Zoomers covered a virtual potpourri of social action this past week when they tried to “wrap up” a few loose ends of unfinished discussion. Indeed, they ran the gamut from Teilhard de Chardin to Pope Francis; from toxic dumping on Native lands to justice in our elections; from women in the church to the Faith in Action call for commitment to Catholic Social teaching. As if the world weren’t sufficiently conflicted with the vagaries of our time, Zoomers sought to add their own sense of cohesive sanity to the mix.
Teilhard de Chardin’s thoughts on The Feminine’ effectively pinpointed the role of women in the Church, a topic that immediately elicited Zoomer response. Raised in an environment surrounded by women, Teilhard understood that friendships with the opposite sex can enhance a person’s relationship with their God. This knowledge also highlighted de Chardin as a thinker who moved outside the norm.
Fratelli Tutti caught the imagination and heart of every Zoomer. Previously they had examined Pope Francis’ policies on leadership, poverty, education, and concern for others. Now they looked to Francis for guidance on social and political issues within a suffering global community. “We are still far from globalization of the most basic human rights,” he states. “That’s why world politics needs to make the effective elimination of hunger one of its foremost and imperative goals.”
Globalization may make us economic neighbors, but it does not bring nations together. Faith in Action, an organization founded with Social Justice in mind, works to ensure that those seeking asylum within the United States have a vehicle to defend their dignity and human rights. The group puts a face on immigration by fighting the separation of families and the deportation of dreamers. In addition, they mobilize and support public policies that promote and protect immigrants.
American Indians have long suffered from government policies that have stripped them of their tribal land and basic rights. As if the United States hadn’t done enough to disrupt the lives of these indigenous peoples, a recent EPA ruling gave fossil fuel corporations operating in Oklahoma the right to dump toxic waste on Native American soil. This latest injustice underscores the need for all of us to take action in whatever way possible (phone calls, e-mails, petitions), wherever such inequalities exist.
In our Zoomer discussions we have tried to make ourselves knowledgeable of the overwhelming suffering endured by our sisters and brothers throughout the world. Additionally, as committed Christians, we must bend to the Almighty in gratitude for the superabundance of goodness that continuously flows through our lives.
