 Rooted in Gospel values, the example of St. Francis Xavier, and the vision of Theodore James Ryken, the last three General Chapters of the Xaverian Brothers (1995, 2001, and 2007) call the Brothers to center their lives on the example of Jesus in seeking out and working with the poor and marginalized. From a contemplative stance, the Brothers are called to help those who are on the margins to lead the full lives God intends, and to do whatever they can to help change those structures of society which keep many people poor and marginalized.
Recognizing that a contemplative stance enables us to more fully embrace our union with God in the spirit, and thus to live out that core sense of justice that Jesus calls all of us to, the Office of Peace and Justice provides for the Brothers and their friends and associates the following:
- Resources on spirituality and social justice which help one to defy the modern assumptions of consumerism and individualism and live according to the Gospel.
- A clearinghouse of information putting the Brothers and their friends and associates in connection with faith groups and other human needs organizations that create awareness of and promote justice and peace, targeting specific needs worldwide and here at home.
- Information on current social justice activities undertaken under the auspices of the Xaverian Brothers.
- Action Alerts which will give breaking news from a social justice perspective and provide suggestions for actions people can take to promote social justice and peace.
ACTION ALERTS
THE ERADICATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
We Need a New START: Tell the Senate to ratify the nuclear weapons treaty. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to vote in mid-September, 2010, on a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) which will reduce the number of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons.Senators need to see that there is broad public support for the New START.Tell your senators that you wanta world without nuclear weapons, andratification of the New START is the first step in that direction.
The treaty is a critical, if modest, step towards the goal of nuclear disarmament. Unfortunately, the timing of the vote right before the elections has made it an easy target for political opportunism.
7, 900 nuclear warheads are now considered deployed and operational (ready for immediate use). 7,275 of these warheads reside in the nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and Russia.
A total of approximately 2,000 U.S. and Russian strategic nuclearwarheads are kept on high alert, quick-launch status. They are mounted on long-range land and sea-based ballistic missiles, and kept ready to launch with only a few minutes warning. They can reach their targets anywhere on earth in 30 minutes or less.
IMMIGRATION: REFLECTION, ACTION, AND PRAYER RESOURCES FROM THE FRANCISCAN ACTION NETWORK
REFLECT
View the readings for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, Aug. 21, 2010
View the readings for the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Aug. 29, 2010
Our Sunday Gospels have been coming to us from Luke for the last several weeks.
One of the themes in this week's readings is the stranger from afar, and sharing the Good News with him. She comes, gathered by the LORD (in Isaiah) to see God's glory; the psalm, exhorts us to "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News." In this time where much emphasis is placed on fear, what Good News are we sharing with the world?
Are we sharing the Good News of a God who gathers all of the nations together, a God of love, a God who calls the people from the "east and the west and from the north and the south ... (to) recline at table in the kingdom of God"? Read more.
ACT
While FAN continues to work for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), we are now also putting our energy into the DREAM Act, in conjunction with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Justice for Immigrants (JFI). The DREAM Act is NOT a substitute for CIR, however it is an important component.
What is the DREAM Act? It is a measure that was introduced on March 26, 2009 by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) that would serve to provide legal status and educational opportunities to those who entered the U.S. as minor children.
Click here to send a message to your Members of Congress in support of the DREAM Act.
To learn more, visit the JFI site.
PRAY
An interfaith group, sponsored by The New Sanctuary Movement, gathers together on the first Thursday of each month at 12 noon in front of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement(ICE) building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They gather in prayerful solidarity with families who have been affected by deportation. The service lasts about a half-hourand includes songs, petitions, the reading of the names of people deported or waiting to be deported and a closing prayer.
FAST
The Wheaton Franciscans joined in efforts of faith communities around the country as they fasted for immigration reform. Take a moment to read a short article they have provided on the experience.
Please remember that we welcome you to share the ways you or your ministering community are working with and for our immigrant brothers and sisters. Please send us stories, pictures, video links, and other resources.
God give you Peace!
Monica Herald
FAN Outreach & Communications Manager
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The Murphy Initiative for Justice and Peace
The Murphy Initiative for Justice and Peace is sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers and thirteen other religious congregations with ministries in the Baltimore Archdiocese. The Initiative is envisioned as a common voice of these communities to work collectively for social justice and to support the ongoing justice and peace work within each community.
Especially helpful is its This Just In and Continuous Calendar links which tell of current peace and justice efforts and events sponsored by member communities, and by other Catholic and faith based social justice organizations in the Baltimore area, the nation, and the world. The Murphy Initiative is named for Bishop Frank Murphy, auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore who, before his death in 1999, helped greatly in the production of the USCCB’s 1983 Pastoral letter, The Challenge of Peace, and conveyed so well the Gospel message of peace and justice in his own gentle and welcoming way.
To learn more about the Murphy Initiative and the ways God is calling us to work for social justice - to remove conditions that contradict the God-given dignity of each and every person, no matter who they are - go to: www.pfmjpi.org (Bishop Frank Murphy’s first name was Patrick)
Africa Faith and Justice Network
WWW.AFJN.ORG: Africa Faith & Justice Network educates and advocates for a transformation of U.S. policies toward Africa. Grounded by a commitment to social justice, AFJN brings the most important issues affecting the people of Africa to our lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
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Climate change & God’s call...Watch a brief video...Take the St. Francis Pledge
As Sr. Helen Prejean said recently, “If following God’s call is not scary, surprising, and an adventure all at the same time, it is not the call of the Gospel of Jesus”. God’s cry to us in the face of the great challenge of climate change is just such a call. On Earth Day, April 22, leading national Catholic organizations (including the CMSM, LCWR, and USCCB) called on all Catholics to enter seriously into the discussion on climate change and to act in ways that will help all to meet the challenges it presents.
They produced a very powerful 4 minute video which clearly points out a distinctly Gospel based, Catholic contribution to any consideration of the effects of climate change- the linking of our call to care for creation with our call to care for “the least of these”, the poor who will be most adversely affected. To view it, click YouTube - Catholic Climate Covenant - Who's Under Your Carbon ...
Then click St. Francis Pledge where you can sign on to pledge to learn and pray about the effects of climate change and move yourself to act in ways that are an answer to the call of the Gospel.
To learn more about the effects of climate change and for suggestions for your prayer and actions you can take, go to www.catholicclimatecovenant.org .
Our Use of Water and Climate Change
The corporate control of water can greatly effect climate change. This file water-disaste1 will put you in touch with a very brief but engaging and thought provoking slideshow on bottled water and it will provide you with some things you might consider as you reflect on your attitude toward, and use of, bottled water.
A major reason for re-examining our use of bottled water is that the corporate control of water is having a deleterious effect on the 1.1 billion people who currently lack access to enough drinking water. To learn more about this, click the link -Think Outside the Bottle | Corporate Accountability International
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