World Day of Social Justice

On February 20, 2009 The World Day of Social Justice is being observed for the first time following its unanimous adoption by the 192 member States of the United Nations during their November 2007 General Assembly.

You are invited to share pray a special Social Justice Prayer for this day. It was developed by members of the USG/UISG Secretariat Commission for Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation in Rome and is developed using the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Following is a slightly modified portion of the multi-part prayer (see link for the entire prayer).

A PSALM TO WIDEN OUR TENTS

Our world is too small.
Our lives are too small. Our vision is too restricted.
May the people of various countries, various cultures,
tribes and families find room in our world and our lives.

Help us to widen our tents, so that all are welcome among us.

Our attitudes are too parochial, our assumptions too simplistic,
our behaviour too predictable.
May special people, may the differently-abled,
may minorities of any kind - of race, class, or gender
– find room in our world and our hearts,

Help us to widen our tents, so that all are welcome among us.

Our boundaries are too limited, our preferences too conditioned,
our habits too ingrained.
May the aging and the very young, may subcultural groups of every kind,
may special interests groups find room in our world and our prayer.

Help us to widen our tents, so that all are welcome among us.

Our God is too small, Our rites too rigid,
Our ways are too exclusive.

May people of various religions and rites, whose name for God and claim to God are different from our own, find room in our world and our love.

Help us to widen our tents, so that all are welcome among us.

God of all cultures, God of all people,
help us not to label anyone inferior or second-class.
Help us overcome our attitudes of superiority and oppression.
May we broaden our vision and widen our tents
so that plurality and diversity determine who we are:
people called and committed to a world united
injustice and peace, now and forever.

Amen.


Adapted by jfb/jos3.viii.94 from M.T. Winter.
WomanWisdom Crossword Publications. 1991: p. 105.

Source: http://jpicformation.wikispaces.com/EN_prayer

Link provided by Joanne Welter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Workshop on Human Trafficking in Southern Arizonna - Feb 28th

Submitted by Joanne Welter
Workshop will be held at Most Holy Trinity Parish, Tucson:

Human Trafficking in Southern Arizona


Please join us to learn more about human trafficking and how it affects the communities of southern Arizona.

The following training is free and is open to the parishioners to learn more about human trafficking and to help identify potential victims of human trafficking in every day work.

What: Workshop on human trafficking.

When: Saturday February 28 from 9-12.

Presenter: Katie Resendiz from the Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking (ALERT) will present a 3-hour workshop covering the following topics:

Topics: Human Trafficking 101, Skill Training, And Faith Based Actions.

Where: Most Holy Trinity Parish, 1300 N. Greasewood Rd.

Coffee and refreshments will be provided.
Just Goods will have Fair Trade items available for sale.
Registration is free.

If you are interested please email Jackie White at Jackie1965@cox.net by Wednesday February 25, 2009.
For any questions, please contact Jackie White at 520-207-1642 or jackie1965@cox.net

-----------------------------------
More about The Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking:

In February 2003, the US Department of Justice / Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awarded a grant for the creation of the Arizona League to End Regional Trafficking (ALERT). ALERT is a coalition representing partnerships with law enforcement, faith-based communities, non-profit organizations, social service agencies, attorneys and concerned citizens. Through education, outreach and a variety of programs and services, ALERT strives to end the suffering and dehumanization of victims of human trafficking. ALERT helps victims of trafficking by providing: food and shelter; medical care; mental health counseling; immigration assistance; legal assistance; language interpretation; case management; and other culturally appropriate services. ALERT had offices in Phoenix and Tucson but can serve clients statewide.

SOURCE: http://www.traffickingaz.org/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sr. Dorothy "Dot" Stang -- Memorial

We are only here on the land
for a few decades.
Use every day to bring joy
and not greed

to our tired land so full of anguish.

- Sr. Dorothy Stang

“The death of the Forest is the end of our Life.”
Icon painted by Father Bill McNichols, S.J.

Sister Dorothy Stang was murdered in the Amazon Forest on February 12, of 2005 -- a modern day martyr for the poor and the environment.

Sister Dorothy defended “the human rights of the poor, landless and indigenous populations of the Anapu region of Brazil for nearly 40 years, despite numerous death threats. She worked with farmers to help rebuild their livelihoods, cultivate their land and defend their rights from loggers and ranchers, becoming a symbol of the fight to preserve the rainforest before being killed in 2005.” [Citation as she was posthumously awarded the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights, December 2008.]

Sr. Dorothy, Peacemaker with the Earth, rest in peace.

Learn more about Sister Dorothy:
http://www.sndohio.org/dotstang.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Learn about the U.S. Department of Peace Campaign

Why a U.S. Department of Peace?

"A Department of Peace will provide the institutional framework within which to research, analyze and create nonviolent solutions to domestic and international conflict. With this capability, the President and Congress will have immediate access to the expertise that is so deeply needed in our post-9/11 world; we make the study, creation and use of nonviolent solutions to conflicts a national priority; and we expand our ability to address the root causes of violence. Peace then becomes a tangible goal as opposed to a lofty ideal."

[Source: The Peace Alliance FAQ]

Kucinich Reintroduces Department of Peace Bill with 62 Cosponsors

Washington,D.C. (February 4, 2009) -- Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) yesterday reintroduced legislation that would authorize a Cabinet-level Department of Peace.

It is well known that in times of economic difficulty violence increases. When relationships are strained by economic hardship, domestic violence, violent robbery and abuse of children and animals all increase. When the world is facing possibly the largest economic downturn since the Great Depression, now is not the time to ignore social issues and interpersonal relationships, now is the time to make special attention to make sure that our relations and health do not suffer along with your pocket books, stated Kucinich.

The Cabinet-level Department authorized in the legislation embodies a broad-based approach to peaceful, non-violent conflict resolution at both domestic and international levels. The Department of Peace would serve to promote non-violence as an organizing principle in our society, and help to create the conditions for a more peaceful world.

Peace is a foundational principle of this Congress and of this country. This bill gives it a chance to have an animating power in our civic life by addressing the issues of domestic violence, spousal abuse, child abuse, violence in the schools and racial violence, added Kucinich.

The bill number is HR808.

(see an earlier version of the bill HERE)

To learn more, visit: The Peace Alliance website

and find out about the upcoming :
National Department of Peace Conference:
Peace Within Reach: People and Politics Partnering for our Common Security

March 20-23, 2009 in Washington D.C.
http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/605/147/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~