JUSTICE JOTTINGS May 2023

Thanks to your incredible generosity, this year’s Giving Day was a big success.  We reached $6,900 in donations from 61 donors! We are so proud of this community and know this financial commitment will help MSJC continue to multiply our efforts to advance social justice.  Thank you for being the steward of MSJC!  In Gratitude,

Sarah Gray, Director of MSJC

MSJC EVENTS & SPECIAL NOTICES

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY, WOMEN & JUSTICE, & THE VISITATION STATE COMMUNITY

When: Wednesday, May 31 starting at 2 PM HT | 5 PM PT | 6 PM MT | 7 PM CT | 8 PM ET Where: Via Zoom What: Join with Marianist Family members for our upcoming event: Feast of the Visitation - Connecting Women's Experiences with Mother Earth's Cry for Justice. We will pray and reflect on the Magnificat and the empowering encounter of Mary with Elizabeth. Through brief presentations we’ll explore both the gift of women’s experiences and our moral obligation to respond to gender disparities of women and girls due to the interconnected issues of climate justice, environmental degradation and human rights. We’ll dialogue in small groups about steps we can take as individuals and collectively as we advocate and bring to birth a just future in our common home. All are welcome! This event is co-sponsored by the Visitation Marianist State Community, MSJC Women and Justice Issue Team and MEEC/MSJC Integral Ecology Team and is part of our participation in the Marianist Family Encounters Project.

Info & Register Here!!

IMMIGRANT JUSTICE When: Wednesday, June 7th starting at 8pm ET | 7pm CT | 6pm MT | 5pm PT | 2pm HT Where: Virtual Opportunity What: We have an immigration problem.  You can help!  This interactive virtual information session will give you concrete ways to help refugees in your own community. Learn more about the differences between migrants, refugees and asylum seekers and how you can participate in the innovative work of the Welcome Corps. Hear about first hand experience from those already involved. There will be time for participant questions. Please share with your faith-sharing communities, friends, and family and plan to join us!

Registration for this event!

MSJC's 25th Anniversary

Did you know our LGBTQ+ Initiative team was established in 2010? Can you name anyone in this photo from our 2017 LGBTQ+ Retreat?  Respond here!

MSJC REFLECTIONS & RESOURCES

INTEGRAL ECOLOGY

Laudato si Week Hope for the Earth, Hope for Humanity is this year's Laudato si Week’s Theme (May 21st - 28th). Honor the encyclical’s 8th anniversary by reading about how the Marianist Family is engaging in Pope Francis’ invitations and register to receive updates. Globally, we’re invited to screen Pope Francis’ 80-min Movie, The Letter with others this month or summer. Register your screening and access resources and all info needed to plan and host a screening, including lesson plans and a U.S. Toolkit for dialogue and actions. Guidelines for organizing and recordings of tip sessions for successful\ adult and youth/young-adult events. Registration is required to receive a link to the film to be used in public screenings. Share your event story support@marianistencounters.org    FREE National Virtual Conference 2023 Laudato Si’ & the U.S. Catholic Church from June 14 - July 27th. Midweek, nine stand-alone 90 minute evening zoom events on each of the 7 Laudato si Goals, featuring scholars, practitioners and Q&A. Registration required to receive zoom info and links to recordings sessions you miss.

World Environment Day World Environment Day on 5 June 2023 focuses on solutions to #beatplasticpollution. Over half of the 400 million tons of plastic produced annually is designed to only be used once. Watch this UNEP video and consider a “Plastics Free July” campaign/challenge. Toolkit here and inspiration here.

LGBTQ+ INITIATIVE

In a recent article in Outreach, a Catholic LGBTQ resource, Bryan Massingale tells his audience about the importance of dreaming queer. He states that dreams are what impel us to do dangerous things to achieve justice. Massingale is the keynote speaker at our MLC-NA Assembly this July in St. Louis.

Fr. Massingale Outreach Article

BEYOND MSJC OPPORTUNITIES

MLC-NA Lay Assembly: Register and Attend MSJC Workshops! The Marianist Lay Community of North America is hosting it's Lay Assembly this summer in St. Louis! The theme is Encounter, Embrace, Engage and the keynote speakers include Fr. Bryan Massingale and Tony Alonso. MSJC Issue and Project Teams are scheduled to give 6 workshops and one prayer throughout the weekend: Adele Social Justice Project -- Young Adults and the Marianist Family: ASJP Reflecting on Past, Present, & Future Engagement Death Penalty Abolition and Restorative Justice -- Building and Strengthening Community through Circle Process Integral Ecology -- Embracing the Challenge of Climate Change: a Marianist Call to Dialogue, Reflection and Action LGBTQ+ Initiative -- Let's talk about the T in LGBTQ+ Racial Justice -- Facilitating Difficult Conversations Women & Justice -- Prayer Celebrating the Feast Day of Saint Mary Magdalene Read more about the Assembly here and consider registering below! We can't wait to be with you this summer.

Assembly Registration

Young Adults Invited to Border Immersion Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers are hosting a week-long mission immersion experience to El Paso, TX and Juárez, MX will expose you to the current realities at the US/Mexican border. You will receive first-hand accounts of the struggles experienced by migrants and those who serve them as well as input from Border Patrol officers. See and judge for yourself through prayer and the Gospel how God is inviting us to respond to this crisis situation.

Find More Info and Apply!

Questions, comments, or feedback for Justice Jottings can be sent to us at info@marianistsjc.net.