An article by our new archbishop

The Most Rev. Timothy Dolan, recently named archbishop of New York, writes an article in the latest issue of Commonweal, entitled Blueprint for Peace: Pope Benedict’s Call to Fight Poverty:

Pope Benedict XVI’s New Year message to mark the World Day of Peace came at a time when the world faces the worst economic recession since World War II. Amid the dire economic news, a message of peace may hardly seem relevant to people worried about how to make the next mortgage payment, but the pope’s words could not have been more timely or significant, especially now, as we begin the season of sacrifice, Lent.

Right at the start, the pope makes clear that the way to build peace is to fight poverty. He quotes Pope John Paul II: “The conditions in which a great number of people are living are an insult to their innate dignity and as a result are a threat to the authentic and harmonious progress of the world community.”

The threat that poverty and hopelessness pose to harmonious progress was demonstrated often last year, with food riots breaking out from Haiti to Egypt, and violence once again engulfing the Holy Land. Half of Gaza’s 1.5 million people were already dependent on food aid before the latest round of conflict.

[snip]

It is tempting to turn inward during an economic crisis, to let our material anxieties blind us to those whose plight is far worse than our own. Now more than ever, though, we must ensure that the needs of the poorest of the poor are on the agenda of our government and in the minds of every American Catholic, that the poor receive the compassion and assistance our faith calls us to bring them. Pope Benedict calls on Christians and all people of goodwill “to expand their hearts to meet the needs of the poor and to take whatever practical steps are possible in order to help them.” This is not a new mission for the church, but its urgency has never before been so clear.

We recommend reading the entire article.

Lenten Fasting

Pax Christi offers many Lenten resources here, including reflections on fasting and prayers for fasting.

Reflections on Fasting

Fasting has always been an important part of our farm worker movement. We learned from Gandhi, and other spiritual leaders before him, the value of fasting for such personal purposes as preparation for a significant life event, atonement, and self-purification... We also learned from Gandhi that the value of fasting could be extended beyond the personal to the social: that a person who fasted and suffers for a much-needed societal change broader than his or her purposes could elicit from others the desire to share the suffering and thereby participate in eradicating a specific social injustice. ~ Cesar Chavez


Prayer for Fasting

All praise be yours, God our Creator,
As we wait in joyful hope
For the flowering of justice
And the fullness of peace.

All praise for this day.
By our weekly fasting and prayer,
Cast out the spirit of war, of fear and mistrust,
And make us grow hungry
For human kindness,
Thirsty for solidarity
With all the people of your dear earth.

May all our prayer, our fasting and our deed be done in the name of Jesus. Amen.

(Archdiocese of Chicago's Office for the Ministry of Peace and Justice)

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 12

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace

January 1, 2009

Globalization should benefit all.

“One of the most important ways of building peace is through a form of globalization directed towards the interests of the whole human family. In order to govern globalization, however, there needs to be a strong sense of global solidarity between rich and poor countries, as well as within individual countries, including affluent ones. A “common code of ethics” is also needed, consisting of norms based not upon mere consensus, but rooted in the natural law inscribed by the Creator on the conscience of every human being (cf. Rom 2:14-15). . . Effective means to redress the marginalization of the world's poor through globalization will only be found if people everywhere feel personally outraged by the injustices in the world and by the concomitant violations of human rights” (no. 8).

“As my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II had occasion to remark, globalization ‘is notably ambivalent’ and therefore needs to be managed with great prudence. This will include giving priority to the needs of the world's poor, and overcoming the scandal of the imbalance between the problems of poverty and the measures which have been adopted in order to address them. The imbalance lies both in the cultural and political order and in the spiritual and moral order” (no. 13).

“In today's globalized world, it is increasingly evident that peace can be built only if everyone is assured the possibility of reasonable growth: sooner or later, the distortions produced by unjust systems have to be paid for by everyone. It is utterly foolish to build a luxury home in the midst of desert or decay. Globalization on its own is incapable of building peace, and in many cases, it actually creates divisions and conflicts. If anything it points to a need: to be oriented towards a goal of profound solidarity that seeks the good of each and all. In this sense, globalization should be seen as a good opportunity to achieve something important in the fight against poverty, and to place at the disposal of justice and peace resources which were scarcely conceivable previously” (no. 14).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 11

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace

January 1, 2009

Disarmament is necessary for development.

“An excessive increase in military expenditure risks accelerating the arms race, producing pockets of underdevelopment and desperation, so that it can paradoxically become a cause of instability, tension and conflict. As my venerable Predecessor Paul VI wisely observed, ‘the new name for peace is development’. States are therefore invited to reflect seriously on the underlying reasons for conflicts, often provoked by injustice, and to practice courageous self-criticism. If relations can be improved, it should be possible to reduce expenditure on arms. The resources saved could then be earmarked for development projects to assist the poorest and most needy individuals and peoples: efforts expended in this way would be efforts for peace within the human family” (no. 6).

Fighting Poverty to Build Peace -- Part 10

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace

January 1, 2009

Wealthy societies suffer from moral and spiritual poverty.

“Non-material forms of poverty exist which are not the direct and automatic consequence of material deprivation. For example, in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral and spiritual poverty, seen in people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity. On the one hand, I have in mind what is known as “moral underdevelopment”, and on the other hand the negative consequences of ‘superdevelopment’” (no. 2).

Lent approaches . . .

As we approach the Lenten season, let us think about what we can do for the poor of the world. Catholic Relief Services provides a list of suggestions, such as:

o Learn about how the issues of trade, aid and debt affect poor people around the world. Go to www.usccb.org/globalpoverty or www.crs.org/globalpoverty to find background information and “action alerts” describing how you can act. Choose one issue and write an e-mail message to an elected official.

o Discuss the impact of extreme poverty with your friends and family. As you pray together, remember those living in extreme poverty and elected officials with the power to enact U.S. policy to combat poverty.

o Is the coffee you use at home “Fair Trade certified”? This certification means that the producers are part of a poverty alleviation program that guarantees workers a fair wage. Make a commitment to use Fair Trade coffee at home and encourage its use in other settings. Go to the Catholic Relief Services web site www.crsfairtrade.org to learn more and to order Fair Trade coffee and chocolate.

o Ask your local grocery stores to sell Fair Trade certified goods. Adopt a local supermarket. Visit with the manager to discuss Fair Trade items. Invite parishioners to stop by and ask for the products as well. Visit www.crsfairtrade.org for more ideas.

You can find more tips here.

News from Rural & Migrant Ministry

Legislative Update

Senator Onorato, the newly named Chair of the Senate Labor Committee, will introduce the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act (FFLPA) in the new legislative session. Senator Breslin of Albany will be co-prime sponsor, and Senators Savino and Addabbo have also agreed to cosponsor this important equal rights legislation. In the Assembly, the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act has moved through the labor and codes committees, and has been referred to the final committee through it must pass, ways and means.

This year looks to be promising for farmworker rights legislation, but your elected officials need to hear from you to encourage them make it happen! For more information, contact Jordan Wells at farmworkerjustice@gmail.com

Help Wanted

The Justice for Farmworkers campaign needs an online venue, i.e. website, where folks can visit to learn more about and connect with our work. We are seeking a volunteer with website skills to work with the Justice for Farmworkers campaign in developing this important tool. If you are interested please call us at 845-485-8627 or e-mail Jordan at farmworkerjustice@gmail.com.

Bishops and Catholic Relief Services to Confront Global Poverty

The U.S. Bishops and Catholic Relief Services are preparing to launch an initiative to confront global poverty. From the news release:

WASHINGTON—In an effort to engage one million Catholics in a fight against global poverty, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will launch Catholics Confront Global Poverty on February 23, at the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. This initiative will promote human life and dignity by addressing the many faces of poverty.

"In his 2009 World Day of Peace message, Pope Benedict XVI sets forth a challenge: fight poverty to build peace," said Albany Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace, who will announce the launch. Drawing on the words of the pope as an inspiration for the initiative, he added, "It is important that 'people everywhere feel personally outraged by the injustices in the world.' Only then can people work together to 'redress the marginalization of the world's poor' and 'fight poverty to build peace.'"

"These faces are related to one another, like the members of a family," said Steve Colecchi, director of International Justice and Peace at the USCCB. "Hunger frustrates the best laid plans for education. Diseases hamper productivity and the ability of people to support their families. War deepens every facet of poverty."

More information is available here.

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 9

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI

for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace

January 1, 2009

We all have a role to play.

“In the Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, John Paul II warned of the need to “abandon a mentality in which the poor - as individuals and as peoples - are considered a burden, as irksome intruders trying to consume what others have produced.” The poor, he wrote, “ask for the right to share in enjoying material goods and to make good use of their capacity for work, thus creating a world that is more just and prosperous for all.’” (no. 14).

“Faithful to this summons from the Lord, the Christian community will never fail, then, to assure the entire human family of her support through gestures of creative solidarity, not only by ‘giving from one's surplus’, but above all by ‘a change of life- styles, of models of production and consumption, and of the established structures of power which today govern societies.’ At the start of the New Year, then, I extend to every disciple of Christ and to every person of good will a warm invitation to expand their hearts to meet the needs of the poor and to take whatever practical steps are possible in order to help them. The truth of the axiom cannot be refuted: ‘to fight poverty is to build peace’ (no. 15).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 8

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

For the poorest countries, the food crisis is a “double marginalization.”

“This [food] crisis is characterized not so much by a shortage of food, as by difficulty in gaining access to it and by different forms of speculation: in other words, by a structural lack of political and economic institutions capable of addressing needs and emergencies. Malnutrition can also cause grave mental and physical damage to the population, depriving many people of the energy necessary to escape from poverty unaided. This contributes to the widening gap of inequality, and can provoke violent reactions. All the indicators of relative poverty in recent years point to an increased disparity between rich and poor. No doubt the principal reasons for this are, on the one hand, advances in technology, which mainly benefit the more affluent, and on the other hand, changes in the prices of industrial products, which rise much faster than those of agricultural products and raw materials in the possession of poorer countries. In this way, the majority of the population in the poorest countries suffers a double marginalization, through the adverse effects of lower incomes and higher prices” (no. 7).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace --Part 7

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

Disarmament is necessary for development.

“An excessive increase in military expenditure risks accelerating the arms race, producing pockets of underdevelopment and desperation, so that it can paradoxically become a cause of instability, tension and conflict. As my venerable Predecessor Paul VI wisely observed, ‘the new name for peace is development’. States are therefore invited to reflect seriously on the underlying reasons for conflicts, often provoked by injustice, and to practice courageous self-criticism. If relations can be improved, it should be possible to reduce expenditure on arms. The resources saved could then be earmarked for development projects to assist the poorest and most needy individuals and peoples: efforts expended in this way would be efforts for peace within the human family” (no. 6).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace --Part 6

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

Children are the most vulnerable victims.

“When poverty strikes a family, the children prove to be the most vulnerable victims: almost half of those living in absolute poverty today are children. To take the side of children when considering poverty means giving priority to those objectives which concern them most directly, such as caring for mothers, commitment to education, access to vaccines, medical care and drinking water, safeguarding the environment, and above all, commitment to defense of the family and the stability of relations within it. When the family is weakened, it is inevitably children who suffer. If the dignity of women and mothers is not protected, it is the children who are affected most” (no. 5).

Bishop Hubbard - Author

Bishop Howard Hubbard has written the cover story in the February 9 issue of America magazine.

How will the world most effectively achieve peace? By fighting poverty. This central insight of Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 World Day of Peace message has powerful implications for the current challenges facing the United States. Our nation’s internal economic struggles threaten to turn our focus inward rather than internationally. Pope Benedict’s focus on poverty around the world proposes a much more global vision, because difficult times demand a complex and comprehensive response. He points out a different way forward, a way inspired by the Prince of Peace. Humanity, Pope Benedict reminds us, is one family in God.

The rest of the article is here.

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace --Part 5

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

Pandemic diseases deserve moral responses.

“Countries afflicted by [pandemic diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS] find themselves held hostage, when they try to address them, by those who make economic aid conditional upon the implementation of anti-life policies. . . First and foremost, educational campaigns are needed, aimed especially at the young, to promote a sexual ethic that fully corresponds to the dignity of the person; initiatives of this kind have already borne important fruits, causing a reduction in the spread of AIDS. Then, too, the necessary medicines and treatment must be made available to poorer peoples as well. This presupposes a determined effort to promote medical research and innovative forms of treatment, as well as flexible application, when required, of the international rules protecting intellectual property, so as to guarantee necessary basic healthcare to all people” (no. 4).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 4

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

Population is an asset, not a problem.

“Poverty is often considered a consequence of demographic change. For this reason, there are international campaigns afoot to reduce birth-rates, sometimes using methods that respect neither the dignity of the woman, nor the right of parents to choose responsibly how many children to have; graver still, these methods often fail to respect even the right to life. The extermination of millions of unborn children, in the name of the fight against poverty, actually constitutes the destruction of the poorest of all human beings. And yet it remains the case that . . . whole peoples have escaped from poverty despite experiencing substantial demographic growth. This goes to show that resources to solve the problem of poverty do exist, even in the face of an increasing population. Nor must it be forgotten that, since the end of the Second World War, the world's population has grown by four billion, largely because of certain countries that have recently emerged on the international scene as new economic powers, and have experienced rapid development specifically because of the large number of their inhabitants. Moreover, among the most developed nations, those with higher birth-rates enjoy better opportunities for development. In other words, population is proving to be an asset, not a factor that contributes to poverty” (no. 3).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 3

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

Wealthy societies suffer from moral and spiritual poverty.
“Non-material forms of poverty exist which are not the direct and automatic consequence of material deprivation. For example, in advanced wealthy societies, there is evidence of marginalization, as well as affective, moral and spiritual poverty, seen in people whose interior lives are disoriented and who experience various forms of malaise despite their economic prosperity. On the one hand, I have in mind what is known as “moral underdevelopment”, and on the other hand the negative consequences of ‘superdevelopment’” (no. 2).

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace -- Part 2

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
Fighting Poverty To Build Peace
January 1, 2009

Poverty contributes to conflict.
“Back in 1993, my venerable Predecessor Pope John Paul II, in his Message for the World Day of Peace that year, drew attention to the negative repercussions for peace when entire populations live in poverty. Poverty is often a contributory factor or a compounding element in conflicts, including armed ones. In turn, these conflicts fuel further tragic situations of poverty. “Our world”, he wrote, “shows increasing evidence of another grave threat to peace: many individuals and indeed whole peoples are living today in conditions of extreme poverty” (no. 1).

Poverty is a threat to human dignity.
“The gap between rich and poor has become more marked, even in the most economically developed nations. This is a problem which the conscience of humanity cannot ignore, since the conditions in which a great number of people are living are an insult to their innate dignity and as a result are a threat to the authentic and harmonious progress of the world community” (no. 1).

Vatican statement

The viewpoints of Bishop Williamson on the Shoah [Holocaust] are absolutely unacceptable and firmly rejected by the Holy Father, as he himself ... reaffirmed his full and indisputable solidarity with our brother recipients of the First Covenant, and affirmed that the memory of that terrible genocide should induce "humanity to reflect on the unpredictable power of evil when it conquers the human heart," adding that the Shoah remains "for everyone a warning against forgetting, against negating or reductionism, because violence committed against even one human being is violence against all." Bishop Williamson, in order to be admitted to the Episcopal functions of the Church, must in an absolutely unequivocal and public way distance himself from his positions regarding the Shoah.

- Statement by the Vatican Secretariat of State, issued in the wake of international outrage following the lifting of the excommunication of British Bishop Richard Williamson, a holocaust denier. The statement also said that the Pope had not been aware of Williamson's views when he lifted excommunications on him and three other bishops last month.

Fighting Poverty To Build Peace - Part 1

Quotes from the Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace
“Fighting Poverty To Build Peace”
January 1, 2009

The Church has always been committed to the poor.
“The Church's social teaching has always been concerned with the poor. . . While attentively following the current phenomena of globalization and their impact on human poverty, the Church points out the new aspects of the social question, not only in their breadth but also in their depth, insofar as they concern man's identity and his relationship with God. These principles of social teaching tend to clarify the links between poverty and globalization and they help to guide action towards the building of peace. Among these principles, it is timely to recall in particular the “preferential love for the poor” (no. 15).

Building Peace with Justice

Building Peace with Justice is a brief, weekly bulletin reflection on Catholic social teaching written by members of a Public Policy Sub-committee in the Diocese of Rochester.

For bulletins on February 8, 2009
In our Sunday readings, Job, Paul, Peter’s mother-in-law, and Jesus teach us the power of merely attending to what is at hand, to what we can do to improve the health of our communities. Grand gesture is set aside in favor of real service.

Twenty-five years ago the U.S. Catholic Bishop’s document, The Challenge of Peace: God’s Promise and Our Response, proclaimed the same wisdom:

Let us have the courage to believe in the bright future and in a God who wills it for us - not a perfect world, but a better one. The perfect world, we Christians believe, is beyond the horizon, in an endless eternity where God will be all in all. But a better world is here for human hands and hearts and minds to make. (#337)

Reflection: We take pride in our sense of perfection. Can we also take pride in doing something that is imperfect but good?