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2011 World Day of Peace December 20th, 2010
“Religious freedom, the path to peace” is the theme chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the 2011 World Day of Peace. The World Day of Peace has been celebrated since 1968 on the first day of every year.
“Religious freedom expresses what is unique about the human person, for it allows us to direct our personal and social life to God, in whose light the identity, meaning and purpose of the person are fully understood. To deny or arbitrarily restrict this freedom is to foster a reductive vision of the human person; to eclipse the public role of religion is to create a society which is unjust, inasmuch as it fails to take account of the true nature of the human person; it is to stifle the growth of the authentic and lasting peace of the whole human family.”
Read the Pope’s Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace.
Dream Act Fails to Pass December 18th, 2010
The Dream Act – a measure which would have granted legal recognition to hundreds of thousands of young people who have grown up in the U.S., but who lack citizenship – died in the Senate in a procedural vote on Saturday. The immigration bill, backed by broad interfaith support, obtained 55 votes in favor with 41 against, a tally nevertheless short of the 60 votes needed to bring it to the floor for debate. Five Democrats broke ranks to vote against the bill, while only three Republicans voted for it. The defeat in the Senate came after the House of Representatives passed the bill last week.
The defeat was a bitter pill for immigration advocates as well as for the Obama Administration which had pressed for the bill’s passage. Adherents of the measure vowed to continue working for its passage. The DREAM Act would allow young people to become legal U.S. residents after spending two years in college or the military.
Call on your Senators to support the DREAM Act December 16th, 2010
Last week the House of Representatives passed the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, also known as the DREAM Act. The Senate rescheduled the vote on the Dream Act for this week. The Dream Act would provide a clear legal pathway for undocumented immigrant youth – who have been raised in the United States and who will pursue higher education or serve in the military- to become U.S. citizens and live the American dream.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops praised the House of Representatives for passing the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act and urge Senators to pass the Dream Act, so that it can be signed into law by the President as soon as possible. The Catholic Bishops have spoken forcefully in support of the Dream Act and lobbied repeatedly for its passage.
In this last chance effort to pass the DREAM Act, Senators need to hear from you.
Click here to read more »
Human Rights Day Resource Available December 10th, 2010
The theme for Human Rights Day 10 December 2010 is human rights defenders who act to end discrimination.
Human rights defenders acting against discrimination, often at great personal risk to both themselves and their families, are being recognized and acclaimed on this day. VIVAT International has prepared a very useful resource for the occasion.
Urge Senators to Ratify the “New Start” Treaty December 8th, 2010
Pax Christi is asking members to Urge our Senators to approve the New START anti-nuclear treaty this year! As Catholics, we are motivated by our faith to protect people from indiscriminate and disproportionate weapons, including nuclear weapons.
Why is New Start so important?
• New START will reverse the US’s diminishing knowledge of Russian nuclear weapons. It has been almost a year since the expiration of the original START treaty, and since then there have been no inspections into either side’s nuclear arsenal. Under the new treaty, there will be 18 short-notice inspections each year.
• New START is a precursor to progress on additional weapons reductions. This includes reductions of tactical nuclear weapons, which are not covered by New START.
• Delaying New START will harm ongoing non-proliferation efforts. This treaty demonstrates our commitment to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. If the U.S. allows it to fail, we will lose momentum and the authority to lead on nuclear non-proliferation.
• Delaying New START will have a damaging impact on our relationship with Russia. This will affect a number of areas, including limiting Iran’s nuclear capabilities and supplying troops in Afghanistan. The Obama administration has worked to “reset” relations with Russia, and New START is a crucial component of that effort.
- Send your Senators an email
- Call your Senators via the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121
- Organize friends, family, neighbors, and community leaders to make their voices heard.
What is the Catholic Church saying about the treaty?
Click here to read more »
