Justice Education & Advocacy
Legislative Advocacy
"The Church calls for a different kinds of political engagement: one shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences and focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable." (USCCB's Faithful Citizenship, 2007)
Our parish engages in an informative and bi-partisan initiative that supports political efforts towards the alleviation of hunger or poverty, or addresses a current humanitarian crisis. Organizers and participants are needed! An example of a recent initiative is the letter-writing campaign to address the crisis in Darfur, Africa.
Participation only takes a few minutes after Masses. If you would like to help organize,please contact Ken Likely at likelyclan@yahoo.com or Eileen Gibbons at etgphonehome@verizon.net.
Parishioners are always encouraged to contact their elected officials outside of legislative advocacy weekends. Current legislative action alerts include:
JustFaith
JustFaith is a thirty-week adult educational and formational program offered in over 900 parishes that offers an opportunity for parishioners to experience a spiritual journey into compassion. Participants meet weekly to focus on a social justice topic from a Gospel perspective, with time to share thoughts and reflect in prayer. Participants also watch videos; hear from speakers; read works on poverty, simple living, and the spirituality of compassion; and participate in a series of immersion experiences to allow them to better understand our call to work toward social justice in our wounded world. Readings include, but are not limited to:
- Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol
- Cloud of Witnesses by Jim Wallis and Joyce Hollyday
- Rising to Common Ground: Overcoming America’s Color Lines by Danny Duncan Collum
Participants of JustFaith are not only exposed to a substantive course of study, but they are also afforded the privilege of becoming community with other participants and sharing a journey of faith that is both life-giving and challenging.
Registration for JustFaith takes place in September.
For more information, please contact Katie Onka at konka@borromeo.org.
Justice Education Opportunities/Events
Hunger Banquet
The interactive hunger “banquet” allows participants to learn more about world hunger and poverty in a unique experiential dining experience! Help is needed organizing the event and of course, participants are needed! The 2010 Banquet will be in the Fall--please continue to check the website for more information!
Operation Rice Bowl
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Operation Rice Bowl is a Lenten program sponsored by Catholic Relief Services. Using the traditional Lenten practices of offering prayers, fasting, learning, and giving, parishioners are connected with the mission of Catholic Relief Services and the people it serves throughout the world. The money collected through the program makes a concrete difference in the lives of those living in poverty, both internationally and locally. For more information, please contact Katie Onka at konka@borromeo.org.
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Catholic Charities Solidarity Team (CCST)
If you are you interested in overcoming poverty, living in solidarity with members of the human family around the world, and in creating just communities where the dignity of all life is protected, you should be a member of the Catholic Charities Solidarity Team! This group of Catholics throughout the Diocese of Metuchen meet monthly to discuss, plan, pray, and work for justice. For more information, please visit http://ccsolidarity.org/ or come to the next meeting on Tuesday, September 14th.
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