Current Events & Information

Upcoming Events & JPIC Office in the News

Cover the Uninsured Week will be observed April 27-May 3rd, 2008. The JPIC Office joins Wheaton Franciscan Health care, the American Hospital Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation together with other organizations around the country to observe this week. To show your support and urge our government leaders to address this issue, these links will assist you to send each leader an email or other for them to get America covered.

Senator Richard Durbin: http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senator Barack Obama: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/index.php

Governor Rob R. Blagojevich: http://www.illinois.gov/gov/contactthegovernor.cfm

President George Bush: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Our local Representatives:http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml#il

Fifth anniversary of the War in Iraq

Let us continue to pray for a more comprehensive and sustained diplomatic initiative to address the war in Iraq. We support the comprehensive diplomatic initiative with a continued draw down and eventual departure of our armed forces in a responsible manner.

For further social justice perspectives as they relate to the war in Iraq, visit the Website of the United States Conference of catholic Bishops @ http://www.usccb.org/ and follow the link first to social justice and then to Iraq.

Sr. Sheila Kinsey, OSF

2007 In Review

On October 16-17, 2007 Stand Up & Speak Out Against Poverty and Inequality, wear the White Band as a symbol of the global fight against poverty. Last year 23.5 million people did this, setting a new Guinness World Record. You too can be apart of this growing global movement of people who refuse to stay seated or silent in the face of poverty and broken promises. To learn how you can Stand Up and Speak Out for the Millennium Development Goals, please go to http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/ .

During the month of October we will be focusing on various petitions: This week we join Network a National Catholic Social Justice lobby group supporting the House passing H.R 2419; Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy bill. To show your support as the bill goes to the Senate, click this link http://capwiz.com/networklobby/issues/alert/?alertid=10156606&type=CO

On Wednesday September 19, 2007, the JPIC Office joined together with JubileeUSA highlighting the 2007 Sabbath Year in a day of fasting towards the Cancel Debt Fast advocacy campaign. The 40-day fast, from September 6-October 15, is expected to have at least 20,000 supporters of debt cancellation who will fast for a day or more and on the same day, you can contact members of Congress to urge their support for the Jubilee Act. Fasting is not limited to food, but can also include fasting from television, driving or particular kind of food such as coffee. Children can fast from junk food or video games.

Friday September 21st, International Day of Peace Vigil, this global 24-hour spiritual observation for peace is meant to demonstrate the power of prayer and other spiritual practices in promoting peace and preventing violent conflict. These worldwide spiritual observances will also help raise public awareness of the International Day of Peace and directly support the establishment of a global ceasefire. Individuals and groups are encouraged to support this worldwide initiative. To learn more about this day and locally held events, please go to http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/

2006 In Review

S. Sheila Kinsey, OSF was featured earlier last year in the Catholic Explorer newspaper for the article "Franciscans Reaffirm their Commitment to Peace".To read this article, please click this link,
http://www.catholicexplorer.com/explore4325/atd/franciscans-reaffirm-thei.shtml

Spring of 2006, S. Sheila Kinsey, OSF and S. Florence Muia, ASN both attended the 2006 High Level Meeting on AIDS (UNGASS) which was held at the United Nations in New York . They both co-wrote an article for Franciscans International which was featured on their website. To read about their experience, please click this link,
http://www.franciscansinternational.org/news/article.php?id=1130

S. Sheila Kinsey, OSF attended the 2006 International AIDS Conference that was held in Toronto Canada. To capture S. Sheila's experience and comments within an article on Franciscans International's website, please click this link, http://www.franciscansinternational.org/news/article.php?id=1188

Summer of 2006, The Wheaton Franciscan Sisters held their Earth Interdependence Day Celebration. A Peace Pole Blessing was one of the special event. The event was featured in the Catholic Explorer newspaper, for further reading please click this link, http://www.catholicexplorer.com/explore4325/atd/faithful-bless-peace-pole.shtml