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Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI, Moderates Sustainable Banking Rountable at Oblate School of Theology April 7th, 2016

From L to R: Josh Inner, CEO ICCR, Anna Falkenberg, ED SRIC, Rev Seamus P. Finn OMI OIP Trust, Vincent Siciliano, CEO New Resource Bank, Laurie Spengler, President & CEO Enclude, Darrin L. Williams, CEO Southern Bancorp, Jan Pierce, Enclude

On April 6 the OIP Trust www.oiptrust.org joined with the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility www.ICCR.org , the Socially Responsible Investing Coalition of San Antonio www.SRIC-south.org and the Global Alliance for Banking on Values www.gabv.org to sponsor a roundtable on Sustainable Banking. The event was moderated by Rev. Seamus Finn, OMI, and took place at the Whitley Theological Center at Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX.

The roundtable brought together local bankers, faith consistent investors, academics and asset managers. The panelists helped to identify and demonstrate models of sustainable banking that are consistent with the kinds of banks that Pope Francis continues to call for as he calls the global community to the creation of a Capitalism 2.0 that offers needed services to all especially the poor and marginalized and places a much higher priority on “care for our common home”.

Sri Lankan Oblates Join Protest Against Chinese-funded Port City Project April 6th, 2016

The staff of the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR) together with hundreds of people, including priests, environmental activists, civil organizations and fishermen, protested in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on Monday (April 4th ), demanding the government to halt a $1.5 billion Chinese-funded Port City Project.

Read news report here:
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/sri-lankan-protest-chinese-funded-port-city-project-38133998

Happy Easter 2016! March 25th, 2016

HAPPY EASTER 2016!

Happy World Water Day 2016! March 22nd, 2016

Happy World Water Day 2016!: Better Water, Better Jobs

2016 Theme: Better Water, Better Jobs

In 1993 the UN General Assembly designated March 22 as World Water Day. Water is a critical global resource for human development. Yet not all populations, even within the same country, have equal access. In the U.S. Flint, Michigan is one recent example. The theme for this year’s observance is: “Better Water, Better Jobs.” It is a call for us to “recognize and support people and jobs whose work with water helps us all.”

Here are some alarming facts about water from Water.org:

1.8 billion people around the world lack access to safe water.
The incidence of children suffering from stunting and chronic malnutrition — at least 160 million — is linked to water and sanitation.
More than 840,000 people die from a water-related disease each year, including diarrhea caused by bad drinking water, hygiene and sanitation.
Eighty-two percent of people who don’t have access to “improved” water live in rural areas.
More than one-third of people worldwide lack access to a toilet, more than the number of people who have a mobile phone.
Every 90 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease.
The amount of safe water could drop by 40 percent in 15 years if people do not change the way they use water.

Read more about World Water Day 2016 and articles on Flint, MI from the Interfaith Council For Corporate Responsibility: http://www.iccr.org/world-water-day-2016

Visit the United Nation’s website to read more about events marking this observance: http://www.un.org/en/events/waterday/

JPIC Lenten Mission Workshops held at Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville, Texas March 21st, 2016

Fr. Antonio Ponce, OMI, Oblate JPIC Director led a Lenten Mission event from Sunday, March 13 to Saturday, March 19 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Brownsville, TX with the theme: Lent, an opportunity to learn, reflect and live the year of Year of Mercy. The events included days of reflection, preaching at several masses on Sunday, and concluding on Saturday with a procession carrying the statue of patron Saint, Joseph the worker.

Thanks to the bishop of Brownsville, the director of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and parishioners for their hospitality. This event is part of an ongoing JPIC office initiative to conduct outreach and animation at Oblate parishes.