JUSTICE JOTTINGS
August 2022
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Help Us Advance MSJC's Goals -- Seeking Nominations! |
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We have two subcommittees, both related to MSJC's organizational goals, that need your support with nominations!
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25th Anniversary Planning Committee: MSJC is celebrating our 25th anniversary in 2023. We are looking for a group of 10 or so people to serve on a subcommittee that will help plan an exciting event to celebrate this milestone at the 2023 Lay Marianist Assembly, work with archivists to create a media history of MSJC, collect some past and present member testimony, and maybe some other ideas!
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Anti-Racism Ad Hoc Committee: One of MSJC's most important goals at this time is to move forward in becoming a truly anti-racist organization. This committee will pursue and implement our anti-racist goals, policies, and practices. We are looking for a group of 5-7 who can serve on this committee for the first year to lift this work off the ground. This committee will have MSJC staff support.
-Do you have the capacity and interest in serving on one of these committees?
-Do you know someone who would bring gifts and interest to this work?
Please submit unlimited nominations for these subcommittees below:
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2022 LGBTQ+ Annual Retreat: Being Who You Are - Perfectly Well
Our upcoming LGBTQ+ annual retreat is officially in the St. Louis area! The theme this year is Being Who You Are - Perfectly Well. Our keynote speaker is award-winning artist, author, and storyteller Bro. Mickey, McGrath, OSFS. Find more information about our 2022 retreat and register at the page below. Both in-person and virtual registrations are available. We can't wait to see you at this year's retreat!
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Immigration Issues and Your Vote -- Virtual Panel Coming Soon!
Please join us for a panel at the end of September (date to come very soon!). This panel will focus on helping each of us begin to answer the question: Do the candidates running for congress in your district and state support comprehensive immigration reform? The influx of Afghans currently seeking settlement in the U.S., the crisis of migrants on our southern border, and the death of 53 migrants in a cargo truck might not be in the current news cycle, but with upcoming elections in November, being faithful citizens demands that we identify those candidates who will vote for reforming our immigration system.
Read a more detailed description about this panel below and look for a date and registration details to follow soon.
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Remembering Bro. Frank O'Donnell
Reflection by Jim Vogt
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The Society of Mary (SM), the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative (MSJC), and the entire Marianist Family recently lost an important member of our community with the passing of Bro. Frank O’Donnell. He had been a brother in the SM for 62 years, a volunteer and supporter of MSJC almost since its inception 24 years ago, and the chair of the MSJC Steering Committee for 6 years.
I didn’t get to know Frank until the early 2000’s. He was one of the first members of what at that time was MSJC’s Anti-Death Penalty Team. The qualities that he brought to his work with the team were ones that I would see exhibited throughout his tenure with MSJC.
He was passionately committed to the issue – abolishing capital punishment – and constantly encouraged the other team members to keep pushing, to keep standing up for our values, even in the face of significant resistance. I have no doubt that Frank had some role to play in the decision by his home state of Maryland to abolish the death penalty. When he believed in the justice of an issue or cause, his approach was not to be a loud voice of protest. Rather, he would be a quiet but tenacious advocate, gathering others to join the fight to help assure success in the long run. Sounds pretty Marianist, doesn’t it? (Continue reading here...)
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MSJC REFLECTIONS & RESOURCES |
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DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
We Can Transform Our Brokenness
Reflection by Lauren Olson
When scrolling through social media posts, I occasionally stumble upon an “Execution Alert” calling me to action to oppose an inmates’ impending execution. I must admit that my immediate reaction to these posts is usually one of doubt and despair. Being born and raised in Texas, which leads the nation in the number of executions since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, I’m hesitant to hope for clemency or stays of execution. Which is why the “Execution Alert” about Ramiro Gonzalez and a subsequent post announcing a halt of his execution caught my eye mid-scroll. (Read more here...)
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LGBTQ+ INITIATIVE
Remaining in Love
Reflection by Malia Hamilton
As I’m sure many people can relate to, I tend to procrastinate productively. Whenever there is a task that must be done that I am avoiding, I justify my avoidance by performing other, admittedly less urgent, tasks. As a newly engaged person, my procrastination has taken on a new form: looking up bible passages to be read at my future wedding.
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Common passages and passages describing a gendered hierarchy are very frequent results in my Google searches. However, I have been overjoyed to find some passages that I really love. I have even found some that remind me of God’s love for all of us, particularly the LGBTQ+ community, and about how God wants us to love each other. (Read more here...)
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INTEGRAL ECOLOGY
Sign this Petition!
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Join other Catholics in signing the Healthy Planet, Healthy People Petition to push world leaders to take urgent action for God’s creation at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) this December.
Season of Creation
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The Season of Creation, September 1st through October 4th, is celebrated by Christians around the world as a time for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation. Sign up to receive Catholic Climate Covenant’s interactive Feast of St. Francis 2022 program, "Eco-Spirituality: Behold God in Everything!," to celebrate the Season of Creation!
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COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES |
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Regional Director Job Opportunity -- ISP
The Ignatian Spirituality Project (ISP) is hiring! Join a dynamic ministry that invites people recovering from homelessness and addiction to encounter God's love, hope, and healing through spiritual companionship that transforms lives! The Upper-Midwest position works with ISP ministries in St. Louis, Chicago, and Twin Cities area. Please visit ISP's website for more details or reach out to the Director of Programs, Matt Meyers, directly.
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Seed Grant Application Process -- Supported by the Visitation Marianist State Community
Do you have a project that needs additional funds? The Visitation Marianist State Community is a virtual community of vowed lay Marianist that have a long history of serving the Marianist family. We have committed to put our financial resources toward projects which may need assistance to get started or expand into a new area. We are particularly committed to enabling small communities and fledgling service projects to thrive; to grow, and respond to the genuine needs of the young and the poor and to engage in the struggle for peace and justice. The four project categories are:
- Strengthen Marianist Lay Communities and Network
- Assist in building the Catholic church
- Impact the faith and involvement of young adults in the church
- Social justice areas: Economic Justice, Environmental Justice and Human Rights
The awards are granted each year to groups or ministries within the United States. The proposed projects are submitted for consideration via an applications form. Applications are due by the end of August and are evaluated and awarded in November each year. Here are the projects that were awarded in 2021.
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Want to support MSJC's work towards justice? |
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