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Bishop Duffy, Outspoken Advocate for the Poor: Requiem in Pacem August 26th, 2011
Bishop Paul Francis Duffy, OMI – an outspoken Oblate missionary and Zambian bishop whose social justice work brought him threats from government officials – died Tuesday in San Antonio.
Father Billy Morell, OMI said Bp. Duffy was known throughout Zambia for fearlessly advocating for the rights and freedoms of people in the country’s poorest areas.
In his 27 years there, Bp. Duffy was credited with helping establish Oblate Radio Liseli, the Mongu Diocese Development Center, three schools, a teachers college, a hospital and several home-based care projects, including one for people with HIV/AIDS.
“He was a major political voice for the poor in Zambia,” said Father Jim Chambers in San Antonio. “He loved Zambia, and you could see that. He had a deep concern for the sufferings of the poor, and he let the government know.”
Bishop Duffy will be buried in Mongu, Zambia.
Oblate JPIC supports Congo Conflict-free Minerals Initiative June 28th, 2011
A workshop on the extractives industry supply chain on June 20th in northern Virginia pulled together more than 80 participants, including representatives from central African governments, the high-tech industry, mining companies, NGOs, and faith based investors, to discuss responsible mineral sourcing from Africa. Freeport McMoRan, Dell, Microsoft, Advanced Micro Devices, Sony and HP were come of the companies attending. Faith Responsible and Socially Responsible investors included the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), Boston Common Asset Management, Trillium Asset Management and members of the Congo Global Coalition.
The workshop was organized by Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) and the Electronic Industry Coalition (EICC). Apart from the overall usefulness of the meeting, it provided an opportunity for JPIC staff to meet with representatives of companies whom we engage in shareholder dialogues on sustainability issues.
The roundtable discussions focused on responsible mineral sourcing from the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighboring Central Africa countries. Minerals extracted from eastern Congo, mostly the ores that produce tin, tantalum, tungsten – the 3Ts – are essential to the electronics devices we use every day. Unfortunately, some of these minerals have been contributing to violent conflict in Eastern Congo.
The GeSI and EICC workshop was designed to develop a fuller understanding of the issues associated with conflict minerals and the efforts to stop their use in manufacturing. The discussion addressed the Dodd-Frank conflict minerals disclosure law, OECD Due Diligence and the EICC-GeSi conflict free smelter program. Following the workshop, JPIC staff participated in an investors’ meeting with the Security and Exchange Commission staff (SEC) in which the discussion focused on maintaining the protections on sourcing, designed to prevent the use of conflict minerals, written into the Dodd-Frank legislation.
Learn more about the Conflict-free Minerals provisions in the Dodd-Frank legislation
Socially Responsible Investors Submit Guidance for Conflict Minerals Rule March 29th, 2011
The Oblates joined a large group of socially responsible investors in a letter providing specific comments to the SEC on the Conflict Mineral Provision 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Finance Reform Act.
International Year of People of African Descent February 27th, 2011
On 18 December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year beginning on 1 January 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent.
The Year aims at strengthening national actions and regional and international cooperation for the benefit of people of African descent in relation to their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights, their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture.
The General Assembly encourages Member States, the specialized agencies of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates and existing resources, and civil society to make preparations for and identify possible initiatives that can contribute to the success of the Year.
Full text of the Resolution (Download PDF)
More information can be found on the UN website…
Click here to read more »
Solidarity with the People of Southern Sudan January 5th, 2011
Prayer campaign promotes peace before Southern Sudan independence vote; photo by Paul Jeffrey, CNS
On 9 January 2011, the people of Southern Sudan will vote in a crucial referendum whether they will unify with or secede from Northern Sudan. The vote will likely give a birth to a new country; however what happens in the wake of the referendum is less certain. The people of Southern Sudan have endured almost five decades of war and displacement. Southern Sudan is the least-developed part of the country, but contains important natural resource wealth, particularly oil.
The Catholic Task Force on Africa, of which the Oblate JPIC Office is a member, is closely monitoring the situation. CTA has in the past hosted briefings with Catholic Bishops from Sudan and religious workers from different congregations working in the southern Sudan through Solidarity with Southern Sudan which is sponsored by the members of the Union of Major Superiors (USG) and International Conference of Superior Generals (UISG) in Rome. The Missionary Oblates is a member of these international religious groups and is supportive of the missionary work done by the Solidarity with Southern Sudan initiative.
The U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Office of International Justice and Peace in conjunction with Catholic Relief Service issued a statement on 28 December 2010, “Peace in Sudan: Your Help Needed as Vote Nears” which encourages U.S. Catholics to pray and advocate for their brothers and sisters in Sudan. The Bishops are urging schools, schools, religious communities to offer special prayers for people in Sudan, especially on January 9th and in the weeks following the referendum vote.
More information and action suggestions can be found at Catholic Relief Services – Peace in Sudan
