Legislative Updates from "The Voice of the Poor" & The Arizona Catholic Conference

It's a critical time right now for the poor in Arizona as the State Budget hangs in the balance. . .

St. Vincent De Paul Society in Arizona has a legislative/advocacy arm. It is called ‘The Voice of the Poor’(VOP) and is based in the Diocese of Phoenix.

Learn about it at:

http://www.stvincentdepaul.net/VoiceofthePoor.htm

The Mission Statement of Voice of the Poor (Diocesan Council of Phoenix):

Believing in the dignity of every person, Voice of the Poor supports Catholic social teaching. Under the direction of the Diocesan Council, we will advocate for justice on behalf of those in need, while educating St. Vincent de Paul members about economic and social issues impacting the poor.

You can find weekly VOP ARIZONA LEGISLATIVE UPDATES and ACTION ALERTS at this link:

http://www.stvincentdepaul.net/VOP_WklyLegislativeUpdates.htm

The Arizona Catholic Conference (ACC) is the public policy agency for the Diocese of Gallup, the Diocese of Phoenix, and the Diocese of Tucson.

You can find ACC ACTION ALERTS at this link:

http://www.diocesephoenix.org/acc/index.html

Get updated on the issues and make your voice heard for the poor!!

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

Casa San Juan: "Welcoming the Stranger Among Us"

The Casa San Juan Center in Tucson serves families living in poverty, homeless families, and immigrant families. Hundreds of families each month request help with immediate needs, such as help with food, clothing, medical, or shelter. Families also receive help with advocacy, education or immigration related assistance. Immigration issues have become a primary local, state and national focus.



The specific goal of the Center is to provide immediate help and work toward justice to advance the quality of life for all, including immigrant children and adults.

The Casa San Juan Center was established in 2002 by the Diocese of Tucson at the request of Bishop Manuel Moreno, Bishop Gerald F. Kicanis, Pastor Raul P. Trevizo, and lay members of the community at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church,Tucson, Arizona.


The Center is located in one of the poorest areas of Tucson, in the south side of the city where there is a large concentration of
homeless adults and poor families, many whom are immigrants.



To learn more about Casa San Juan and how you can get involved and help, see the Center's website: casasanjuan.org



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

TONIGHT May 6th - An Evening with Jack Jezreel of JustFaith

"The Call to Transform Our Hearts and the World"

You may have heard about JustFaith, come tonight to learn more!

Jack Jezreel, popular national speaker and justice educator, holds a Master of Divinity degree from Notre Dame, spent six years in a Catholic Worker Community, and has been involved with parish-based justice ministry for 25 years. He is the author of JustFaith and serves as Executive Director of JustFaith Ministries. He received the prestigious Harry Fagan Award in 2006 for his contribution to the achievement of the Catholic vision of social justice. He is married and has three daughters. Jack has been in Tucson for our JustFaith introduction. We have grown in JustFaith and welcome Jack back!

We are called to be compassionate as our God is compassionate (Luke 6:36), but what does the compassion of Christ look like in the modern world? How do I become a more compassionate person? Are you interested in embarking on a spiritual journey into compassion? The vision of the Gospels and Catholic social teaching speaks to life-giving choices on behalf of a world that struggles to survive.

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore some new possibilities for your life, your parish, your heart!

Comments aboutJustFaith from Tucson participants:

* Our JustFaith grads have become a solid foundation for social ministry by meeting and praying and learning together and bydrawing others into their various ministries. – Most Holy Trinity pastor

* I am now living a more simple life – giving more, buying less, and trying to get more connected with my brothers and sisters. JustFaith is a life-changing experience. – Our Mother of Sorrows parishioner

WHEN: Wednesday, May 6, 2009

WHERE: Our Mother of Sorrows Parish, 1800 South Kolb Rd., Tucson, AZ

For all JustFaith Grads and present students:
Dinner with Jack in the OMOS Parish Activity Center (PAC)– 5:30 p.m.
More info: Jean Fedigan: jfedigan@cox.net or leave message for Jean: 520-747-1321

For all JustFaith Grads, Students and ALL NEW to JustFaith:

An evening with Jack in the Parish Hall with Closing Prayer at 9 p.m.
More info: Janet Towner: janett@diocesetucson.org or leave message: 520-838-2544

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

World Fair Trade Day: This Saturday May 9th, 2009

Catholic Relief Services to Mark World Fair Trade Day

Catholics are invited to Take a ‘Fair Trade Break’ and Break World Record!

In celebration of World Fair Trade Day on May 9, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), a national sponsor of the day, invites Catholics throughout the U.S. to join workplaces, churches, schools, businesses and neighbors and hold a Fair Trade Break to surpass last year's World's Largest Fair Trade ‘Break’ record.

With a goal of 55,000 total participants on and around Saturday, May 9, CRS is rallying Catholics and Fair Trade enthusiasts to hold events like Fair Trade coffee breaks, food tastings, talks, music concerts and fashion shows to promote an ethical alternative to conventional shopping that ensures that producers get a fair price for their products.

“During today’s tough economic times, it is more important than ever to have our shopping habits reflect our values,” says Jacqueline DeCarlo, CRS’ Senior Program Advisor for Fair Trade. “The poor suffer the most during economic downturns, and ‘solidarity shopping’ can directly impact the lives of farming families and craft associations – often led by women.”

Hundreds of thousands of people across the U.S. and in over 80 countries will promote Fair Trade by holding a Fair Trade Break and campaign for trade justice together with farmers and artisans in developing countries. In the U.S., World Fair Trade Day is coordinated by the Fair Trade Resource Network and highlights the benefits of Fair Trade and the support needed on a grassroots level.

The recent entry of mainstream companies into the Fair Trade marketplace demonstrates that consumer demand for socially responsible and sustainable products influences corporate decisions. Yet, it is vital to continue to support Fair Trade companies and organizations that are fully committed to small-scale producers and believe in long-term partnerships based on dialogue, transparency and respect.

CRS’ Fair Trade program has grown from two retail partners in 2004 to 16 today, including coffee, chocolate and handcraft retailers. All of these companies help Catholic schools, parishes, and households shop responsibly for the benefit of disadvantaged producers. To find CRS partners dedicated to Fair Trade, visit http://crsfairtrade.org/.

“U.S. Catholics can feel gratified that they are helping to build a market that has been growing at double-digit rates in recent years,” DeCarlo says. “World Fair Trade Day is becoming a rallying point for these groups to spread the word about Fair Trade to the larger community.”

To join the movement and mark World Fair Trade Day, Catholics can:

¨ Hold a Fair Trade coffee break at their parish or schools
¨ Join the CRS Fair Trade Network
¨ Buy Fair Trade items or give a Fair Trade gift for Mother’s Day
¨ Host a Fair Trade fair
¨ Become a CRS Fair Trade fan on Facebook

To find a World Fair Trade Day event near you, visit http://www.fairtraderesource.org/link-up/events-calendar/.


Catholic Relief Services is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency provides assistance to people in more than 100 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed. For more information, please visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org.

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

St. Joseph the Worker & The Catholic Worker

Today is the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker and is also the 76th anniversary of the founding of The Catholic Worker Movement in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin.

Here's a thoughtful reflection on St. Joseph the Worker .

(from the American Catholic.org Saint of the Day website)

To learn more about The Catholic Worker Movement see: http://www.catholicworker.org/

Today would be a great day to support our local Tucson Catholic Worker House, Casa Maria, in a special way! http://www.casamariatucson.org/

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

Rejoice heavenly powers!

The power of this holy night
dispels all evil,
washes guilt away,
restores lost innocence,
bring mourners joy;
it casts out hatred,
brings us peace,
and
humbles earthly
pride.

from the Exsultet

Good Friday: He endured our sufferings

Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,
our sufferings that he endured,
while we thought of him as stricken,
as one smitten by God and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our offenses,
crushed for our sins;
upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,
by his stripes we were healed.

Isaiah 53:4-6