*(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 November 4, 2009 The greatest gift one can give is thanksgiving. In giving gifts, we give what we can spare, but in giving thanks we give ourselves. ~ David Steindl-Rast, Gratefulness, The Heart of Prayer The season of Thanksgiving is upon us. Please join me in offering a prayer of thanksgiving for all the blessings we have received this year, and a prayer of hope that all those suffering injustice and pain, may find some moment of relief and comfort. May we all maintain a sense of gratitude as we consider the following issues and ways that we can make a difference in our world.
Contents
Healthcare
“Catholic social teaching offers a distinctly
organic view of society that calls all parties to be open to
sacrifice for the good of the whole. That common good springs
from true cooperation, not merely the competitive interaction of
self-interests. Reforming health care should not be reduced to
a partisan issue, with the eyes of negotiators distracted by the
goal of scoring political advantage. ……Many resources within
Catholic social thought – including its requirement of a
preferential option for the poor – challenge us to re-imagine health
care as a basic human need, no less a religious obligation than
providing food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless and clothing
for the
naked.”
This editorial reminds us all that the issue of health care reform must capture our time and attention, not only as concerned citizens of the United States, but as committed Christians. In the world’s wealthiest nation, it is unconscionable that people are turned away from health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition and that families are just one illness away from bankruptcy. Health care is a basic human right and we must continue to pray for wisdom and guidance for our elected officials, and urge them to support healthcare reform legislation now! Catholic Charities USA offers the following clear and concise summary of the current state of the legislation. On October 29, the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduced health care reform legislation, the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" (H.R. 3962), at a rally held on the west front of the Capitol building. This bill combines three different versions of H.R. 3200 passed by the House Committees of jurisdiction: Energy and Commerce, Education and Labor, and Ways and Means. The legislation would:
The bill is estimated to cost $894 billion
over ten years and is financed with Medicare savings and a 5.4
percent surtax on wealthy individuals (with incomes exceeding
$500,000 for individuals and $1 million for couples).
Congressional Quarterly reports that a bill could come to
the floor as early as Thursday, November 5. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has raised concerns with the health care reform legislation being debated in Congress. For more information visit their website http://www.usccb.org/healthcare/.
Help Secure $1 Billion for the National Housing Trust Fund FMI and the Wheaton Franciscans have been supporting and following the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) legislation for many years. (In fact, in 2001, I was privileged to attend the NHTF Conference in DC and participated in a legislative action on Capitol Hill.) The NHTF was authorized in Congress last year, but has not yet been funded. Now there is new legislation in the House and Senate that will fund the NHTF, which will in turn fund development of housing for people with very low incomes. The Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) has given great assistance to banks and other financial institutions in support of homeowners. However, little has been done to respond to the moral mandate to provide for people in greatest need of housing. This legislation would allow funds from the TARP to be applied to the NHTF. Ask your representative in the House to cosponsor H.R. 3766, the "Main Street TARP Act", and ask your senators to cosponsor S. 1731, the "Preserving Homes and Communities Act". Go to http://capwiz.com/networklobby/utr/1/GKWDLLEZZY/LPEILLFADC/4078309491 to send a message to your senators. Go to http://capwiz.com/networklobby/utr/1/GKWDLLEZZY/COMVLLFADD/4078309491 to send a message to your representative.
The White House offered its support to the issue of affordable housing last week. Administration Calls on Congress to Address Housing Needs On October 29, two key members of the Obama Administration called on Congress to approve three important measures to improve the nation's housing market. A statement from Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Tim Geithner, Treasury Secretary, urged Congress to extend the first time homebuyer tax credit, extend higher loan limits for home mortgages, and secure funding for the housing trust fund. They stressed in the statement that the Administration fully supports an extension of the homebuyer credit and urged Congress to include additional steps to combat tax fraud including setting a minimum age for home purchase and requiring documentary proof of purchase to receive the credit. The secretaries also offered strong support for the National Housing Trust Fund and announced that the Administration will actively work with Congress to identify a specific source of funding to guarantee that the program will receive the $1 billion as outlined in the President's FY 2010 budget request. To read the statement visit, http://www.treasury.gov/press/releases/tg336.htm.
Securing Better Access to Early Testing and Treatment for Children Living with HIV and HIV/TB Co-Infection and to the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV. Sr. Sheila Kinsey attended a conference in Rome (October 14-16, 2009) organized by Caritas Internationalis and the United States Embassy to the Holy See: Co-sponsored by: UNAIDS, WHO, Stop TB Partnership, Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, Health Commission of the Union of Superiors General and the Pediatric Hospital “Bambino Gesu”. The International Conference dealt with experts from WHO, UNAIDS, etc. and experiences from the field, in order to :
There were theoretic and practical sessions in order to develop strategies to promote awareness in different fields: education, formation, health and social care, communication through web and press. Following the meeting, Sr. Sheila drafted the
attached: Call for Response Living with HIV is not only a medical
condition, but a emotional and spiritual one as well. Jeana
Stewart of Canticle Ministries recommended reading the
following article.
Environment The Clean Energy Jobs & American Power Act The Clean Energy Jobs & American
Power Act was introduced in the Senate, a historic piece of
legislation that will create jobs by investing in secure, clean
energy sources that are made in America and work for
America. But Big Oil and Coal are using their influence in
Washington to try and weaken or even kill this bill.
Going Green at Home Perhaps you have already made the commitment to use recycled paper products and environmentally safe cleaning products in your home. If not, I ask you to consider it. At one time, these types of products were difficult to find and much more expensive than mainstream products. However, as the market demand has risen, these products are now available at more stores and the costs have come down. As technology improves, new types of products are hitting store shelves. For example, I recently discovered a new line of natural cleaning cloths, sponges and scouring pads from “Scotch Brite.” The products are made from natural and renewable resources such as bamboo, cotton, and agave plant fibers, and recycled plastic and paper; they are all packaged in 80% recycled materials. Visit Scotch Brite Greener
Clean to learn more about these products, where to
purchase and even a $1.00 coupon. Daniel Goleman in the NY Times recently reported that going green may soon get easier! “Ecological Transparency” is a new watchword for corporate producers and retailers. Led by Wal-Mart, which is developing standards with a consortium of academics, retailers are preparing ecological report cards for the products on their shelves. Consumers will soon “get ecological ratings along with price as they shop for food, clothing and toiletries.” Let’s hope, and watch for these new green revelations! Human Rights Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) The Human Rights Campaign and other allies are working vigorously to pass a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). In 29 states, it's still legal to fire someone because they're gay; in 38 states it is legal to fire someone for being transgender. Thousands of hardworking lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans have lost their livelihoods simply because of who they are. HRC is working to end this bitter injustice by passing a fully inclusive ENDA, a federal bill that would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote employees simply based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The Senate has, for the first time, introduced a fully-inclusive ENDA bill, which would provide protection against workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The organizations are working with congressional leadership and others to ensure passage. However, the most important work being done is taking place across the country in numerous congressional districts. Send your Senators a message today and encourage them to co-sponsor this critical legislation. https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=571
Employee Free Choice Act Despite some successes, like the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Act (the first piece of legislation enacted by President Obama), the gender wage gap has widened according to the National Committee on Pay Equity. In 2007, women earned, on average, 78 cents for every dollar a man earned. In 2008, they earned 77 cents. That's the same amount reported in 2005. So not only have women made no gains in closing the wage gap over the last three years, women have slid backward and only closed the gap a total of 18 cents in 45 years. The Employee Free Choice Act will ensure pay equity, not only for women but for middle-income, working families, and non-union laborers.
“Home in Name Only” Sometimes the adage, “you can’t go home again” is very true. Suzie Broomes recommends the following article from ColorLines: The National Newsmagazine on Race and Politics, one in a series on the devastating effects of deportation.
Celebrating Success In our state of gratitude and thanksgiving, let’s celebrate our successes and the ways in which we have been instruments of peace, transformation, hope and healing. Change, Not Chains Campaign: It is time for global change – time for a global economy that works for all. It is time to once and for all break the chains of international debt to fight poverty and injustice. In support of the Jubilee Act to reduce and eliminate international debt, the Wheaton Franciscans signed 112 postcards which will be sent to our congressional representatives. We also raised nearly $125.00 in change to support Jubilee USA Network and their endeavors. Stand Up, Take
Action, End Poverty
Final Note In my list of things to be thankful for, I
would like to acknowledge my gratitude to one of our newest Covenant
Members, Tom Norris. During his orientation process, Tom
desired to be of service to the community and began helping Sr.
Sheila by researching items for the monthly JPIC Blog. Tom has
generously offered to continue to help me in this endeavor.
I’ll close this month’s Blog with a reflection that Tom found for
us. It's hard for us to
comprehend that people living on the same planet could live in such
utterly different worlds. The Gospel isn't asking us just to be
do-gooders or altruistic toward these worlds, which often just
confirms our own superiority. The Gospel is enabling and empowering
us for something that is much harder than mere altruism and
generosity (although that certainly is asked for in many cases). The
gospel is calling us into honest solidarity with the poor, the
oppressed, and the disadvantaged of our world, not coming at them
from above, but somehow from the side as friends and
companions.
And let me say once again – thank you – for all you do to promote justice and peace in your part of our world! Sr. Glenna Czachor,
OSF
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