Common Good Newsletter: March 2008

Philadelphia to Host Common Good Convention

Make plans now to attend The Convention for the Common Good, July 11 to 13 in Philadelphia, PA! The convention will bring together people from across the country to chart a new vision for America, one that centers on the values of the common good and rejects the individualism and division of the past. Delegates to the convention will be asked to develop “A Common Good Platform” that will be presented to both political parties.

More than 20 Catholic and other social justice organizations are sponsors and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good and NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby are the convention conveners. The convention is inspired by Catholic Social Teaching and will bring together hundreds of delegates from such organizations as Pax Christi USA, Maryknoll Global Concerns, Sisters of Mercy, Franciscan Action Network and the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. For more information, visit www.commongoodconvention.org (available mid-March) or contact Tom O’Neill, 202-429-9685.

Catholics in Alliance Welcomes Two New Outreach Staff

Catholics in Alliance is pleased to announce the addition of two new outreach staff. Brian Peck will coordinate grassroots outreach in Michigan and Lois Campbell will conduct outreach in Western Pennsylvania. Brian Peck is a student at the University of Michigan, finishing up a bachelor's degree in sociology and urban and community studies. Last summer, he interned at the Harriet Tubman Center as a faith based community organizer in Detroit. Brian spends much of his time at St. Mary's Student Parish in Ann Arbor, leading the music and social justice ministries.

Lois Campbell works with corporations, small businesses, non-profit organizations, and churches on issues of team building, conflict resolution, visioning and planning, leadership development, and interpersonal communication. Lois is on the World Executive Council for Christian Life Community (CLC) a world-wide association of mostly Catholic Christians in more than 60 countries committed to living out faith in everyday life and to working for justice. In Pittsburgh, Lois is Vice President of the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN) a faith-based community organization affiliated with the Gamaliel Foundation.

Both will help coordinate outreach for the upcoming Common Good Convention and support outreach for Assemblies in their states in collaboration with a wide range of Catholic social justice organizations. The Michigan Catholic Social Justice Assembly is Saturday, April 5 in Livonia MI. For more information contact Brian Peck at bpeck@catholicsinalliance.org. The Western Pennsylvania Catholic Assembly is at Marywood University in Scranton on Thursday, April 17. For more information contact Lois Campbell at lcampbell@catholicsinalliance.org.

Woodstock Forum Presents Election 2008: The Values Inside the Issues

Last month, the Woodstock Theological Center held a forum on the upcoming national election featuring perspectives from two Catholics on different sides of the political aisle. Ambassador Thomas Melady, a diplomat in three Republican administrations, most recently as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, and a Catholics in Alliance Advisory Council member, debated John Kelly, the Catholic Outreach Liaison for the Democratic National Committee and a longtime Catholic social justice activist, on the values that informed their decisions in 2008.

The Forum was moderated by Father Thomas Reese, SJ, Senior Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center. Amb. Melady spoke about the recent Catholic Civility Statement that he, along with his Democratic friend Timothy May, authored arguing for a softening of the dialogue when dealing with the convergence of faith and politics. John Kelly spoke to his Catholic calling to help the poor and suffering as the basis of the formation of his political conscience. Both panelists answered questions from Fr. Reese and the audience, often tackling controversial issues, such as the Democratic Party’s support of abortion rights and the Republican Party’s opposition to government programs for the poor.

Catholic Social Ministry Gathering Attendees Urged to Make a Difference

Addressing this year’s theme, “Faithful Citizenship: Promoting Life and Dignity, Justice and Peace” speakers challenged attendees to be active social justice ministers and make a difference in their communities and in the world. Speakers addressed such themes as Poverty in America, Affordable Housing, Global Poverty and Health, Justice and Peace in Israel/Palestine, Immigration, the 2008 Farm Bill, Hurricanes Rita and Katrina and Climate Change. More than 700 persons attended the four-day conference held in Washington, DC, Feb. 24 to 27.

Speakers included Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez, Archbishop of Tegucigalpa, Honduras and President of Caritas International; Reverend Bryan N. Massingale, STD, Associate Professor Theology at Marquette and author of Catholic Charities USA’s issue brief’ Poverty and Racism: Overlapping Threats to the Common Good”; John Carr, USCCP Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, Dr. Norman C. Francis, Xavier University, New Orleans, LA and Lesley-Anne Knight, Secretary General, Caritas Internationalis. A major highlight of the Gathering is the Capitol Hill visits where attendees urged their elected representatives to make reducing poverty and building peace a priority.

Center of Concern Releases Iraq War Policy Paper

In the fourth policy paper on the critical issues in the 2008 election decisions, the Center of Concern’s Voting the Common Good project is now addressing an issue that is certain to be one of the most divisive and volatile of the campaign season: The War in Iraq.

The new posting, a collaboration with Pax Christi USA, offers a penetrating policy analysis of the underlying dynamics of the war and addresses key concerns such as the threat of a bloodbath should the U.S. withdraw its forces. The posting also includes frequently asked questions, talking points, and resources for those seeking more information.

These materials can be found at www.coc.org/election2008.

Interfaith Gathering for Living Wages in Memphis

Faith leaders from around the country will gather in Memphis at the Centenary United Methodist Church, March 13, to demand a living wage for all workers. The interfaith gathering is co-convened by the Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign; a national faith, community and labor coalition committed to raising the minimum wage and the Mid-South Interfaith Network for Economic Justice, a faith community committed to ensuring justice in the work place.

The gathering in being held in Memphis to commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and his efforts to help sanitation workers in that city obtain a living wage. “The minimum wage in 1968, when Memphis sanitation workers went on strike, is worth $9.70 in 2008 dollars. Dr King would be shocked to see that today’s minimum wage is only $5.85. Rather than keeping people out of poverty, the low minimum wage keeps them in poverty,” said Jennifer Kottler, Executive Director of the Let Justice Roll. For more information: visit http://www.letjusticeroll.org.

Calendar

March 7-10

Ecumenical Advocacy Days

Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel

Arlington, VA

For more information, visit www.advocacydays.org.

March 7
National Witness for Peace in Iraq

In Washington DC and around the Country

For more information, visit www.christianpeacewitness.org/.

April 5, 10 am - 3 pm

“Promoting the Common Good in Our Politics and Policy Making”

A Michigan Catholic Social Justice Assembly,

Madonna University 36600 Schoolcraft Rd. Livonia MI

April 17, 7 - 9pm

Western PA Catholics for the Common Good Assembly,

Marywood University, 2300 Adams Ave. Scranton PA

July 11-13

Convention for the Common Good

Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel, Philadelphia, PA

www.commongoodconvention.org