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November 19 is World Day of the Poor: Love not in word, but in deed November 16th, 2017
“It would be a day to help communities and each of the baptized to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel and that, as long as Lazarus lies at the door of our homes (cf. Lk 16:19-21), there can be no justice or social peace. This day will also represent a genuine form of New Evangelization (cf. Mt 11:5) which can renew the face of the Church as she perseveres in her perennial activity of pastoral conversion and witness to mercy.”
— Pope Francis in his November 2016 apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera, closing the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy.
The Church will celebrate the first World Day of the Poor on November 19, 2017, with the theme
“Love not in word, but in deed.” It is a call for the Church to advocate and pray for those in poverty. This year’s observance is exactly one year after the close of the Jubilee of Mercy. The World Day of the Poor was announced in Pope Francis’s closing letter for the Jubilee of Mercy. It will be celebrated in Rome and various dioceses and parishes around the world.
Read the message of His Holiness Pope Francis.
TAKE ACTION:
- The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops created a pastoral aid that includes a homily resource reflecting on the Sunday readings and Pope Francis’ message. It also includes Prayer of the Faithful, a sample bulletin announcement, parish activity ideas, and more.
Download the resource in English
Download the resource in Spanish
- Download Catholic Relief Services World Day of the Poor resources for prayer and liturgy.
- Visit the Pontifical Council’s website for more information on the day’s events.
Diverse Faith Groups Urge Passage of the Dream Act of 2017 November 14th, 2017
Members of the Washington Interfaith Staff Community (WISC) recently embarked on a letter-writing campaign as part of Praying With Dreamers week. Over 40 national faith-based organizations wrote letters to Members of Congress on behalf of their congregations and in support of the Dream Act of 2017 (S. 1615/H.R. 3440). The Dream Act of 2017 will protect about 800,000 young undocumented immigrants brought here as children from being deported. These young people had been protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program set up by President Obama in 2012. The Trump Administration announced in September 2017 it will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA).
Fifty letters were sent to Members of Congress (10 per day) between Oct 29-Nov 3, 2017. Click here to read OMI JPIC’s letter.
OMI JPIC General Service Committee Convenes in Rome, Italy November 14th, 2017
From November 9-14, 2017, the OMI JPIC General Service Committee met in Rome for their annual session. Present at this meeting were: Ramon Bernabe, OMI, 2nd General Assistant, Alerto Huaman, OMI, General Councillor for Latin America, Louis Lougen, OMI, Superior General, Guillaume Muthuna, OMI, General Councillor Zimbabwe/Region of Africa-Madagascar, Peter Subagyo, OMI General Councillor, Mediterranean-Europe Region, Cristobal Acosta, OMI, JPIC Animator for Latin America, Elphas Khoza, OMI, Zimbabwe/Region of Africa-Madagascar, Daniel Leblanc, OMI, United Nations, Sergio Natoli, OMI, JPIC Animator for Mediterranean/Europe Region, Antonio Ponce, OMI, JPIC Animator US-Canada Region, Ashok Stephen, OMI, JPIC Regional Animator Colombo/Region of Asia-Oceania.
Fr Séamus Finn and ICCR members attend Faith and Finance Conference in Zug, Switzerland November 2nd, 2017
Fr Séamus Finn OMI, chair of the board of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, recently addressed the Faith and Finance Conference, hosted at the LaSalle Haus in Zug, Switzerland. In his remarks, Fr Séamus talked briefly about the origins of ICCR more than 45 years ago and the historic legacy that the organization, through its more than 300 faith-based institutional investors, have achieved through a strategy of consistent substantive engagement with publicly traded corporations.
This engagement strategy is rooted in the rights and responsibilities that all investors assume when they invest in corporations, informed through the extensive networks that faith traditions have throughout the world and guided by the moral and ethical principles that are grounded in the teachings of their respective traditions. Over the past 45 years, ICCR members and colleagues have been at the forefront of drawing attention to the consequences of many destructive and dangerous products and abusive policies and been successful in recalling corporations to their social purpose, providing avenues for advocacy and redress to victims, and awakening the conscience of other shareholders.
The conference in Zug was a unique opportunity to share this story with representatives of many faith institutions and organizations from diverse traditions around the world and to discuss avenues for increased strategic collaboration.
Take Action & Pray with Dreamers this Week: October 29-November 4 October 31st, 2017
A Week of Prayer and Action with Dreamers – October 29 to November 4, 2017 – is underway to build support and elevate the moral voice in support of the DREAM Act of 2017 (S.1615 and H.R. 3440) in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Dreamers are recipients of the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. They are young people who came to the United States before the age of 16 and are currently in school, a graduate of high school or equivalent.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition has created a Dream Sabbath Toolkit to highlight Dreamer’s stories and resources for advocacy, worship services, educational events, and vigils.
Join faith communities to mark DREAMER’S SABBATH Week and Urge Your Member of Congress to Enact DREAM ACT 2017.
Visit links to Take Action and find more resources on how to support young migrants:
