Read Any Good Books Lately? (Part 3)

Since the first two books of our summer reading were war stories, perhaps it's now appropriate to share some peace.  The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict by the Arbinger Institute is our current recommendation.  From the back cover:  "What if conflicts at home, conflicts at work, and conflicts in the world stem from the same root cause?  What if we systematically misunderstand that cause?  And what if, as a result, we systematically perpetuate the very problems we think we are trying to solve?  Every day." 

The book description from amazon.com reads: "Through an intriguing story of parents struggling with their troubled children and with their own personal problems, "The Anatomy of Peace" shows how to get past the preconceived ideas and self-justifying reactions that keep us from seeing the world clearly and dealing with it effectively. Yusuf al-Falah, an Arab, and Avi Rozen, a Jew, each lost his father at the hands of the other's ethnic cousins. As the story unfolds, we discover how they came together, how they help warring parents and children to come together, and how we too can find our way out of the struggles that weigh us down. The choice between peace and war lies within us. As one of the characters says, 'A solution to the inner war solves the outer war as well.'  This book offers more than hope -- it shows how we can prevent the conflicts that cause so much pain in our lives and in the world."

We cannot make peaceful choices from a heart at war (when we see others as objects); we can only make peaceful choices from a heart at peace (when we see others as persons).  It's a quick read and well worth the time.  Your heart will thank you!

Thank you, Sisters!

75 members of Congress say "Thank you" to Catholic Sisters in the United States.  (E-mail subscribers, click here if you do not see an embedded video below.)

Recycling Pantyhose?

In our quest to make our landfills a bit less full, did you ever consider recycling your pantyhose?  The No nonsense company has a program that allows us to recycle our used pantyhose (any brand, size, style).  Click here for more information and to print out a shipping label.

Reactions to Supreme Court's Ruling on ACA

On June 28, the Supreme Court upheld as a tax the provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires individuals to purchase a health plan.  Several statements regarding this passage are noteworthy:  Click here to read the statement of the USCCB, here to read the statement of the National Catholic Bioethics Center and here to read the statement of the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA).  As you read the statement by CHA, note that it is still reviewing and evaluating the decision and that it may have addtional comments after the review is complete.  Perhaps we could take the time to do the same -- review and evaluate what the Act states.  Most importantly, continue to pray for our country, for those who make its laws, for those who are disproportionately affected by these laws and for those for whom appropriate health care is still out of reach.

As always, your comments are welcome.

Countdown to International Day of Peace

The 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace (September 21) began on June 13.  Here's a message from Ban Ki-moon, U.N. Secretary General:

Today [June 13], we start the 100-day countdown to the observance of the International Day of Peace, when we call on combatants around the world to put down their weapons and try to find peaceful solutions to their conflicts.


The International Day of Peace, marked every year on 21 September, gives us all a chance to reflect on the unconscionable toll – moral, physical, material – wrought by war. Those costs are borne not only by us today, but by future generations as well.

That is why this year’s theme is “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future.” It highlights the fact that we cannot possibly think about building a sustainable future if there is no sustainable peace. Armed conflicts attack the very pillars of sustainable development, robbing people of the opportunity to develop, to create jobs, to safeguard the environment, to fight poverty, to reduce the risk from disasters, to advance social equity and to ensure that everyone has enough to eat.

We want a future where natural resources are protected and valued rather than used to finance wars, where children can be educated at school and not recruited into armies, where economic and social inequalities are resolved through dialogue instead of violence.

If we are to build such a future, we must all play our individual part. I urge everyone, between now and 21 September, to think about how they can contribute. Let us work together to ensure that the Road from Rio leads us to sustainable development, sustainable peace… and a secure future for all.

Click here to find out what happened at the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development  (also known as "Rio+20) on June 20-22.

Let's continue to ask ourselves:  "What future do we want?"

Why are these nuns on the bus?

Interestingly, there seems to be some confusion about the purpose of the "Nuns on the Bus" tour.  Perhaps we can clear that up and continue to serve as advocates for the poor and marginalized in our country.  The "Nuns on the Bus" campaign is, quite simply, a campaign for budget fairness in the United States.  Why should we care about the budget?  Click here to see how the poor will be disproportionately affected and here to see a schedule of the stops.

When this tour is grossly misinterpreted to be a bunch of Sisters railing against church officials, we miss the point that these Sisters agree with the USCCB's assessment of the Federal Budget's impact on the poor and vulnerable.  Click here to read more of the Bishops' thoughts on the moral measure of our nation's budget policy.

Let us continue to pray that those in public office will act morally toward the most vulnerable members of our society.

At its annual assembly in Philadelphia earlier this month, the Catholic Health Assocation of the United States (CHA) introduced the video,  "Health Reform: We Cannot Go Back," highlighting benefits of the Affordable Care Act.  (E-mail subscribers:  Please click here if you do not see a video embedded below.)   What do you think?