News Archives » North America
Seamus Finn, OMI and Faith Consistent Investing Profiled in the Huffington Post May 27th, 2010
Fr. Seamus Finn, Director of the Oblate JPIC Office, along with three other ICCR members, will soon appear on The Daily Show, highlighting their work on banking and financial sector reform. Read this fine profile on Fr. Seamus in the Huffington Post written by Katherine Marshall, Senior Fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University: Mission Improbable: Priests on Wall Street.
Senate Financial Reform Bill Passes the Senate May 26th, 2010
Despite huge opposition from the big Wall Street banks, the financial reform bill passed in the Senate on May 20th. This is an important step in reining in the casino economy and in creating a banking system that serves Main Street, not just Wall Street.
Here’s what the Senate bill will do if made law:
- Create a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB will be a watchdog for consumers to protect them from questionable mortgages and credit card deals.
- End the casino economy bring the $600 trillion derivatives market into the light of day with the advent of exchange trading (transparency) and capital requirements (insuring accountability).
Read more about the bill on the website of Americans for Financial Reform.
The next step in the legislative process is the House and Senate conference committee which will hammer out the differences between the two bills. (Read about the House version here.) Once the committee agrees on a bill, it must be passed by a majority in the House and by 60 votes in the Senate.
Stop Trafficking! May 26th, 2010
The May issue of the newsletter Stop Trafficking is available.
The Stop Trafficking newsletter, hosted by the STOP ENSLAVEMENT web domain, serves as a forum for exchange among religious congregations and their collaborating organizations:
- to promote awareness re: human trafficking;
- to exchange best practices in advocacy for and empowerment of survivors of human trafficking;
- to recommend actions to counter human trafficking.
More information on human trafficking is available on the Sisters of the Divine Savior website…
Also, for a full list of resources, visit our web page on Human Trafficking
May 21 – 29 Week for Oblate Novena of Prayers: A Call of Solidarity for Immigration Reform May 21st, 2010
From May 21st to May 29th, Missionary Oblate communities and parishes around the world are encouraged to participate in actions of prayer and reflection for vocations to Oblate life and mission. May 21 is the Feast of St. Eugene and May 29 is the anniversary of Blessed Joseph Gerard, the Oblate Missionary who worked in Lesotho. These nine days bring oblates, associates, parishioners, mission partners and friends together in prayer and reflection on oblate life and mission.
As an addition to the Oblate JPIC immigration advocacy work and several prayer vigils for immigration reform across the United States, this week of prayers provides an opportunity to engage in prayer of solidarity for those living on the margins of society. Especially vulnerable are the millions of immigrants who live in constant fear of deportation and family separation due to their immigration status.
Click here to read more »
USCCB Launches Campus Website for College Students May 18th, 2010
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and collaborating organizations are pleased to announce a new Catholic social teaching web site for campus ministers and students. The name of the new website is “Transforming Our World: Our Catholic Faith in Action” and features Catholic social teaching, prayer resources, tools for action, and multi-media such as videos and podcasts.
The site is an online clearinghouse featuring “best practices” to promote Catholic social teaching in campus ministry.Campus ministers, students, and others are invited to submit their best practices and activities for possible feature on the web site. Content will continue to be added to the site as it is received and reviewed. Potential contributors can visit www.usccb.org/campus to make a submission.
Thanks to one of our partners, National Catholic Rural Life Coalition for this information. For more on NCRLC, go to their website: www.ncrlc.com/
