OMI logo
News
Translate this page:

Recent News

News Feed

News Archives


Latest Video & Audio

More video & audio >

News Archives » News


Slavery & Human Trafficking Prevention Month: Join the Fight! January 11th, 2022

 
 
There are an estimated 40 million victims of human trafficking and slavery today. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and occurs when a trafficker uses force, fraud or coercion to control another person for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or soliciting labor or services against his/her will.
 
Take time to learn more, then take action throughout the month of January, designated in the U.S. as national slavery & human trafficking prevention month.
 
Helpful resources
 
Download this toolkit compiled by the US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (USCSAHT) for education & action resources: https://bit.ly/33r5OwI

Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange created a reflection and prayer calendar that can be downloaded in both English and Spanish at this link: http://csjorange.org/ministries/justice-center/resources.

About U. S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking 
 
U. S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (USCSAHT) envisions a world without slavery with a network of services and resources to inform the public, prevent the crime and assist survivors to achieve a fulfilling life.
 
 

La Vista Ecological Learning Center Launches an Exploration of Laudato Si through Field Trips January 6th, 2022

By Sister Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, La Vista Ecological Learning Center 

OMI Novices and Sister Maxine are finding concepts in Laudato Si come alive through field trips in the Godfrey area. In the encyclical Pope Francis calls us to “become painfully awareto dare to turn what is happening to the world into our own personal suffering and thus to discover what each of us can do about it.” That is our goal, and our first field trip explored chapter one, “What Is Happening to Our Common Home,” focusing on pollution, waste, and the throwaway culture.

We began by driving across the river in order to pass close to the coal-fired Sioux Power Plant which generates our electricity, and which is visible from the Novitiate.  With our own eyes we saw pollution spewing out of the stack, 3 million tons of coal ash, and ponds of polluted wastewater. The encyclical states, “Each year hundreds of millions of waste are generated, much of it non-biodegradable, highly toxic and radioactive,… from industrial sources. The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”  Seeing this up close was a sobering experience and helped us understand why fossil fuels need to be replaced with clean, renewable energy if we are to counter pollution and toxic waste.

Read the full article at OMIUSA.org.


Wishing You a Blessed Christmas! December 22nd, 2021

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, মেরি ক্রিসমাস!!

And wishing you a prosperous New Year.


Ask Congress to extend the expanded Child Tax Credit to support families and fight child poverty! December 17th, 2021

Photo Courtesy of Pexels, Karolina-grabowska

This month, an estimated 35 million families will receive a monthly Child Tax Credit payment to help make ends meet. This will be the last monthly payment unless Congress acts to maintain the expanded Child Tax Credit. The expanded credit has been an extremely effective anti-poverty program, lifting 3.8 million children above the poverty line. If the expanded credit expires, the amount of help families receive will shrink, monthly payments will end, roughly one-third of households will no longer be eligible to receive the full credit because their incomes are too low, and the lowest-income families will be cut off from the credit all together. 

Urge Congress to extend the expanded Child Tax Credit so families have continued access to needed monthly support.

TAKE ACTION NOW


2021 Advent is Here! November 29th, 2021

(Photo courtesy of Monicore, Pixabay)


This Advent join in prayer with us as we give attention to caring for Earth, our common home; empowering our youth to serve; the plight of migrants and refugees; and protecting the gift of human life.
 
A big thank you to our Missionary Oblates and JPIC Committee members for developing these reflections. A SPECIAL thank you also to Lester Antonio Zapata for providing Spanish translation.
 
Nov. 28 Week 1: Called to Care for Creation, contributed by: Sr. Maxine Pohlman, SSND, Director, Oblate Ecological Initiative.
 
Semana de Adviento 1: Llamados a cuidar, Haga clic aquí para descargar la versión en español

Dec. 4 WEEK 2:  Click link to download They Give All They Have: Young Adults Called to Serve, contributed  by: Fr. Ray Cook, OMI

Semana de Adviento 2: Ellos dan todo lo que tienen: los jóvenes adultos son llamados a servir, contribuido por: Fr. Ray Cook, OMI

Dec. 12 WEEK 3: Click link to download: Called to Welcome Immigrants, Welcoming Hope, contributed  by: Dr. Victor Carmona, University of San Diego

Semana de Adviento 3: Acogiendo a los Inmigrantes, Acogiendo la Esperanza

Dec. 19 WEEK 4: Click link to download: Called to Celebrate and Protect Life, contributed by: JPIC Staff & Collaborators

Semana de Adviento 4: Haga clic aquí para descargar la versión en español: Llamados a celebrar y proteger la vida

 
 

Return to Top