JPIC Updates
Latest Newsletter: JPIC Updates and Action Opportunities - June 2020
Jun 18 2020
“The pierced Heart of Jesus opens our being to the depths of God and to the anguish of humankind.”
(Constitutions #8)
Dear Friends,
This week we commemorate the Feast of the Sacred Heart, Juneteenth, and World Refugee Day. In addition, there is still a pandemic, and we are experiencing historical change through demonstrations and declarations denouncing systemic racism and calling for racial justice and criminal justice reform. And, the Supreme Court just upheld DACA! This video helps to bring it all together. Read on to learn more and to take action.
Anti-Racism
In the past few weeks, the Province released two statements in response to the killing of George Floyd and in support of the calls for justice reverberating around our countries and world. The Provincial Team issued its own statement promising “to raise our voice in opposition to acts of racial discrimination and to fight tirelessly against the sin of racism.” They also issued a statement affirming the USC Province’s support for the National Black Sisters Conference statement, which condemns the disease of systemic racism, and calls for criminal justice reform. Members of the Society of the Sacred Heart family have participated in protests, and have lifted their voices through social media.
June 19 is Juneteenth, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States, as well as the Feast of the Sacred Heart. June 21st is Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. The end of slavery did not end the fight for human dignity and social justice, a fight integral to the mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart. There are opportunities for individuals to advocate now for reform.
Covid-19
During the last weeks we all have been invited to mourn and pray for the over 100,000 people in the United States and over 7,000 in Canada, who have died as a result of Covid-19. We have seen the unequal suffering of those impacted by the pandemic, particularly our black and brown brothers and sisters, the elders of all communities, the First Nations people, prisoners, the homeless, the unemployed, refugees, and those who have found themselves on the front lines of service.
The Society of the Sacred Heart in United States and Canada upholds human dignity through a focus on several significant issues: racism, immigration, human trafficking, and environmental sustainability. Covid-19 has implications for each of these priorities.
World Refugee Day June 20
UNHCR invites the world to observe World Refugee Day every June 20 as an occasion to educate ourselves and mobilize around the plight of refugees. Every minute, 20 people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror. From UNHCR on this year’s theme: “The COVID-19 pandemic and the recent anti-racism protests have shown us how desperately we need to fight for a more inclusive and equal world: a world where no one is left behind. It has never been clearer that all of us have a role to play in order to bring about change.”
Learn more about the world’s refugee crisis and the Catholic Church’s response globally at the Caritas Internationalis Share the Journey site.
Prayer is an action. On June 20, you are invited to join with Catholics around the world and pray for refugees. You can use pray the Rosary for Vulnerable Migrant Populations, or the World Refugee Day prayer, or another prayer of your choosing.
DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
DACA was introduced in 2012 by President Barack Obama as a stopgap measure that would shield from deportation people who were brought into the United States as children. The status is renewable, lasting two years at a time. The program does not provide a pathway to citizenship. Legislation providing a permanent solution for this group (called Dreamers after The Dream Act) has consistently failed. The Trump Administration challenged DACA in court, and just today the Supreme Court ruled against the Administration to uphold DACA.
The Interfaith Immigrant Coalition is inviting all faith communities to ring bells at noon on Monday, June 22, in solidarity with Dreamers. You can find more information here.
The Dream Act of 2019 passed the House but failed in the Senate. You can also advocate for a permanent solution by sending a letter to your Senator, here.
JPIC and Social Media
A reminder that I post daily on the Stuart Center Facebook and Instagram pages, in order to provide updated information about webinars, meetings, articles, and other JPIC opportunities. Our followers have increased substantially recent weeks, and it has been great to see the engagement. My hope is that it is providing a service, and I welcome suggestions for posting.
These times are challenging for our countries and for our world. I pray for wisdom, and I am grateful for the wisdom of each of you.
– Kim Lamberty, DMin
Director | Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation