News Archives » North America
Faith Groups Work to Prevent Human Trafficking During the 2010 World Cup Events in South Africa May 7th, 2010
The Oblate JPIC Office is working in solidarity with the efforts of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (Church on the Ball), and local initiatives by the Leaders of Consecrated Religious Life (SA) and the South African Council of Churches to counter human trafficking in South Africa during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
For multinational corporations who are long time sponsors of the FIFA World Cup, this event could be an opportunity to move beyond the usual sponsorship efforts of selling brands and expanding their markets. Official corporate sponsors of the FIFA World Cup are being asked to use the occasion of the World Cup 2010 to be part of the solution to eliminate human trafficking.
Christian Brothers Investment Services has initiated a shareholder advocacy campaign, supported by the Oblate JPIC Office, to engage multinational corporations on the issue of human trafficking during the 2010 Soccer World Cup events in South Africa.
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Senate Democrats Unveil Immigration Reform Proposal April 30th, 2010
On April 29, 2010, Senate Democrats in the United States Congress released their immigration-reform proposal – Real Enforcement with Practical Answers for Immigration Reform” (REPAIR) Act to repair the broken immigration system.
Highlights of the proposal include:
- registration and an acceptance of responsibility program for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. a path to “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” status
- immediate green cards for foreign students who have obtained an advanced degree from a U.S. academic institution of higher education in particular fields and who have an offer of employment from a U.S. employer.
The REPAIR act also has provisions for Detention standards and protections; and includes DREAM ACT and AGJOBS legislation.
The Missionary Oblates JPIC office welcome the introduction of this proposal — The Real Enforcement with Practical Answers for Immigration Reform (REPAIR) which was announced by Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). The REPAIR proposal provides a legislative opportunity for Members of Congress to come together and enact a lasting solution to the problem of undocumented immigrants that continues to affect millions of families and communities every day.
The REPAIR proposal is an important first attempt to fix the broken immigration system in the United States and will be the focus of much debate in the coming months. Comprehensive Immigration reform can no longer wait. The status quo is badly broken and needs immediate repair.
Fr. Seamus Finn Speaks at Socially Responsible Investment Coalition April 29th, 2010
On April 28, Fr. Seamus Finn was a panelist at the annual Socially Responsible Investments Coalition Annual Event held at the Oblate Grotto Ministries Center in San Antonio, Texas. The discussion panel on current events was titled “Care, Climate and Cash.” It included Alyssa Burgin, founder of the Texas Drought Project, who spoke about specific consequences of climate change in Texas and around the world, as well as Donna Meyer of CHRISTUS Health who spoke about the recently passed health care bill.
Fr. Seamus spoke of the progress made recently by ICCR in pressing for socially responsible investment policies with corporations. He highlighted the much-higher-than expected 39 percent vote at Bank of America earlier in the day in support of the religious shareholders’ proxy resolution on derivatives filed by the Missionary Oblates. The Resolution calls for greater disclosure on derivatives trading on Wall Street. This surprising response from Bank of America shareholders and those of Citicorp, where a strong vote of support was also registered for a similar Resolution led to invitations from EWTN and the Daily Show. (Learn more)
Fr. Seamus also talked about responsible investment in the light of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Caritas in Veritate”. As most of the 100 plus members of the audience were members of Catholic religious orders and church activists, the articulation of the moral, spiritual foundation of work for financial reform and other socially responsible investment work was much appreciated. Fr. Seamus ended with a plea to broaden our thinking and awareness so we see that actions taken in the world of finances and investments have implications not only for people in the United States, but consequences for the entire world.
Thanks to Patti Radle who supplied the material for this report.
Strong 39% Vote at Bank of America for Religious Shareholders’ Proxy Resolution Maintains Growing Pressure for More Derivatives Disclosure on Wall Street April 28th, 2010
Vote at BofA’s Annual Meeting Comes on Heels of 30 Percent Support at Citigroup on Same Resolution; More Disclosure Vital at BofA Given How Mishandling of CDOs Tripped Up BofA’s Merrill Lynch.
In the second major 2010 shareholder vote urging more derivatives disclosure, a much higher-than-expected 39 percent of Bank of America (BofA) shares were cast today in support of a resolution sponsored by faith-based institutional investors belonging to the 300-member Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR). The BofA shareholder vote took place as Congress debates the fate of financial regulatory reform, including increased derivatives disclosure.
The Bank of America shareholder vote improves on a 30 percent support level for the same proxy resolution at Citigroup on April 20, 2010. The ICCR member-sponsored resolution gave Bank of America shareholders an opportunity, as it did at Citigroup, to express their concerns about the lack of transparency in the derivatives market that contributed significantly to the financial crisis.
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May Day: Marching for Immigration Reform and Standing Against Arizona Law SB1070 April 27th, 2010
On May 1, people in communities all over the world will commemorate International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day. For Catholics, it is the feast of feast of St. Joseph the Worker which was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955, dedicated to honor the dignity of all workers and labor.
Tens of thousands of immigrants, faith leaders, labor groups, community business leaders and immigrant rights groups will once again hold major demonstrations from coast to coast in the US in support of comprehensive immigration reform. The US Catholic Bishops’ Justice for Immigrants program has dedicated the weekend of May 1-2 as a time of prayer for immigrants.
The theme for the May Day March and Rally is to demand action from Congress and the Obama Administration on the following:
- Immigration Reform legislation in 2010 for workers, families and youth,
- A stop to the deportations and family separations
- Protection of workers’ rights and good jobs for all
You can show your support by finding a local march in which to participate.
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