PEACE, JUSTICE, & SAFETY TOOLKIT November 3, 2014 CONTENTS: PAGE: EMERGENCY PREPARATIONS Communications 2 School Closings 2 Superintendent s Safety Memo to School Leaders (10/10/14) 4 PRAYERFUL RESPONSE Reflections and Prayers for Peace 5 Brief items that can be used in a prayer circle, at Church, over the intercom, or in school newsletters as needed Full-length Prayer Service for Peace & Justice 9 SOCIAL JUSTICE RESPONSE Letter Template for Elementary Teachers 15 Letter Template for Secondary Teachers 16 Catholic Family Services: Dealing with Classroom Discussion 17 Creating a Positive School Climate: Special Social Justice Edition 18 Peace & Justice Resources, media, and websites 19 Summary of Catholic Social Teaching 20 Two New Saints for Peace & Justice: St. John XXIII & St. John Paul II 22 Archbishop Carlson s Letter to the Faithful (8/18/2014) 23 Archbishop Carlson s Homily at Votive Mass for Peace & Justice (8/20/14) 24 Archbishop Carlson s Statement & Video Calling for Peace (10/10/2014) 26 PARENTAL COMMUNICATIONS Superintendent s letter to parents for November 3, 2014 28 Catholic Family Services How to Talk to Your Children 29
EMERGENCY PREPARATIONS Communications Ensure that the principal, pastor, and other designated staff: o have been trained to activate the emergency communication system, o have active usernames and passwords with them at all times, o are able to activate the system from home or school. Establish advance communication with local public school leaders and law enforcement about their preparations and decision-making process. School Closings The following guidelines are provided for school leaders (pastors, principals & presidents) to discuss possible scenarios regarding the announcement of a Grand Jury decision. If advance notice is given that a Grand Jury decision will be announced outside of school hours (after school or evening or a weekend): o The Catholic Education Center recommends local leaders keep school open prior to the announcement. o After the announcement, school leaders should monitor their area and/or keep in touch with local law enforcement. If civil unrest and/or violent protests seem likely to affect your neighborhood or travel routes for staff and/or parents, you may consider closing for the day. o If you need additional support or advice, call your contact person at the Catholic Education Center. If advance notice is given that a Grand Jury decision will be announced during school hours: o If previous unrest has affected neighborhoods near your school, the Catholic Education Center recommends local school leaders cancel school on the day of the announcement. Although your school building may not be affected, travel routes for staff, students, and parents may be blocked or otherwise affected. o If previous unrest has not affected neighborhoods near your school, it is recommended that your school remain open. o School leaders should monitor the area and/or keep in touch with local law enforcement. If unrest seems likely to affect travel routes for staff and/or parents, you may consider closing for the day. o If you need additional support or advice, call your contact person at the Catholic Education Center.
If a Grand Jury decision is announced during school day with no advance notice: o In this situation, the Catholic Education Center does NOT recommend closing early. Parents may not be able to get off work immediately and they will want additional time to ensure that their regular travel route is not affected. If parents arrive early to pick-up children before dismissal, you should allow the parent to sign the child out without consequence. o If unrest or violent demonstrations are affecting travel routes to/from your school, you and your staff should be prepared to shelter-in-place with students until parents are able to reach the school. o School leaders should monitor the area and/or keep in touch with local law enforcement. o If you need additional support or advice, call your contact person at the Catholic Education Center. Once a decision is made, notify your contact person at the Catholic Education Center and activate your school s emergency notification system. If needed, the CEC will contact the Archdiocesan Office of Communications or other archdiocesan agencies.
Superintendent s Safety Memo to School Leaders
PRAYERFUL RESPONSE Reflections and Prayers for Peace These brief reflections and prayers can be used in a prayer circle, in Church, over the intercom, or in school newsletters as appropriate Reflection Archbishop Carlson (October 10, 2014) The sin of racism in our cities and our nation must be dealt with, but never with violence. So, let s ask: what blueprint does God have in mind for us? And let s remember that Christ gave us the blueprint: to love God with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. What that means for us is that we must respect the dignity of each other. We show that respect by having a willingness to sit down together and dialogue, by having the humility to admit our mistakes and say we are sorry, and by praying for one another yes, praying! Praying that God fills our hearts with love for one another, removes the hate we have allowed to fester there, and teaches us how to express our love in concrete ways. It is no longer the time to ask What would Jesus do? It is time to ask What is Jesus doing? Jesus is not ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away! What Jesus is doing is pleading with us to listen to each other, respect each other, and help each other. Prayers Heavenly Father, your holiness revealed in Jesus challenges us to renounce violence, both physical and psychological. You will that your children, brothers and sisters in Christ, should be known by their love for one another. Fill our schools and parish schools of religion with your Holy Spirit so that our students will lovingly follow the example of Christ, the Prince of Peace. O, Loving Father, You, the creator of the earth and creator of human beings in your image, send your Spirit upon our neighborhoods and members of our churches that our hearts become hearts of love and not hearts of stone. May your Spirit fill us with insight and understanding of the issues that lay below the surface. We stand before you in our brokenness, pleading for your grace to come upon us, that we might be filled with your presence at this time. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. --Taken from a prayer from the Ferguson Ministerial Alliance.
Grant Us Your Peace O Lord, my God, grant us your peace; already, indeed, you have made us rich in all things! Give us that peace of being at rest, that Sabbath peace, the peace which knows no end. St. Augustine To the Queen of Peace, the Mother of Jesus Christ who is our peace: Show us in your son, the way of peace, and enlighten our vision, so that we can recognize Christ s face in the face of every human person, the heart of peace! Pope John Paul II Holy Mother Mary, in the face of your son, Jesus, we recognize the face of all your children, who suffer from being despised and exploited. We recognize especially the faces of your children, to whatever race, nation, or culture they may belong. For them, O Mary, for their future, we ask you to move hearts hardened by hatred so that they may open to love and so that revenge may finally give way to forgiveness. Obtain for us, O Mother, that the truth of this affirmation No peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness be engraved on every heart. Thus the human family will be able to find the true peace that flows from the union of justice and mercy. Holy Mother, Mother of the Prince of Peace, help us! Mother of Humanity and Queen of Peace, pray for us! Pope John Paul II The Serenity Prayer God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Lord God, your Son Jesus prayed for his persecutors and overcame hatred with love. Relieve the suffering of your people and grant us peace of mind and a renewed faith in your protection and care. Protect us from all violence, keep us safe, and restore to us tranquility and peace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Adapted from the Book of Blessings Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who is our peace and reconciliation, who so often said, Peace to you, grant us peace. Make all people witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. May all peoples of the earth become as brothers and sisters. May longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all. Pope John XXIII
Stillness of Soul O blessed Jesus, give me stillness of soul in You. Let your mighty calmness reign in me. Rule me, O King of Gentleness, King of Peace. Saint John of the Cross Lord, restore to mankind the true peace of your name, that peace which the world cannot give, and the calm of social harmony. Under your favor and inspiration may all return to due order, and having rejected the rule of greed, bring back again as ought to be, the love of God, justice, charity toward neighbor, temperance in all desires. May your kingdom come. May all recognize that they are subject to you, and must serve you who are truth and salvation; that without you they labor in vain. In your law is reason and fatherly kindness. You are ever at hand with your strength and your almighty power to help. The weak you sustain; the victor you crown. Pope Leo XIII Prayer for Peace: To Mary, the Light of Hope Immaculate Heart of Mary, help us conquer all evil that weighs down our modern world and seems to block the paths toward the future. From sins against human life from its very beginning, deliver us. From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us. From every kind of injustice in the life of society, deliver us. From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us. From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us. From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us. Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies. Let there be revealed once more the infinite saving power of the redemption: the power of merciful love. May it transform consciences. May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of hope. Amen. Adapted from Pope John Paul II A Prayer for Peace Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved, as to love; For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
Prayer for Peace in Our Family Lord Jesus, be with my family. Grant us Your peace and harmony, an end to conflict and division. Gift us with compassion to better understand each other, wisdom and love to assist each other, and trust and patience to live peacefully together. Grant that through the intercession of your mother, Mary, and St. Joseph, our family may become a holy family accepting each other, working together in unity, selflessly dedicated to one another and to You. Amen. Reflection Mother Teresa on Working Toward Peace The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace. Let us not use violence to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile. Smile five times a day at someone you don't really want to smile at; do it for peace. Let us radiate the peace of God and so light His light and extinguish in the world and in the hearts of all men all hatred and love for power. Today, if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other - that man, that woman, that child is my brother or my sister. If everyone could see the image of God in his neighbor, do you think we would still need tanks and generals? Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families.
PRAYER SERVICE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE If this prayer service can be conducted in church, a peace candle can be carried forward and placed in a place of prominence to be lighted before this prayer service or before school Masses. CALL TO WORSHIP: We gather because of our need for peace and justice. We are workers in God s Kingdom, but it is God who will provide us with everything we need to further the Kingdom of peace, justice, and reconciliation. GATHERING HYMN: Prayer of Saint Francis by Sebastian Temple, OCP OPENING PRAYER: LEADER: O God, you have revealed to us that peacekeepers are to be called your children. Grant, we pray, that we may work to establish that justice which ensures true and lasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. R/. Amen. (Please be seated) FIRST READING: Ephesians 4:30-5:2 (All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you.) READER #1: A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians Brothers and sisters: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. The word of the Lord. R/. Thanks be to God. RESPONSORIAL: Psalm 23 READER#2: R/. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name s sake. R/. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff That give me courage. R/. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. R/. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come. R/. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
BRIEF PAUSE FOR REFLECTION (Please stand) GOSPEL: Matthew 5:1-12a (Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.) READER#3 OR PRIEST, IF PRESENT The Lord be with you. R/. And with your spirit. A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew. R/. Glory to you, O Lord. When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up to the mountain, and after he had sat down his disciples came to him. He began to teach them saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. The Gospel of the Lord. R/. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL: READER #4: To God, the Source of everything that is good, let us pray: (These are some suggestions to choose from.) For all who serve our Church, that their preaching of the Gospel may yield a harvest of compassion and reconciliation: let us pray to the Lord. For our legislatures, courts, and agencies of government, that they will work to provide all people with a just share of physical and educational resources: let us pray to the Lord. For those who seek justice, that we may accept our responsibility to them as an expression of our faith in the Jesus of the Gospels: let us pray to the Lord. For those who work for the cause of justice, that their voices will be heard: let us pray to the Lord. For students, that during this time of social unrest they will attend school in safety: let us pray to the Lord. For our students, that they will come to understand that peace and justice begins within each of them, in how they treat each other: let us pray to the Lord. For the holy Church of God, that, with God s grace, she may be a model of peace for the world: let us pray to the Lord. For this nation and every nation; for progress toward peace through justice: let us pray to the Lord. For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them: let us pray to the Lord. For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord will graciously grant them relief: let us pray to the Lord. Mary, Queen of Peace, R/. Pray for us. Conclude petitions with the Hail Mary or Our Father. SIGN OF PEACE LEADER: Lord Jesus Christ, who said to you Apostles: Peace I leave you, my peace I give you, look on the faith of your Church and give us peace. Let us offer each other a sign of peace.... (Pause to offer each other a sign of peace.)
CONCLUDING PRAYER: LEADER: Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, who are yourself our peace and reconciliation, who so often said, Peace to you, grant us peace. Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace. Enlighten our rulers that they might guarantee and defend the great gift of peace. May all peoples on earth become as brothers and sisters. May longed-for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all. (Prayer by Pope John Paul II) FINAL BLESSING: LEADER: Let us bow our heads and pray for God s blessing. May the Lord bless and keep us. R/. Amen May he let his face shine upon us and show us his mercy. R/. Amen May he turn his countenance towards us and give us his peace. R/. Amen And may the blessing of God remain with us forever. R/. Amen CLOSING HYMN: Let There Be Peace on Earth by Sy Miller and Jill Jackson, Jan-Lee Music
SOCIAL JUSTICE RESPONSE In this section are numerous resources and guidelines that a principal can share with faculty members to help them address these issues with students through a lens of faith. Please feel free to use or customize the sample letter templates to communicate this information to your teachers. Following the letter templates are numerous resources that can also be shared with teachers to help them in the classroom. These resources include information from: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Most Reverend Robert J. Carlson, Archbishop of St. Louis Saundra Barker, Catholic Family Services Lynne Lang, Archdiocesan Director of School Climate St. Charles Lwanga Center St. Louis Archdiocesan Media Center Institute for Peace & Justice
November 3, 2014 Dear Elementary School Teachers, Recent shootings and unrest in our community have exposed deep and longstanding issues and feelings. Archbishop Carlson reminds us that the issues here are bigger than Ferguson (October 10, 2014). Wherever you are in the Archdiocese, and indeed the nation, these are issues that affect all of us. In a Catholic school, we have the privilege of teaching all things through the lens of faith. We also have the responsibility to call students and adults to promote human dignity, deepen their relationship with God, and experience a conversion of heart. The social justice teachings of the Catholic Church come to us through the Old Testament prophets and the teachings of Jesus Christ. A summary of Catholic social teaching can be found at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-socialteaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfm We seek to encourage a more integral sharing of the substance of Catholic social teaching in Catholic education and catechesis at every level. The commitment to human life and dignity, to human rights and solidarity, is a calling all Catholic educators must share with their students. It is not a vocation for a few religion teachers, but a challenge for every Catholic educator and catechist Our seminaries, colleges, schools, and catechetical programs are called to share not just abstract principles but a moral framework for everyday action Therefore, we emphasize that the values of the Church's social teaching must not be treated as tangential or optional. They must be a core part of teaching and formation. Without our social teaching, schools, catechetical programs, and other formation programs would be offering an incomplete presentation of our Catholic tradition. This would fall short of our mission and would be a serious loss for those in our educational and catechetical programs. Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (USCCB, 1998) At the elementary level, the staff of the Catholic Education Center recommends that teachers take their cues from students. Your students may be very aware of the events in Ferguson and the Shaw neighborhood. If so, it is appropriate to answer their questions and use this teachable moment to explain our Catholic social justice teaching. We must resist the temptation to teach this only like a Current Event. Some guidelines are attached to this letter to help you address this from a Catholic perspective. Even if your students are not aware of the unrest, Catholic social teaching illustrates the Christian response to the needs of those around us and is therefore always relevant, even when not specifically addressing events in Ferguson. Sincerely, Principal
November 3, 2014 Dear Secondary School Teachers, Recent shootings and unrest in our community have exposed deep and longstanding issues and feelings. Archbishop Carlson reminds us that the issues here are bigger than Ferguson (October 10, 2014). Wherever you are in the Archdiocese, and indeed the nation, these are issues that affect all of us. In a Catholic school, we have the privilege of teaching all things through the lens of faith. We also have the responsibility to call students and adults to promote human dignity, deepen their relationship with God, and experience a conversion of heart. The social justice teachings of the Catholic Church come to us through the Old Testament prophets and the teachings of Jesus Christ. A summary of Catholic social teaching can be found at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-socialteaching/seven-themes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfm We seek to encourage a more integral sharing of the substance of Catholic social teaching in Catholic education and catechesis at every level. The commitment to human life and dignity, to human rights and solidarity, is a calling all Catholic educators must share with their students. It is not a vocation for a few religion teachers, but a challenge for every Catholic educator and catechist Our seminaries, colleges, schools, and catechetical programs are called to share not just abstract principles but a moral framework for everyday action Therefore, we emphasize that the values of the Church's social teaching must not be treated as tangential or optional. They must be a core part of teaching and formation. Without our social teaching, schools, catechetical programs, and other formation programs would be offering an incomplete presentation of our Catholic tradition. This would fall short of our mission and would be a serious loss for those in our educational and catechetical programs. Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (USCCB, 1998) At the secondary level, the staff of the Catholic Education Center recommends that teachers be prepared to answer student questions and use this teachable moment to explain our Catholic social justice teaching. It certainly is appropriate to explain constitutional rights and Grand Juries, but we must resist the temptation to teach this only like a Current Event. Some guidelines are attached to this letter to help you address this from a Catholic perspective. Catholic social teaching illustrates the Christian response to the needs of those around us and is therefore relevant to all disciplines at all times. Sincerely, Principal
Peace and Justice Resources 1. Institute for Peace and Justice, St. Louis The Institute for Peace and Justice is an independent, interfaith, not-for-profit organization that creates resources, provides learning experiences, and advocates publicly for alternatives to violence and injustice at the individual, family, community, institutional and global levels. They have many resources for educators, religious leaders, children and youth, families, and more on the topic of peace and justice on their website. Website: www.ipj-ppj.org 2. USCCB, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops The USCCB has many resources on peace and justice, and is an excellent source for materials on Catholic Social Teaching. On the bottom of the home page, click on Justice, Peace and Human Development. Click on Items of Interest and then on Themes of Catholic Social Teaching for resources on the Seven Principles of Social Justice; click on Catholic Social Teaching and find resources such as a Superhero of Justice Activity for Elementary Students. Explore the website further and find many useful and interesting resources on peace and justice. Website: www.usccb.org 3. St. Louis Archdiocesan Media Center The Archdiocesan Religious Education Media Center is a service of the Catholic Education Center whose purpose is to provide quality religious DVDs and videos for religious instruction and faith formation that are consistent with Catholic beliefs and tradition and which enhance and enliven the sharing of the Good News with children, youth, and adults. Its resources include DVDs/videos for all ages on topics of Catholic social teaching, including racism, human rights, injustice, and other issues of social justice. Check out its website for more information. Website: http://archstl.org/education/page/media-center 4. St. Charles Lwanga Center, St. Louis The mission of the St. Charles Lwanga Center is to promote Christian spiritual formation and leadership development within the African American Catholic Community and for all who collaborate with the Center, in accord with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in the tradition of the Catholic Church. The Lwanga Center has resources that address peace and justice in a variety of ways. For more information, contact Fr. Art Cavitt at 314-367-7929. Website: http://archstl.org/lwangacenter
Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching (USCCB, 2005) The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. The depth and richness of this tradition can be understood best through a direct reading of these documents. In these brief reflections, we highlight several of the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition. Life and Dignity of the Human Person The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person. Call to Family, Community, and Participation The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society -- in economics and politics, in law and policy -- directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. Rights and Responsibilities 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.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in Gods creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative. Solidarity We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers and sisters keepers, wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions in a shrinking world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that if you want peace, work for justice. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict. Care for God's Creation We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored. This summary should only be a starting point for those interested in Catholic social teaching. A full understanding can only be achieved by reading the papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents that make up this rich tradition. For a copy of the complete text of Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions (No. 5-281) and other social teaching documents, call 800-235-8722. http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/seventhemes-of-catholic-social-teaching.cfm
Two New Saints for Peace & Justice In October 2014, we celebrated the first Feast Day of two new saints of the Twentieth Century. They are notable not just because they were popes, but because they are both examples of dealing with suffering and injustice as younger men and worked during their papacy to correct injustice for future generations by moving hearts and minds. The example of their lives can be used in the classroom to help students & adults remember the importance of doing the right thing to help our fellow brothers and sisters, even when it is difficult. St. John XXIII Promoting Compassion Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born in 1881. He served in the medical corps of the Royal Italian Army during World War I as a stretcher-bearer, helping bring wounded soldiers to medical care. From 1925-1953 he worked as a Vatican diplomat. During World War II, he was assigned as Apostolic Delegate to Turkey and while there, it is estimated that he helped an estimated 24,000 Jewish people escape the Nazis. In 1963, Pope John XXIII promulgated his encyclical Peace on Earth (Pacem in Terris). This document expanded the concept of peace beyond just the presence or absence of war, but promoted rights, freedoms, and justice in all areas. Pope John XXIII was also know for increasing dialogue with Jews, Muslims, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants. St. John Paul II Overcoming Oppression with Prayer & Forgiveness Karol Wojtyla was born in Poland in 1920. As a young man he lived through occupation and oppression by the Nazi regime, even attending a secret seminary. After World War II, he lived through communist repression. As Pope, John Paul II is credited with helping to end communist rule in Poland and the rest of Europe. He also improved relations between the Catholic Church and Jews, Muslims, Orthodox Christians, and Anglicans. In May 1981, he himself was the target of an attempted assassination. After recovering, he met with and forgave his attacker during the Christmas season in 1983.
At Votive Mass, Archbishop Carlson lays out steps to 'dismantle systemic racism' Dave Luecking, St. Louis Review, August 20, 2014 With strife and violence in the aftermath of Michael Brown's shooting death by a police officer in Ferguson, more than 500 St. Louis Catholics gathered for a Votive Mass for peace and justice, Aug. 20 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Archbishop Robert J. Carlson celebrated the Mass with 27 priests and, in his homily, laid out five important steps to "dismantle systemic racism," which has become evident in Ferguson: "I am re-establishing today the Human Rights Commission in the Archdiocese of St Louis. "I am asking the Charles Lwanga Center to begin a study and offer solutions to decrease violence in our communities and in our families. "I pledge an ongoing commitment to provide a pathway out of poverty by providing scholarships so that young people can receive a quality education in our Catholic schools." (He noted that 3,000 children have received scholarships in the last year.) "I pledge my support and the support of the archdiocese to assist the churches in Ferguson to deal with issues of poverty and racism. "Finally, I am asking each priest in the Archdiocese of St. Louis to offer a Mass for Justice and Peace." As Archbishop Carlson noted, "This is a modest beginning, but begin we shall." "There is more that will need to be done, and we will work to open dialogue with the churches, community leaders and people of Ferguson," he said. Archbishop Carlson offered prayers for Brown and his family, for Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson and his family, for first responders and their families, and for community leaders. "We ask for the wisdom and compassion and courage to address the brokenness and division that confronts us as we recognize there is an irrepressible yearning present in the heart of each person for good," he said, noting that the Church has been down this road before. "In the summer of 1947, my predecessor (Joseph) Cardinal Ritter wrote to the priests of the archdiocese announcing the desegregation of our Catholic Schools; this paved the way for the desegregation of the public schools seven years later," he said. "In 1963, the priests of the archdiocese made a pledge for equality of all people and that summer the Human Rights Commission was established. Many priests and religious are still living who walked with Dr. Martin Luther King defending the dignity of every human person. "In the face of brokenness and shame and heartbreak Jesus calls us to come to him and encourages us so that we do not walk away. The time has come for us to acknowledge decades of hurt and mistrust and suspicion and prejudices and, yes, even a tragic death.... We hear the
Lord's gentle voice as He invites us to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and his invitation to each one of us to be peacemakers." The Commandments and Beatitudes provide Catholics with a roadmap to address the underlying issues in the death of Brown and the aftermath, Archbishop Carlson said: "Like the first disciples, we need to leave our ordinary way of doing things behind and follow Jesus, a journey that is never easy." Prayer is necessary for the journey, and Archbishop Carlson cited Blessed Teresa, who started her day with an hour of Eucharistic Adoration. "It was only after prayer that she would leave to serve," he said. "Prayer is the inexhaustible source of our service." A video of the Archbishop s entire homily can be found at hppt://bcove.me/9yi262kn
A video of the Archbishop s statement is available at http://video.archstl.org/services/player/bcpid3255438756001?bckey=aq~~,aaabkmwkzxe~,j hq2mlafyynpcexrolqfryeq3bvhpf_q&bclid=0&bctid=3832924388001