10 Principles of Social Justice

10 Principles of Social Justice The following ten principles highlight major themes from Catholic Social Teaching documents of the last century. They are the basis of the St. John's Justice and Peace Commission. 1. Dignity of the Human Person Belief in the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic social teaching. Human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the starting point for a moral vision for society.   2. Common Good and Community The human person is both sacred and social. Human dignity can only be realized and protected in the context of relationships with the wider society.    3. Option for the Poor The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members.       4. Rights and Responsibilities Human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met .    5. Role of Government and Subsidiarity The state has a positive moral function. It is an instrument to promote human dignity, protect human rights, and build the common good. 6. Economic Justice  The economy must serve people, not the other way around. All workers have a right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, and to safe working conditions.     7. Stewardship of God's Creation How we treat the environment is a measure of our stewardship, a sign of our respect for the Creator.     8. Promotion of Peace and Disarmament Catholic teaching promotes peace as a positive, action-oriented concept. In the words of Pope John Paul II, "Peace is not just the absence of war. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It involves collaboration and binding agreements.” 9. Participation  All people have a right to participate in the economic, political and cultural life of society. It is a fundamental demand of justice and a requirement for human dignity that all people be assured a minimum level of participation in the community.   10. Global Solidarity and Development We are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice.

Bookclub

St. John’s Bookclub – Let’s Get on the Same Page!

 

 

 

On October 7th and 8th, St. John’s will launch it’s second parish-wide book club selection, The End of Poverty,

Economic Possibilities for Our Time, by Jeffrey Sachs.  The paperback book will be on sale at the parish-discounted

price of  $13 (bookstore price: $16) after all masses that weekend.  Or buy the book at the parish office anytime after

September 23rd.

This important work has ignited an exciting movement to end the extreme poverty suffered by over eight million people. 

Sachs expertly outlines a roadmap to end the misery of the earth’s poorest citizens.   With a special focus on realistic

possibilities to affect change in Africa, this book will make readers optimistic about their ability to do the work of Christ

in our world, right now – today.  The forward by rock star Bono will make readers believe in Sachs, his solutions, and

the world’s ability to implement them.

From the publisher:  “Among the most eagerly anticipated books of any year, this landmark exploration of prosperity and

poverty distills the life work of an economist Time calls one of the world’s 100 most influential people. Sachs’s aim is

nothing less than to deliver a big picture of how societies emerge from poverty. To do so he takes readers in his footsteps,

explaining his work in Bolivia, Russia, India, China, and Africa, while offering an integrated set of solutions for the interwoven

economic, political, environmental, and social problems that challenge the poorest countries. Marrying passionate storytelling

with rigorous analysis and a vision as pragmatic as it is fiercely moral, The End of Poverty is a truly indispensable work.”

St. John’s will host a book meeting on Sunday, November 19th at 10:30 a.m. in the Hospitality Room, located just off the

church’s gathering space.  Enjoy donuts, bagels, coffee and juice, with conversation about this inspiring book.  This Breakfast

with a Book Discussion is open to all parishioners and is easy to attend after 9:30 mass, or before 11:30 mass.  Bring your

questions and your insights.  We can’t wait to hear what you think!

Take a look at Time Magazine's in-depth look at The End of Poverty.

Darfur, Sudan

Crisis in Darfur, Sudan   

 

More Information at www.savedarfur.org      

Many think that since they have heard little about Darfur recently

that surely things have improved there.  Unfortunately, that is untrue, and unless

the Sudanese government accepts UN peacekeeping troops

things will get even worse!

This is an especially critical time for the people of Darfur, where three million remain at risk while as many as 500,000

 have died since 2003 in what has been called the 21st century’s first genocide.  Currently, aid workers are being killed;

 the Sudanese government has massed military forces in Darfur while asking neutral African forces to leave. UN

peacekeeping forces are now approved, but blocked by Sudan, so deaths will surely skyrocket.   

First: Include the Sudanese people in your daily prayer.  Resources for daily prayer are available at:

http://www.catholiccincinnati.org/admin/SAWP/darfur/index.htm

 

Second: Learn all that you can about the situation.  Get updated information from www.savedarfur.org 

 

Third:  Write, Fax, or call your elected representatives to express the need for the United States’ strong and persistent pressure to end the violence.  Be sure that your elected officials know that you are aware of a situation that is under-reported, but not unnoticed.  Contact your Representative and Senators is by calling the capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking for them by name or by your zip code. You can also find them by clicking here and looking them up online.

 

Fourth: Discuss with your family members the responsibilities of Christ’s followers to work for justice and peace.

 

 

Do not let it be said, in the years to come, that we once again turned our backs on people in need.  Our children and their children will want to know how we responded.

 

 

 

Every St. John's parishioner can be a part of the peace effort.

Environmental Justice

Environmental Justice"Child of the Universe, behold and seeThe wonder of the earth,      come now and take your placeIn the circle of life, all is one, earth childCelebrate and sing for joy,     you've been invited to the dance"-c. Kathy Sherman, CSJ The US Conference of Catholic Bishops, in Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good, wrote: "As people of faith, we are convinced that 'the earth is the Lord’s and all it holds' (Ps 24:1). Our Creator has given us the gift of creation: the air we breathe, the water that sustains life, the fruits of the land that nourish us, and the entire web of life without which human life cannot flourish. All of this God created and found “very good.” We believe our response to global climate change should be a sign of our respect for God’s creation." Find out what you can do to act with environmental justice.The St. John's Justice and Peace Commision will serve the parish by offering information about global warming and other environmental justice issues, programs that focus on how to act with environmental justice, and opportunities to care for God's creation; as well as rasing awareness of how the world's poor are disproportionaltely affected by environmental injustice. Take an interactive quiz, "Is Your House a Green House?"    

Ohio Minimum Wage

Ohio's Minimum Wage - Issue 2

The current Minimum Wage in Ohio matches the Federal Minimum Wage at $5.15 per hour.   A proposed increase to $6.85 will be decided by State ballot in November 2006.  Concerned members of the St. John community may want to consider the following information to make an informed decision.

According to Let Justice Roll Ohio, a faith-based partner of Ohioans for a Fair Minimum Wage, 18 states and Washington D.C. currently have minimum  wages above the federal minimum.  Neighbor state West Virginia is at $7.25, and Michigan is poised to raise wages to $6.95 this October and $7.40 by 2008.  Other information to consider:

• A single earner working full-time at $5.15 per hour earns $10,700 per year - nearly $5,000 below the poverty line for a family of three and nearly $3,000 below for a family of two.  According to the US Department of Labor, about 40% of the workers who would benefit from an increased minimum wage are the sole wage earners in their households.
• An increase in the minimum wage would disproportionately benefit women, minorities, and the nation's poor.  Most of those affected by the last minimum wage increase (72 percent) were adults aged 20 and over, and more than half of all teenagers earning the minimum wage are in households with below-average incomes.
• An increase in the minimum wage will not increase joblessness; opponents of the minimum wage often argue that it increases unemployment for entry-level workers, thereby hurting the people it is meant to help.  But history clearly shows that raising the minimum wage has not negatively impacted the economy.  In the four years after the last federal minimum wage increase passed, the economy experienced its strongest growth in over three decades.  There were ten million new service industry jobs added, including more than one and a half million retail jobs, of which nearly 600,000 were restaurant jobs.

Office of Social Development and World Peace, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Faith in Minimum Wage

 “Paying a hard-working, single mom nearly $3,000 less than the established mark of poverty is a grave injustice.”
– Rev. Eric Brown

"There is nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American whether he (she) is a hospital worker, laundry work, maid or day laborer." 
-- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.A job should keep you out of poverty, not in it. 
-- Rev. Paul Sherry "To live with such inequality really does something to the soul of a society."
-- Rev. Colleen Ogle
Time Magazine recently commented on the Ohio Minimum Wage, in it's article, Trying to Make A Decent Living.

For more information on the Minimum Wage check out Raise the Wage.

Pledge to End Poverty

"The needs of the poor take priority over the desires of the rich."
Pope John Paul II, Toronto, Canada, 1984

Pledge to Help Break the Cycle of Poverty

I will:

LEARN 

about poverty, including poverty in the USA

VISIT

www.povertyusa.org

SUPPORT

the Church's collections for programs that address poverty, including the Catholic Campaign for Human Development parish collection and the American Bishops Overseas Appeal.

PRAY

for solutions to the root causes of poverty.

ASK

my pastor to preach about poverty and how the Church responds through both service and working for justice. mburger@stjohnwc.org

TALK

with family members about the impact of poverty on individuals and communities.

JOIN

a legislative advocacy group or local community organizing group.

SPEAK

to elected officials about overcoming poverty in the US and abroad.  Find out how.

WORK

with poor and low-income people to build a better, more just community and world.

source: www.povertyusa.org