News Archives » Mary Immaculate Catholic Church
Mary Immaculate Environmental Activists Press On September 29th, 2011
Environmental justice advocates in the Oblates parish of Mary Immaculate in Pacoima, CA are working on materials to educate people about how the toxics being released into the air from a local asphalt plant affect their health. They are asking people to call the state regulator – South Coast Air Quality Management – with a complaint whenever they smell the bad odor associated with hot asphalt. A total of at least eight calls are required to trigger a response from the office.
Notice to the Pacoima community: Please ask and write down the person you spoke with at the South Coast Air Quality Management office and get their employee number. If you are not able to call right when you smell something, write down the time or try to remember the approximate time and report it as soon as possible. If you smell this everyday, please call everyday once a day. The number is 800-288-7664. Your call can make a difference! We thank the people that have already called, please keep calling whenever you get the smell.
Immigration Rally in Oblate Parishes in Los Angeles February 15th, 2011
On January 29th, at least 2000 people took to the streets of Pacoima, CA, in an organized, peaceful march for the rights of the undocumented and all immigrants. They carried American flags and signs, such as “Stop Ripping Families Apart” and “No to Deportation, Yes to Legalization” and “Dreams not Nightmares”.
The March was led by young Hispanic US military veterans, and then by children waving small flags from many other nations, representing the contributions of immigrants to our nation. These were followed by Aztec dancers and drumming, representing the indigenous roots of many. Many marchers were high school and college-age students who came here as children and who dream of a future as citizens.
The participants were from Mary Immaculate and Santa Rosa parishes, as well as from other parishes and civic organizations. The two-mile long march ended at Mary Immaculate where there was a rally and messages of encouragement given by the organizers and some local politicians to all those who are advocating a sensible reform of the current immigration laws and system.
The Oblates who participated in the March and in the prior organization of the March were John Curran, Porfirio Garcia, Antonio Ponce, Stan Zowada and Bill Antone.
