Nuclear Disarmament

From Partnership for Global Justice:

So many of us have been writing and praying about Nuclear Disarmament and have written to President Barack Obama asking him to provide strong US leadership for a nuclear weapons-free world. Your prayers and actions bear fruit!!!!

At the UN Security Council meeting on September 24th President Obama established the United States as a leader for nuclear disarmament and secured unanimous support for UN Security Council Resolution 1887, which makes a “revitalized commitment to work toward a world without nuclear weapons.”

Please take time to write, thanking President Obama for his leadership in convening and chairing this important UN Security Council meeting.

Write to: President Barack Obama, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20500. To email go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Partnership for Global Justice - Part Two

Continuing Sister Mary Irene's report:

The keynote for Friday, entitled "The Spiritualit of Politics: An Ecological and Legal View," was given by Dominican Sister Pat Sieman, JD. Sister Pat is the director of the Center of Earth Jurisprudence. The mission of this group is to re-envision law and governance in ways that support and protect the well-being of the entire Earth community. In her talk, Sister Pat pointed out that we are living in a time of great urgency. To describe this urgency, Sister spoke of “tipping points” which are slow, gradual changes that becomes irreversible and then proceed with gathering pace. It is derived from the example of a rigid solid object being lifted to a point where it begins to topple.

A spirituality of politics that is most needed to deal with this is one that begins with knowing oneself and the ability to let go of control of a situation, especially in the face of fear. The second practice is to develop an awareness and experience of belonging to a single, interconnected and interdependent, community of being. It is this sense of belonging to a larger reality that can be a source of great hope and creativity. We are not alone; the other members of the world community support and sustain us.

We humans have caused the climate change, build-up of toxic chemicals in the environment and their accumulate effect. We must take seriously the environmental fragility, become aware of the failing civilizations in our world, establish relations with them, and vote for quality political leadership and the social responses to challenges.

Sister Pat closed with practical solutions for religious communities, namely:

1. Those communities entrusted with land should create land trusts to be protected for generations;
2. We need to ask ourselves, “How much financial security do we need?” Are we supporting youth for the good of the whole – whether or not they are entering our communities?
3. Spend time with the arts and nature; and
4. Share Eucharist in all ways.
   

After a break, we boarded buses bound for the U. S. Mission connected with the UN. The US Representatives to the United Nations met with us to discuss our hopes and concerns regarding the US/UN political systems.

Partnership for Global Justice Annual Meeting

Thanks to Sister Mary Irene for her report from the Annual Meeting of the Partnership for Global Justice, held from April 24-26, 2008. Part One (of three) follows:

Thursday, April 24, 2008, marked the beginning of a three-day conference sponsored by the NGO group called the Partnership for Global Justice held at Xavier Center on the campus of St. Elizabeth’s College in Convent Station, NJ. Religious women and men, and associates from various communities all over the country as well as Canada, Mexico, and the Philippines gathered for this examination of politics at its deepest level of serving the needs of peoples and Earth as we choose leaders for the 21st century.

After the welcome, opening prayer, and introductions, the keynote speaker, Dr. Barbara Wall, PhD from Villanova University gave a very insightful talk entitled, "The Spirituality of Politics: a Philosophical View." In this analysis she spoke of three concepts that intersect in the title of the conference: Spirituality, Politics and Common Good. With these in mind, she pointed out that the human person is integral to the community and vice versa. Integral to the human person is the understanding that s/he is understood as social (needing community) and political. Quoting from Gaudium et Spes (n. 35), she asked us to think about an evaluation of the common good by looking at the quality of life of the least among us, including the environment. We looked at the common good as “power.” Dr. Wall encouraged us to help our “world” see how to avoid the destructive use of power and domination: “Recognize that within each of us there is the possibility of being seduced by forms of destructive power; be on the watch for competition directed solely at winning and relationships that can be characterized as adversarial; turn off the chatter and artificial stimulants; develop the skill of interior silences; unmask the desire for domination, reflect on our own prejudices, biases and at times hatred of one another; and learn about issues.” She also encouraged us to “develop proficiency by: desiring to know and love the world, learning skills essential to the spiritual life, studying issues, promoting a desire for community, and practice hope.” Needless to say, all participants were challenged and encouraged to keep hope.

That evening, Dave Robinson, the executive director of Pax Christi USA, spoke about the works and philosophy of Pax Christi. Mr. Robinson encouraged everyone to have a spirituality of vulnerability by “putting our hands in the wounds”, have contact with people who are suffering, and see vulnerability with a positive attitude. Also, “We must live simply so others can simply live.”

Stay tuned for Part Two!

Partnership for Global Justice

The 2008 Annual Meeting of the Partnership for Global Justice will be held from April 24-26 at Xavier Center, Convent Station, NJ. Entitled "The Spirituality of Politics: Searching for the Global Common Good," the meeting will provide an examination of politics at its deepest level of serving the needs of peoples and earth as we choose leaders for the 21st century.
Keynotes will be delivered by Barbara Wall, PhD of Villanova University who focuses on political theory and Catholic Social Teaching; and Sister Pat Siemen, OP, JD, who currently serves as the Director of the Center for Earth Jurisprudence, a collaborative initiative co-sponsored by Barry and St. Thomas Universities.

Additionally, a panel from the United Nations will address the topic of Spirituality of Politics from their own point of view. Among the panelists is Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Representative of the Holy See to the United Nations.

The 5th Annual Justice Award will be presented to Dave Robinson and Pax Christi USA. Mr. Robinson is the Executive Director of Pax Christi USA, which strives to create a world that reflects the Peace of Christ by exploring, articulating and witnessing to the call of Christian nonviolence.