MISSION STATEMENT of ST. BARTHOLOMEW
PEACE AND JUSTICE MINISTRY
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The Peace and Justice Ministry recognizes the Church as the Body of Christ.
- The goal of Peace and Justice Ministry is to provide leadership to St. Bartholomew parishioners to help them witness the Good News of Jesus Christ.
- Through education, prayer, reflection and direct communication, it helps parishioners to be effective in communities at local, national, and international levels, thereby enabling them to achieve meaningful and effective social action.
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September 2020 Upcoming Events and Opportunities |
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Please watch for announcements at this time regarding public meetings. All dates and meetings are currently subject to change. Be safe and be well!
MEETING SCHEDULE AND PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
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Peace and Justice Meetings are the third Wednesday of each month, and as always all are welcome to attend. Currently meetings are via Zoom.
- Peace and Justice Newsletter will be published monthly, reflecting ministry news and reports from the meetings and presentations.
September 16 Peace & Justice general and team meetings 7 PM via ZOOM meeting
- St. Bartholomew Church currently via Zoom.
- Meetings are otherwise scheduled for Third Wednesday of the month
- Teams: Programming, Communications, Finance and Grants
- All are welcome to attend and become involved!
September 19/20 Fair Trade Sales temporarily suspended, refer to electronic church bulletin
- coffee, tea, chocolate
- after all four Masses
- benefits after-school tutoring at St. Anne Parish, teacher salaries and snacks.
Sundays Weekly Hot Meal Site 4 - 6 pm, Meal Site Teams - meals are grab-and-go, volunteers needed
Sundays Women's Jail Ministry visits 1 - 3 pm, classes 6 - 8 pm currently suspended due to COVID-19
Second Collection for Love Chapel August 29 and 30: see below
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Themes of Catholic Social Teachings by The United States Conference
of Catholic Bishops
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Rights and Responsibilities by Donna Keogh
“The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected, and a healthy community can be achieved, only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.” -USCCB
The person is not only sacred but social and each has a right and a duty to participate in society. “It is not good for man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18
How we organize our society in politics and economics directly affects human dignity. All people improve the social dimension of their lives by being committed and responsible citizens.
“Responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.” (Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel, Evangelii Gaudium), no. 220
“If you act justly with one another, God will dwell in the land.” Jeremiah 7:5-7
Politics in our country can be a contest of partisan attacks, sound bites, and media hype. As Catholics, we are called to political engagement that is shaped by the moral convictions of a well-developed conscience.
“As Catholics, we are called to bring together our principles and our political choices, our values, and our votes, to help build a better world.”
-USCCB Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, Nov. 2007, no. 13
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Make your voice count. Make sure all those whose lives you touch are registered to vote, and will vote in this election, as well as complete the 2020 Census.
The most fundamental right and responsibility we have as citizens and as Catholics is the right to choose our government leaders by voting. The late John Lewis, a tireless champion of civil rights once said, “The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it.”
Yet, even with the temporary universal mail-in voting in place in the recent primary elections, this report from local sources: “According to the count from the Bartholomew County clerk’s office, 8,310 people cast their vote by mail-in ballot, with 2,011 voting early at Donner Center the week and Monday before the primary. 6,322 voters cast ballots in-person on election day at one of the eight Bartholomew County vote centers. With 16,643 ballots tallied, that gives a voter turnout of just over 32 percent of the county’s registered voters.”
Just 32%!
There is unnecessary complication and confusion surrounding the fundamental process of voting in this election. With the critical importance of selecting our representatives at the local, state and national level, and the added pressure of voting during a global pandemic, we need to be sure we have access to a ballot.
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Are you registered to vote? Watch local sources for multiple in-person registration events, or go directly to http://www.indianavoters.com/ to apply, or to check your status.
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There will be twelve Bartholomew County sites for in-person voting on November 3, and there will be no in-person voting at the county courthouse. Six sites are in the city, and six in the county.
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There will be one site for early in-person voting, and that is Fair Oaks Mall, 25th Street entrance.
- Early voting begins October 6 and ends November 2 at Noon.
- Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM
- Two Saturdays October 24 and October 31 8 AM to 5 PM.
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There is no universal “vote-by-mail” currently offered in Indiana. To vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot. Voters 65 and older may request without question, all others must be unavailable all twelve hours that the polls are open on November 2, have a disability, are a participant in the state's address confidentiality program, are a member of the military or a public safety officer, are a "serious sex offender" as defined in Indiana Code 35-42-4-14(a), or are prevented from voting due to the unavailability of transportation to the polls.
- How to Apply for a Vote-by-Mail Ballot
- To vote absentee by mail, a voter must first complete an ABS-Mail application before each election. The application to request a vote-by-mail ballot must be received not later than 11:59PM, 12-days before the election, or October 22, 2020 for the November election.
- Important! The county or the state must have the application in their possession by this deadline; any application received after this deadline – even if it’s postmarked before the deadline – cannot be processed.
- Voters can download and print the ABS-Mail form OR call their county election official or the Indiana Election Division at (317) 232-3939 for an application to be mailed to the voter OR visit their county election office or election division to pick-up an application in-person. Remember, the application must be in the possession of election officials by the October 22, 2020, deadline to be processed for the November 2020 election.
- Bartholomew County Voter Registration Office - (812) 379-1604
- Download Absentee Ballot
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b. How to return an application for absentee ballot
- Hoosier voters who are currently registered to vote can file an absentee application:
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Online at http://www.indianavoters.com/ by logging in to their “my voter portal page” by entering the requested information exactly as it appears on their voter registration record. When on the main landing page, the voter selects the “ABS-Mail ” option and enters the information as prompted. After clicking “submit,” a confirmation screen appears that allows the voter to download and retain a copy for their records. There is no need to sign and return the online submission since the system applies the voter’s registration signature to the application on the back-end.
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By mail or hand-delivery. Physical addresses to the county election boards are found on the back of the ABS-Mail application. Please contact their office directly to determine office hours. Remember, if you take custody of another’s absentee ballot application, you are to deliver it to the election official not later than noon, ten (10) days after receiving it OR the application deadline, whichever comes first.
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By email. This requires the voter to print, sign, and scan or photograph their absentee ballot application and send it to the county official or the Indiana Election Division at elections@iec.in.gov.
- Once you receive your absentee ballot, remember it must be completed and returned by the election. Not postmarked by the election, received!
- County election officials must receive an absentee-by-mail ballot not later than noon (local prevailing time) on Election Day, November 3, 2020.
- County election officials must have possession of the ballot by this deadline; postmarks – even if dated on or before the date of the election – cannot be considered timely.
With current conflicting news regarding the efficiency and timeliness of the US Postal Service, many will believe that the process cannot be completed. This election will require voters to pay attention to the process and deadlines, as well as mail applications and ballots with time to spare, for their voices to be heard and their votes counted.
We also have a duty to be sure we are all counted in the census. This process literally takes five minutes, and is safe and the information is private and protected.
From Census.gov:
AUGUST 14, 2020 — As the U.S. Census Bureau continues to monitor the impacts COVID-19 has on 2020 Census operations, changes to operations are being deployed to ensure the safety of staff and the public while maximizing the number of households that respond on their own to the 2020 Census.
“We are taking steps and adapting our operations to make sure everyone is counted, while keeping everyone safe,” said Census Bureau Director Dr. Steven Dillingham. “Our commitment to a complete and accurate 2020 Census is absolute. In this challenging environment, we are deploying these tactics to make sure we reach every household in every community. If you haven't responded, the time to respond is now! Responding to the 2020 Census online, on paper, by phone, or in person with a census taker, helps secure vital resources for your community."
As of today, over 63.5% of households have responded to the 2020 Census. People can still respond online, over the phone, or by mail — all without having to meet a census taker.
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An opportunity to help locally |
The annual second collection for Love Chapel will take place at all Masses on August 29 and 30. Make plans to contribute at Mass, or send your envelope in to the church office.
This is the perfect opportunity to assist local families and individuals during very challenging times. Your generous donation goes a long way toward food security and case management at Love Chapel.
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TOP TEN ACTIONS IN SUPPORT OF LOVE CHAPEL
DURING THE PANDEMIC CRISIS
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Prayers and daily intentions truly do help! Thank you!
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A friendly phone call to those in need, and those who are alone, can make a big difference in someone's life in isolation.
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Contribute food at the Pantry location.
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Volunteer to pack food boxes inside Love Chapel, daily shifts available.
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Volunteer to make home deliveries to the shut-ins.
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Contribute to the special collection being gathered daily at the St. Bartholomew Church Office.
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Help The Hungry – One Meal at a Time by donating to Love Chapel
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Contribute staple foods and needed cleaning supplies to The Blessings Box, a donation station located at First Christian Church Youth Center.
- Step up, go above and beyond, when the second collection in August is intended for Ecumenical Assembly and Love Chapel. The need will extend for many months, and their reserves will need to be replenished. It is never too late to donate!
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And importantly, engage your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors in this all-important work to support our whole community.
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We Are The Peace & Justice Ministry |
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- Chairperson Donna Keogh
- Programming Team: Steve Audretch
- Finance Team: David Harpenau
- Communications Team: Jan Banister
- Blood Drive: Greg Scherschel, coordinator
- Next drive Fall 2020
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Voter Registration: Steve Audretch coordinator
- Next drive late Fall 2020 TBD
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Ecumenical Assembly: Theresa Baugh
- Pro-Life: Kelley Snoddy
- Giving Tree: Theresa Westerfeld, coordinator
- Meal Site: Susan Chandler,
- Sundays 4-6 PM
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- Friends of Haiti: Judy Harpenau, liaison
- Bread for the World Offering of Letters
- Next campaign 2020 TBD.
- Bread for the World, Fr. Marty Peter, Convener
- Second Tuesdays 7 PM at First Presbyterian Church
- Indiana Abolition Coalition: Donna Keogh, liaison
- St. Vincent de Paul: David and Hilary Baker, liaisons
- Women's Jail Ministry: Nancy Audretch, liaison
- Family Self Sufficiency: Jan Banister coordinator, plans for 2020 underway
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St. Bartholomew Hot Meal Site |
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There is a hot meal provided in our community through Ecumenical Assembly each evening. On Sunday evenings the meal site is Saint Bartholomew School cafeteria.
The meal site coordinator for our parish, Susan Chandler, is hopeful that more teams and individuals will consider assisting with meals. Info here:
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Sun 5pm-6pm
- SAINT BARTHOLOMEW CATHOLIC CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
- FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mon 5pm-6pm
Tues 5pm-6pm
Wed 5pm-6pm
- COLUMBUS FREE METHODIST – 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Wed.
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4th Wed 6-7 PM
Thurs 4:30pm-5pm
Fri 5pm-6pm
- FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
4th Fri 6pm-7pm
Sat 4pm-5pm (excluding the 3rd Sat)
2nd Sat 11:30am-12:30pm
- OGILVILLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
3rd Sat 4pm-5pm
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