Prayer
The Christians for Ceasefire collaboration, in which Mercy Justice Team, Franciscan Action Network, Pax Christi USA, and Maryknoll OGC, among others, are taking part, is calling for Lenten prayer and action for a cease-fire in Gaza. If you want to join in the weekly Monday 9 am ET Zoom calls for this collaboration, you can email Jean Stokan.
The Lenten Ceasefire Campaign has been promoting weekly actions, including a call for prayer and witnessing. Letters to the Editor are highly effective, especially when you name/urge elected officials in your public letter calling for a ceasefire and just resolution to the conflict.
Advocacy and Action
Our friends at Interfaith Power and Light have created a petition demanding our Congressional leaders pass a federal budget that will protect climate funding. There is a lot of rancor in Congress over the budget. We will likely need yet another temporary extension to keep the government running. The fight is being used to push changes in the immigration system and delay aid to Ukraine and Gaza. Amid the fight, conversation about protecting climate funding is being lost. Please take a moment to add your voice to the reminder that it is all-important.
Your Ohio Province JPCC Committee signed on to an Investor Letter requesting certain banks stop financing Formosa Plastics Group in Cancer Alley. The letter was sent to several banks, a few of whom we have in our investment portfolio, including JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo. This letter was requested by the people of St. James Parish in Louisiana, whose occupants have a cancer rate over 700 times the national average due to the high concentrations of polluting industries in that area. Despite this fact, the state has plans to expand the number of permits for such industries but has yet to make plans to clean up the pollution created by them.
Education
The Alliance to End Human Trafficking (formerly U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking) will host a webinar titled Breaking the Link: How Immigration Courts Can Protect Vulnerable Children from Trafficking on March 4 from 3:30 to 4:30 (ET). The webinar will concentrate on The Immigration Court Efficiency and Children’s Court Act, H.R. 6145 / S. 3178. On March 6 from 12:30 to 1:30 ET, the Alliance will hold a seminar on Catholic social thought through Georgetown University’s Initiative.
One of the most vocal objections to allowing asylum seekers into the US is that they cost the taxpayers money when they use government services such as schools, health clinics, and police/fire/EMS services. A recently released report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) found that refugees and asylum seekers have generated tens of billions of dollars more in local, state, and federal tax revenues over the last 15 years than they have cost in direct government services. You can read more about it from The American Immigration Council.
The Center for Migration Studies has released the recording of their webinar "Telling the Truth about the Border: A Humane Vision for Border Management.” It is only one hour and chock full of information and options for better ways to approach welcoming the stranger.
Democracy Watch
More and more justice advocates are paying attention to several concerning our democratic process. It is something I have frankly tried to ignore. It seems so big and so frightening. However, ignoring concerning things has never helped anyone. I have added a section to the Weekly Update. It will appear as needed.
The USCCB has released new materials for Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship. We are invited to read and share these materials' guidance on our political responsibility as Catholics and faithful citizens. You will find information in English and Spanish.
New Introductory Note to Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: English | Spanish.
The Role of the Church in American Political Life: English | Spanish.
The Dignity of the Human Person: English | Spanish.
The Common Good: English | Spanish.
Solidarity: English | Spanish.
Subsidiarity: English | Spanish.
“In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.” — Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, No. 13. The USCCB encourages us all to form our conscience and vote! It is a call of our faith.
Early voting for the primary IN OHIO has begun. Voting day is March 19. Check your voter registration status and make your plan to vote. You can vote early in-person now. Find early voting locations in Ohio or get your absentee/mail-in ballot for Ohio. Deadline to request an absentee ballot is March 12. You can see a sample ballot by going to the website and clicking on your county. Those in other states, your information is just a Google search away. Type in “my voter registration status {state}” “Early voting {state}” “Mail-in ballot {state}” Or simply “county Board of Elections {county, state}” for all the information.