Important Notice

As our faithful blog readers know, the theme of "New Wine in New Wineskins" has permeated the lives of the Sisters of Christian Charity during 2019.  As we continue to search for ways to be new wine in new wineskins, we are changing the way in which you will receive our JPIC (Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation) messages.

What does this mean?  After 11 years and over 1600 posts, this blog is being retired as of today in order to make room for the "new wine" of a a new way of communicating.  This is the last post you will receive from the SCC JPIC blog.

How will JPIC information be communicated now?  We are pleased to report that the province has appointed a new, full-time Social Justice Coordinator, Sister Patrice Owens, SCC.  She will coordinate new ways of making social justice issues known within the province and among our friends.  Some of these ways will include email blasts, website messages (scceast.org) and monthly newsletters.

What must we do to continue to receive JPIC messages from the SCC North American Eastern Province?  Please send an email to Sister Patrice Owens at patriceowens1951@gmail.com and tell her that you would like to continue to receive JPIC messages.  When new messages are communicated via email, you will receive them in your Inbox.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to social justice issues.  We hope that you will choose to continue to receive our communications and take action as is necessary and appropriate.

May God continue to bless you!

World Day of Migrants and Refugees

As we noted in this post last week, September 29 marks the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.  The Message of Pope Francis to commemorate this day is available here.  The Message concludes:  "In a word, it is not only the cause of migrants that is at stake; it is not just about them, but about all of us, and about the present and future of the human family.  Migrants, especially those who are most vulnerable, help us to read the 'signs of the times.'  Through them, the Lord is calling us to conversion, to be set free from exclusivity, indifference and the throw-away culture.  Through them, the Lord invites us to embrace fully our Christian life and to contribute, each according to his or her proper vocation, to the building up of a world that is more and more in accord with God's plan."

International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace is observed on September 21 each year.  More information is available here.  Prayer resources are available in various places, including the websites of religious communities.

Also on the 21st of each month, the SCC North American Western Region invites us to pray for vocations.  Click here to access the prayer for today. 

World Refugee Day

As we approach World Refugee Day (September 29), it might be a good idea to review this background information provided by Justice for Immigrants (JFI).  Additionally, JFI has provided this message that can be sent to President Trump to urge his administration to "affirm the inherent dignity of every person and the ability of refugees to seek security and safety for themselves and family members."

International Climate Accountability Act

As we have mentioned previously, the Season of Creation is celebrated by Christians around the world from September 1 - October 4.  During this year's Season of Creation, Catholic Climate Covenant has shared this petition, asking U.S. Senators to support the International Climate Accountability Act, calling upon the President to develop and submit a plan for the United States to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement and to prohibit the funding of our nation's withdrawal from it.

How will you be remembered?

The family of Welles Crowther, who died at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, spoke at the 18th annual Morris County (NJ) remembrance service.  The Sisters from Assumption College for Sisters (ACS), Denville, NJ, were present for the service, as can be seen in the photos below.  Reminding those in attendance that we should be defined by how we live and the lives we touch, Honor Crowther Fagan, Welles's sister, asked "How will you be remembered?"  

A news story about the service is available here (where you will also find some of the ACS Sisters in the slideshow).   

The story of Welles Crowther is also told in the award-winning documentary, Man in Red Bandana, referring to the red bandana Welles was wearing when he rescued 18 people from the World Trade Center before losing his life.  

Thanks to Sister Joseph for alerting us to this important, touching story.

September 11

Today as we pause to remember those who were/are affected by the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, let us remember to bring peace on earth, beginning with ourselves.  Here is a musical reminder. (Email subscribers: If you do not see a video below, please click here to view it.)

Prayer Resources for 9/11

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops provides these liturgical resources for commemoration of September 11 (also known as "Patriot Day").

Other resources are also available online.  For example, the Sisters of Mercy have shared this Prayer of Remembrance and prayers for use as intercessions in liturgy are available here. 

Calendar for Season of Creation

The Sisters of Charity of Cincinatti have published this calendar for the Season of Creation (September 1 - October 4), with suggestions of small, daily tasks that could make a big impact on our care for creation.

Stop Trafficking Newsletter for September

The September 2019 issue of Stop Trafficking is available here.

Season of Creation: Laudato Si

As we mentioned previously, the "Season of Creation" is celebrated by Christians annually from September 1 through October 4.  Perhaps this is a good time to continue to experience the richness of Laudato Si, Pope Francis' 2015 Encylical about the "care for our common home." The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has provided a Discussion Guide for Laudato Si (available here).  During the Season of Creation, we will share portions of that guide.

Excerpts from Laudato Si:

"I urgently appeal . . . for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all" (n. 14).

"The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all" (n. 23).

"The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change" (n. 13).

As you read Laudato Si through paragraph 61, consider these questions:

1. Pope Francis calls for dialogue that includes "everyone." Who should be included in the conversation who may not currently be?  With whom are Catholics called to dialogue about the future of our common home?

2. The climate belongs to all and is meant for all, yet a disproportionate amount of the earth's resources are consumed by the United States and other wealthy countries.  What does Pope Francis propose must happen in order to address this?

Prayer for Labor Day

The USCCB has released this statement for Labor Day 2019 and has provided this Prayer for the Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers:

Lord God, Master of the Vineyard,
How wonderful that you have invited us
who labor by the sweat of our brow
to be workers in the vineyard
and assist your work
to shape the world around us.

As we seek to respond to this call,
make us attentive to those who seek work
but cannot find it.

Help us to listen to the struggles of those
who work hard to provide for their families
but still have trouble making ends meet.

Open our eyes to the struggles of those exploited
and help us speak for just wages and safe conditions,
the freedom to organize, and time for renewal.
For work was made for humankind
and not humankind for work.
Let it not be a vehicle for exploitation
but a radiant expression of our human dignity.

Give all who labor listening hearts
that we may pause from our work
to receive your gift of rest.

Fill us with your Holy Spirit
that you might work through us to let your justice reign.

Amen.

Season of Creation

From September 1 to October 4, Christians around the world celebrate the Season of Creation.  Click here to read the Message of the Holy Father for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (September 1).  In his Message, the Pope points out that this is a season for letting our prayer be inspired anew by closeness to nature, for reflecting on our lifestyles, and for undertaking prophetic actions.  He concludes:  "Each Christian man and woman, every member of the human family, can act as a thin, yet unique and indispensable thread in weaving a network of life" that embraces everyone.  May we feel challenged to assume, with prayer and commitment, our responsibility for the care of creation. May God, 'the love of life' (Wis 11:26), grant us the courage to do good without waiting for someone else to begin, or until it is too late."

Fire at Straight and Narrow

Many of our readers are familiar with Straight and Narrow, an addiction treatment facility operated by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Paterson, NJ.  On August 24, a devastating fire caused the loss of one of the facility's buildings.  Thankfully, no one was injured, but much was lost.  Please click here to go to Straight and Narrow's donation page, where you will find information about financial and in-kind donations.  Let's continue to pray for everyone at Straight and Narrow as they rebuild.

Anniversary Celebration in Argentina

Thanks to our Sisters in Argentina for this video of the August 21 celebration in Buenos Aires of the 170th anniversary of the Sisters of Christian Charity.  (Email subscribers, please click here  to view the video if you do not see it below.)

A Deportation Story

Matt Cameron is an attorney in Boston, specializing in immigration law -- especially deportation defense and asylum. He has been doing Central American asylum cases since 2006.  He can be followed on Twitter (@matt_cam). Here is his tweet from August 27: 

"I can't go back," my client told me as soon as he sat down at the table in ICE detention.

"They will kill me."

I believed him.

The judge agreed that they probably would kill him, just before he denied his asylum claim.

He was deported.

They did.

I just found out today.

— Matt Cameron 🗽 (@matt_cam) August 27, 2019

Without violating attorney-client privilege, Mr. Cameron uses his Twitter feed to provide a detailed explanation of the law behind this decision.  It is worth reading if you can. 

In another post, he states, "I'm the person in this story whose life will be least affected by this tragedy, but it's been sitting with me. . . . I knew this news had to be coming, some day. I was never going to be ready for it."

Matt Cameron and others are attempting to open "Golden Stairs," a full-time legal services center to offer pro bono services to non-citizens in New England. 

Are you aware of such services that are available in your area and should be highlighted here in order to inform others?   Please comment on this blog post to share them.

Anniversary celebration in Germany

The Archdiocese of Paderborn published this article about our German Region's celebration of  the 170th anniversary of the founding of Sisters of Christian Charity.  On August 21, the Archbishop of Paderborn, Hans-Josef Becker, celebrated a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Motherhouse chapel.  At the end of the day, a prayer service was held at the grave of Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt.

Congratulations to all SCCs who celebrated this anniversary and to our jubilarians who observed significant anniversaries in consecrated life.

Archbishop Becker and priests celebrate Mass of Thanksgiving

Prayer service at the grave of Blessed Pauline
(Both photos courtesy of Archdiocese of Paderborn)

170th Anniversary of the Sisters of Christian Charity

A little over 170 years ago, on February 24, 1849, Mother Pauline received a document granting corporation rights to the Sisters of Christian Charity.  Exactly 170 years ago, on August 21, 1849, Mother Pauline and Sisters Maria, Mathilde and Elisabeth became the first four Sisters of Christian Charity.  This Congregation has spread from Germany to North America, South America and the Philippines.

As we gratefully celebrate 170 years of service to God by "giving Christ's love to everyone in cheerful, wholehearted service" (SCC Charism), we pray for the grace to persevere in responding to the needs of the "least" of our brothers and sisters.

Blessed Pauline, we pray to you, lead us to God!

"Holy Chaos"

Congratulations to Sister Norma Pimentel, a member of the Missionaries of Jesus and Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, who received the 2019 Outstanding Leadership Award from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) on August 16.  (You will recall from this and other posts on this blog that several SCCs ministered with Sister Norma in June.)

This Global Sisters Report story by Soli Salgado and Dan Stockman provides some background on Sister Norma and coverage of the presentation of the reward at the LCWR annual Assembly last week.  In her speech and in a subsequent interview, Sister Norma described her ministry as "holy chaos," noting that when she started doing this ministry years ago, serving 200 people in a day would have been considered a busy day.  Now, the ministry serves over 700 migrants each day.  Describing the urgent need, Sister Norma said, "There are times we must decide who we are, what we stand for.  We must ask ourselves, dear Sisters, 'What else must I do in the world today?' If it is not now, then when?  If it is not you, then who?  For it is in times of extreme pain and suffering that extreme measures of love are needed. . . . As consecrated people dedicated to our ministries, we must never lose sight of why we are doing this. I can be comfortable with chaos, and sometimes the Humanitarian Respite Center can be chaotic [in] how it looks, but there's a sense of order within that chaos, and that's why I call it 'holy chaos.' "

Sister Norma addresses the LCWR Assembly. (Photo from Global Sisters Report)

Feast of Padre Hurtado

August 18 is the Feast Day of Chilean Jesuit, St. Alberto Hurtado, S.J. (1901-1952), who is featured in this article from America magazine by David J.W. Inczauskis, S.J., "Why more U.S. Catholics should know about St. Alberto Hurtado, S.J."

The article suggests that three features of Padre Hurtado's life are significant:  "his vivacious attentiveness to the material needs of the poor, his fervent commitment to justice for workers and his passionate prayer life."

In addition to addressing the immediate needs of the poor by founding Hogar de Cristo (Home of Christ), Padre Hurtado was known for the a spiritual life characterized by "a serious sense of Christ's oneness with the poor."  The phrase ser otro Cristo ("to be another Christ") permeates his writings.  Pope Benedict XVI said of Padre Hurtado: "The objective of his life was to be another Christ. He experienced the pain of others as his own, and this propelled him toward a greater dedication to the poor."

The article continues:  "The priest's writings reveal why the Mass was such a passionate moment in his daily life.  In a reflection titled, 'My Life is an Extended Mass,' he claims that, in addition to offering Jesus' body as a sacrifice to God the Father at the eucharistic table, we also enjoin 'our personal immolations, offering our work and difficulties . . . participating personally in the victimhood of Jesus Christ.' The people whose burdens Father Hurtado carried, the dreams for justice he longed to achieve, the pains of illness by which he died an early death -- all of these experiences found expression when he raised the host and chalice over the altar."

Today, let us remember St. Alberto Hurtado by praying this prayer that he wrote (taken from this website, where the Spanish version may also be found):

Lord, help me to speak the truth in front of the strong
and not say lies to gain the applause of the weak.

If you give me fortune, don’t take happiness away from me.
If you give me strength, don’t take reason away from me.
If you give me success, don’t take humility away from me.
If you give me humility, don’t take dignity away from me.

Help me always see the other side of the medal.
Do not let me blame others of treason
for not thinking like me.
Teach me to love people as myself
and to judge myself as others.

Do not let me fall into pride if I triumph
nor in despair if I fail.
Rather, remind me that failure
is the experience which precedes triumph.

Teach me that forgiving is the grandest for the strong
and that revenge is the primitive sign of the weak.

If you take away my fortune, leave me with hope.
If you take away success, leave me with the strength
to triumph from the defeat.

If I fail people, give me the courage to ask pardon.
If the people fail me, give me the courage to forgive.
Lord, if I forget You, don’t forget me.