January 22, 2019
Editor's Note: We have heard from some of you that you are not able to read the entirety of the Parish: 'the thought' issues and that at the bottom of the emails you see: "Show the rest of this message." (or something similar)  It is in very small print, so you may have missed it. All you have to do to view the rest of the edition is to click the link and you will be able to view the entire issue.
Carissimi,

Here are five facts about illegal immigration compiled by the Pew Research Center. These facts show up language like “open borders,” “infestation,” and “crisis” for what it is—and the persons who use them for what they are:

  • There were 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2016, representing 3.3% of the total U.S. population that year. The 2016…total is a 13% decline from the peak of 12.2 million in 2007, when this group was 4% of the U.S. population.

  • The number of Mexican unauthorized immigrants declined since 2007. Mexicans made up half of all unauthorized immigrants in 2016… compared with 57% in 2007…There were 5.4 million Mexican unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. in 2016, down from 6.9 million in 2007…The number of unauthorized immigrants has grown since 2007 only from one birth region: Central America, from 1.5 million that year to nearly 1.9 million in 2016. This growth was fueled mainly by immigrants…El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

  • The U.S. civilian workforce includes 7.8 million unauthorized immigrants, representing a decline since 2007. Compared with their 4.8% share of the civilian workforce overall in 2016, unauthorized immigrants are overrepresented as a share of the workforce in farming occupations (24%) and construction occupations (15%). In all industries and occupations, though, they are outnumbered by U.S.-born workers.

  • Six states account for 58% of unauthorized immigrants: California, Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Illinois…From 2007 to 2016, the unauthorized immigrant population decreased in a dozen states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Oregon. In three states, the unauthorized immigrant population rose over the same period: Louisiana, Maryland and Massachusetts.

  • A rising share of unauthorized immigrants have lived in the U.S. for more than a decade. About two-thirds (66%) of unauthorized immigrant adults in 2016 had been in the U.S. more than 10 years, compared with 41% in 2007.

An Update on Child Safety and Accountability...
For latest information click here.



What the World Needs Now...
The Good Samaritan
Jesus’ Good Samaritan Parable is About Transformation, Not Charity

by Mandy Bayton Monday, January 21, 2019
(reprinted from Christian Today)


One of Jesus' most well-known stories is the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37), about the man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho along the Jericho road. Most of us can probably recite it in our sleep.

The Jericho road, connecting Jerusalem and Jericho, is about 17 miles long and notoriously dangerous. In those 17 miles it drops 3,600 feet. It's steep and it descends sharply, with lots of rocky valleys and passes. Until the fifth century it was called the red or bloody way, and in the 19th century people still paid safety money to local sheiks before they traveled on it. READ MORE
Followup and Thank You....
MLK Commemoration Followup

by Toni Moore-Duggan
To God be the Glory. The words “it takes a village” were clearly demonstrated in the success of our Dr. King weekend celebration. So many people coming together to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King and keep the dream alive. Beginning with the work of John Odean, I can’t begin to thank each person who contributed to the weekend success. I especially want to mention the work of our unsung hero Greg for all he continues to do to make our events a success. The work of Kay and Joe of our hospitality committee cannot go unmentioned.

There is much to be said about the role of unity in our Christian community. Every step we take together is a step closer to the Heart of Christ.  

On Friday the film Rosewood reminded us of the horror of racial hatred and violence.

Saturday’s documentary discussion event Healing Justice was powerful, well attended, and well received. It raised continued awareness as we creatively formulated more supportive action in this real time of escalating violence in our communities. The documentary focused on the pipe line of school to prison system and the history of violence. Healing Justice stressed the need for restorative practices to infiltrate our homes, our schools, our approach to justice and every aspect of our communities. It facilitated our dialogue in addressing the needs of our children and adults to process trauma in a more healthful manner. It helped us view the human need for adaptation and existence through the lens of greater understanding paralleled with our sacred conscience regarding the victim and the perpetrator.

Sunday’s 10:30 Mass was a rousing tribute to the voice of Lauren Kelly-Washington, the choir and leadership of Paul Teie, Julie Kurzava, the dance of Maria Lawson, the homily of Fr. Casciotti, and a beautifully presented reading of the works of Dr. King by Ella Marsalis. The 6 PM Mass also had the voice of Maria Lawson singing the Black National Anthem at Meditation. 

Monday was the prayer walk against violence of Bishop Madden that began at St. Bernardine’s Catholic Community.

We pray that God will continue to order our steps in this journey of justice and peace.  

Much gratitude to all!
From "My Sister's Place"
This weekend...
Other St. Ignatius January Events


Tuesday, January 15 - 6:45 PM
Women of the New Testament
Click here for complete information
Sunday, January 27 - 9:45 AM
Respect for Life
Click here for complete information

In the Reeves Gallery
New Gallery Exhibit This Weekend

Our new exhibition in the Reeves Gallery opens this Sunday, January 27, after the 10:30 Mass. Watercolor artist Germaine B. Hughes presents "Portraits of Us" – an exhibit that invites us to accept diversity and universal connectedness.

Early Years as a Teacher and Counselor

Germaine's life-long commitment to help children and young adults realize their dreams and achieve their goals was evidenced by the thirty-two years she devoted to teaching and counseling teenagers. She earned a B.A. in Humanities and a M. Ed. In Education, but it was her love of the arts that became the compelling force in her life.
As her innate skills grew and became more widely recognized, her popularity and commissions grew along with them. While specializing in painting portraits of homes, pets and sites of special events, Germaine's artistic expression evolved into a style which is uniquely her own.

Water Color Painting as An Adventure

Now retired from Education, Germaine is painting full time, broadening both her subject matter and her popularity. She has found the challenge of human portraiture to be exciting and creatively rewarding. Samples of this discipline have become a major portion of her portfolio. As we look at these faces of other races, nationalities and cultures, we can take the leap to become an advocate for those who are not so different after all.

Visit Reeves Gallery before or after Mass to view this beautiful exhibit! View samples by clicking here,
Worship with Offerings, Liturgy and Prayers for Others
POOR BOX 
This week's Poor Box support goes to support the Ignatian Spirituality Project .

MASS MUSIC   
Attached is the listing for the music selections at next Sunday's 10:30 Mass. 
 
PRAYERS OF PETITION
Attached are the Prayers of
Petition from Sunday's
10:30 Mass.

In the Media
How a Racist Fan Letter Forced Me to Reckon With Our Nation’s History of Prejudice

by Rachel Lu
January 21, 2019

It is one of those moments you do not forget: the first time you receive a friendly note from a virulent racist. Nothing quite compares to that nasty realization that you have been deemed recruitment-worthy by the foot-soldiers of the Ku Klux Klan.

For me, this first happened in the spring of 2015, a couple of years into my career as a freelance writer. I had recently written a piece for The Federalist on the failures of Democratic urban policy. The piece was a crowd pleaser, and I felt good about it. Shortly after it ran, I got a note from a reader who assured me that I was a gifted writer who had made some excellent points. Unfortunately, he said, I had not yet gotten to the heart of the issue. The Democrats had their problems, but bad policy was not the real scourge of American cities. They were simply ungovernable, he said, because there were too many black people. READ MORE