Updates from the Office of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation, December 10, 2024

Updates from the Office of Justice, Peace and Care for Creation, December 10, 2024

Prayer

Advent is upon us. Sr. Cj Willie, SC, generously shares her Advent reflections again this year. Her theme is Listening, and she invites anyone to submit quotes on listening and photos for these reflections. You may email them to me, and I will forward them to Sr. Cj. Here's the second-week reflection to use.

Advocacy and Action

Today, December 10, is Human Rights Day. Several justice organizations are asking us to recognize this day by sending a message to the Biden Administration to ask the President to commute the sentences of those on the federal death row. There are so many problems in the criminal justice system, including rampant racism and the real situation of the wrongfully convicted, that the death penalty is simply the wrong way to handle the situation. You can petition the White House through the online tool provided by The Innocence Project, or contact the White House directly and ask President Biden commute the death sentences of those on death row to life in prison.

The Cincinnati Immigrant Dignity Coalition through Ignite Peace (a local justice organization the Ohio Province helped start and continues to support) is mobilizing in anticipation of raids on workplaces in the coming months. They are planning for what to do for children who come home from school after parents have been taken into custody or households whose primary breadwinner is deported. They invite all of us to discern what we can do to help. There are six teams in the Rapid Response plans - Grassroots Organizing, Humanitarian Services, Legal Services, Policy and Advocacy, Volunteer Coordination, and Communications and Media. What way can you help? Perhaps you write well. Perhaps you are a community organizer? Maybe you have space for temporary housing? All ways we can help our immigrant brothers and sisters.

Today, I joined yet another climate care organization. This one is called One5c. This particular group focuses on the changes that we, as individuals, can make that can make a difference. Check them out at One5c.com, and look at their 12 Days of Underconsumption in time for the holidays.

Education and Information

Last week, I posted about the disappointing outcome of the UN Plastic Treaty negotiations. If you’d like a more in-depth take on the process from a scientist/advisor who was present, check out Nick Hagen’s “The Great Simplification” Podcast with Jane Munke from DEC 08, 2024. Dr. Munke gives an overview of the Global Plastics Treaty. She makes some interesting points: We are addicted to plastic, and plastics are a vector of consumption. She talks about the 16,000 known plastic chemicals and says that experts estimate that “there may be up to 100,000 plastic chemicals.” If you have a big enough advertising budget, you can buy perception…

TONIGHT: On Tuesday, December 10 from 7 to 8 PM EST, the Georgetown University Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life will host a public dialogue titled What Do We Do Now? Catholic Responsibilities, Opportunities After the Election and Synod. This event will explore how American Catholics and people of good can bring principles of Catholic social thought—human life and dignity, family and community, solidarity and subsidiarity, priority for the poor and care for creation—into U.S. public life more effectively and consistently? For more information and to RSVP, click here.