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‘Ten days for Peace’ – August 6 – 15, 2013 August 11th, 2013
We would like to share the following, which was sent to the US JPIC Office by Fr. Bradly Rozairo, OMI:
Inspired by the peace message delivered by Blessed John Paul II in Hiroshima in 1981, the Church in Japan has designated 10 days between Hiroshima memorial day (Aug. 6) to the memorial day of the end of WWII which is 15th August as a special period of prayer for peace. This period also includes the memorial day of Nagasaki (Aug. 9).
‘Ten days for Peace’ gives an opportunity to Christians to organize various peace programs. People from different parts of Japan and also from abroad come together not only to remember and pray for the war dead, but also to listen to the war experiences of the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
This week I was in Hiroshima to attend some of the peace events. At the Peace Memorial Church in Hiroshima, a well organized Mass for Peace, was celebrated by Bishop Maeda of Hiroshima. The distinguished guests were the Nuncio of Japan Archbishop Joseph Chennoth and Cardinal Turkson who heads the Pontifical Council for Justice & Peace. The Eucharistic celebration was well attended by the Bishops, priests, nuns, Catholics and Christians of different denominations.
At the Peace Memorial Park, it was interesting to talk and listen to some children and adults, who braved the heat to sing, talk, dance and pray for peace. Just to be in the crowd and allow oneself to be bathed in that whole atmosphere in itself is an experience. The smell of incense, the sound of the gong and the offering of flowers make you think of the unforgettable past, remembered here the present while praying for a better future.
For Nuns and Analysts Alike, Bank Commodity Earnings are a Mystery August 11th, 2013
The Oblates are concerned about the lack of disclosure by banks of their commodities market activities. Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI dialogs on behalf of the Oblates with major financial institutions like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase. He was quoted extensively in a Chicago Tribune article that does a good job of describing the issue. (Read the article)
“Driven by a determination to invest in a socially conscious way, Finn’s group has been concerned about banks’ commodities activities since 2008, when a spike in energy and agricultural products caused food riots in Africa. The issue is whether banks’ trading activities artificially drive up food prices. … While the country’s largest banks are required to disclose their activities in some consumer-facing businesses such as mortgages, there is no similar requirement for them to do so on the commodities side.”
Diverse Coalition Calls for Transparency as the Senate Undertakes Comprehensive Tax Reform July 26th, 2013
The Missionary Oblates joined a diverse group of civil society organizations concerned about reports that Senate correspondence on comprehensive tax reform would be kept secret for 50 years. The groups called for greater transparency in the Senate deliberations, arguing in a letter sent to Senate Finance Committee leaders, that “transparency is essential for your final product to have credibility with the public…. Taxpayers across the United States have a right to know what their elected officials are advocating and what their justification is. We strongly urge you to reconsider this approach that smacks of backroom deals. The House Ways & Means Committee urged lawmakers and outside interests to submit their priorities and made them public. We urge a similar approach.”
Faith-Based Investors Urging Bold Action with Companies on Climate Change July 26th, 2013
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) recently released a white paper on engagement with the energy sector to address the serious risks posed by rapidly rising levels of CO² in the atmosphere. The paper is, in large part, a response to the fossil fuel divestment campaign coordinated by 350.org, and serves to lay out a range of responses open to concerned investors in response to the looming climate crisis.
Read: Insights for Investors Working for Bolder Intervention on Climate Change
Alaskan Bishops Enable Young People To Attend World Youth Day July 23rd, 2013
Alaskan youth faced with the possibility of losing a long-planned trip to World Youth Day were rescued by the three Alaskan Bishops, one of whom is an Oblate. The youth had worked hard to save for the trip, but their travel deposits – amounting to some $180,000, were lost due to the bankruptcy of the travel agency making their arrangements. The Most Rev. Roger L. Schwietz, OMI, ArchBishop of Anchorage, Bishop Edward Burns of Juneau and Bishop Donald Kettler of Fairbanks stepped in to raise the money needed for the youth to experience the event with Pope Francis.
