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Saint James Cathedral
SOCIAL Outreach
& Advocacy
June 2020
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Prayer to End Racism and Injustice
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Let us pray for George Floyd and all victims of violence, racism, and hate. Let us pray for our country, that we may root out racism, seek reconciliation and understanding, and truly recognize one another as brothers and sisters.
If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (I John 4:20-21)
God of justice,
you adorned the human race
with a marvelous diversity,
and you clothed each of its members
with a dignity
that may never be diminished.
Instill in us respect for that dignity,
that we may always champion for others
the justice we seek for ourselves.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
ICEL, 1998
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My friends, these are difficult days. My family's dinner conversations have veered from the pain of the COID-19 pandemic to the struggles that our nation has failed to address since its founding. How can we, as people of faith, ardently advocate for the dignity of the human person if we fail to take a knee in solidarity with our sisters and brothers who, for countless generations, have experienced brutal oppression of every kind? As we bask in the glow of Pentecost, may we invoke the Holy Spirit to enkindle in all people the fire of God's love, that we may renew the face of the Earth. In the words of Dorothy Day, "The biggest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution that has to start with each one of us."
Patrick Barredo
Director of Social Outreach & Advocacy
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A Moment of Prayer and Lament
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Friday, June 5, at 12 noon, you are invited along with Seattle clergy from many faith traditions to gather on the terrace and steps of St. James Cathedral, to pray and observe eight minutes, 46 seconds of silence while the Cathedral's funeral bells toll. Rev. Dr. Kelle Brown, Lead Pastor of Plymouth Church, will speak and invite all to silence. The service will be livestreamed on
Vimeo and
Facebook.
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Catholic Leaders: Floyd Shooting, Protests a "wake-up call'
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NEW YORK - As the nation was gripped by widespread unrest over the weekend in response to the killing of yet another unarmed black man by a police officer last week, U.S. Catholic leaders said recent events served as a 'wake-up call' to the racism that continues to plague the country...
Read entire article here |
Catholic responses from around the country:
You may also want to view this video submitted by a St. James parishioner, on white privilege.
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Ways to Be Catholic and Politically Involved
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Thursday, June 4 at 7:00pm on Zoom
Sponsored by St. James Cathedral, St. Joseph Parish and the Archdiocese of Seattle Office of Young Adult Ministry
Wondering
how to engage politically while maintaining your Catholic faith?
Be Yourself | Be Informed | Be Catholic
The Influence of Catholic Social Teaching on Our Political System
Presenters: Jessie Dye and Theresa Shepherd-Lukasik
Connect with other young adults and delve into how we as Catholics in Western Washington rely on Catholic Social Teaching to advocate for legislation that is committed to the poor through our belief that every human being is created in the image of God
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"If Covid-19 Frightens You, You Should be Terrified by Climate Change"
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"It is much, much worse than you think..."
If you don't like the current reality of widespread illness, death, economic collapse and rolling lockdowns, then you should really direct your energies toward combating climate change.
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Cathedral Kitchen and Sunday Breakfast Resume Limited Service
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St. James meal programs began operating again in May, after being suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cathedral staff, volunteers and guests are thankful to gather around meals, albeit to-go, while following social distancing guidelines. We greatly look forward to being back in full service as soon as we can and are now operating meals Monday to Friday, 4:00pm - 4:30pm.
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4th Annual Immigration Summit online:
May 15 - June 15
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Altar for the children who have died at the US/Mexico Border
(Photo Credit: Jeanette Rodriguez)
Hope in Solidarity:
Catholic Response to Immigration Practices and Policies in the US
The
4th Annual Catholic Immigration Summit
is entering its last weeks where all videos are available. Some videos that have timely content and will be removed after June 15, so visit the page soon!
Click here
for the Immigration Summit's resources and videos.
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Catholic Relief Services Update
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The current Covid-19 pandemic has our full attention, obscuring the issue of hunger in our world. Did you know that one in nine people around the world suffer from hunger; that each year, three million children die from malnutrition; and 149 million face developmental challenges due to malnutrition? Catholic Relief Services strives to create a world free from hunger, providing optimal nutrition and an ability for all of God's people to thrive.
Rice Bowl is one significant way each of us can contribute to the well-being of those most in need, in our community and in our world. 25% of all Rice Bowl donations are returned to our diocese to support hunger and poverty alleviation efforts. Both the Cathedral Kitchen and the St. James Cathedral Garden have received grants from Rice Bowl, as have area food banks.
If you haven't sent your Rice Bowl donation in yet, you can do so on the CRS website
. Thank you!
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TAKE ACTION:
public health emergency shelter act
From the National Alliance to End Homelessness
COVID-19 is hitting the homeless population hard. Service providers and systems leaders have urgently and creatively worked through this crisis to house and serve people experiencing homelessness, even with seriously limited resources.
The upcoming Public Health Emergency Shelter Act would provide an additional $11.5 billion in homeless assistance through the Emergency Solutions Grant.
Telling your Senator
to support this bill is extremely important, and can assist in providing funds for homelessness in future stimulus bills.
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TAKE ACTION:
emergency rental assistance and rental market stabilization
From the Washington Low-Income Housing Alliance
On May 15, the U.S. House passed the
HEROES Act
by a vote of 208-199. The bill includes $100 billion in emergency rental assistance; $11.5 billion in additional funding to prevent and respond to coronavirus outbreaks among people experiencing homelessness; and a national, uniform moratorium on evictions and foreclosures.
Congress should take every step possible to prevent housing instability and homelessness as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, both during ongoing outbreaks and as a result of recovery.
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TAKE ACTION:
Tell Congress to Invest in Equitable Economic Relief and Sustainable Recovery
Ask Congress to pass COVID relief and a stimulus package that will:
* Prioritize relief for workers, the unemployed, and underemployed
* End financial bailouts for the fossil fuel industry
* Implement a nationwide moratorium on utility shut-offs
* Care for vulnerable and disproportionately impacted communities
* Invest in clean energy, jobs, and a just transition
* Protect our democratic process
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ACTION ALERT:
urge senate to support refugees/immigrants in covid-19 relief bill
From the Washington State Catholic Conference
Click here
to urge your Senators to remember immigrants and refugees as they consider the next COVID-19 relief package. In previous federal legislative efforts, immigrants and refugees have not been included in COVID-19 relief bills, although they continue to be essential workers in fields such as health care and agriculture. Furthermore, we are called to protect the God-given dignity of every human being during this global emergency. Following the House's passage of the HEROES Act, we now turn to the Senate to move forward with this COVID-19 relief legislation.
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ACTION ALERT:
From the Washington State Catholic Conference
As the economy has slowed during the pandemic, so has funding for Catholic schools in Washington. Parents face difficulty paying tuition, and parishes supporting Catholic schools are impacted by decreased collections. Click on this
action alert
to urge your US Congressional leaders to include Catholic schools in COVID-19 relief programs. Catholic schools are integral to the education system in Washington state. They provide $302 million in annual savings to Washington taxpayers, educating over 28,000 students. In comparing school district sizes, the Catholic school system would rank as the fifth largest school district in the state. Act now to support Catholic education
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ACTION ALERT:
support i-1698, the heartbeat initiative
The
Washington State Catholic Conference supports signature gathering for
Initiative 1698
(I-1698), a state pro-life initiative that will require an ultrasound be performed prior to an abortion. An abortion will then be prohibited if a fetal heartbeat is detected. Exceptions will
be made for cases preventing the death of a pregnant woman and for cases involving a serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of a pregnant woman.
Signatures should be returned to organizers and postmarked by June 24. Additional initiative details can be found on the
WSCC website.
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Racial Justice and the Catholic Church
By Bryan N. Massingale
Confronting racism is difficult but essential work if we are to heal the brokenness in our society and our church. In the author's words, "We all are wounded by the sin of racism... How can we struggle together against an evil that harms us all?"
Racial Justice and the Catholic Church
examines the presence of racism in America from its early history through the Civil Rights Movement and the election of Barack Obama. It also explores how Catholic social teaching has been used--and not used--to promote reconciliation and justice.
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Our buildings may be closed but the Church is still very much alive! Watch over 65 churches come together and sing this blessing.
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Churches sing 'The Blessing' across the United Kingdom |
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