Latest OMI JPIC News

Houston Oblates Cope and Minister in Hurricane Aftermath August 30th, 2017

Originally published at www.OMIUSA.org

By Will Shaw and Mike Viola, Compiled from reports by Oblate Fathers Sal De George and Ray Cook, Photos by Fr. Ray Cook

Fr. Sal De George, OMI, recently named Superior for the Houston Oblate community, spoke with us by telephone on Monday, August 28^th with an update on the situation facing the Oblates and their constituents in Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

The oblates he says, are located southeast of downtown very near the Buffalo Bayou. Fr. De George is at Immaculate Conception Parish along with Oblate Fathers David Uribe and Henry Walker. About a mile away at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, are Fathers Ray Cook, Gene Cañas and Tim Paulson. Fr. Sal reports that both parishes, rectories, residences and the Oblate Currsillo Center are un-damaged so far, but as weather forecasters are predicting another 15-25 inches of rain by Friday, they are hardly “out of the woods” as yet.

Read the full article at omiusa.org.

The Cry of the Earth is the Cry of the Poor, The New Faces of Poverty August 28th, 2017

When: Wednesday, August 30, 9am-4pm

Where: St. Paul University, Ottawa, CANADA, http://ustpaul.ca/

Watch Live: https://ustpaul.adobeconnect.com/jpic

Frs. Antonio Ponce and Daniel Ziegler Support Dream Campaign Vigil at White House August 28th, 2017

Two critical programs – the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protective Status (TPS) are in danger. DACA is under imminent threat of lawsuit by TX Attorney General along with nine states and TPS is facing threat of cancellation by the Trump Administration.

DACA provides eligible immigrant youth the chance to live, study, and work without fear of deportation for a temporary period. Nearly 800,000 young people are currently pursuing their hopes and American dreams, freed from constant fear of getting torn from their families by immigration enforcement, thanks to DACA protection. Similarly, Temporary Protective Status (TPS) has opened hundreds of thousands of opportunities to approximately 400,000 people.

Fr. Antonio Ponce (far left) and Fr. Daniel Ziegler (back row, far right)

Beginning August 15, the Franciscan Action Network (FAN)and other groups initiated a vigil in front of the White House with supporters rotating shifts daily. The vigil is aimed at bringing together immigrants, their families and friends, and supporters to fight for youth and their futures.

Work of OIP Investment Trust Cited in The Economist Magazine August 23rd, 2017

The OIP Investment Trust was mentioned in a piece on impact investing from last week’s Economist magazine. “It is a pretty unusual place for the Oblate missionary presence to get attention,” says Fr. Séamus Finn, OMI, Chief of Faith Consistent Investment.“It does however demonstrate, I would argue, that the innovative vision of the founders of the OIP some 25 years ago is bearing fruit and at the forefront of developing new ideas, avenues and strategies for bringing the Good News to this essential sector of society.”