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"Starting from our roots, let us sit around the common table, a place of conversation and of shared hopes. In this way our differences, which could seem like a banner or a wall, can become a bridge."
- Querida Amazonia (37)
May these words and the other resources found in this e-newsletter inspire you to take action to promote the common good and protect our common home.
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Shalom North America Contacts
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Click here
for our printer-friendly (pdf) version of the newsletter.
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Integrity of Creation
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 Beloved Amazon
Querida Amazonia (Beloved Amazon) is Pope Francis'response to the Synod on the Amazon, a three-week gathering of bishops held last October to discuss the pastoral questions facing the church in the Amazon in light of environmental and social concerns facing the region. In his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Pope Francis calls for respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and taking action to protect the precious Amazonian ecosystem. Read the
document,
this reflection, download this helpful
study and prayer guide.
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Integrity of Creation
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 World Water Day (3/22)
This year's focus for World Water Day is "Nature and Climate Change", exploring how water and climate change are inextricably linked. Extreme weather events are making water more scarce, more unpredictable, more polluted or all three. Action plans to tackle climate change need to be integrated across different sectors and coordinated across borders -
learn more. The Council of Canadians
extends an invitation to screen
The Condor & The Eagle, a film they hope not only educates but helps us come together on the issue of the climate and water crisis.
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| World Water Day 2020 |
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The Condor And The Eagle - Trailer |
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Integrity of Creation
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 Earth Hour (3/28 at 8:30 PM Local Time)
Earth Hour has become one of the world's largest grassroots movements for the environment. Held every year on the last Saturday of March from 8:30-9:30 PM local time, Earth Hour goes beyond the symbolic action of switching off lights to call attention to climate change and other Earth issues. It has become a catalyst for positive environmental impact, sparking global conversations and actions.
Learn more/participate.
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Integrity of Creation
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 Planning for Earth Day (4/22)
The Catholic Climate Covenant's Earth Day 2020 program focuses on the 5th anniversary of Laudato Si' and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The program materials can be downloaded for free and include a
facilitator guide,
participant guide, and
editable flyer. The hope is that faith-filled commemoration of these anniversaries will help build momentum to engage Catholics in addressing the climate crisis in a more robust way.
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Human Life and Dignity
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 Labeling for Lent
Labor Trafficking is a big concern in the
seafood industry. To help raise awareness and urge reform, we join with U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Traffickng in promoting the Coalition of Catholic Organizations against Human Trafficking Labeling for Lent Campaign. Participation is easy. Simply send a letter or postcard to Sysco (a major wholesale company that provides food services to over 650,000 restaurants, schools, and health care facilities - many of which are Catholic) urging them to better inform their customers about their efforts to ensure their supply chain is free of forced labor.
Learn more/take action; print out and share
this postcard.
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Human Life and Dignity
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 International Women's Day
On March 8, we celebrate
International Women's Day - a day to remember and honor women's "achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political," and to use these inspiring achievements "to build support for women's rights and participation in the political and economic arenas." The theme this year is "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights." Learn about the
World Day of Prayer, a global movement of Christian women of diverse traditions who come together to participate in "Informed Prayer and Prayerful Action."
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Human Life and Dignity
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 Mobilize for Dreamers
Last November, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and is expected to issue a ruling on the legality of the DACA program in late April-June. In anticipation of the DACA decision date, our friends with the Interfaith Immigration Coalition have prepared a reflection resource for Lent featuring stories of DACA recipients and prayers. The Justice for Immigrants campaign invites us to reach out to our Senators to urge support for Dreamers. Here are talking points and a backgrounder on DACA. Set-up a meeting with your legislator (resource) or use SSND's Voter Voice tool to send a message electronically.
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| Supreme Court hearing arguments on DACA |
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Human Life and Dignity
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 Deployment of Tactical Border Agents in Local Communities
The Trump Administration has announced plans to deploy specialized tactical border agents in local communities across the country to assist ICE officers in carrying out enforcement actions. Our friends with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network strongly oppose this action fearing that dispatching tactical border patrol agents that are trained specifically for extremely violent situations into densely populated, residential areas would terrorize communities and weaken public safety.
Learn more/let your voice be heard.
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| Deploying Tactical Border Patrol Officers To Sanctuary Cities |
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Human Life and Dignity
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 Ending Racial Discrimination (3/21)
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on March 21. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly of the United Nations called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. Learn more about racism globally, in Canada, in the U.S.. Prayer resource.
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| How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time |
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Peace and Non-Violence
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 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
On March 5, 2020, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (NNP) Treaty will mark the 50th anniversary of its entry into force, and the 25th anniversary of its ongoing extension. But challenges continue to grow as diplomats gather in New York from April 29-May 10 for the treaty's Review Conference. Under the treaty, the nuclear have-nots agreed to renounce nuclear weapons forever but, under Article 6 of the treaty, the nuclear quintet agreed to negotiate "in good faith" towards giving up their bombs. Recently the US Catholic Bishops issued a new statement on nuclear disarmament. The statement referenced Pope Francis's visit to Japan, and affirmed his reminding of "the moral obligation to re-commit to the work of ridding the world of nuclear weapons and the threat that they pose." The statement also offered support for the NNP Treaty.
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Peace and Non-Violence
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Solidarity with South Sudan
The Solidarity with South Sudan initiative is a cooperative of religious congregations (including SSND) that began in 2006 to help address critical educational, health and pastoral needs after decades of civil war. The initiative currently has 31 religious and three lay volunteers helping run programs focused on education, health, sustainable agriculture, trauma healing, peacebuilding, and reconciliation.
Click here to review the latest update on their efforts.
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Peace and Non-Violence
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 Voting: Responsibility & Challenge
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| Catholics Participate in Public Life |
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The SSND International Shalom Network witnesses to the Gospel with audacity and hope as we collaborate to build just relationships and respond to the urgent needs of our times.
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 Shalom News North America is an e-publication of the Shalom North America Contacts (SNAC) of the School Sisters of Notre Dame - Arlene Flaherty, Ethel Howley, Jeanne Wingenter, Kathleen Bonnette, Rose Mary Sander, and Tim Dewane. Your comments, suggestions, and feedback are always welcomed. Email us at
[email protected].
Please only print this e-publication if necessary.
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