Global Solidarity with Refugees, Migrants and Displaced People

Join activists and humanitarians worldwide live on YouTube and participate with GMU and its partner organizations in a free global online conference. There is no registration this year. Simply join the free conference on YouTube.

During World Interfaith Harmony Week, February 6 - 8, 2025. GMU is once again collaborating with Tangaza University, IRDIS, and the Harmony Institute of Kenya on a third international online conference dedicated to fostering the precepts of Pope Francis' encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. Titled "Belonging Together: Migrants, Refugees, Displaced People, and Global Solidarity," the conference will focus on "the inseparability of the human family—people belong together regardless of their origin and residence status. At the same time, the title alludes to the irrevocable responsibility of humankind for mutual care—being human and being in solidarity with others, especially the most vulnerable, belong together."

Topics will explore:

• How do migrant experiences shape the understanding of human existence?
• How can migrants help define practices of mutual care for the common good?
• What role do migrants play in establishing shared values for peaceful coexistence?

Discussions will include:

Being Human--Being Migrant

• Migrants’ identity, resilience and agency
• Negotiating migrant self-understanding, reception, and integration in host communities
• Gendered migration experiences and transnational belonging

Living Together in the Age of Migration

• Caring for One Another
• Hospitality and practices of inclusive community by and with migrants
• Migration, border politics, citizenship, and nation-building, using legal framework in concert with the United Nations Global Compact
• International migration, mobility, families, and community engagement

Ethical Principles and Shared Values for Shaping Migrant-Sensitive Societies

• Moral obligations toward refugees and vulnerable migrants
• Protecting migrant women, children, and unaccompanied minors, equipping them for self-reliant futures
• Interfaith solidarity, human dignity, and human rights for peaceful societies

Keynote speakers for the conference include Rev. Daniel G. Groody, C.S.C. (left), author of A Theology of Migration: The Bodies of Refugees and the Body of Christ, which won first-place honors from the Catholic Press Association; Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J. (center), Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; and Most Rev. Mark J. Seitz, D.D. (right), Bishop of El Paso, Texas.

Subscribe to the Fratelli Tutti Conference YouTube channel to get updates and be alerted when the presentations start. See you all on February 6!

The Ufuk Dialogue Foundation in Nigeria has invited President Grudzen to speak at three interfaith conferences from February 20-25, 2025, in diverse areas of Nigeria. The theme of these meetings will be "Empowering Youth and Cultivating a Culture of Understanding."  Ufuk Dialogue Foundation of Nigeria creates a platform for peace and dialogue for academic circles in Nigeria.  This foundation is part of the global Hizmet movement which was founded in Turkey but has now spread to many countries in Africa and throughout the world. GMU has worked closely with the Harmony Foundation in Kenya (another Hizmet organization) for the past decade on interfaith education projects. The topic of his talks will be "Youth, Global Solidarity, and Citizenship."

Marita Grudzen has also been invited to present at the conferences. However, because of health concerns surrounding extended travel, Marita will be meeting with women in interfaith groups via Zoom.

I just started a "newsletter" (as they call it) on Substack. It's called Pinking and Pulling: Reflections on Academic Librarianship, from the Card Catalog to AI. (You'll find out what I mean by "pinking and pulling" in the first post!) Having worked for over 60 years in libraries, I feel it's time to share my experiences and observations dealing with the vastly changing world of information. 

Please take a look, and consider subscribing to my weekly posts. Just click the "subscribe" button and you'll have the option to support my efforts by paying a little something every month, or just enjoying the newsletters for free. 

Judy Clarence, M.L.I.S.

When Age Matters: Paying Attention to Dates of the Sources You Use

You’re researching a topic in preparation for writing a paper or thesis, and you find a scholarly article that’s on target for your topic. But—wait a minute. It was published in 1967. Is that OK? Well, it all depends. The answer is: maybe, but probably not. 

Obviously, if your topic covers one of the sciences, medicine, or technology, you should ignore anything published prior to the last 4-5 years (on our online databases, you can limit the search by publication date.) Unless, that is, you’re writing about developmental trends in that discipline over the decades or centuries. 

If you’re writing about a historical topic, the source might be an important one, even if it was written long ago. But realize that concepts and understandings evolve over time, even in fields like history, philosophy, literature and theology. Insights into, and interpretations of, for example, the Gospel of Luke or the writings of Erasmus may have moved in new directions since the 1960s. Documents and manuscripts which shed new light on the subject may have been recently discovered.

Citing recent sources also signals to your readers that you’ve kept up to date with current trends in research. You want to show your familiarity with the latest books and articles on your topic—that you’re a vibrant part of the contemporary discourse.

Additionally, an older source might include information that’s outdated, or research that has since been debunked or disputed. You might, however, want to include that outdated theory or idea, with clear reference to more recent research that shows its inaccuracies. 

If you’re using a website as a source, watch out! Websites are often not maintained; people start a website with excellent intentions, then ignore it for years. Check to see when it was last updated. 

To sum up: Pay attention to those publication dates! Good scholarly work should strike a balance between newer sources for up-to-date information and older sources to establish a broader context or track the development of a field.

Questions? Comments? Need help with research? Contact me:

Judy Clarence, M.L.I.S., GMU Librarian

librarian@globalministriesuniversity.org

GMU partners with the Institute of Science and Religion program in Kerala, India. You can view lectures on their YouTube channel.

Theology for the 21st Century

A new cohort in the GMU's Religion and Science Program has begun. Discover the compatibility of science, spirituality, and faith. Asian and African applications will soon be made directly on Fr. Augustine Pamplany's website. The applications will then be sent to GMU for follow-up and enrollment. Email Fr. Augustine for information.

Emotions, Beliefs, and Mental Health

President Grudzen, Robert Graf, and Thomas James will present papers at the international Religion and Science symposium in Kerala, India, from February 1 to February 3, 2025. Father Augustine Pamplany is the director of this conference in collaboration with GMU.

Spring into Spirituality!

It's time to "let the light shine" in your life and in your soul! Dr. Margie Schneider is offering three courses at a discount. TH580 Creation Spirituality, TH Eco-Art & Creation Spirituality, and TH517 Spiritual Ecology are available individually for half the price of the traditional tuition, $235 per course. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your awareness of the Divine in Creation and in You!

GMU seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of those who wish to start Intentional Eucharistic Communities. Together with PCS, GMU is now offering:

Creating Inclusive Eucharistic Communities in an Emerging Synodal Church 

5 sessions  $475 + $25 App Fee

Women in the Bible and Christian Tradition

5 sessions  $475 + $25 App Fee

Credit for these courses can be applied towards a GMU graduate degree or certificate.

Our Celebrant Training Program enables students to focus on creating funeral services and/or wedding ceremonies for a particular religious or ethnic group or even for the non-religious. 

 ~Michael Conley, D.Min.

People's Catholic Seminary...a journey to Spiritual Transformation, Empowerment & Equality

You are most welcome to gather with other Celtic Spirits on a journey around the Celtic Wheel of the Year. The Celtic Wheel offers a framework to explore Celtic Spirituality, the cyclical nature of the seasons and the eight festivals of the year, observed throughout the Celtic lands. 

PCA 721-Gathering of Celtic Spirit

Instructor: Mary Coffey

I’m a creative soul, laughing.

I'm also a mixed-media artist, teacher, a certified spiritual director, and a priest ordained in the independent Catholic movement. I’m curious to see how the Divine shows up in and through creative expression both on the canvas and in real life.

Retreat/Independent Course: Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in Your Life with Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan

"Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in Your Life" invites you to explore the beautiful mosaic of names and images that depict God's all-embracing, inclusive love for us. Each section provides imagery of the sacred feminine in Scripture, in Christian mystics, and in contemporary life. Open yourself to your belovedness as an image of the Divine Feminine in prayer and action, and explore new paths to spiritual healing, nourishment, and transformation in our world.

Celebrating the Sacred Feminine in Your Life is available as a private retreat, an independent study, or as a course for sharing in a cohort model.

Cohorts meet in a Zoom video conference to share insights on their meditations.

For those taking this course as an independent study or retreat, Bridget Mary will be available upon request to share with you in phone or Zoom conversations. 

GMU will partner with the Omeriye Foundation as the focal point in Kenya, and participate as the USA mentor for Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, and Nairobi University in the EARTH FUNDS AI for Climate and Environmental Challenges in September 2025

GMU has received an extraordinarily generous donation of $40,000 from GMU Board member John Raymaker.

Four women residing in India will be receiving scholarships in the Religion and Science program thanks to the generosity of GMU Board member Rev. Juanita Cordero.

It is because of generous donations like these that GMU can offer scholarships to many more students.

GMU operates under the corporate umbrella of the Federation of Community Ministries of California (FCM of CA), originally formed on October 30, 1997, when we gained the status of a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. GMU is registered in Santa Clara County, CA, as a DBA of FCM of CA. The two entities have the same Board of Directors.

Help Our Global Family

https://www.globalministriesuniversity.org/

info@globalministriesuniversity.org