News Archives » Social Justice
Have you prayed for the Africa Synod today? October 5th, 2009
Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday celebrated a special mass to open a month-long synod of African bishops to discuss their continent’s conflicts, social injustice and poverty under theme: The Church in Africa at the Service of Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.” Pope Benedict praised Africa’s rich cultural and spiritual treasures, calling them a “spiritual lung” for the world. Almost 200 bishops from 53 African states have gathered to discuss how the Catholic Church can help resolve the continent’s social injustices.
Yes Africa matters, an initiative by the Catholic Task Force on Africa in Washington DC, of which the Oblate JPIC office is a member, brings YOU the latest information from the Synod especially through a Live daily blog on the African Synod by Fr Rocco (AFJN) and reflections published by religious communities in Rome.
There is a diverse representation by the Synod for Africa; amongst the participants is U.S. Catholic Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory of Atlanta, leaders from Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant churches in Africa; director general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, Jacques Diouf, a Muslim, who will address the assembly and Rudolf Adada, the former head of the Joint United Nations-African Union Peacekeeping Mission for Darfur, Sudan.
Stay tuned!!
Oblates Call on California Governor to Sign Law Recognizing a Human Right to Water September 23rd, 2009
Four Oblate priests in Los Angeles wrote Governor Schwarzenegger urging his support for AB 1242, the Human Right to Water Act of 2009. The priests minister to some 12,000 parishioners in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
The priests said “We believe that access to safe, affordable and clean water is a human right, and no one should be denied this right because of being poor.”
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Conditions in Sri Lanka Refugee Camps Worsening July 20th, 2009
Waiting for Water at Manik Camp
According to a report by the associated Press in Colombo, conditions in the refugee camps in northern Sri Lanka are seriously worsening. In a report dated Sunday July 19th, AP said “in June, chicken pox was rampant and cases of typhoid, tuberculosis, skin and respiratory infections, hepatitis A, scabies and diarrhea have begun cropping up, according to U.N. reports. More than 35 percent of children under 5 are suffering from wasting, or acute malnutrition, according to a July 3 government presentation.”
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Quito Declaration Expresses Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples in Central and South America July 8th, 2009
Representatives of civil society organizations working with Indigenous Peoples in many central and south American countries, especially in areas affected by mining, met from July 3-5. They published the Quito Declaration, “Declaration for Social and Environmental Justice and for Peace in Indigenous America”.
Countries represented and organizations signing on to the Declaration are listed in the Declaration which is available only in Spanish.
Read the Declaration (Download PDF)
VIVAT to Promote Regional Networking in Latin America July 7th, 2009
VIVAT International will be holding a Workshop in Cochabamba, Bolivia from July 19th to the 24th for some of the eight Congregational members who work in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. The workshop will inform participants about VIVAT: what VIVAT is, its purpose and goals, and its achievements at the United Nations.
The main aim of the workshop, however, will be to allow members of the different Congregations to get to know each other and to share information about their work. The hope is that participants will form networks for greater effectiveness and better results in their ministries locally, nationally, regionally and with the UN.
