JUSTICE JOTTINGS
March 2023
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Our official 25th Anniversary announcement and prayer was just sent out earlier this week. Please view that announcement below and participate!
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Did you know? MSJC was initially formed at a meeting in Cupertino, California in October of 1998. And can you name the individuals pictured in this photo of our War and Peace team from the early 2000's? Send responses here!
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MSJC EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
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INTEGRAL ECOLOGY
Entering into Ecological Conversion in the Marianist Spirit
Featuring Marge Cavanaugh and Bro. Mitch Schweickart, SM
When: Wednesday, March 29 - 9:15 pm EDT/7pm CDT/6pm PDT/2pm HST
Where: Via Zoom
What: In this Lenten season of transformation, join a virtual exploration of how we as Marianists can more deeply embody Pope Francis’ call to Ecological Conversion. Lay Marianist Marge Cavanaugh, scientist, MSJC Chair and member of the Visitation Marianist State Community, and Brother Mitch Schweickart SM, educator and member of Mount St. John Facilities team will share their insights. Brief presentations will be followed by break-out group dialogues to discover the meaning of ecological conversion and how our Marianist founders and tradition might speak to the ecological crisis facing all of us today. Bring your concerns and questions to share. All are welcome!
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MSJC REFLECTIONS & RESOURCES
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WOMEN AND JUSTICE
Celebrating Sr. Nicole Trahan During Women’s History Month
Below is a write-up that Catholic Women Preach wrote about Sr. Nicole. She preached for this organization back in 2020 and her presentation can be found at the link below.
"Sr. Nicole Trahan, FMI currently lives in Dayton, Ohio. Sr. Nicole serves her congregationas a member of the provincial leadership team, vocations director and director of the pre-novitiate program. She is also a part-time campus minister at Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School.
With masters degrees in Catholic School Leadership and Pastoral Ministry, Sr. Nicole has a background in teaching theology/religion on the secondary level, collegiate and secondary campus ministry, retreat design and leadership, and spiritual accompaniment. She has a passion for faith formation and leadership development, especially of young people. This passion is equally matched by her dedication to seeking justice.
Sr. Nicole is currently completing her doctorate in education at Gonzaga University through which she is studying equity and inclusion of students of color in mixed-raced Catholic schools. She is also a regular contributor to National Catholic Reporter’s Global Sisters Report and enjoys
writing on various topics."
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Watch a Recent Webinar from the Center for Migration Studies
This webinar "discussed the potential humanitarian effects of the new proposed rule that would presume an asylum-seeker is ineligible for asylum due to transit through another country. Speakers talked about the proposed rule’s impact on refugees seeking asylum, its use in expedited removal, and how it would affect communities on both sides of the border. Litigation and advocacy strategies were also discussed." Link to view below!
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The Great Escape Book Reflection by Team Member Pam Orlowicz
The book The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigration Dreams in America by Saket Soni, is a compelling true account of the journey of a group of men from India brought to work in the U.S. after hurricane Katrina and Saket Soni, a labor organizer who helped them find justice and reveal their story to the world. In its pages, against the backdrop of culture and traditions, we learn about what drove these men to leave their homes, the promises they staked their families lives on and a U.S immigration and refugee system in need of reform. There are human beings behind the headlines about immigrants and refugees who face violence, manipulation and false promises. In the pages of this book you are introduced to the people behind these headlines. The story of the these men and their families reveals a series of broken promises and a tangled web of deceit by foreign labor recruiters and U.S. based oil companies, and the dysfunction in both ICE and the DOJ.
Pope Francis has encouraged all peoples to stand with people who live on the margins in some way. This book gives you a compelling reason to stand with immigrants and foreigners who are prevented from seeking help because of language barriers, fear of law enforcement, and even their own promises to their families. Anyone who is concerned about human trafficking and immigration or who wants to learn something about these issues would find this book a must read.
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We Must Speak Out - Reflection by Team Member Beth Garascia
According to Elie Wiesel, “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” The question of when and how to speak out against injustice has been with us since Biblical times. Moses worked continuously to bring God’s people back to God. Other prophets called people to care for the poor, the widow, the orphan and the marginalized. Elijah, Deborah, and others spoke God’s word to a rebellious people and Daniel worked in the court of Babylonian emperors.
We also have the witness of our founders as well as various Marianist Family members who are working or did work for justice in their daily lives and speak out in so many ways. Adele worked with prostitutes, NACMS offers a wealth of resources and programs, and active members of MSJC teams have participated in demonstrations, sponsored conferences and retreats, and written articles...(Read more here)
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DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
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What We Do To the Least of These - Reflection by Team Member Sr. Grace Walle, FMI and St. Mary's Law Student Megan Folmar
Earlier in the winter, we had a very unusual Texas cold front. While I was comfortably warm in my house, I viewed a news program that was highlighting Christian Assistance Ministry and Corazon San Antonio. They were out in the freezing cold offering rides to shelters and donating much-needed clothing to the homeless who had no other protection against the elements. I was impressed with Morgan Handley, the associate director of Corazon San Antonio, when she said, “These are our people. I spend more time with these people than I do with my own family.” I was immediately reminded of the scripture (Matthew 25:40). “‘When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these ... Jesus acknowledges the authentic existence of others by recognizing their woundedness and offering assistance.’”
I could not help but also think about other groups in our community who are “the least of these.” They are also the people in our prisons the unseen, the nameless, and the broken... (Read more here.)
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Dayton In-Person Opportunities
The Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) is offering an in-person Spring Inspiration retreat afternoon on April 15th, volunteer programs and Congregational Land Stewardship opportunities. Celebrate Native Plant month by outdoor hikes and a Virtual Native Plant Gardening Education Series (Saturdays, April 15, 22 & 29th 9-10:30 am).
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New Resource
Our Common Home - A Guide to Caring for Our Living Planet - is a joint initiative of the Holy See and Stockholm Environment Institute. It summarizes key areas of concern: climate, water, air, living planet, food, consumption, and offers impactful actions.
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BEYOND MSJC OPPORTUNITIES
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Marianist Family Encounter Project Day of Action
April – May 2022
Each Marianist community (lay & vowed religious), institution (schools, universities, parishes, retreat centers), organizations (MSJC, MEEC, MarianistPulse) is invited to designate a day sometime between the first of April (month of Earth Day) and the end of May (anniversary of Laudato Si) as a day of work and reflection through an activity focusing on at least one of the Marianist Family Encounter Project (MFEP) Goals:
- Promote Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation
- Transform through Integral Ecology
- Listen and Educate in Faith
- Foster Sustainable Lifestyles
- Empower through Family Spirit
Read more about this invitation, along with suggested scheduling and activities, at the link below, and be prepared to share your experience back to the Marianist Encounters Project: https://marianistencounters.org
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Want to support MSJC's work towards justice?
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