Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation » Resources

Fortnight For Freedom

christina — Sat, 19 May 2012 17:30:05 +0000

On April 12, the Ad Hoc Committee on Religious Liberty of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a document, “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty,” outlining the bishops’ concerns over threats to religious freedom, both at home and abroad. The bishops called for a “Fortnight for Freedom,” a 14-day period of prayer, education and action in support of religious freedom, from June 21-July 4.

Bishops in their own dioceses have been encouraged to arrange special events to highlight the importance of defending religious freedom. Catholic institutions are encouraged to do the same, especially in cooperation with other Christians, Jews, people of other faiths and all who wish to defend this cherished freedom.

The fourteen days from June 21—the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More—to July 4, Independence Day, are dedicated to this “fortnight for freedom”—a great hymn of prayer for our country.

Please see the USCCB website for more information on organizing a special event in your parish.

Tell Congress: End Too-Big-To-Fail. Make Banking SAFE

christina — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:21:46 +0000

The top five banks now control 52 percent of the financial industry’s assets; they had 17 percent in 1970. The six largest banks control assets equal to 62 percent of the nation’s gross national product. They may be not only too big to fail, but also too big to save.

The biggest of them, Dimon’s JPMorgan Chase, has $2.1 trillion in assets and more than 239,000 employees. The bank’s recent bad bet that now amounts to $3 trillion, is a clear indication of the need for serious reform.

Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Keith Ellison have introduced a measure to cut too-big-to-fail banks down to size. The SAFE (Safe, Accountable, Fair and Efficient) Banking Act would put in place an important element missing from the financial reform legislation of two years ago: a cap on how big banks can get. The bank lobby defeated all efforts to include a limit on their size.

Now the six largest banks – led by JPMorgan Chase – are collectively larger and more concentrated than they were before they blew up the economy, with the assets they control growing from $6.1 trillion before the collapse to more than $8.5 trillion today, according to Federal Reserve data.

Wall Street lobbyists have successfully delayed and diluted regulations that were supposed to flow from the Wall Street reform bill. And the big banks have ways to push their way around any barriers.

We need a fail-safe. If a bank can’t be too big, then it can’t be too big to fail.

Among the provisions of the Safe Banking Act are that no bank could hold more than 10 percent of all of the insured bank deposits in the country, nor could a bank holding company have non-deposit liabilities greater than 2 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product.

By the standards in the SAFE Banking Act, four existing banks are currently above the size cap—JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo—and would have to shrink. This would be a major step in making banking sober—and boring, as it should be—once again.

Click here to tell Congress: Break up the big banks! Pass Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Keith Ellison’s SAFE Banking Act.

Thanks to the Campaign for America’s Future for the information on this bill.

Oblate Questions JP Morgan/Chase CEO Jaime Dimon

christina — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:48:00 +0000

Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI representing the Oblates of Mary Immaculate at the JP Morgan/Chase AGM yesterday in Naples, Florida, made pointed comments about the latest heavy losses at the company. He questioned Dimon’s opposition to the Volcker Rule and the bank’s lobbying in opposition to other aspects of the financial regulations being developed at the SEC in response to the Dodd-Frank legislation.

He was quoted today by Maureen Dowd in her NY Times column:

The Rev. Seamus Finn, representing shareholders from the Catholic organization Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, did gently press the boss: “We’re wondering, Mr. Dimon, given what we’ve learned, do you still believe a company can self-regulate when trading on their own accounts?” He added: “Furthermore, should our company really be spending shareholder funds on, some $7 million last year alone, on lobbying efforts to thwart the Dodd-Frank legislation and the work of regulators to write the rules stemming from that legislation?”

The priest concluded that the shareholders, “weary of mistakes” and pledges to reform, wonder if Dimon is listening.

Fr. Finn was also quoted in The Guardian, on CNBC.com, The Telegraph, Crain’s New York Business, and the timesfreepress.com

Corporate Social Responsibility and the Churches

christina — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:03:11 +0000

Thanks to the European Africa Faith & Justice Network for the following information:

Bishops call for increased corporate transparency

Catholic bishops urge the European Union to legislate on extractive companies

While a group of EU member states, including Germany and the UK, are attempting to water down new EU transparency legislation, Catholic bishops from around the world urge the EU to push forward and require European Union-listed and large unlisted extractive companies to publicly disclose the payments they make to governments worldwide. In a joint statement, they say less stringent laws will fail to turn the curse of resource-rich developing countries into a blessing.

More information…

European Union Transparency Directive may have a positive impact on the lives of poor people

Mgr Joseph Banga from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) says the upcoming revision of the EU Transparency and Accounting Directives could have a positive impact on the lives of poor people living in resource-rich developing countries. If EU companies are required to report on a country-by-country and project-by-project basis on their financial dealings with host governments, citizens will be able to monitor the management of their natural resources.

Learn more…

Watch the video interview Mgr Joseph Banga from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) [in French with English subtitles]:

World Religious leaders protest against attitudes of mining companies

In many places around the world, religious leaders are protesting against mining companies and projects. What are their complaints? In Chad, that revenues intended to ease the pain of poverty are nowhere to be seen; in the DRC and in Nigeria that mining feeds devastating conflicts; in Ghana that mining in forest reserves threatens animal and plant species. The underlying story is one of broken promises, of powerful companies whose God is profit and of a wounded planet whose resources are despoiled harming the people who live nearby. On April 24, bishops, preachers, and advocates gathered at the Washington National Cathedral to explore how they might join forces both to draw attention to the harm that bad mining practices wreak on people and land, and to point to practical, positive ways to move forward. The Missionary Oblate JPIC Office was instrumental in organizing the conference.

Faith Groups Call for Increased Poverty-Focused Foreign Assistance

christina — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:44:30 +0000

The Missionary Oblates joined 35 multi-faith U.S.-based religious institutions in urging Congress to pass a faithful budget that increases funding above current levels for poverty-focused international development, humanitarian assistance and global health programs in the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. The letter points out, “Using less than one percent of the federal budget, poverty-focused foreign assistance saves lives, lays the groundwork for economic growth around the world and fosters global human security. Its programs alleviate hunger and malnutrition, help communities access clean water and sanitation, facilitate rural development, educate children, combat deadly but preventable diseases and promote global health.”

Read the full letter (Download PDF)

Oblate CSA in Godfrey Hosts Open House

christina — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:39:44 +0000

Inside the greenhouse at LaVista CSA Farm; Photo by Kevin McLaughlin, OMI

The La Vista Community Supported Garden, a project under the Justice, Peace/Integrity of Creation Ministry of the Missionary Oblates, hosted an Open House on Sunday, May 6th for new and returning shareholders. The farm is located on the Oblate property in Godfrey, Illinois and has been operating successfully now for over a decade.

More information about the CSA is available here…

Fields ready for planting. Photo by Kevin McLaughlin, OMI

The Greenhouse at the LA Vista CSA Farm; Photo by Kevin McLaughlin, OMI

Environment Sunday ~ June 3

christina — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:18:08 +0000

Thanks to Eco Congregation Ireland for this information. Please check out their website for guidance on taking your parish through a process of becoming environmentally aware and responsible.

Environment Sunday this year falls on June 3, two days before World Environment Day (June 5) and two weeks before the Earth Summit.

Is your church holding a special service or event to mark Environment Sunday? A walk/cycle to church Sunday? A nature walk? A litter pick? Or a work-party in the church grounds or locality?

The international Christian environmental organization, A Rocha, has produced materials for Environment Sunday in recent years. See http://en.arocha.org/uk/index.html

A Rocha chose the first Sunday in June, or the nearest Sunday to World Environment Day, for Environment Sunday because this time of year – early summer – is most suitable for outdoor events. It is easier to see and enjoy flowers, butterflies, birds and other wildlife at this time. Furthermore, UN World Environment Day is June 5th.

The 2012 parish resource pack is on the topic of Trees and Forests.

Impacts of Mining Exhibit at the UN hosted by VIVAT International

christina — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:34:32 +0000

The Missionary Oblates and VIVAT International will host a multi-media exhibit on the impacts of mining operations on people and ecosystems around the world on May 8th at the United Nations. This unique exhibit will be up for viewing from 11:00-3:00 pm in the Chapel at the Church Center for the United Nations. May 8th is the second day of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the theme of which is the Doctrine of Discovery. The exhibit organizers have reached out through their global faith-based networks for stories and images from local communities affected by mining operations. If you are in New York on May 8th, please attend!

Goals of the exhibit include:

Bearing witness to the suffering of the Earth and its peoples as a consequence of extractive industry abuses;
Underscoring the necessity of industry standards in preventing mining abuses; and
Revealing the courageous resistance of peoples all over the world to inadequate extractive industry standards.

At 2:30, there will be a special 15 minute commemoration of those who have been murdered around the world as a result due to their community resistance against the consequences of extractive industry on their communities.

Event details (Download PDF)

Banks Targeted in Divestment Campaign and by Faith-Based Shareholder Activism

christina — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:32:28 +0000

Churches and faith-based shareholders alike have been taking action against big banks that have failed to respond to the plight of homeowners and others seriously affected by the financial crisis. The Missionary Oblates have been actively engaging the big banks and financial institutions in an effort to deal with some of the underlying problems that have caused so much pain to so many.

Recently, members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) facilitated the participation of VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement) in the Detroit AGM of GE Capital. VOICE is a faith-based community organization representing people who have lost their homes or whose houses are threatened by the on-going foreclosure crisis. GE Capital holds some of these mortgages and has been resistant to negotiation of the mortgage terms.

A recent article in Catholic News Service looks at the growing divestment campaign and some of the other activities of church groups vis a vis the big banks.

Angry Homeowners, Community Groups Protested at Wells Fargo AGM

christina — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 03:25:01 +0000

Thousands of angry homeowners, immigrants, union members, Occupiers and community groups converged on the annual shareholders meeting of Wells Fargo Bank. In a carefully choreographed protest, simultaneous marches left Justin Herman Plaza on the city’s waterfront, site of the Occupy San Francisco encampment last fall. Demonstrators walked up parallel streets into the financial district, where they encircled the block in which the meeting was set to take place, in the Julia Morgan ballroom of the Merchant’s Exchange Building.

A group of religious, union and community representatives had purchased shares of stock in the bank beforehand, supposedly allowing them to attend the shareholders meeting. Some even held proxies, allowing them to vote the stock belonging to others. As the rally swirled outside, and speeches and songs filled the streets now vacant of their normal traffic, the police closed off the building and refused to let the shareholders inside:

Wells Fargo blocked over a hundred legitimate shareholders from entering the meeting, saying that the room had reached maximum capacity. About 20 shareholders inside took turns interrupting the CEO while he tried to give his speech. They were escorted out of the meeting. The meeting ended in 37 minutes (compared to 2.5 hours in previous years), with not a single question, largely due to the turmoil both outside and inside the meeting and the fact that Wells packed the room with their own employees.

While the media coverage portrayed the events as part of the Occupy movement, PICO groups in the Bay Area, SEIU, NPA, ACCE, AJS, NBL and other organizing groups provided the core leadership for the event.