Talks from Social Justice Weekend November 14-15, 2015

Transcription

1 Talks from Social Justice Weekend November 14-15, Social Justice Talk from Outreach & Social Justice Office (Anne Schultz & Mike Ryder) Social Justice Journey Witness Talks 2. Eleanor Wegman s Witness Talk 3. Mary Ann Rempe s Witness Talk 4. Jim Picchetti s Witness Talk Outreach Justice Social Justice 1. Social Justice Talk from Outreach & Social Justice Office (Anne Schultz & Mike Ryder) Today we heard from the Prophet Daniel reporting on what the Lord is calling the wise to do. Who are these wise people that the Lord is calling? Often we hear someone say of another person she is wise beyond her years or he is a wise man Are those the people the Lord is calling? Are the rest of us excluded? Of course not that would be too easy. The Lord is very inclusive and we are all wise enough in the Way of the Lord to be called. The Lord said to Daniel The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever. We are all called to lead the many to justice. Here at St. Thomas we have defined a Justice Continuum that depicts the justice journey from Outreach Justice at one end to Social Justice at the other. For all of you who were able to help in some way with Harvest Sunday volunteering or with a food donation you were working for Outreach Justice keeping someone from being hungry for a number of days. That is good. That is needed.

2 But what if you could do something that helps those families to become more self-sufficient so they don t need outreach help for food? If you could do that, you would be working for Social Justice. Outreach Justice provides basic needs Social Justice strives to eliminate the need for Outreach Justice. A world full of Social Justice would be God s Kingdom on Earth. Social Justice issues are often complex and the solutions controversial. Comprehensive immigration reform is an example. However, we are called by the Lord to become wise by educating ourselves on such issues in the light of God s Way and we are called to take action. Of the 18 St. Thomas OSJ ministries, eight of them are Social Justice oriented, including DuPage United, Pro Life, The Homeless Alliance, and the Immigration Initiative. Where are you on the Justice Continuum? Probably somewhere in the middle. It doesn t really matter where you are as long as you are moving forward helping to lead the many to justice. Today we ask you to assess where you are on your journey. We ask you to make a commitment to take at least one Social Justice action within the next three months. Now, having asked for a commitment today, does it really surprise you that we have an opportunity for you to take that action today? Last weekend a bulletin insert introduced a non-partisan petition signing effort to get the Independent Map Amendment on the ballot next November. Currently, the Illinois legislative district boundaries are controlled by whichever party is in power. Both parties have used, and some would say abused, that power to draw boundaries that favor their specific agendas. The Amendment would create an independent commission to draw the maps. In addition to taking the partisanship out of drawing the maps, the Independent Map Amendment supports Catholic Social Teaching by protecting the voting rights of racial and ethnic minorities. If you feel you are educated on the issue and you are in agreement, you have the opportunity to sign a petition after Mass this weekend or next weekend. This may not be a Social Justice solution that you can agree with that s OK. We did say that Social Justice issues can be complex. Pray to the Lord for wisdom for the energy to educate yourself and become wise for as the Lord said to Daniel those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.

3 2. Eleanor Wegman s Witness Talk Eleanor Wegman is a long time St. Thomas parishioner who is currently the facilitator for our Immigration Initiative Ministry and our St. Nicholas Relationship Ministry. We have asked her share her personal Justice Journey. Today s Gospel speaks to us of the importance of being watchful and attentive. This is so important for those working in Outreach and Social Justice as we decide how to respond to what is going on in our communities and our world. I think Compassion is equally important and I do believe that we become more compassionate through outreach ministry as we meet interact with those we serve. We have examples of people who have dedicated and sometimes lost their lives in the pursuit of social justice --- Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, and Oscar Romero to name a few. But my own personal story, and I think that of many, is much more ordinary. My husband Don and I first became involved in outreach in the early 1980 s. Vatican II provided a real change in the way we were experiencing our faith. We were becoming aware that the Kingdom of God was about the here and now as well as about the hereafter. We began hearing about Catholic Social Teaching. We began to look for ways to put our faith into action. We became involved at the beginning of the PADS program in Aurora and while feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless was outreach it also required social justice advocacy. Eventually, a permanent shelter at Hesed House was accomplished. Still the question of why there are so many homeless remains. We found our way to St. Thomas 25 years ago and were excited about the many outreach opportunities. Habitat Mission trips to Mississippi and diocesan mission trips raised additional questions about why large areas of our country lack employment opportunities, good education, and health care. I participated in the Peace and Justice ministry and attended meetings and workshops sponsored by our Diocese, and the St. Thomas JustFaith Program provided a great opportunity to learn even more about many complex and difficult issues throughout the world. We sometimes wonder if our efforts have any effect, and I think the following story offers encouragement. During one of our JustFaith sessions we studied the conditions of garment workers in developing countries who provide most of the clothing sold in the US. One of our participants had a sister working for a company involved in this clothing production. She discussed what we had learned with her sister who then made a trip to personally observe the conditions and was able to bring about improvements for this group of workers. I coordinate our Immigration Initiative Ministry. So how did I become involved in the Immigration issue? I have volunteered with the Dominican Literacy program in Aurora for the last 18 years, first as a tutor for women learning English and currently helping men and women prepare for the Citizenship exam. I heard first-hand of the injustices immigrants experienced in their countries and here in their neighborhoods and work places. When I told one man that he needed to study more if he hoped to pass the exam he said it was so difficult because he worked 12 hours shifts and was allowed only one 15 minute lunch period and then went home to care for his children

4 while his wife worked. I asked about confronting the employer and he said Oh no, I need this job. His only hope was to achieve a status which would allow him more employment choices. A few years ago St. Thomas offered a six-week study on Immigration/Migration. Some members of St. Nicholas in Aurora participated and together we formed our Immigration Initiative Ministry. We participated in the US Bishops Justice for Immigrants postcard campaign, and offered parishioners at both churches an opportunity to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform in keeping with the core values of Catholic Social Teaching. We met with some of our Representatives in Congress to deliver the postcards. In one meeting the Representative told us how important it is for them to hear our voices. Although that legislation has still not been passed in Congress, limited provisions beneficial to some have been implemented. When we take social justice action along with those we serve we become united in their struggles. Even if we do not always succeed, they are encouraged by our support. So what has motivated me to do social justice work? Relationships with supportive people, compassion, perseverance, prayer and as today s Gospel tells us being watchful and attentive to the situations that we encounter in our ministries and in our daily lives motivate me to continue to work for social justice. We cannot all be deeply involved in every issue, but we can be part of the difference we wish to see in our world. I would just like to conclude with a few lines from a prayer honoring Archbishop Romero. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own. Amen. 3. Mary Ann Rempe s Witness Talk Mary Ann Rempe is a long time St. Thomas parishioner. She has facilitated a number of Just Faith courses and is currently the facilitator for the Habitat Ministry that travels to Tutwiler, Mississippi every June to build houses. We have asked her share her personal Justice Journey. My name is Mary Ann Rempe and I m delighted to have the opportunity to speak to you about my own journey into being involved with Social Justice issues that face us today. My journey began with being involved in many outreach activities. I took a special interest in the Habitat for Humanity ministry here at St. Thomas. Each year, a group of parishioners travel to the Mississippi Delta to work on building Habitat homes for the working poor. The recipients of the Habitat homes work, sometimes two jobs in order to qualify for a Habitat home. During my trips, I had the privilege to meet and work along side the new homeowners. I learned just how hard they work to have good quality, simple homes to live in.

5 Last summer, our team got to attend a home dedication service, which presents the homeowner with the keys to their new home. After working 500 hours on their home, this homeowner, who previously lived in sub-standard housing, was presented with the keys to her new home. What joy!!!! I have a copy of the Community newsletter with a photo of the ceremony and several of our parishioners in the photo with Sarah --- the new homeowner! My early Habitat experiences with people like Sarah led me to question why life had to be so difficult for so many --- why there was so much poverty amid plenty? Archbishop Oscar Romero said, Never give in Charity, what is due in justice. As you may know, he was assassinated while he celebrated mass in his church because he spoke for the poor and asked some very difficult questions about Justice issues. Speaking out for justice issues sometimes can be challenging. Oscar Romero came to be aware of issues affecting the poor fairly late in his life but that awakening stirred him and ultimately ended his life. Continuing my faith journey toward Social Justice, I became aware of some of the issues after participating in both the JustFaith and JustMatters programs here at St. Thomas. For me, my education and my awakening opened my eyes to various Social Justice issues that I simply never knew about. Although I m a life-long catholic and attended Catholic elementary school, taught by Dominican sister, it wasn t until I became involved in the JustFaith program that I learned about my own adult-catholic responsibilities in Social Justice issues. Working on Social Justice issues often takes a long time to see results and I ve been asked: What keeps you going when it often seems that nothing is changing or that change is too slow? I think about a time probably 15 years ago, when I attended my first meeting with Illinois Collation to end the Death penalty at St. Margaret Mary in Naperville. It was a meeting of neighbors and various churches from Naperville who began efforts to over turn the laws of the State of Illinois regarding the Death Penalty. As I left that meeting that night and walked to my car, I remember thinking this is NEVER going to happen. Never! Not in Illinois! As you may remember, the Death Penalty in Illinois was overturned in Whenever I get discouraged about the progress or lack of progress today, I think back to that evening and remember my thoughts and realize anything is possible! Working on Social Justice issues does take patience and persistence but I also have the opportunity to reflect that because of the efforts of groups like this one, I live in a state that no longer has the death penalty as law. Currently, I m part of the DuPage Homeless Alliance, which was founded here at St. Thomas and meets here about every six weeks. This is a group made up of community leaders, church members and members of St. Thomas who work to better understand the why behind homelessness in DuPage County and what can be done to better support families who are faced with homelessness today.

6 Over the past year, we have created the opportunity to attend meetings with local Housing Authority executives, city planners for the City of Naperville, Naperville Township, and other Community outreach organizations. We ve learned about the issues with: 1. Lack of affordable housing! 2. Section 8 Housing vouchers! 3. Landlord discrimination of people with vouchers! We are currently in discussions with the city of Naperville to change the Housing Code to prohibit such discrimination. Think about that for just a moment A change in the housing code, in Naperville, which will eliminate discrimination of the poor! We have learned how complicated the support systems are for families who are in crisis and facing homelessness. We continue to bring various groups together and shine a light on issues that exist related to homelessness. We continue to take social justice action. I would ask that you: 1. Become aware of social justice issues that St. Thomas is involved in through bulletin or website or simply by reading the newspaper with a view of Social Justice issues that are going on today! 2. Take some time to educate yourself read the bulletin, go on the USCCB website ( which has great info on the issues. 3. Then, take an action even if it s small or what seems like a hopeless cause. 4. Through it all pray. Pray, that this Year of Mercy will be a wonderful enlightened experience for the whole church and will lead to progress on social justice issues. Thank you! 4. Jim Picchetti s Witness Talk Jim Picchetti is relatively new to St. Thomas and his background and experience make him an excellent facilitator for the Homeless Alliance Ministry. We have asked him share his personal Justice Journey. My name is Jim Picchetti. I am a husband, a father, and my family and I have been parishioners at St. Thomas for two years. I am a community organizer with a non-profit called the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless (CCH), and I helped found and currently facilitate the DuPage Homeless Alliance that operates out of St. Thomas. Based on that biography, it sounds like I have always had a clear sense of social justice, but I haven t. When I graduated from Marquette University, I joined the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and volunteered in Cleveland, Ohio for one year. I did this because I had no concrete plan after graduating from college, and I was trying to buy myself some time to figure out my next step. Even though my intentions may not have been genuine, during the time I spent in Cleveland, I learned an important lesson I want to offer as a suggestion to you as you reflect on social justice.

7 Listen, really listen to the stories of the people you help as a volunteer or with a donation of money. Their stories will move you to take more social justice actions. When I was a Jesuit Volunteer, by my desk was where homeless families came to complete a Needs Assessment to determine if the program was a good fit for them or if they should be referred to another non-profit organization. One day, a mother and her 8-year old daughter Jalia came to complete an Assessment. The mother seemed fine, but Jalia wasn t. When she walked into the office, her eyes were wide, and it seemed like she wasn t blinking. Almost as if she had seen something she couldn t look away from or un-see. When asked a question, Jalia would respond yes or no, or not at all. I later learned Jalia and her mom were survivors of domestic violence, and came to the shelter because they had nowhere else to go. This is often a scenario for single-mothers with children who come to shelters because domestic violence programs and homeless shelters often work together and share resources for the safety of the survivors. When Jalia came to the after school program, she was often angry, yelled, and was physically aggressive with the other kids. After working with me and the other staff for 6 weeks, Jalia began to calm down more, and was able to interact with the other children like an everyday child. When Jalia and her mother completed their time at the shelter, the other staff and I helped her move into her new apartment. Before I left, Jalia s mom started to cry. I asked what was wrong, assuming she would tell me how happy she was about moving into her apartment. Instead she told me how scared she was... afraid her minimum wage job would not pay her rent, buy groceries for her family, pay for public transportation (which was slow and never on time) to get Jalia to school and to work. She was scared she would lose her apartment and become homeless again. I don t know what happened to Jalia and her mom. I listened to many other similar family stories before my volunteer year was over. I heard from families who lost everything after their companies left to move to another country. I heard some of the parents got fired after developing a hospitalizing medical condition, lost their health insurance, and outstanding medical debt took everything from the family. For me, Jalia s story and the stories of the other children became the catalyst for me to dedicate my life to working to impact homelessness in Chicago and throughout Illinois. I m not ok knowing that struggling parents and kids like Jalia are still having to deal with a lack of affordable housing, living wage jobs, and good public transportation. Three years ago, my organization, CCH, learned that more than 54,000 students in Illinois were homeless like Jalia. Two years ago, that number grew to 59,000 homeless students. Seeing that number grow each year keeps me fighting for social justice for those kids. Today, my job as a community organizer is to listen to the stories of the homeless at organizations like Hesed House and DuPage County PADS, and homeless ministries like here at St. Thomas. By listening to the pain the homeless families have gone through, I encourage the homeless and people passionate about the homeless to tell their stories to the decision makers that can impact homelessness in our communities. Last year, between St. Thomas and other homeless shelters and churches in Illinois, we collected more than 3,500 signed letters to urge former Gov. Quinn to restore state funds to

8 keep homeless students in school. The group that delivered the letters to Gov. Quinn s Chief of Staff included a 20-year homeless youth named Cassie, and a survivor of domestic violence named Otelia. Through their stories and our voices, Gov. Quinn heard us, and there is a line item in the budget specifically for funds for homeless students. In the future, I will be asking for letters again when help is needed for homeless students and families because we were successful together. For me, listening to stories made all the difference. As you do your outreach volunteering and make donations, wherever you can, listen, really listen to the stories of the people you are trying to impact. I encourage you to pray, to take a step back, to see how God might be trying to reach out to you. Don t be afraid to let God move through you, to take social justice actions. He is trying to show you how together with our brothers and sisters in Christ we do not have to wait to see the Kingdom of God because we are building it together here and now. Thank you, and God bless.