congratulations Iris! Join the celebration benefiting the Malta House of Care Free Mobile Medical Clinic and honor Iris. For more information or to register, visit.
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Jeanie Graustein Lecture on Environmental Justice
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The St. Thomas More Center at Yale University
April 16, 1 PM in the Lecture Hall
Save the date for the inaugural "Jeanie Graustein Lecture on Environmental Justice", honoring her lifelong passion and service in the effort of Catholic social and environmental justice. Christiana Peppard, Assistant Professor of Theology at Fordham University and author of Just Water: Theology, Ethics and the Global Water Crisis, will be the keynote speaker. This will be followed by breakout sessions, a time for questions and a reception. Open to Everyone! Contact Robert Beloin.
(Pictured - Jeanie Graustein)
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Laudato Si week - June 12-19
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Laudato Si' Week will be a major international celebration of the one year anniversary of the Pope's encyclical release (June 18) to reflect on its message and relevance, and take action to bring it to life. The Global Catholic Climate Covenant hopes to mobilize at least 1,000 parishes, communities and schools around the globe to host an event on the encyclical that demonstrates how local communities are putting
Laudato Si' into action. Activities will range from hosting an educational workshop on Laudato Si' and the environmental crisis to convening a prayer service on the theme of care for creation. The Archdiocese of Hartford will kick off Laudato Si' Week with our Social Justice Conference on June 11th, where our keynote, Sr. Damien Marie Savino will be speaking on the encyclical. If you are interested in organizing a Laudato Si Week activity at your parish, please contact Sarah Hillier for more information.
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Spotlight on Faithful Citizenship
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It's election year and the candidates are making all kinds of remarks regarding social and moral issues. As Catholics, we respond to the signs of the times through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching. What does the Church have to say about illegal immigration? War? Poverty? Terrorism? Nuclear Weapons? We will use this column to introduce Catholic Social Teaching on particular topic and encourage you to explore it further through cited references.
Terrorism is to be condemned in the most absolute terms. It shows complete contempt for human life and can never be justice, since the human person is always an end and never a means. Acts of terrorism strike at the heart of human dignity and are an offences against all humanity; "there exists, therefor a right to defend oneself from terrorism." However this right cannot be exercised in the absence of moral and legal norms, because the struggle against terrorists must be carried out with respect for human rights and for the principles of a State ruled by law.
St. John Paul II, Message for the 2002 World Day of Peace
"When responding to terrorism, right intent aims to stop aggression against innocent people, not seek revenge. Deterring an aggressor is especially important when it is done as a means of loving one's neighbor, a third party who will suffer from unjust violence.
Yet if we must take up arms, we should do so not in a spirit of hatred, for even justifiable violence is a mournful exercise. Armed force may be necessary, but it is always a tragic necessity and must be used with the moral restraints that demonstrate the aim is to protect the innocent."
Father Kenneth Himes, O.F.M.
See more. Resources: Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
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Action Alert-Tell House Leadership Not to Bring Anti-Refugee Bill to a Vote!
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TAKE ACTION NOW!
Your Urgent Action is Needed
USCCB strongly supports protection and resettlement of refugees, regardless of which of the five grounds established in U.S. and international law compel them to seek refugee status. However, H.R. 4731 seeks to elevate religious persecution above all other grounds and then seeks to favor particular religions over others for priority consideration.
Send the following email to the top two members of the House leadership TODAY
and urge them to STOP this anti-refugee bill:
In solidarity with the U.S. Catholic bishops, I support refugee resettlement and I urge the Speaker and Majority Leader to STOP H.R. 4731 from coming up for a vote. The bill, which was approved by the House Judiciary Committee in late March, could well decimate refugee resettlement by drastically reducing refugee admissions; changing the definition of who is a refugee; fragment refugee policy by allowing states and localities to stop resettlement to their areas; making refugees feel less secure and less welcome in American society; and discriminating against people based on their religion and nationality, among other provisions. This bill runs counter to the humanitarian leadership of the United States and the welcome of the American people. Please oppose H.R.4731 and do not bring this bill up for a House floor vote.
CLICK HERE TO SEND YOUR EMAIL and then scroll to the bottom of the page
Your message will go directly to the offices of:
* Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI-1): (202) 225-0600 / @SpeakerRyan
* Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23): 202-225-4000 / @GOPLeader
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Caring for Creation - The Right to Water.
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Turning on the faucet, and having clean water come out, is a luxury that is easy to take for granted. The crisis in Flint, Michigan has helped us realize that safe, clean, water is a precious resource, even in the United States. Over the last few months, Connecticut has also been talking about water, but not because it is toxic. Bloomfield's water has been so well cared for that it is attractive to massive water bottling companies. Niagara Bottling has been working with the Metropolitan District Commission to create a water bottling plant in Bloomfield. This California- based corporation would bottle an enormous number of bottles a day- 1.8 million gallons, so much so that concerned citizens are calling this a "water raid." ....Read more and see how you can become involved in our blog.
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Parish Spotlight
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"In order to live out our mission of being salt and light to the world, our faith communities must invite, develop, and equip leaders for mission."
The U.S. Bishops' "Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish" provides guidance for our work. The reflection stresses the importance of leadership development stating, "Creative and competent leaders - clerical and lay - professional and volunteer - are indispensable for effective parish social ministry." It guides us in how we can challenge our courage and commitment in social ministry, to have the courage sometimes necessary to build up God's Kingdom. It also emphasizes the importance of responding in community, that we are called to reach out together. "Building a successful parish-based social ministry effort of the kind envisioned in Communities of Salt and Light requires tapping each and every able Catholic's baptismal call to serve".
St. Mary Parish in New Britain is a good example of the development of courageous leadership. We have been working at the parish with the support of Father Israel Rivera, to strengthen their Hispanic Parish Social Ministry Team. Father Rivera's presence in most meetings with his community has given it a special strength. He is open to working with CCHD grantees and as well as other organizations. Recently he met police chief from the city of New Britain. He is working to building better community relationships between the department and the Hispanic community, so that families will be more comfortable in approaching the police department without fear of deportation. He is showing his courageous leadership and stretching his arm of protection for St. Mary's immigrant families.
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Year of Mercy
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During this Year of Mercy, how will you participate in the Corporal Works of Mercy, "Visit the Prisoners"? "For all to play their part in building the common good they must work, in the measure of their competence, to ensure that prisoners have the means to redeem themselves, both as individuals and in their relations to society." *
Pope John Paul II: Message for the Jubilee on Prisons, July 2000
Community Partners in Action (CPA) provides services that help adults and youth live crime-free lives, and works to meet the changing needs of men, women, and youth involved in the criminal justice system. CPA's Housing and Basic Needs Fund addresses the basic needs of participants ---food, clothing, housing transportation and more. Your donation can help build stability in their lives. Visit
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Rice Bowl Grants Available
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Thanks to the many parishes and schools who participated in the CRS Rice Bowl program, we are able to allocate the 25% of funds designated for local uses. Catholic parishes, schools, or Archdiocesan entities within the Archdiocese of Hartford are eligible to apply. 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. Sample projects include: parish or school gardens, projects that increase hunger awareness, and food assistance for women in crisis pregnancies. Recipients must demonstrate intent to participate and promote the CRS Rice Bowl Lenten catechetical program.
Applications are available on our website
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Social Justice Scholarships
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The Social Action Summer Institute (SASI) is a five-day program offering education, professional development, advocacy training for parish and diocesan social action leaders. It is being held in Chicago, July 17-21. Rooted in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, SASI provides a forum for people to explore social issues in the light of scripture, Church teaching and theology. Participants from dioceses throughout the country will have the opportunity to witness social justice in action. We are a firm believer in the benefits of attending SASI and are offering scholarships to assist with registration.
Call Lynn for more information and visit. Click here for scholarship application.
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| 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.
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Resources for the New Encyclical Laudato Sí
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Laudato Si' Resources In Laudato Si', we are reminded that it is our responsibility to care for the earth -- our common home. Catholic Relief Services offers resources for you to respond, and stories for you to share. Click here for the resources.
The Global Catholic Climate Movement is a community of hundreds of thousands of Catholics like you, responding to the Pope's call to action in the Laudato Si' encyclical. View their collection of Laudato Si' resources and materials here and here.
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 GuidePope Francis addresses his encyclical Laudato Sí 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.
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