On January 25, the Roundtable hosted a webinar on Building a Life & Dignity Movement, led by your colleague Rob Shelledy, Director of the Social Justice Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Lydia LoCoco Director of the Nazareth Project for Marriage and Family Formation at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Barbara Sella, Associate Director for Respect Life and Social Concerns at the Wisconsin Catholic Conference joined Rob and Lydia. They described the work taking place in their own diocese to build such a movement.

Rob began the webinar by saying that he thought it might be better to call such work a “Life OF Dignity Movement.” Rather than joining perceived ‘interest groups’ together, something new and countercultural must be built for today’s polarized world.  Rob acknowledged that we are working in a difficult cultural context, one that is individualistic, and congregationalist (i.e. lots of love for the local priest but less attention to the bishop or pope). Also, as humans, we have a confirmation bias (we tend to be more receptive to ideas which confirm what we already believe) and tend to live among people who think and act as we do.

We also work in a changing generational context. Most people who might currently be faced with the option of abortion have always lived in a society where abortion is legal. These millennials, Lydia shared, do not see the division between respect life and social concerns in the same way that older generations have seen it, and tend to push traditional boundaries on these issues, seeing men as victims of abortion too, for example. Young people, Lydia said, easily see the threat all these issues present to the human person. Working with these young people has been one way for respect life and social concerns staff have come together.

Additionally, Cardinal-designate Dolan has been giving voice and a new vocabulary to respect life and social concerns issues, uniting both in a vision of the dignity of the human person. It is a “vocabulary of faith that people can bring into culture.”

In the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, many parishes host a Holy Hour for Life, leading up to the Respect Life March on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The deacons lead this holy hour vigil before the day of prayer and penance. The prayers of the vigil treat all the life issues, from womb to tomb, and the vigils have been immensely popular. Seven dioceses have asked to borrow the program, which Milwaukee adapted from other dioceses.

At the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, human trafficking has been an issue that has brought together unlikely allies. Millennials have been very engaged in the work, along with the National Council of Catholic Women and women religious around the world. Infant mortality in urban areas and payday lending have also been initiatives that have united people together in working for dignity and justice.

During the discussion portion of the webinar, participants offered other issues around which they have had success in uniting unlikely allies, including the death penalty, torture and indefinite detention, food safety, and care for the environment. When various diocesan offices come together to do this work, it sets an institutional example as a model for this work at various levels. The Diocese of Pittsburgh’s common formation for parish social ministers and respect life coordinators was highlighted as an example. They are in their pilot year of a “Certificate for Human Dignity,” which has served to unite these staff in valuable relationships as well as a holistic understanding of the fullness of Catholic teaching.

Participants also talked about the need to fight against our own confirmation bias and participate in human dignity activities to which we are not as inclined. One participant shared about how powerful it was for him to pray in front of an abortion clinic around the same time he was advocating for the DREAM Act. Another participant noted that birth issues tug more easily at one’s emotions, but when educating about more systemic injustices, it is important to “talk in stories” about the people who are affected by them, in order to demonstrate in a personal way how they are a threat to life and dignity.

Another participant later commented, “Life and dignity of the human person, is after all, our spiritual basis… and [it] resonates with people… One example is where the USCCB and Catholics Coalition on Climate Change praised the EPA rulings on the control of mercury, not as care for the environment, but in terms of its prevention of disease and deformity in children. The President, interestingly, did the same thing in [the State of the Union address]. Locally, we have changed the salutation on our legislative alerts and what used to be social action messages to ‘Dear respect for life and human dignity friends.’”

The presentation and discussion of this webinar provided much food for thought about continuing to educate about the fullness of Catholic teaching regarding a life OF dignity. Roundtable members who missed the webinar and would like to view the recording can login to the Virtual Roundtable to see it and download the presentation slides.

This effort will provide an opportunity for more local Catholic leaders to participate in advocating on the CSMG’s domestic and international priorities, and will ensure the spirit and action of the CSMG reaches even more people.

CSMG District Visits are meetings set up by Catholic social ministry leaders with members of Congress in their district offices following CSMG. District Visits provide a way for Catholic social ministry leaders, in coordination with CSMG state captains, to connect the efforts of national colleagues with the local voice of partner organizations, parishioners, and dedicated volunteers in support of CSMG 2012’s legislative priorities:

Visit this webpage for a detailed list of the steps involved in CSMG District Visits, with pertinent contact information and links to printable resources, along with a brochure you can use to promote the visits.

We hope you’ll be able to participate!

Human Trafficking Resources

Hotlines

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ): TIP and Worker Exploitation Complaint Line: 1-888-428-7581 to report suspected trafficking; live operator 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC): 1-888-3737-888 (24 hours). Interpreters available.  Non-governmental hotline and website also provides human trafficking resources:  http://nhtrc.polarisproject.org/

Resources

Sisters of the Divine Savior (SDS, aka Salvatorians). Offer parish kits and presentations: http://www.sistersofthedivinesavior.org/sds/anti-slavery/the-basics/

Sr. Patrice Colletti, SDS. A Salvatorian sister who presents seminars nationwide:  http://www.sdssisters.org/slavery/Seminars.htm

Stop Trafficking. Salvatorians’ free monthly e-newsletter: http://www.stopenslavement.org/index.html

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Migration and Refugee Services. http://www.usccb.org/about/human-trafficking/

Catholic Relief Services: http://crs.org/public-policy/trafficking.cfm

Catholic Charities: http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=316

Shared Hope International. Faith-based organization that rescues and restores victims of sex trafficking worldwide:  http://www.sharedhope.org

Polaris Project. Tracks federal and state legislation, provides research, training, and client services (including a hotline):  http://www.polarisproject.org

U.S. Health and Human Services Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking. Contains fact sheets and toolkits on human trafficking for the public, health providers, and law enforcement:  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Contains information on the Blue Campaign to combat trafficking, and includes on-line resources, public service announcements, and informational materials:  http://www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking

U.S. Department of State Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Directs the United States’ global fight against human trafficking:  http://www.state.gov/j/tip/

Ideas for Action

• Become informed about human trafficking
• Keep victims in your prayers and organize prayer services
• Observe National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January
• Write an editorial or an article in a professional journal or community newspaper
• Ask local media to broadcast public service announcements
• Join or establish a local Rescue and Restore Coalition
• Work for federal and state legislation that supports and strengthens the rights of victims of trafficking and slavery
• Report suspicious activity to the authorities
• Receive and distribute the newsletter “Stop Trafficking” to others each month:  http://www.stopenslavement.org/
• Order and utilize a parish action kit: http://sdssisters.org/slavery/Parish_Packet07.pdf
  http://www.sndca.org/trafficking/parishawareness.html
  http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=316
• Petition against trafficking at national and international sporting events
• Support survivors by purchasing survivor made products: http://www.shoptostopslavery.com/
• Buy “fair trade” products and help reduce the demand for products made by slaves: http://www.fairtradefederation.org
• Buy stock in “fair trade” companies
• Convince your college and university to use only “fair trade” apparel for its “spirit-wear”
• Educate youth on Theology of the Body:  http://home.catholicweb.com/NCCW/files/000-CampaignforHumanDignityManual.pdf
• Explain how consuming pornography helps support human trafficking
• Hold a movie night and discussion
• Hold a book discussion (e.g., Ben Skinner, A Crime So Monstrous)
• Ask your local law enforcement agencies to educate their employees using free, full-color posters and brochures:  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking/campaign_kits/
• Raise money and awareness for victim services
• Volunteer in a program offering support services to victims (English as a Second Language, literacy, tutoring, job training, housing, transportation, mentoring, legal, medical, dental care, etc.)
• Donate food, clothing, furniture, used cars to an anti-trafficking organization
• Volunteer or support programs that prevent poverty or other vulnerabilities, especially of women and children
• Start or help sustain a micro-lending program in a “sending” country

(adapted from Sr. Patrice Colletti’s free Powerpoint presentation)

Download a Word Document version of this information: HUMAN_TRAFFICKING_RESOURCES_ ACTION IDEAS

This meeting is an important time to come together as a community, elect new board members, hear important announcements for the upcoming year, and spend time roundtabling about your greatest successes and challenges, and how the Roundtable can best support you now and in the years to come

**Please make plans to attend!**

Likewise, if you’re a new staffmember of a Roundtable member diocese, whether or not you’re able to attend the Symposium, if you’re in DC we hope you’ll join us for the New Members Meeting on Saturday, February 11 2-3pm at the Marriott, just before the start of the Symposium. This meeting is an opportunity to meet fellow Roundtable members and learn more about the services that the organization offers.
If you plan to attend the New Members Meeting, please RSVP to coordinator@catholicroundtable.org so we can have a packet available for you.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in February in DC!

In the early 1970s, I met with pastors and parish staff to talk about social justice work. One pastor said, “I need a simple, one-page explanation that I can put into the hands of the ordinary parishioner to understand this.” We came up with the simple paradigm of the “two feet of social ministry”—it takes two feet to walk and to keep our balance: one “justice,” the other “charity.” One foot is focused on institutional change, the other on direct service.

Without both feet, we lose balance. When I served on the National Committee of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, which had the responsibility of reading and prioritizing hundreds of funding applications, I saw an application from Bread for the World. Bread wasn’t passing out food baskets or running soup kitchens, but working for institutional change—addressing public policies that could relieve hunger and poverty. I said, “This is what we are all about,” and have been a supporter and promoter of Bread ever since.

If we use only the first foot (direct service), we could make matters worse by fostering dependency. If we use only the second foot (institutional change), we might become too far removed from the realities of the situation. A true Christian lifestyle requires of us that we live in solidarity with those in need and come to their assistance in emergencies. We cannot isolate ourselves.

Direct service can provide us with the data needed for institutional changes. It is sometimes classified as “charity.” Institutional change is “working for justice.” There can be no love without justice. If we really love, we will work to change structures, systems, laws, and policies that are harmful to people.

A few years ago, an organization I was part of was asked to take over a food site that served about 50,000 meals per year, but had gone bankrupt. As board president, I asked the board to set aside at least 1 percent of its income to send to Bread for the World to show that we are not just doing emergency aid, but we are dedicated to addressing the public policies that cause, or could alleviate, hunger and poverty.

Now, 1 percent is not a lot of money, but it does keep the principle of institutional change before our minds—that we need to root out the causes of poverty and hunger. If every meal site or soup kitchen in the nation did this, it would not only provide considerable support for Bread, but it would also remind us of the need to find the causes of hunger, both domestically and internationally. It would remind us that food baskets and soup kitchens are not enough. We need to work on public policy.

There is still an opportunity to honor Msgr. Marv on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Roundtable Award Banquet or to hear an address from him on Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Roundtable Luncheon. You can register for these events at www.catholicsocialministrygathering.org.

You can register for the CSMG (and the Roundtable Symposium or Award Banquet) at catholicsocialministrygathering.org.

Connect in person with Catholic social ministry leaders from across the United States. Exciting plenary presentations, briefings, workshops, and strategy sessions will focus on Faithful Citizenship and other important topics, and will better prepare you and your colleagues for the challenges and opportunities of the election year.

Clarity on one part of the registration form: If you plan to attend the entire Roundtable Symposium, you can indicate this on the first “item selection” page. If you plan to just attend the Award Banquet or Luncheon, do not click “Symposium” on the first page. You will have an opportunity to select the banquet or luncheon separately on the second “item selection” page.

Other important change for this year: Costs have increased slightly for our Symposium this year because of increased catering costs at our new hotel, Mariott Wardman Park. This is a union hotel, and the costs of the event are directly related to the costs of meals at the hotel.

Hope to see you at the 2012 Symposium and CSMG!

We hope you’ll join us again this month on Wednesday January 25 at 11-12 noon PT / 2-3pm ET, for a webinar on Building a Life & Dignity Movement, led by your colleague Rob Shelledy, Director of the Social Justice Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Lydia LoCoco Director of the Nazareth Project for Marriage and Family Formation at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Barbara Sella, the Associate Director for Respect Life and Social Concerns will join Rob and Lydia.

Please note: This is a date change from what was originally listed on the webinar calendar.

As John Paul II wrote in his 1995 encyclical, Evangelium vitae, “The Gospel of God’s love for man, the Gospel of the dignity of the person and the Gospel of life are a single and indivisible Gospel.” Yet, we often do not act this way as we bring our faith into public life and our public life certainly does not reflect this reality. The webinar will give several practical steps, including use of language and specific programs, to help build a Life and Dignity Movement.

To receive call-in information for the webinar, please RSVP to coordinator@catholicroundtable.org.

Our conversation will be limited to 25 participants. We look forward to you joining us!

by Kathy Shine, Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Office of Social Justice Ministry

“But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” – Psalm 39:7

The opening reflection on the importance of hope resonated with me during a recent gathering of the Milwaukee Transitional Jobs Collaborative. Rev. Ellwanger began with one simple statement. “Hope is radical!”

When I think about it, he’s right. There has never been a movement for change for an individual or the common good without hope.  Hope challenges our instinct to give up despite dire conditions and encourages us to keep trying, trusting that something better is forthcoming.

Maybe that’s why I’m so proud to be involved with our ministry. We advocate for training programs and funding to help the unemployed, and oppose political agendas that wound human dignity. But we don’t stop there.

We’ve all heard or read the statistics: over 46 million people in the United States now live in poverty. They are parents who cannot feed their children, families that have lost their homes and jobless workers who have lost not only income, but also a sense of their place in society. The poor, the under-employed and the unemployed are not issues, but people with names and faces. By pooling resources and working with 22 community groups from the collaborative, we’re taking direct and concrete action to offer hope and help for the unemployed.

Our Office of Social Justice Ministry hosted a job fair in October that connected nearly 400 people with more than 20 potential employers offering more than 200 jobs, and lifted the human spirit of those who attended. We scheduled educational presentations that helped people develop their personal networks, communication and leadership skills. Attendees received packets of information on free resume services, on-line job application resources, training programs, career readiness preparation, and job search assistance. We’ve confirmed that over 40 people secured full-time employment as a direct result of our fair, and that more individuals were given interviews. With another job fair scheduled for March 30, we’re continuing our efforts to offer hope to people who see employment as a true gift.

Is your diocese offering support for workers and the unemployed? Share your experiences and best practices with your colleagues at the Roundtable!

And so, amidst challenges in our work and the many crises that our world currently faces, we look toward the coming year with hope that our Lord, the light of the world, is so very near. This same Lord is calling all of us more deeply into the work of educating and advocating for justice and peace, and building up the Church through strengthening its social mission. What are your hopes for this coming year?

The National Catholic Partnership on Disability is a shining example of the hope offered in our world through creating more inclusive ministries that honor the dignity and gifts of each person.  NCPD carries out its important mission through consultation, resource development and training offered to bishops and their personnel, people with disabilities and their families, and others. You can learn more about NCPD and how your office can partner in their work in this issue of the Roundtable Report. We’re excited to honor executive director Jan Benton in February with the Harry A. Fagan Award!

We hope that you will join us at the 27^th Annual Roundtable Symposium February 11-12 titled The Constitution and Catholic Social Teaching: A Healthy Tension (Thanks be to God!). The 2nd registration deadline for the Symposium as well as the larger Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is January 20. You can register at www.catholicsocialministrygathering.org.

Also with us in February will be Dr. Dan Finn, along with Dr. Maryann Love and Fr. Bryan Hehir as presenters for the 27^th Annual Roundtable Symposium. In December, Dr. Finn published an article in Commonweal Magazine which discusses the morality of derivatives, the Pontifical Council on Justice and Peace’s October statement on the financial crisis, and the gap in social teaching around the morality of self-interest. Read the article here and begin to form your questions for Dr. Finn in February!

In January, throughout our communities and in Washington DC Respect Life activities abound, to mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. In order to enhance your work in human life and dignity, we’ve posted the video presentations from the 2011 Social Action Summer Institute. The session included a presentation from John Carr on the USCCB’s work promoting Human Life and Dignity, and a panel sharing the best practices in the formation of the Louisiana Life and Justice Committee.

We hope that you’ll watch these presentations and download the accompanying resource to enhance your own organizing work in this area. To further support this work, we hope you’ll join us on Jan. 25 (note this is a change of date) for a webinar on Building a Life and Dignity Movement. Stay tuned for more information!

The first two webinars of the Roundtable’s new webinar series have been a resounding success. In October, Jude Huntz presented on the Constitution and Catholic Social Teaching, and in November, Tony Stieritz and Pam Long presented on Capacity Building.  If you missed them, check out the articles reporting some of the webinar content, with links to the video recordings.

In February, along with the Symposium and Award Banquet, the Roundtable will host our annual Membership Meeting. At the meeting, you’ll have an opportunity to voice how the Roundtable can serve you better, amidst the greatest needs and challenges you face. The board will take this feedback to the strategic planning they will undergo this summer, so please don’t miss it! Several new board members will also be elected during this meeting; read more about how board members are elected.

Whether or not you can join us in February, we hope you’ll save the dates for the 2012 Social Action Summer Institute, which will take place July 29-Aug 1, 2012 at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. We are delighted that JustFaith Ministries will be a major planning partner for the event. Our theme is international and domestic poverty, and JustFaith Ministries will lead a day on transformation and hope. More information about speakers and schedule will be coming soon.

As always, the Roundtable Roundup offers news of social action office transitions, the good work that you are doing, and upcoming initiatives from the Roundtable’s national partners. Check it out!

In order to continue all of the Roundtable’s work, we depend on your support. I recently sent out a request for 2012 dues from board chair Scott Cooper.

I look forward to seeing many of you in February. And if you’re not able to join us, I hope you’ll stay tuned for the content that we share here after the event.

Grace & Peace,

Jenn Svetlik
Roundtable Coordinator

Tom says, “Our Prison Ministry includes working with those re-entering society and their families, in addition to visiting prisons.”

Diocese of Springfield Hosts Clergy Convocation on Catholics in Public Square
Our clergy convocation in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was on ‘Catholics in the Public Square’. Topics included today’s culture, racism, abortion and immigration. Persons of color joined our priests to share experiences and to dialogue about action steps. Our Office for Social Concerns was grateful to our Vicar for Priests and Director of Ongoing Formation for Clergy for giving us the opportunity to assist in choosing speakers and in planning these days. We think that awareness was created and our priests did see the connection between Baptism, Eucharist and Solidarity and we hope to continue the education through legislative alerts, etc.

- Submitted by Sister M. Jane Boos, SSND, Director, Office for Social Concerns

Dioceses without Borders Launches Website and Blog:

Visit http://dioceses-without-borders.blogspot.com to learn more about the Dioceses without Borders initiative of Hermosillo, Mexand Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. The website chronicles the history and work of the initiative and includes resources, media, and postings about their cross-border events.

- Submitted by Joanne Welter, Diocese of Tucson, Office of Human Life and Dignity

Transitions in Diocesan Offices:

Welcome to new diocesan staff in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux!
In late September, Stuart King, MSW, MA, D.Min began serving as Associate Director for Parish Social Ministry at Catholic Charities under Rob Gorman’s leadership. He’s a former priest in the Charismatic Episcopal Church, and a candidate for priestly ordination in the Catholic Church, who hopes to be ordained in the diocese next year.You can reach Stu at sking@htdiocese.org.

Welcome to new staff in the Diocese of Green Bay!
Catherine Zirngibl is the new Catholic Social Justice Coordinator in the Diocese of Green Bay’s Dept. of Evangelization, Living Justice and Worship. Zirngibl attended Marquette University for her BA and MA degrees, and while studying there, further developed her faith and passion for social justice. After graduation, she served as a Spanish teacher then as the Forgiveness and Wellness Program Coordinator at a group home for boys. Although she loved her work, Zirngibl hoped to work in an environment where she could combine her strong faith and passion for service. About her new role at the Diocese of Green Bay she says, “I feel that I have found a home with the Diocese.  I am thrilled to be working alongside so many wonderful men and women that are putting social justice at the forefront of its mission, and I truly look forward to this ministry.” You can reach Catherine at CZirngibl@gbdioc.org.

Welcome to new staff in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahasse!
Lindsay Rae Myers is the new Parish Social Ministries Coordinator for Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida. She is from Pensacola but has lived all over the U.S. working on the streets of Chicago and the outdoors for the Archdiocese of Seattle summer camps before settling back into her hometown. She graduated from Florida State University in 2006 (with a BA increative writing and religion) and an MA in Theology from Villanova University in 2010. She says, “I am new to this work and excited to learn from others. I deeply believe in the social mission of our faith and am happy to serve in this way.” She can be reached at myersl@cc.ptdiocese.org.

Resources from USCCB-JPHD:

Sacraments and Social Mission Series: Baptism
The sacraments celebrated by the Church help us to recognize Christ’s presence in the community of the body of Christ. This recognition should lead to a stronger awareness of being sent on mission to engage in love-inspired action in the world. In order to help Catholics reflect on this topic, JPHD is offering a series of handouts on the Sacraments and social mission. Their recent handout is on Baptism, the rite of initiation into the Christian community. Please share this series with your colleagues in religious education, RCIA, clergy formation, and others who work in the area of sacramental preparation.

Reminder: Two Feet of Love in Action Revised Model and Facilitator’s Guide
Don’t forget that JPHD recently revised the “two feet” model which was used for years to describe two different, but complementary, ways of putting faith in action: social justice and charitable works. The revisions better reflect the language of Pope Benedict XVI in Deus Caritas Est and Caritas in Veritate and are detailed in

• A brief, 2-page handout of the Two Feet of Love in Action
• A Guide for Facilitators including an extensive session outline

New Video “CCHD: Living Our Faith, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty”
We are pleased to announce a new video to share the good news about the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). CCHD is the domestic, anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic bishops. The new video, “CCHD: Living Our Faith, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty,” tells how CCHD helps poor and low-income persons address poverty in their communities. The seven-minute video, which can be found on the CCHD homepage, can be used year-round and is just in time for the CCHD national collection, which is held in most dioceses on the weekend before Thanksgiving. Please help us spread the word!

From Catholic Coalition on Climate Change: Archbishop Dolan Reflects on the “Green Pope”
In his December 1 message to Catholics of the Archdiocese of New York, Archbishop Timothy Dolan (and president of the USCCB) reflects on the legacy of Pope Benedict XVI, dubbed by the media as the “Green Pope.”  He says that Pope Benedict reminds us that just as we disobey nature’s law, by pollution and overuse of earth’s resources, at our peril, so do we disregard the nature inherent in the human person only at grave risk. Archbishop Dolan also highlights the need for personal and “inner” ecology as well: Sadly, at the very time more and more people are realizing that the environment of nature and creation demands respect and protection, fewer and fewer people acknowledge that the ecology inherent in the human person needs reverence as well. Read more of his thought-provoking article here.