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Focus on Hunger this World Food Day: October 24 October 10th, 2012
October 21: Bread for the World Sunday
Bread for the World Sunday is an opportunity to engage your congregation in God’s work to end hunger. Through education, prayer, and worship, congregations commit themselves to the fight against hunger and poverty in our country and around the world. Visit Bread for the World for free resources, from Sermon starters and prayers to Hunger Facts.
October 24: Food Day
Food Day is a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. The idea is to focus on issues as varied as health and nutrition, hunger, agricultural policy, animal welfare, and farm worker justice.
The ultimate goal of Food Day is to strengthen and unify the food movement in order to improve our nation’s food policies. You can join this push for a stronger, more united food movement by signing up to organize or attend Food Day events in your community.
Use the National Catholic Rural Coalition’s Faith-Based Study Guide on Poverty and Hunger
In addition, the educational and media campaign, “Food MythBusters: The Real Story About What We Eat” is being launched on Food Day, October 24th. Food MythBusters plans to harness social media and the power of word-of-mouth to reach millions and advocate for a more fair, healthy, and sustainable food system. Check out their video debunking the myth that we need industrial agriculture to feed the world.
Thanks to NCRLC for the information in this post. Please visit their website at www.ncrlc.com/
USCCB Launches Respect Life Program for 2012-2013 October 9th, 2012
The United States Catholics Bishops Conference (USCCB) program has launched their 2012-2013 “Respect Life Program”. The Bishops are inviting Catholics to renew their personal commitment to defend all human life, especially for the most vulnerable members of the human family.
“By our unflinching defense of human life and religious freedom, by our witness to the transcendent nature of the human person, and by our compassionate service to our brothers and sisters in need, may we spark a renewal of love and commitment to the true good of others,” said Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston.
This year’s theme is: “Faith Opens Our Eyes to Human Life In All Its Grandeur and Beauty”. October is designated each year as Respect Life Month by the U.S. Catholic Church. Liturgical resources and prayers may now be downloaded from: www.usccb.org/about/pro-life-activities/respect-life-program/index.cfm. These materials contain articles on timely topics in the cause for protecting human life and dignity.
Elections 2012 September 24th, 2012
The Justice and Peace Office of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) sent the following election materials for our consideration:
USCCB Faithful Citizenship Guide and resources
Core Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
CMSM JPIC urges us to consider which party more consistently upholds the fuller range of Catholic Social Teaching as we seek to promote the Common Good and Reign of God:
- Libertarian: Platform and Principles
- Republican: Platform and Romney on Issues
- Democrat: Platform and Obama on Issues
- Green: Platform and Ten Key Values
They also provided this link to encourage the Republicans, Democrats, and television networks to open the debates to other candidates.
Ask Congress to Help Stop Human Trafficking September 7th, 2012
Many things we use routinely – like our food and clothes – are too often tainted by slavery’s footprint. A new bill in Congress wants to change this.
The “Business Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act” (H.R. 2759) would require companies with at least $100 million in income to publicize the measures they are taking to combat this kind of slavery in their supply chains. Although the bill doesn’t require organizations to take action against slavery, it opens the door for competition to improve standards and practices by making the public aware of which companies are taking action to combat slavery – and which ones are not. Rather than subject businesses to confusing and often conflicting state laws, H.R. 2759 would establish clear requirements that would apply equally to companies across the country.
Supply Chain legislation was passed last year in California, and is having an effect as companies comply with the law. Supply chains are important; this is where most of the labor used to create a product is to be found.
Three other important bills to reduce human trafficking are also in need of support:
- Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
- Strengthening the Child Welfare Response to Human Trafficking Act
- End Human Trafficking in Government Contracting
Support the Robin Hood Tax August 7th, 2012
A small tax on Wall Street that could transform Main Street
The “Robin Hood” Tax – a small tax on financial transactions – has the power to raise hundreds of billions every year to provide funding for jobs to kickstart the economy and to get America back on its feet. It could help save the social safety net in the US and around the world.
As proponents say: Not complicated. Just brilliant.
The tax would have the added benefit of slowing down the destructive computerized high frequency trading that doesn’t add value to the real economy, but rather undermines the stability of the financial system. High frequency trading has the potential to cause havoc in markets for commodities like wheat and gasoline, which are central to our economies and the lives and well being of hundreds of millions of people.
A tax of less than a half of one percent could raise hundreds of billions of dollars a year. We pay sales taxes, while Wall Street pays nothing.
Support the Robin Hood tax. Show your support here…
