Shalom News North America
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An instrument of hope, formation, and action
concerning priority matters of social justice.
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Ecological Education
COP 26
Climate Justice
Climate and Migrants
Climate and Trafficking
Sacred Rights
Immigration
Black Catholic History
Poverty
Climate Change and Nuclear Weapons
Remembrance Day
Violence Against Women
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Dear Friend,
“The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor reach God’s heart and break open our hearts, challenging us to say “no” to violence that plagues our world and “yes” to human dignity and respect for the integrity of creation.” - SSND Solidarity Reflection for November
Thank you for all you do to promote justice, peace, and care for our common home in the SSND spirit of Shalom.
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Shalom North America Contacts
(Click here for a pdf version of this newsletter.)
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Laudato Si' Goal 5 - Ecological Education
The transformational power of education is at the heart of the SSND mission. In this time of human caused climate change, how might our educational curricula and methodology bring about in our educational communities an awareness of the fragility of creation, our interdependent relationship with creation, and how our misguided understandings of our role in creation are contributing to the unsustainability of our planet and her systems of life. Click here to see what ecological education looks like at Loyola University. Click here for additional information and reflection resources.
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COP 26 - UN Conference on Climate Change
Uniting the whole world to tackle climate change is the purpose for the COP 26 Summit being held in Glasgow, October 31- November 12, 2021. At this conference, countries will announce their latest plans to meet the goals of the Paris agreement to address climate change. Learn more. Please hold all participants in your prayer. You can follow the summit’s progress on the COP 26 website.
Pope Francis and other religious leaders have issued a joint appeal to conference participants, urging them to offer concrete solutions to save the planet from "an unprecedented ecological crisis". Read more.
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Advancing Climate Justice in Canada
There is profound wisdom in Indigenous teachings about the interconnectedness of all creation. Respecting this relationship is critical for ecological and economic integrity, right relations with Indigenous peoples, and for a holistic, just recovery from the pandemic. The report Restoring Indigenous Rights draws on the invaluable insights of Indigenous activists, scholars, and experts to explore how implementing the UN Declaration can advance climate justice in Canada. It seeks to prioritize the lived experiences of Indigenous Peoples in CPJ’s analysis of the UN Declaration and to place their sovereign rights at the heart of our work for climate justice. See the complete report: Indigenous Rights and Climate Justice.
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The Climate Crisis and Migration
The White House recently issued a Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration, which acknowledges that migration is “in some cases, an essential response to climate threats, to livelihoods and well-being.” The Biden administration will establish a standing interagency committee to coordinate its response to climate-induced migration. Click here for a fact sheet that summarizes the recent climate report and three other government analyses that will serve as the basis for the administration’s work on climate change moving forward.
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The Climate Crisis and Human Trafficking
The forced migration that the climate crisis is bringing about leaves little time for climate refugees to strategize well for their economic survival and overall well-being. Thus, this huge global population of vulnerable people are vulnerable to human traffickers who will exploit their vulnerability and drive them into the global slavery dragnet. It is imperative that while we strive to address the global climate crisis through policy and the development of sustainable forms of energy, we must also address prevention and protective services for those made most vulnerable by the climate crisis to the scourge of human trafficking. Corporations and others involved in the global supply chain have a role to play to stop the flow of climate migrants into conditions of slavery. For a brief overview Click here.
The US Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking is supporting a campaign to protect seafarers. They invite us to sign a petition urging Walmart to take action to protect these vulnerable human beings. For more information about the workers and how to sign the petition, click here.
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Tierra, Techo, Trabajo (Land, Lodging, Labor)
Pope Francis called the three T’s – tierra, techo, and trabajo – “sacred rights” at the annual World Meeting of Popular Movements, a gathering connecting the Catholic Church and grassroots labor organizers. In English, the three T’s translate roughly to three L’s: land, lodging, and labor. It is a lack of land, lodging, and labor, Pope Francis suggests, that contributes to forced relocation, painful emigration, and human trafficking. Read more.
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“You are social poets, because you have the ability and the courage to create hope where there appears to be only waste and exclusion,” said Pope Francis in his message to social movement leaders from around the world.
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JFI Immigration Updates
The Biden Administration has announced a Fiscal Year 2022 Presidential Determination (PD) of 125,000 refugees for resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. This is the highest PD since 1993. During the previous fiscal year, which ended on September 30, the U.S. resettled only 11,411 refugees, the lowest number in the program’s history. The Administration has also announced plans to restart the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as “Remain in Mexico”, by mid-November. It remains unclear how MPP and Title 42 will intersect with one another.
Twice now, the Senate Parliamentarian has ruled against the inclusion of proposals that would have provided legalization and a pathway to citizenship to members of the undocumented population in the budget reconciliation bill. There is another option being discussed—referred to as “Plan C”—which would provide parole to an estimated seven to eight million undocumented persons, granting them lawful presence in the United States, as well as work authorization and access to certain public benefits and services. Learn more. Take action.
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Black Catholic History and Racism
November is National Black Catholic History Month. In celebration, we invite you to make use of this thoughtful resource put together and shared by our friends the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet.
SSND has organized a webinar that will explore Critical Race Theory and related issues through the lens of SSND’s commitment to education and racial justice. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, November 17 from 6:30 – 7:45 pm (Central) and is open to all members of the SSND family. Click here for connection information.
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World Day of the Poor (11/14)
In his message for this year’s World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis reflects on Jesus' words at the anointing in Bethany, “the poor you will always have with you” (Mk 14:7). This he says 'is a summons never to lose sight of every opportunity to do good.' Click here for the full text of the Pope’s message and here for a reflection and discussion guide. Learn about poverty trends in Canada and the United States. Prayer resource.
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The Double Threat
Nuclear weapons and climate change are two of the greatest threats facing the world. With nearly 14,000 nuclear weapons, nine nuclear-armed states possess the capacity to destroy humanity and devastate the environment through war. Climate change threatens all life and responding to it involves shifting priorities and resources away from conflict and war, toward just and sustainable peace. Pax Christi International has prepared a series of infographics and short videos highlighting the relationship between the threat of nuclear weapons and the threat of climate change. Click here. Consider sharing this information widely as we observe the COP26 deliberations and anticipate the upcoming review of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
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Veterans' Day/Remembrance Day (11/11)
On November 11th we remember the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918 that ended World War I. It has come to be a day when we remember all veterans of all wars. May it also be a time to reflect on the price of war for all, including for those veterans we remember. Read more. Let us pray for all veterans and their families, and for the implementation of proactive, nonviolent strategies to address conflict and prevent war. Reflection resource.
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Nonviolent Strategies for Sustainable Peace
Pax Christi International has launched a new publication for policymakers and all those who want to make nonviolence a matter of policy. The short, practical booklet illustrates how nonviolence at the policy level has been proven effective around the world. It features experts and stories from around the movement to highlight the importance of nonviolence for policymakers as well as how easy and cost-effective it can be. Click here to learn more. Download booklet.
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Violence Against Women
November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
According to the World Health Organization, about 1 in 3 women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. Violence can negatively affect women’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health, and may increase the risk of acquiring HIV in some settings. Urge Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act 2021. Learn more/take action.
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The SSND 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, Mary Carter Waren, Rose Mary Sander, and Tim Dewane. Your comments, suggestions, and feedback are always welcomed. Email us at tdewane@ssndcp.org.
Please only print this e-publication if necessary.
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