News Archives » Social Justice
Two Human Rights Activists Killed in Mexico April 30th, 2010
In Mexico, two human rights activists have been shot dead in the state of Oaxaca. The victims have been identified as Beatriz Carino, director of the Mexican human rights group CACTUS, and Jyri Antero Jaakkola, a human rights observer from Finland. They were traveling as part of a international humanitarian convoy attempting to deliver aid to a town that’s been targeted by paramilitary blockades since the 2006 uprising against governor Ulises Ruiz.
Beatriz Carino was an important advocate for indigenous rights in Oaxaca. Learn more…
Oblate Presents at 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice April 29th, 2010
Br. Jose de Jesus Filho, OMI represented the Catholic Prison Ministry of Brazil in discussions at the 12th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Salvador, Brazil from 12-19 April, 2010.
Nearly all countries sent delegations to the Congress. The draft declaration will be finalized in May at the UNODC in Vienna, and presented to the 19th UN Commission on Crime Prevention.
In accordance with the Brazilian Government, the International Prison Ministry promoted an exhibition of paintings by prisoners from all over the world. The National Secretary of Justice Romeu Tuma Jr., along with the President of the International Commission on Prison Pastoral, Christian Kuhn, inaugurated the show with a nice reception. Prisoners were present also through a theater piece called “Bizzarro” promoted by the National Penitentiary Department.
The Prison Ministry was involved in discussion on many important issues, the most important of which were:
- Proposed conversion of existing Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners into a Convention; in other words what is today a soft-law will turn into a binding law;
- Proposal of UN Basic Principles for Pastoral Care in Prisons
- Proposal of Thailand for the Treatment of Women Arrested
The creation of a Convention met resistance from some countries like the United States and Canada, which do not welcome the idea of a new Convention. However, most countries in Latin America are in favor of the idea, because this would be an effort to improve the conditions of incarceration in these countries.
Read the full report on the Congress (Download PDF)
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.
Click here to read more »
US JPIC Committee, Oblate Students Attend JPIC, VIVAT and AFJN Meetings in Washington April 22nd, 2010
The US JPIC Committee and the JPIC staff met in Washington, DC from April 14 through the 15th to discuss the JPIC policies and priorities.
Nearly all of the Committee members were able to stay to attend 
a meeting on Friday and Saturday that introduced VIVAT International to North American members of the association. VIVAT is an advocacy effort at the United Nations. The Oblates are presently Associate 
Members , with Daniel LeBlanc, OMI working closely with the group.
Several Oblate students from Zambia then arrived on Friday for the weekend meeting of the Africa Faith and Justice 
Network.
OST Students Minister to the Homeless at Haven for Hope April 22nd, 2010
OST Students at Haven for Hope with Patti Radle, Oblate JPIC Committee member and Haven for Hope Board Vice-Chair
Students from the Oblate School of Theology are taking an active part in the spiritual services on the campus of the Haven for Hope, a non-profit, 22 acre campus in San Antonio, Texas with comprehensive services for the homeless.
On April 26th, after four years of planning and construction, the Haven for Hope will open its doors, hoping to serve as a national-model of opportunities for human transformation.
