Diocese of Winona-Rochester Social Concerns
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"To promote and support parish social action through education"
Our committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss the issues of Social Concerns within our Diocese, and to plan opportunities to learn and explore issues of concern. Updates and information are available below. Feel free to contact us by responding to this newsletter or through the feedback button at the bottom of the newsletter with any questions or feedback.
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Profiles in Justice:
Faithful Citizenship in Action
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On February 19th over 1100 Catholics of all ages from across MN (185 of which were from DOWR) gathered in St. Paul to participate in the Minnesota Catholic Conference's
Catholics at the Capitol
. Read the below article from the
Austin Daily Herald
to hear about Pacelli students' experience.
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Pacelli Students Learn About Faithful Citizenship
By Laura Marreel, Dean of Students and Elly Benin, Theology Teacher
Catholics from across the state gathered on Feb. 19 in the spirit of faithful citizenship to learn more about key issues facing our state and to advocate for Life & Human Dignity.
Organized by the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, Catholics at the Capitol provides Minnesota Catholics with the opportunity to learn about the key challenges facing the state, gain insights into effective advocacy, and have conversations with elected officials about the issues that matter. This year Catholics participated from every legislative district in Minnesota
....full article.
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Listen to the newest segment of
The Bridge Builder Podcast
as MN Catholic Conference speaks with a
DOWR resident, Lisa Kremer,
who as a lay-Catholic has answered the call to advocate for our immigrant neighbors by creating the organization “Familias Juntas” or “Families Together”.
In our Classic Catholic Social Teaching segment, we’re discussing the encyclical Pope Pius XI wrote in 1937 to the Bishops in Germany concerning the Church and the Third Reich. Then in our bricklayer segment, Rachel gives us practical tips for living out faithful citizenship both with the other Catholics in our own communities and with our elected officials.
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Do you know someone who is passionate about charity and justice? Is there someone in your parish or in your life that you would like to see highlighted in "Profiles in Justice"?
Let us know!
We want to share their story, their faith, their hope and their love!
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Click on the red "take action" line to get more information and to take action today!
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The federal Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (H.R. 897 / S. 274) would prevent government discrimination against faith-based child welfare service providers, including adoption and foster care agencies. This legislation is vital to ensure Catholic and other faith-based organizations have the space to serve children and families in God's love through adoption and foster care services.
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If we don’t act now to help poor farmers adapt to climate change, we’ll see more hunger, malnutrition, and poverty around the world. Our common home and all of creation needs your voice. Urge your Senators and Representative to take steps to tackle the challenges of climate change in the new Congress!
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A new Congress has begun. That means it's time to raise your voice to ensure Congress continues to act & address hunger worldwide. Your voices have been extremely influential in passing critical pieces of legislation. Last year, you helped pass the Global Food Security Act and the Farm Bill. Send your legislators a message as a new year has begun & help confront hunger and its root cause, poverty, by protecting key funding for international food security programs.
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On February 25, the US Senate failed to pass the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (S. 311) on a vote of 53 to 44, with 3 senators not voting. This legislation in no way restricted any woman's access to abortion, as abortion advocates claim. The bill was proposed to ensure basic medical and humanitarian care to any child who survives an abortion, a protection not sufficiently provided in federal law.
In spite of the shocking result, we must not become discouraged. Please take a minute to write to your senators to express appreciation for their support of Born Alive, or disappointment and disapproval if they voted against it.
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The 2019-2020 state legislative session began on Tuesday, January 8th. Throughout the legislative session, our elected leaders will be faced with many decisions, big and small, that affect life and human dignity. Whether you voted for those who are now in office or voted for someone else, those who are now leading our state and country need your authentic friendship and goodwill; they need you - their constituent- as a resource to help inform their decisions. We can do this by building relationships with them; this starts with prayer and sharing the truth of the Gospel.
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TAKE ACTION: Do your research on the MN "Freedom to Drive" legislation!
This
law
and this approach was the law in Minnesota until 2002. According to Fox 9 there are an estimated 95,000 undocumented immigrants in Minnesota. In order to get to work, school and daily life many must drive anyway without passing a driving test or having proper insurance. That is why law enforcement is behind the bill. Other supporters of the bill include the hospitality lobby and
Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who calls the bill "a moral imperative".
Here are some links to get more info:
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Social Justice Morning of Reflection
Life and Dignity of the Human Person:
Responding with Love in a Polarized Society
Mark your Calendars for these upcoming reflection days:
Saturday, April 6 – 8:30 a.m. to Noon
St. Joseph, Owatonna MN
This event is offered free of charge. To Learn more or to schedule this event, contact Tom Parlin at 507-452-2270 ext.246 or tparlin@ccsomn.org.
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The Parish Social Ministry Office is offering a day of reflection on the Life and Dignity of the Human Person entitled
Responding in Love in a Polarized World.
This day of reflection is being offered in parishes throughout the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Some of the topics covered include Consistent Ethic of Life, Racism, Immigration, Abortion, Peacemaking, faithful citizenship and how to live in a polarized world.
The reflection day was prepared by Tom Parlin, Director of Parish Social Ministry from Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota. A member of the Parish Social Ministry team, which includes Tom Parlin, Richard DeBona, and Nicole Henrichs will facilitate the day. The time frame of the reflection is flexible, typically running 2 to 3 hours.
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These events are free and ALL are welcome!
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An Ordinary Martyr: The Life and Death of Blessed Stanley Rother
Monday, March 11th
7:00 - 8:00 pm
St. Adrian Catholic Church, Adrian MN
Thursday, March 21st
7:00 - 8:00 pm
St. Mary's Catholic Church, Worthington MN
Join us for a brief video documentary and discussion night about
Blessed Father Stanley Rother
. This short film captures the heart, devotion and resolution of Blessed Stanley Rother, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for his faith. He, like us, was an ordinary person. How are we called to answer God’s call? What can we learn from his story? How are we, like Father Stanley, called to be Saints?
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POST-EASTER AND EARTH DAY
Celebrating and Protecting Creation:
The spiritual and the practical
Join us for a post- Easter/Earth Day gathering on:
Saturday, April 27
th
3:30pm – 5pm;
at St John the Baptist parish in Mankato
Facilitators: Fr. Joe Fogal, diocesan priest, and Briana Baker of Interfaith Power and Light.
For more information, contact Richard DeBona of Catholic Charities, Mankato
-
rdebona@ccsomn.org
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HOLY LAND MINISTRY: Shining a light on the plight of Palestinians
Sat., March 23
rd
9:30am – 12noon
Sacred Heart parish in Waseca, MN.
[weather-delay: March 30
th
]
We will view excerpts from the following films
:
Christians of Palestine
,
Sacred Space Denied - Bethlehem and The Wall
and
Imprisoning a Generation.
We will also
hear from the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors and victims, who is married to a Palestinian refugee from Jaffa - forcibly expelled from his home in 1948, in what the Israelis call the War of Independence and what the Palestinians call the
Nakba
, or Catastrophe.We will also advocate as faithful citizens for a fuller understanding of the situation – including the hopes of the “
BDS”
movement! – “Boycott! Divestment! Sanctions!”
RSVP greatly appreciated
(for light breakfast set-up and materials)! For more information, contact Richard DeBona of Catholic Charities, Mankato
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rdebona@ccsomn.org
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For more information on this event, please contact Richard DeBona in the Mankato office at
rdebona@ccsomn.org.
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IMMIGRATION:
The heart of the matter!
Tuesday, March 19
th
at 7pm
SSNDs on THE HILL Good Counsel in Mankato.
AND join us to hear from the Sisters who worked in Guatemala during his time there; we will also be hearing powerful and poignant personal stories from the Sisters who’ve visited the US-Mexico border recently; additionally, we will view an excerpt from a very informative film:
HARVEST OF EMPIRE
(2” TRAILER here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TZea91MrcY
) which examines reasons for immigration having to do with USA foreign policy over the past decades; finally,
we will take action in the form of URGENT advocacy.
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April 1, 6:30-8:00pm
$10 preregistered/prepaid. $15 at the door.
This presentation will examine the attitudes, apprehensions, and aspirations of young adults. It endeavors to explain the relationship young adults have to their religious traditions. We will discuss some who practice their faith, others who are disconnected and/or unschooled in Catholicism, and still others who hold traditional beliefs. By understanding their spirituality and everyday lives, our approaches to evangelization can be more effective.
The program will address the current cultural and societal characteristics influencing this younger generation. It will attempt to provide effective ways of passing on the faith that we embrace. It will offer approaches to spirituality that might engage these young adults in meaningful conversations about the sacred. How can we, who are not well acquainted with the lifestyles and influences of young adults, enter into a spiritual and religious dialogue with them?
Franciscan Sister Katarina Schuth is Professor Emerita of Endowed Chair for Social Scientific Study of Religion (1991- 2017) at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, a part of the University of St. Thomas. Her areas of focus include Pastoral Ministry, Sociology of Religion, and World Religions.
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March 21, 6:30-8:30pm
$10 preregistered/prepaid. $15 at the door.
We are familiar with the current generations: Boomers, GenXers, and Millennials. Most are not familiar with the understanding that their alignment enables us to explain current events in our culture and to predict what will come next for society. The Generational Futures presentation is a fascinating research project done in the 1980s. It advanced an eye-opening exposition of generational cycles. Four generational archetypes were identified, and found to create a repeating 80-year cycle, which exposes a consistent pattern of cultural changes, observed all the way back to the time of the Pilgrims.
We will investigate each archetype, their characteristics, and the repeating societal changes and the changing alignments they bring. We will also cover what people need to consider when they work with each generational archetype. Included is a discussion related to the newest generation: GenZ, or iGen, or Digital Natives (they do not have an agreed-to name yet).
Steve Troutman is a futurist, examining trends and scenarios, methodologies and insights about the future. From a spirituality perspective, Steve will relate how societal norms change with each generational turning when a new alignment comes into place.
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Date: Thursday, March 7, 2019
Where: MNWest Fine Arts Theatre
1450 Collegeway
Time: 12:00 Noon & 6:30 pm
Showing of the documentary &
Discussion
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Movie Showing: The U Turn
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The U Turn (2017) ,the third documentary in Luis Ar-gueta’s immigration trilogy, narrates the transformational journey of the immigrant workers who broke the silence about the abuses they endured at the Agri-processors meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa and the community that would not abandon them.
Free and open to the public.
To reserve seats contact: Le.Lucht@mnwest.edu, 507-372-3423 Or Jaidy Kolander@isd518.net, 507-376-3300
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ROMERO: priest, prophet, martyr, SAINT!
Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador martyred on
March 24, 1980
“Romero for me is a prophet of love, integrity, faith, patience, and healing. With humble listening to the poor and prayer, he transformed his perspective of how the Gospel needed to be lived, which led him to be an outspoken and active presence,” writes Austing.
He adds, “Romero is present-day proof that the Gospel works in our lives and is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago, and that its fruits are peace and joy. Resurrection, i.e., defeat of death, is real. He’s a model to emulate in his prayer life and devotion. He is a challenge to me to improve my internal discipline and prayer life that I struggle with. He is also a model of the Church being open and guided by the Spirit.”
How has Romero impacted him and his parish? Austing said he made one of his fact-finding mission trips to El Salvador in 1986 during their horrendous hostilities. This led his parish to join the sanctuary movement to take in Salvadoran war refugees as a way to express their opposition to the US government’s support of the Salvadoran military junta.”
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“A church that does not provoke any crisis, preach a gospel that does not unsettle, proclaim a word of God that does not get under anyone's skin or a word of God that does not touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed: what kind of gospel is that?”
―
Oscar A. Romero
For more quotes, click
here
!
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Minnesota Our Common Home
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A great cultural, spiritual, and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal. - Pope Francis, Laudato si’, 202
Minnesota—Land of 10,000 Lakes … though sometimes it feels like it’s the Land of 10,000 Debates. Among our many challenges, there are a multitude of environmental disputes: oil pipelines, mining projects, hydraulic fracturing, water quality, and agricultural resources—matters that attract significant media attention, and significant controversy. These conversations heat up quickly, too, because most of the time these issues are presented as black-and-white and “either-or,” forcing everyone to take a side; one must choose between the cause of environmental stewardship, or that of workers, industry, and economic growth
.....read the full document here!
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A Bible Study on the Life and Dignity of the Human Person
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The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have identified seven core themes in Catholic Social Teaching (CST). This seven session bible study, “Life and Dignity of the Human Person,” is the first of these seven themes. This study may be adapted to meet the needs of a given group to meet weekly or monthly. Each session can be run approximately 60 to 90 minutes.
Leaders of this study act more as facilitators rather than teachers. Knowledge of the material is not a prerequisite for a good study. The discussion questions in each section are meant to be thought provoking, used to open up a discussion into practical ways to live our faith. The facilitator of the group is a fellow learner. If questions arise, the facilitator can refer them to a pastor, members of parish staff, or the Parish Social Ministry Office of Catholic Charities, and bring answers back to the next meeting.
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If you have questions or would like information on facilitator training, please contact:
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Making a Difference:
A State of the Union address for the poor and vulnerable
By Tony Magliano
My fellow Americans and fellow citizens of the world, the greatness of a nation is not measured by its military or economic power, but to the degree it is willing to help the poor and vulnerable.
Tragically, however, to a very significant extent the United States continues to ignore the poor and vulnerable.
Since the 1973 legalization of abortion in the U.S., approximately 60 million unborn babies have been brutally dismembered and killed through this barbaric practice. A civilized society does not kill babies
....read full article.
Tony Magliano
is an internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at
tmag@zoominternet.net
.
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Youth Apologetics: Pro-Life Issues
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What does it mean to be pro-life? What are the issues that matter, and why? Join Kai and Libby as they explain why Catholics care about the beginning, the end, and everything in-between.
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Note from newsletter editor (Nicole Henrichs): I have just started reading this book, given to me as a gift from the DRE at my parish and can't put it down. It would be great for a group book study, to read on your own, and is fitting for HS/MS and Adults!
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GIRL, ARISE:
A Catholic Feminist’s Invitation to Live Boldly, Love Your Faith, and Change the World
A HALF-HANDBOOK, HALF-MANIFESTO ON BLENDING YOUR FAITH AND FEMINISM
What does it mean to be a Catholic feminist when St. Paul instructed women that they were to be subject to their husbands and many modern women balk at this teaching? Is there a way Catholic women can be faithful to the Church’s teaching while also recognizing they are more outspoken than those who regularly quote 1 Corinthians 14:34 at them might prefer? Can women go to a talk that doesn’t involve how we should treat boys or whether or not leggings are pants?
In Girl, Arise, author Claire Swinarski discusses these questions and more in the same way that she does on her podcast of the same name: with energy, faith, and a passion for truth. Fed up with women’s retreats that spent more time focusing on modesty than the purpose of women in the Church and feminist manifestos that didn’t leave room for one to care for the most vulnerable among us, Swinarski takes a step back to explore how we can be both feminists and Catholics, venturing into some of the issues that keep the two divided.
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Recognized every year on March 8, International Women’s Day honors the contributions and achievements of women in our world. It also promotes women’s equality and solutions for more gender balance in all aspects of society.
In some of the world’s most violence- and poverty-stricken places, Catholic Relief Services upholds human dignity by empowering women to improve their lives, improve their families’ lives, and to heal their communities.
...read full article.
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This Lent, spend time with the pioneers who cleared the path for today‘s Catholic activists. The legacy of towering figures, such as Dorothy Day and Daniel Berrigan, still guides the work of Catholic activists today.
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Lenten Materials 2019
Just in time for Lent, CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
has created a VERY powerful video series of the
Stations of the Cross
–perfect for families, individuals and your parish community to “walk” with Jesus and our neighbors.
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Through
CRS Rice Bowl
, we share the journey with members of our human family around the world, and commit our Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving to deepening our faith and serving those in need.
Get your free Rice Bowl Materials
HERE
!
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What are you doing in your community?
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Is your community doing a project or working on an issue that you would like to share? We would love to highlight your efforts, events and ministry!
Let us know what you are doing.
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We would love to hear your feedback on this newsletter. What do you like? What is helpful? What would you like to see? We can't wait to hear from you!
Send Feedback
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Looking for past editions of our newsletter? You can access them ALL on Catholic Charities of Southern MN's
Parish Social Ministry Page.
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