CSMG Advocacy Training and Issues Briefing Webinars

The USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development recently hosted two webinars on advocacy and legislative issues. The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is not occurring this year because of another one-time national convening, but the CSMG community is encouraged to participate in district visits to legislators to advocate for just social policies during the Congressional recess.

The first webinar is Advocacy 101. This webinar focuses on training new advocates (or refreshing seasoned veterans) on the fundamentals of visiting legislators. The webinar covers the basics on setting up meetings, what to know before you go, best practices during your visit, how to handle problems that may arise, and what to do after the meeting.

The second webinar is a Legislative Advocacy Issues Briefing. This webinar goes over informational advocacy materials and the importance of each of the issues that the district visits are focused on.  For more information on these webinars, visit the CSMG website.

Catholic Social Teaching on Campus Webinar Now Available

Last month, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and the USCCB Dept. of Justice, Peace and Human Development co-sponsored a YouTube live event on how college and university communities learn about and respond to the Church’s social mission.  The webinar is the fourth video in the We are Salt and Light series and is available to watch online.

The 30-minute video features Kathleen Smythe, on how Xavier University in Ohio engages sustainability students to assist a local cooperative coffee shop, Tom Southard, on Cabrini University’s community-based learning about refugees and climate change, and Fr. Etido Jerome, on Xavier University of Louisiana’s work on global solidarity.

Watch the video of the live event here!  Looking for more online CST videos?  You can also watch past live events on Pray Together, Reach Out Together, and Racial Justice.

YouTube Live Event: Catholic Social Teaching on Campus

Join us for the fourth live event in the WeAreSaltAndLight.org series on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at noon EST. The 30-minute event, which is co-sponsored by the USCCB Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, will focus on how college and university communities learn about and respond to the Church’s social mission.

The event will feature Kathleen Smythe, on how Xavier University in Ohio engages sustainability students to assist a local cooperative coffee shop, Tom Southard from Cabrini University on community-based learning about refugees and climate change, and Fr. Etido Jerome from Xavier University of Louisiana on global solidarity.

Participate here!  You can also view past live events on Pray Together, Reach Out Together, and Racial Justice.

Catholic University of America to Host Symposium on Domestic Violence

“Violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified. Violence in any form – physical, sexual, psychological, verbal – is sinful; often, it is a crime as well” – U.S. Catholic Bishops, When I Call for Help (2002) 

This summer, the National Catholic School of Social Service at The Catholic University of America, along with several partner organizations, has taken up the call to address violence against women in a symposium: “Hope, Help, and Healing: A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence.”

With the goals of increasing awareness of domestic violence in the U.S. and Catholic teachings on domestic violence, as well as encouraging Catholic leaders “to continue the conversation” and “to develop prevention and response strategies,” the symposium will bring together leaders from various Catholic organizations, both at the national and local levels. These organizations include:

• Catholic Charities USA
• USCCB Office of Justice, Peace and Human Development
• USCCB Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life, Youth
• USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities
• Catholic Charities of the Arch.of Washington
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington
• The National Catholic School of Social Service of the Catholic University of America (Host)

Read more on the symposium taking place July 7-8.  Registration is available now!

How does your college or university address domestic violence and violence against women? Let us know! 

USCCB’s 10 Tips for Earth Day

Earth Day, the annual day of celebration of the earth and promotion of environmental protection, is around the corner! On Friday, April 22, people around the world will spend the day in neighborhood clean-ups, volunteering in community gardens, and so much more.

Especially in the wake of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, many Catholics will celebrate Earth Day as a day of service and stewardship. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Department of Justice Peace and Human Development shared some ideas for how to celebrate Earth Day:

1. Get Catholic Climate Covenant’s free, downloadable Earth Day 2016 Program Guide.
2. With family or friends, pray this Laudato Si’ prayer in English and Spanish.
3. Watch the video on Care for God’s Creation from the CST101 video series by CRS and USCCB.
4. Use these resources for liturgy and preaching on the Sunday before or after Earth Day to call attention to our role in caring for God’s creation.
5. Learn how local community organizations, including those funded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, are addressing environmental issues. Join their efforts!
6. Gift Green Street Park or Drop by Drop to your parish’s religious education program or school.  Both of these children’s books are about kids caring for creation.
7. Gather with a group of friends and reflect on Laudato Si’ using USCCB’s discussion guide in English and Spanish.
8. Share this Laudato Si’ bulletin insert, in English and Spanish, in your parish.
9. Get inspired by what others are doing to act together to care for creation.
10. Advocate! Participate in this current action alert.

How will your college or university celebrate Earth Day this year? Let us know! 

New CST 101 Video

In continuation of its series on Catholic Social Teaching, CST 101, CRS and USCCB have released a third video. Entitled Call to Family, Community, and Participation, the video addresses another of the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching.

The video features, author Lisa Hendey, Msgr. Ray East, pastor of the St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Washington, DC, and Dr. Jonathan Reyes, Executive Director of the USCCB Department of Justice, Peace, and Human Development. Each speaker gives a definition of the components of the Call to Family, Community, and Participation and what those components and the theme as a whole mean to them. Check out the video and the USCCB website to learn more about the Call to Family, Community, and Participation!

Stay tuned for more installments!

Internship Opportunity at USCCB Department of International Justice and Peace

Looking to learn more about and promote justice, peace, and human rights?  The USCCB Department of International Justice and Peace has announced that it is looking for a full-time, paid intern.

The intern will be able to simultaneously explore the intersection of Catholic Social Teaching and international issues of justice and peace while contributing greatly to the mission of the USCCB. Additionally, the internship can be used to enrich an academic program, prepare for graduate school, or prepare for a future career. Interns are paid a modest stipend.

A position description can be found on the Justice, Peace, and Human Development Internships site, and interested individuals may apply here.

More Resources: Laudato Si

Looking for more resources on the new encyclical, Laudato Si’?  The USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development have shared the following resources:

• Bulletin Insert: “Praise Be to You, My Lord” – overviews important themes in the encyclical and includes suggestions for prayer and action.
• Discussion Guide on Laudato Si’ – for use in a small group setting, delves more deeply into main themes of Laudato Si’.
• Blog Post: Pope Francis’ New Encyclical—this post on JPHD’s ToGoForth.org blog is the first of several posts on Laudato Si’ during the next several weeks.
• Caring for God’s Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Taking Action – includes resources for preaching and teaching about care for God’s creation.
• Press Release – includes USCCB President Archbishop Kurtz’s “Statement on the Occasion of the Promulgation of Laudato Si’”
• Children’s books by USCCB, in collaboration with Loyola Press, on caring for God’s creation.
• USCCB Environment page—contains additional resources, including backgrounders and links to the U.S. Catholic bishops’ statements on environmental concerns.

Some additional helpful resources include:

• Catholic Climate Covenant—has resources, stories, opportunities for action, the St. Francis Pledge, and a sign-on thank you message to Pope Francis in English and Spanish.
• Catholic Relief Services Pope Francis page—includes stories of how climate change is impacting vulnerable communities around the world with whom CRS works.

Additionally, Cindy Wooden of Catholic News Service has shared a helpful glossary of terms used by Pope Francis, while John Allen of Crux has published two articles analyzing the history of the Church’s teachings on the environment and the impact of the encyclical in the U.S.

In light of the encyclical, many Catholic colleges and universities have shared how their Catholic mission drives their commitment to the environment and implementation of sustainability initiatives.

• Loyola University Chicago alumnus Zac Davis wrote a piece on how his alma mater leads the way in sustainability initiatives for America.
• Saint Vincent College shared their sustainability initiatives, inspired by the Benedictine tradition of environmental stewardship.
• University of Saint Francis (IN) campus ministry has shared that they, along with Our Sunday Visitor, will host a conference on campus this fall to discuss and study the encyclical.
• A community of scholars and practitioners gathered at University of St. Thomas (MN) to discuss Human and Natural Ecology: Economic, Political and Cultural Implications, in anticipation of the encyclical.  Visit the Center for Catholic Studies website to learn more and read presentation summaries.

Visit ACCU’s webpage on the release of Laudato Si to learn more!

Christmas is coming!

For Catholics around the world, Advent begins this Sunday, November 30, and the Christmas season continues from Christmas Day until January 11. Introduce your students to the USCCB’s online interactive and printable Advent calendar – it incorporates resources from the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development with the goal of fostering greater consciousness about Catholic Social Teaching in relation to the Advent and Christmas seasons. Additionally, after Christmas day, the USCCB has a similar Christmas calendar with different reflection and action suggestions.

Are your students concerned about the social meanings of Christmas and its impact on God’s creation? The “commercialization of Christmas” is a conversation Americans seem to have every year, and yet few take action steps to truly transform the way they celebrate. This year, however, the bloggers at Catholic Ecology posit that the “Francis effect” might open our eyes to the excessive consumerism we practice during the Christmas season, and its negative impact on God’s creation.