Catholic Social Action - Mid-September Updates

Time-sensitive Updates

We've got a couple of time-sensitive events and updates to share with you so we're sending this special mid-month note. Thanks for checking it out, and have a great rest of September.

Peace and all good.

Civility & Peace During the Election Season Series

(Online events)

We all know how divided our society (and – even more tragically – our Church) has become. We’ve become so entrenched in our political identities that we’ve lost sight of who we are, especially who we are as sisters and brothers in Christ. In an attempt to heal ourselves and our community from these dehumanizing and demonizing behaviors, the Respect Life and Catholic Social Action offices are partnering with Braver Angels to offer a series of three on-line workshops during the election season.

On Thursday Sept. 29, we’ll offer ‘Depolarizing Within’, a workshop that teaches participants to look within and develop strategies for engaging politics without demonizing, and how to constructively intervene in social conversations with like-minded peers.

On Thursday October 20, we’ll over ‘Skills for Bridging the Divide’, a workshop to help you through difficult political conversations with people in your life, considering how to talk across the divide in a constructive, empathetic way.

And finally, on Thursday Nov. 10 (two days after Election Day and just two weeks before Thanksgiving), we’ll offer ‘Families and Politics ’, a workshop that shows how we can talk about politics with our loved ones in a way that brings us closer together – not pulls us farther apart.

You can register at the links listed above, and you can attend one, two, or all three of the sessions. All workshops will start at 6:30pm, are offered free of charge, and will be offered virtually.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Andrew Musgrave. We look forward to meeting, praying, and working with you for a more compassionate world.

Contact Your State Legislators

(Statewide advocacy)

The bishops of Ohio have supported advocacy of a critical piece of environmental legislation. HB 389 - The Energy Efficiency Bill - will restore incentives offered by utilities for energy efficiency. You can read a bit more about the current state of the bill below. We encourage you to contact your elected OH House members and let them know you believe in improving Ohio's energy use, and this is a great step toward achieving this goal.

Sponsored by Representatives Seitz (R) & Leland (D) The bill has had three committee hearings and passed unanimously out of committee in Nov. 2021. It is awaiting house leadership to call a floor vote. This bill will restore incentives offered by utilities for energy efficiency. It is a more modest version of the efficiency program canceled in 2019 by HB 6. It has widespread support although some are critical for level of compensation included for utilities to operate programs.

Announcing a New Series

(Cincinnati area)

We're partnering with Xavier University's Take It On program to offer monthly events that will address difficult issues we're all facing, including polarization, extremism, misinformation, and civil dialogue.

The first event will be on Wed., September 28, at 5:00pm. This event, "The Evolution of Anti-Semitism," will take place on the XU campus in the Kennedy Auditorium, Conaton Learning Commons (3725 St. Francis Xavier Way) and will feature two expert speakers from the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust and Humanity Center as well as XU students.

Click here to see the flier, and please invite others to join you. It's free for all and will include time for discussion and refreshments. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Let us Gather in Prayer Support for Farmers, Gardeners, Rural Folks, & Rural Farms

(Eastern area)

On Friday, September 23, at 7:00 pm, Archbishop Dennis Schnurr will be celebrating a Farm Mass at the rural home (5517 Franklin Rd.) of Tim and Lori Leibreich, parishioners of St. Mary Parish, Hillsboro. This mass is a prayer support for farmers, gardeners, rural folks and rural businesses. The mass will be held rain or shine. You are asked to bring a chair and a snack to share. If you have questions, contact Patrick Hornschemeier, the Chairperson of the southern Catholic Rural Life Conference at 513-752-0647.

Click here for flyer.