Issues

Nonviolence . . . Human trafficking . . . Women . . . . The elderly . . . Immigrants' rights . . . Housing. . . Children . . . Prisoners' rights . . . Health care . . . World Hunger . . . Globalization, as it affects Latin America . . . Care of the earth . . . Seamless ethic of life

Note: The ideas and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author's and should not be ascribed to the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes or its members.





Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Celebrate Community

The public is invited to Celebrate Community on Saturday, February 16, 2019.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Things to Know About DACA Right Now

Attached is an update describing the current DACA reality since the Supreme Court decided not to take DACA up during this term of hearings.

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

The Nuns, The Priests and The Bomb


Dear Friends,
The Nuns, The Priests and The Bombs is the title of film that is being shown on January 31, 7 pm, at the Norbertine Center for Spirituality, St. Norbert Abbey, 1016 N Broadway, De Pere. 
In July 2012 three persons broke into a secured nuclear storage site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that housed enough uranium to create 10,000 nuclear bombs. It happens that these three were an 82-year-old religious sister and two other peace activists. Trying to advocate for peace through the Plowshares Movement, Sr. Megan Rice and the two peace advocates are chronicled in this film as they share their story.
Following the film there will a panel discussion.  Members of the panel include: Fr. Joseph Mattern, Mr. David Mueller, Mr. James O'Neil, and Sister Ruth Battaglia, CSA
  • Facilitator: Br. Steve Herro, O. Praem.
  • Cost: Tickets available at the door: Adults $7, Students $5, Children (12 and under) $2
  • All proceeds go to the Green Bay Film Festival
  • Registration appreciated.  Open the link, scroll down to Bookings, and fill in the blanks.
Please register for one person at a time. This helps us maintain accurate registration numbers! If you have any questions, please contact the Norbertine Center for Spirituality office at ncs@norbertines.org or call 920.337.4315.

Monday, January 21, 2019

A Forward: Tell the Army Corps: The Line 3 tar sands pipeline puts us all at risk.

We've got just four days left on our only chance to officially tell the federal government to protect us from the risks posed by Line 3. Larger than Keystone XL, it's a massive tar sands pipeline that would transport 760,000 barrels of dirty tar sands oil through our communities and waterways every day. Tell the Army Corps to put the brakes on a project that could devastate our fresh water supply and critical Indigenous cultural resources for generations to come.
More than 20,000 Sierra Club supporters stepped up like we haven't seen in a long time to ask that the Army Corps extend the public comment period for Enbridge's Line 3, a massive dirty tar sands pipeline that's larger than Keystone XL.
No word on an extension yet, but with the public comment period closing in only 4 days, we can't wait. We need to submit as many official comments as we can telling the Army Corps not to grant Enbridge one of the few federal permits they need to start construction until adequate environmental review has been done.
Tell the Army Corps: The dirty tar sands Line 3 pipeline puts our water at risk..
Line 3 would transport 760,000 barrels of dirty tar sands oil through our communities every day. It would cross the Mississippi River, northern Minnesota lake country, pristine wild rice lakes, the Lake Superior watershed, Chippewa National Forest, and the Fond du Lac Reservation -- home to the Ojibwe people who have lived in the Great Lakes region since before 800 A.D.
Enbridge, the Canadian company pushing Line 3, has a terrible track record of devastating pipeline spills. Between 1999 and 2010, it was responsible for more than 800 pipeline spills, including the Kalamazoo River disaster which saw 843,000 gallons of toxic tar sands crude dumped into Michigan's waterways -- costing more than a billion dollars in cleanup costs and making local residents sick.
The truth with these hazardous pipelines is it's not a matter of if a pipeline will spill, but when. Tar sands are one of the dirtiest sources of oil on the planet, and when they spill into water they are nearly impossible to clean up. For a massive project like this where so much is at risk, we need a robust environmental review.
Tell the Army Corps: No fast tracked permit for the dirty Line 3 tar sands pipeline.
The Army Corps federal Clean Water Act permit (called a Section 404 permit) is one of the only chances all of us across the country will officially have to weigh in against this massive tar sands pipeline. Because Line 3 puts so many major bodies of water that all of us rely on at risk, the Army Corps shouldn't be rushing this permit..
If we are going to stop the Army Corps from moving forward as planned, we need to show just how many people are on our side. The more of us that step up, the better our chances of fighting back against this dirty tar sands pipeline. 
Tell the Army Corps: put the brakes on the dirty Line 3 tar sands pipeline.

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Vatican Publications on Human Trafficking

 
Greetings,
Vatican releases publication for Catholics combatting trafficking - Please share!
The Migration and Refugees Section of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has released a set of guidelines to help the worldwide Catholic community eradicate human trafficking. The publication, Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking, offers Catholic dioceses, parishes, religious congregations, schools and universities an in-depth reading and comprehension of modern day slavery to serve as much needed encouragement to anti-trafficking ministries.   The publications’ points can be leveraged in homilies, education, and media.
Feel free to share this publication widely!  To facilitate dissemination, please find social media graphics attached and sample twitter and FB posts below.
  • The Vatican’s release of pastoral guidelines for Catholics dedicated to the eradication of human trafficking  is a source of inspiration and support. Don’t wait any longer – download “Pastoral Orientations on Human Trafficking”.

Firearm Safety Expo


What am I doing at a Firearm Safety Expo? Having consistently opposed the possession of guns, except as needed by government, law enforcement and hunters, I initially felt out of place at an event designed for manufactures to promote gun safety products. 

I was one of five members of Seventh Generation Interfaith, a socially responsible investing group, attending the Firearm Safety Expo at the Milwaukee Area Technical College on January 16, sponsored by Common Ground, Do Not Stand Idly By and several other local groups. As Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, and Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber spoke, it was clear that the purpose of this gathering of legislators, law enforcement, medical and health leaders and investors was to educate us about the emerging field of firearm-relate safety technologies in hopes of a future of far few suicides, accidental deaths and injuries caused by use or theft of firearms. 

I understood then that in the current political climate around gun control, this is an approach that is already gaining widespread support. The government is the largest purchaser of guns at 40%. Their united support for gun-safety technology, along with support from medical leaders and investors concerned about gun control, can push gun companies to engage in research and development on smart guns and other safety products. This is a good first step. 

Religious communities of women have already gained recognition for their wins on gun safety proposals, notably with a victory in convincing shareholder of American Outdoor Brands, formerly known as Smith & Wesson, to require the company to report on what it’s doing to advance gun safety. 

You never know what you might learn at a firearm safety expo.  

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

CSA Sisters Lend a Hand at Catholic Charities Respite Center (US Southern Border)

Sisters Clare, Patricia and Julie Ann are at the Catholic
Charities Respite Center at the US southern border.
Day 1

We were hoping to be helpful and we were. I helped to prepare baggies of toiletries, make sandwiches, and pack lunches for refugees to take on the bus. Four bus loads of refugees arrived from Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Staff processed the adults while volunteers helped serve soup and salad, provide a change of clothing, a shower, and a mat. I took children by the hand to the dining area and they followed me trustingly. I got so chocked up that I could barely breathe. Children ran out to the yard and played while the parents were processed. Young families, some mothers were breast feeding. A doctor and health care professionals provide limited medical care. People want refugees to be admitted. Workers are needed in farms, restaurants, and hotels. I gave thanks that I am here.

Thursday, January 10, 2019

National Migration Week




Friday, January 11, is Human Trafficking Awareness Day. You are welcome to participate in a prayer service in the chapel at 4:30 pm tomorrow. You can also in pray wherever you are for these intentions. 

This week we have been observing National Migration Week. We know that immigrants are vulnerable to labor and sex trafficking, among other dangers and struggles they face.

Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation Committee commits to co-creating a just society

From a contemplative spirit we will promote systemic change by 
> Seeking guidance from the Gospels, Catholic social and environmental teachings and CSA justice statements 
> Educating ourselves and others about justice 
> Engaging in action for the common good
                                                        Approved: November 13, 2018

At their November meeting the Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation committee adopted a new mission statement which was subsequently approved by the general council.  The committee has acted on its goal to care for water in several ways:
·      Through a PowerPoint presentation to sisters and associates highlighting the negative impact that large cattle farms are having on the nutrition of our food and the availability of clean water, which in turn harms human life
·       Sending a letter to the EPA objecting to the roll back of its protections for clean water and asking them to regulate large cattle farms
·       Writing to state and federal legislators asking them to provide the necessary funding for agencies entrusted with protecting our water; to require polluters pay for cleanup rather than having taxpayers pay or passing costs on to consumer; and to be truthful and transparent in providing information to the public
·       Evaluating our own every day usage of water