Upcoming Events!

11th Day Prayer for Peace
Prepared by the Dismantling Racism Working Group
When: Thursday, Feb. 11
6:30-7:15 pm
Where: Presentation of Our Lady Chapel,
1890 Randolph Ave., Saint Paul.
FFI: Joänne Tromiczak-Neid, 651.690.7079

Conversation with Our Legislators: It's About Us All
Presenter: Deborah Schlick, Executive Director, Affirmative Action Coalition
Prepared by the Legislative Advocacy Partners Working Group
When: Saturday, Feb. 13,
8:30 am -12:30 pm
Where: Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave., Saint Paul.
FFI: Joan Wittman, 651.774.4008

Second Chance Day on the Hill
Second Chance Day on the Hill is sponsored and supported by a partnership of nonprofits (including the Criminal Justice Working Group) and companies that believe ex-offenders have paid their debt to society and need a chance to enter the workforce to support themselves and their families.
When: Monday, Feb. 22,
10:00 am
Where: Minnesota State Capitol.
FFI: Laney Ohmans, 651.690.7087

Breaking the Impasse: Immigration Beyond the Sound Byte
Presenter: Simone Campbell, Executive Director,
NETWORK - A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Presented by: Legislative Advocacy Partners Working Group, Myser Initiative on Catholic Identity at St. Catherine University, Spirit of St. Stephens Catholic Community
When: Wednesday, March 3,
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Where: Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Avenue, Saint Paul
FFI: Joan Wittman, 651.774.4008

The 15th Annual International Women’s Day: Inspire. Act. Change!
Presented by: The Advocates for Human Rights and the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota
Keynote: Leymah Gbowee, Women’s Peace Movement of Liberia
When: Saturday, March 6
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Coffman Union, University of Minnesota
Free and open to the public. Keynote: Leymah Gbowee, Women’s Peace Movement of Liberia
FFI: www.mnadvocates.org

JRLC Day on the Hill: Justice We Pursue!
Keynote Speaker: Rabbi Harold J. Kravitz, senior rabbi at Adath Jeshurun Congregation in Minnetonka, followed by issue briefings and meetings with legislators at the Capitol.
When: Thursday, March 25
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Where: RiverCenter, Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul

Massive Earthquake in Haiti

Please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice in response to this massive, devastating earthquake in Haiti. The Catholic Relief Services are one of many that have hastened to respond to this disaster.

Here is a link to the Oxfam site - one of their employees has this to say of the disaster:
"There is a blanket of dust rising from the valley south of the capitol. We can hear people calling for help from every corner."

photo courtesy of the BBC

Where Are They Now?: St. Joseph Worker edition

The St. Joseph Worker program is a one-year volunteer experience sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph, very similar to the Americorps Vista program, but with a strong emphasis on spiritual growth and leadership development. The Justice Commission Office has played host to four St. Joseph Workers, and I recently caught up with a few of them to see what they've been up to since they left the program and the JC Office. Unsurprisingly, the women are all doing great things, working for social justice in a variety of inspiring ways. I'll let these women speak for themselves: here is what 2008-2009 SJW Faith Fischer had to say:




"Working at St. Stephen's is great. I am constantly learning new things. Being a case worker means that I work with individuals who have been homeless for 52 weeks or three times in four years. Through a Hennepin Couny grant they are placed in apartments. I journey with them through grovery store aisles and beaurecratic obstacles. The most challenging part of the job has been learning the proper channels to access the best resouces. The most rewarding part has been building trust with participants so that we can have authentic conversations about what they want out of life. I have applied to local schools in hopes of pursuing my masters in social work next year."

Coming Up!

The Women's Human Rights Film Series
This series of documentaries focusing on the lives and works of women throughout the world continues with the film Rough Aunties.
Date and Time: Wednesday, January 27 at 6:30pm
Location: St. Anthony Park Branch Library, 2245 Como Ave. in Saint Paul. (Map)

Here's a brief description from the Friends of the St. Paul Public Libraries website:
"Fearless, feisty and resolute, the "Rough Aunties" are a remarkable group of women unwavering in their stand to protect and care for the abused, neglected and forgotten children of Durban, South Africa.
This latest documentary by internationally acclaimed director Kim Longinotto follows the outspoken, multiracial cadre of Thuli, Mildred, Sdudla, Eureka and Jackie, as they wage a daily battle against systemic apathy, corruption, and greed to help the most vulnerable and disenfranchised of their communities."

Mental Health for Refugees

photo by Kurt Moses (www.kurtco.com)

The Minnesota Council of Churches recently expanded their services to refugees to include a three year survey and evaluation of mental health care options in the metropolitan area. Licensed social worker Sue Johnston (read her fantastic presentation on multicultural mental health here) has taken charge of the project, and is exploring a wide range of options that might increase accessibility to programming and decrease the stigma of seeking mental health treatment.

In a recent Minnpost article Johnston speaks to the challenge of moving past shame towards seeking help - "As we're talking to people about the grief or anxiety that they feel, or their inability to feel safe, we have to help them understand that they're not crazy," Johnston says. "If you've lived in a war zone, if you've been ripped away from your community or your home, that's a normal human response."

To get involved with one of the Council of Churches' programs for refugees you can visit their website and check their volunteer listings. Another organization that does a lot of work with refugee populations in the Twin Cities is the Center for Victims of Torture, and they also have a great need for volunteers.

Ramsey County Detention Center Vigil

Many members of the Immigration Working Group of the Sisters of St. Joseph have been attending a monthly vigil at the Ramsey County Detention Center, where civil detainees from the county are held pending deportation or trial. (For more information about this type of detention, see this excellent article on the TC Daily page).

This past Sunday the group was a partial sponsor of the vigil. Here's a a synopsis from Immigration Working group chair Pat Owen:

"Everyone had an active, joyful presence and in particular: Andria gave it a warm and welcoming start and guided it through the march around the walls of Jericho; Kate was by her side and opened with a heartfelt, strong prayer; Mary was right there to lead the songs; Rita held a banner; Barbara so kindly sat with a frozen participant in her car, helping her warm up; Joanne took photos."

The Immigration Working Group is also organizing this month's Eleventh Day Prayer for Peace. I hope you can join them this Monday at 6:30pm in the Provincial House Chapel for a brief prayer service!

MLK Holiday Breakfasts

Join in the metro-wide MLK Jr. Day breakfast celebrations! Five locations across the metro area will broadcast the full program taking place at the Minneapolis Convention Center free of charge. Here is the program for the morning.

The keynote speaker is the Reverend Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, described by Ebony magazine in their "15 Greatest Black Preachers" feature as the "consummate voice of biblical social relevancy, a focused prophetic voice, speaking truth to power."

Date:
January 18, 2010
MLK Holiday Breakfasts 2010
Registration Begins on December 28, 2010

Locations
East Side/Downtown Breakfast
Guardian Angels Catholic Church
8260 4th St. N., Oakdale, MN 55128
Click HERE to Register for the East Side / Downtown Breakfast

Summit-University Breakfast
Mount Olivet Baptist Church
451 Central Ave. W., St. Paul, MN 55103
Click HERE to Register for the Summit-University Breakfast

West Side Breakfast
Augustana Lutheran Church
1400 Robert Street, West St. Paul, MN 55118
Click HERE to Register for the West Side Breakfast

Mahtomedi, Minnesota Breakfast
White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church
328 Maple St., Mahtomedi, MN 55115
Click HERE to Register for the Mahtomedi Breakfast.

River Falls, Wisconsin Breakfast
St. Bridget’s Catholic Church, 211 East Division Street
River Falls, WI 54022
Click HERE to Register for the River Falls Breakfast