Justice, Peace and Social Ministry Home
Co-Chairs: Carl & Cecile Dietrich, (540)392-9308
The Justice and Peace Committee has changed its name to the Justice,
Peace and Social Ministry to conform to the Diocese of
Richmond document entitled, We Walk By Faith, which is geared
to provide uniformity and to assist parishes to renew their efforts
at supporting the faith lives of the people. The document asserts
that "The role of the justice and peace/social ministry in
parishes… is to bring the vision of the just and peaceable
Reign of God to life in the daily activities of the faith community
and its members."
Why should OLPH be involved in Social Ministry?
Being a responsible disciple is what our OLPH mission statement asks of us.
We are to follow Jesus. We are to accept the responsibilities of
today as contextual dimensions of our belief. Concern for social and
cultural affairs is a concern for everyone's salvation. We accept
this responsibility for one another, both at home and globally. What
was Jesus' message: The Gospel calls it "the kingdom of God"
or the "reign of God". Every Liturgy by proclaiming the
message should lead to service. At the end of every liturgy, the
congregation is told to either "go and serve or strengthen the
reign of God." We cannot fully grasp what this kingdom is
however it manifests itself in words, deeds, events, and signs. We
were invited to participate in bringing about the kingdom. By
performing acts of love, justice, and peace we allow God's kingdom to
be present. This kingdom comes in word and deed.
Catholic Social Teaching
Presentation
This slide
presentation on Catholic Social Teaching provides a key to our Catholic identity.
We will be posting a Catholic social teaching module on this web site
monthly. The goal is to link Catholic social teaching to:
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Days of Justice and Peace - special social action days or observances
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Church documents that address these terms
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OLPH ministries that "live" these social issues and allow parishioners to participate
in one or more of the following kinds of social action:
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Service - performing a personal service for a worthy cause or a person in need
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Advocacy - writing letters or making phone calls to public officials and the
media. Participating in public meetings
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Witness - participating in a march, walk, or vigil
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Financial Support - giving money or items of value to a worthy cause or a person in need
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Organizing - performing the managerial and administrative tasks that
sustain social justice organizations and committees
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Education - teaching and learning about public issues and social action
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Inspiration - connecting religious faith to social action by study,
reflection, and prayer.
May 2013
Theme: Solidarity.
We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they live. Learning to practice the virtues of solidarity means learning that “loving our neighbor” has global dimensions in this interdependent world in which we live. We are called to work globally for justice.
Day of Justice and Peace
May Day - May 1, 2013:
Increase OLPH parishioner awareness on the needs of people living in impoverished areas
Vatican Document(s):
Populorum progressio (1967) English title: The Development of Peoples
Author(s):
Pope Paul VI
Main point(s):
The church, in response to Jesus' teachings, must foster human progress—progress not understood solely in terms of economic and technological advances, but in terms of fostering full human potential (i.e., social, cultural, and spiritual). Traces world conflicts to the root cause of poverty, advocating proper development as a means to peace. Wider disparity between rich and poor nations, exasperated by an inequity in trade relations that free trade is unable to correct: developing nations, exporters of cheap raw goods to industrialized nations, are unable to pay for expensive manufactured goods of industrialized nations.
Innovation:
First encyclical devoted specifically to the issues of international development.
Source:
U.S. Catholic Magazine: Busy Christian’s Guide to Catholic Social Teaching
Applicable OLPH Ministry:
Haiti Twinning
OLPH Ministries
Family Crisis Ministry
Aid people in need who call our parish for help. Click to view the
Domestic Violence Awareness slide presentation.
Contact: Parish Staff, 387-0491
Haiti Twinning Ministry
Plan and implement projects with our twinned parish in Haiti. Assist in
education, raising funds, and planning trips to Haiti. Increase awareness of
social justice issues and help in the Lenten Rice and Beans Bowl
collections for our sister community. Click to learn more about the
Haiti
Twinning project.
Contact person: Tom Fame, 389-3577
Interfaith Hospitality Network
Assist homeless families, who stay at the church for one week every 2-3
months, by filling the following roles:
assisting in set-up, providing evening meals, serving as an evening host
or overnight host, helping to clean up, transporting the IHN trailer
(need special trailer hitch); and providing donations of food and supplies
for guests as well as donating materials to entertain children (game
machine, games and videos).
Contact persons: Pat & Theresa Lewis, 389-2084;
Standard Operating Procedures
Prison Ministry: Education, Service
Visit and/or send letters to incarcerated inmates at various prisons in the
area. Collect and distribute reading material. Plan and implement initiatives to aid
inmates in the Salem jail. Life, for most inmates, has not been very
fair. We can make a huge impact just by letting them know that
someone cares.
Contact person: Paul Wyar, 591-9994
Respect Life: Advocacy, Financial Support, Inspiration, Witness
Participate in pro-life education, pastoral care, prayer and public advocacy
programs. Sustain the Gift of Life Foundation to raise funds to place
billboards or TV ads in the Roanoke Valley with pro-life
messages. Support the quarterly baby clothes and diapers
collection, the spiritual adoption of the unborn child & Pro-Life
Sunday events. Promote the Catholic position of opposition to capital
punishment.
FACTS
EVERY CHRISTIAN NEEDS TO KNOW ... is a collection of information about the
death penalty.
Contact person(s): Christine Johnson (540)380-3136;
Standard
Operating Procedures
Rosary Makers
Pray and make rosaries (in your home) for distribution to Haiti, the
military, Pastoral Care, the VA Medical Center, prisons, etc. Training
and supplies are provided.
Contact person: Tresa Clarke, 389-2831
St. Francis House
Participate in community and parish food collections. Distribute and pick
up bags for groceries after Masses (monthly). Volunteer at the Saint Francis
House food pantry.
Contact person: Bob Murdock, 989-8693;
Standard
Operating Procedures
Archives
Ministry Update/Annual Report
View the ministry's May, 2005
Update and Annual Report.
March for Life, 2005
48 hardy souls braved the cold and weather to participate in the
2005 March for Life in Washington, DC.
Practicing Justice Daily
Learn how you can
practice justice
every day of your life!
