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Obama Administration Says No to Vulture Funds July 7th, 2013
Last week, Jubilee’s Executive Committee wrote President Obama to thank him and his Administration for their efforts to stop vulture funds that profit from exploiting poor people. The Reverend Séamus Finn, OMI, a Jubilee USA Board Executive Officer, signed on to the letter, representing the Oblates. The Justice Department filed an Amicus or friend-of-the-court brief in the current legal proceedings of hedge fund NML Capital versus Argentina. The outcome of this vulture fund case will have far reaching impacts on global poverty.
Read the letter to President Obama and join Jubilee USA in thanking the President: sign the thank-you petition to President Obama. Judges in the US 2nd Circuit Court will soon announce a ruling. Days ago, Argentina filed a preemptive appeal to the US Supreme Court to reverse the ruling to pay the vulture funds.
Jubilee USA’s views on this case have been covered extensively in the mainstream media. To fully understand the case and its repercussions on global poverty, read the story that featured Jubilee USA in the Los Angeles Times. Recently in The Financial Times, Jubilee USA called these rich hedge funds what they are, “morally bankrupt.”
We hope you will join us in thanking President Obama for standing up to vulture funds. Please visit the Jubilee USA website for more information on this important issue. Read the letter (download PDF)…
Oblate JPIC Office Intern arrives in Washington from San Antonio June 29th, 2013
The Oblate JPIC office is proud to welcome our newest intern, Erin Chase. He will be focusing on human rights and social media use for justice. Here is a brief bio:
Erin Chase: Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Erin graduated from Saint Anthony Catholic High School where he first encountered the Oblates. He was very active in St. Anthony during his time there. In the Young Oblate’s club, he worked with Oblate brothers and fellow peers to organize monthly community gatherings with the homeless. He also served on the music and organizational teams for the students’ home-designed SALVE Retreat, which stands for Service and Action, Love, Vocation, and Evangelization. It’s a 3-4 day, student-designed retreat. Additionally he served on the team for the local ACTS retreats. While in high school, Erin became an Eagle Scout, and received the Junior Oblate Cross and the Archbishop’s Medallion for his commitment to service and Catholic devotion. He is currently a rising junior at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he is majoring in Religious Studies.
Erin is involved in a number of faith-based activities at Wesleyan. During his freshman year, he revived the Catholic Student Organization, which provides educational and spiritual opportunities for faith development on campus. The group, which works in an interfaith context, tries to engage students of any or no faith. Erin continues to lead this community, and, in addition, directs the Catholic liturgical choir. Other initiatives in which he is involved include Shining Hope for Communities, a grassroots organization combating generational poverty and gender bias in Nairobi, serving as an executive member in the Wesleyan chapter. Other involvements are with the outreach team at Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown, and with the Middlesex United Way, where he serves as the Special Projects Coordinator. In his spare time, Erin enjoys songwriting, coffee, and learning about social entrepreneurship. He hopes to utilize his skills and develop his understanding of social justice issues through working with the Missionary Oblates JPIC Office.
Reflections on Eradicating Poverty June 25th, 2013
Br. Terence Chota, OMI spent a few days in New York as part of his summer internship with the OMI JPIC Office. While being hosted by Fr. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI in New York, Terence attended a meeting of the UN NGO Subcommittee on Eradicating Poverty.
Here is his report and reflection on the meeting…. (Download PDF)
Armand Matthew, OMI – Requiescat in Pace June 24th, 2013
It is with sadness that we announce the death of a dedicated priest and colleague in the JPIC work: Fr. Armand Matthew, OMI. Fr. Armand passed away on Saturday at the age of 90.
In a statement provided by the University of Texas at Brownsville, where Mathew helped launch the Center for Civic Engagement in 2001, UTB President Juliet V. Garcia said, “Padre dedicated his life to being an advocate for social justice and challenged each of us to join him in the battle against indifference. He was humble and of kind heart; he had unlimited courage and stamina. He loved without limit and condition and taught us to try to live a life that made a difference in the lives of others. He lent us his courage and expected us to do the same for others. He never gave up on a cause he believed in, nor would he let us give up either. Knowing him we have known an angel among us.”
In his memory, we would like to share this video made for his 90th birthday:
Religious Leaders Press JP Morgan Chase to Reinvest in Virginia County Hit Hard by Foreclosures June 20th, 2013
Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI calls for investment in mortgage-devastated communities from JP Morgan Chase
Northern Virginia Religious leaders marched this morning to JP Morgan’s DC offices after the Bank refused to invest adequately in Prince William County, VA. The county was hard hit in the mortgage crisis, and the investment is needed to re-build the blighted communities.
Fr. Seamus Finn, OMI and the Oblates, as investors in the major banks, have been supportive of the community effort to deal with the mortgage crisis, through VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement). Fr. Finn spoke at the rally, calling on the JP Morgan Chase to make a meaningful investment in the community. Watch a video of the speech on YouTube.
VOICE leaders plan to meet with Federal Regulators in the next month to ask them to sanction the bank for predatory lending practices, and to investigate credit card robo-signings in Northern Virginia.
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