*(Please continue to check the Social
Justice Actions which are updated every Friday). Our petition corner
is now located http://www.wheatonfranciscan-jpic.org/currentactionalerts.html JPIC Office Blog December 4, 2009 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and Judah. In those days, in that time, I will raise up for David a just shoot; he shall do what is right and just in the land. In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure; this is what they shall call her: “The LORD our justice.” Jer 33:14-16
On the First Sunday of Advent this year, the Prophet Jeremiah reminded us be remain hopeful. However, hope may be hard to hold onto as we all experience the effects of the economic crisis, as we hear about the increasing of troops in Afghanistan, as we hear the Salvation Army bells on the streets reminding us of the thousands of hungry, poor and homeless people in our country. Perhaps today is the day – the time for justice. Perhaps we can be the shoot that rises up – in some small measure – to help bring about the peace and justice we all long for. I feel privileged to help lead the JPIC efforts on behalf of the Wheaton Franciscans – and to support all of you in your endeavors.
Contents Supporting Military Veterans and Military
Families
Supporting Military Veterans and Military Families
One of this week’s top news stories is, of course, President Obama’s plan to engage thousands of additional military personnel to Afghanistan. Pax Christi USA has been, and will continue to urge the President and Congress to scale back the escalation of troops in Afghanistan. Sign their petition and read about these efforts @ http://paxchristiusa.org/ Related to this news: a few months ago, Sr. Alana Gorski brought to my attention a story of a military mother who was struggling with depression and trauma while her son was deployed with the Army in Iraq. She is one of many military families who must make sacrifices and lack the resources necessary to live healthy lives. The JPIC Office has been following legislation related to the military and war-funding, and in particular, I’d like to bring your attention to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA ). The IAVA’s mission is to improve the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and their families. To learn more we encourage you to visit http://iava.org/ From their website: “The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are in their seventh and eighth years respectively. Nearly two million American troops have served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and thousands have been deployed multiple times. IAVA addresses critical issues facing new veterans and their families, including mental health injuries, a stretched VA system, inadequate health care for female veterans, and GI Bill educational benefits. IAVA also provides valuable resources and empowers veterans to connect with one another, fostering a strong and lasting community.” The JPIC Office will monitor the Action
Alerts supported by IAVA and keep you informed. In the meantime,
consider visiting their website for more information, and continue
to keep the military and their families in your prayers, especially
during the holiday season – when everyone wishes to be with their
families and loved ones, safe at home.
The Advent season of waiting seems to be an appropriate time for us to continue to await and pray for meaningful and lasting health care reform in our country. Each day, as Congress continues its debate, thousands of uninsured Americans struggle with illness and disease for which they cannot afford treatment. The Catholic Charities USA newsletter: Washington Weekly continues to provide one of the most clear and concise summaries of health care reform legislation and debates. Please read the most recent publication below. I’ll keep you up-to-date as more information becomes available. Senate Approves Procedural Vote to Continue Debate on Health Care Reform After two days of debate, the U.S. Senate passed a procedural measure on November 21 by a vote of 60 to 39. This mechanism, known as cloture, requires a 60-vote majority and is needed to continue debate on the health care reform legislation so it can be taken up for a final vote. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) released language for "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (H.R. 3590) on November 18. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that this bill will cost $849 billion over 10 years and will reduce the federal deficit by $127 billion. After the Thanksgiving recess, the Senate will resume debate on health care reform. Immigration, abortion, affordability, and the public plan option are expected to be highly contentious issues. Unlike the House bill, the Senate language prohibits undocumented immigrants from purchasing health insurance through the exchange, even when using their own money. The Senate bill would expand Medicaid eligibility to 133 percent of the federal poverty level, compared to 150 percent in the House-passed version. The House-passed version goes further in ensuring that no federal funds are used to cover abortion services compared to the current language in the Senate bill. It is expected that the House language on abortion will be offered as an amendment to the Senate bill. Catholic Charities USA continues to work with the Catholic Health Association and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to ensure that no federal funds are used for abortion and that conscience protections are included in the final health care reform bill. Catholic Charities USA will keep you updated on health care reform legislation.
The holidays are so often associated with our favorite foods! Turkey and all the trimmings for Thanksgiving. Christmas cookies and treats! Special family and ethnic recipes that get handed down from generation to generation. The holiday season also gives us an opportunity to be grateful for the abundance on our tables, and to grow in awareness of the how so many struggles to find a meal each day. Feeding America is a leading advocate of hunger awareness. They have watched as our country struggles through difficult economic times. In their annual report on food insecurity in the U.S., the USDA recently reported that 49.1 million Americans, including 16.7 million children, are food insecure. These startling new statistics confirm that hunger is on the rise. Find out more about the USDA’s latest food insecurity report in the November Hunger Advocate, visit http://hungeractioncenter.org/newsletters/1109.aspx?utm_campaign=Hunger-Advocate#article1. Feeding America, encourages everyone to DONATE – ADVOCATE – VOLUNTEER. There are thousands of food pantries across the country that need your help. Of course, right here in DuPage County we have the People’s Resource Center http://www.peoplesrc.org/, directed by our own Covenant Member, Mary Ellen Durbin. PRC serves over 20,000 residents, providing core resources of food, clothing and emergency homeless prevention assistance help people to meet their basic needs, as well as numerous education and social service programs. Environment SUCCESS!! We joined thousands of national park supporters over the past several months, to urge support of the National Park System, which received a significant increase in funding for 2010. In early November, President Obama signed a $32.2 billion Interior and Environment Appropriations bill for the 2010 fiscal year. In this bill, the National Park Service (NPS) received $2.7 billion--roughly $218 million above the 2009 funding level! This bill demonstrates a concerted effort by Congress and the Administration to restore our national treasures in time for the 2016 centennial of the National Park Service. Here are some of the highlights from the bill:
Hold Big Polluters
Accountable, visit link below to advocate: Right now only a handful of sources, including coal power plants, are responsible for more than half of all the global warming pollution in the United States. It's time to hold these mega-polluters responsible for their share of the dirty air. The EPA is proposing The Big Polluters Rule to crack down on the worst offenders, but they need your help to take on Big Oil and Coal -- send a message to the Public Register today to show your support! (Source: Sierra Club)
Immigration White House to Begin Push on Immigration Overhaul in 2010: The Obama administration will insist on measures to give legal status to an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants as it pushes early next year for legislation to overhaul the immigration system, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced in early November. The Catholic Church’s teaching on migration is based on the commitment to promote and defend human dignity with particular attention to the most vulnerable. These principles include:
The JPIC Office will monitor legislation and information about this important issue and will alert you to any legislation and advocacy action you can take.
Alternative Resources for Christmas Shopping While we all do our best to keep the commercial side of Christmas at bay, admittedly, Christmas gifts are lovely to give and receive. When making Christmas purchases this year – consider some of the following alternative gift ideas.
“THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE” - According to the Giving USA Foundation, charitable donations amounted to $307.65 billion in 2008, down 2% from 2007. The outlook for 2009 looks grim as charities are reporting a 9% average decline in donations. For help deciding which charities are worthy of your support and whose philosophies suit yours, check Great Non-Profits; http://greatnonprofits.org/ a website dedicated to rating and sharing knowledge about trustworthy non-profit and charitable organizations.
As 2009 draws to a close, I know we
can all reflect on the year’s events and see the moments where peace
and justice have prevailed, as well as the work that awaits us in
2010. Let hope fill our hearts as we await the “Lord, Our
Justice.” Holiday Blessings of Joy and Peace to you all! Sr. Glenna Czachor,
OSF
Blog
Archives
|
||
|
... |
JPIC Home
Page - Wheaton
Franciscans - Spirituality and the Healing Arts
questions about our site? contact the JPIC Office
Copyright © 2006
page updated November 4, 2009
...