Office of Social Justice and Respect Life

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The goals of the Office of Social Justice and Respect Life of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe are to make Catholics aware of the social teaching of the Church, to help facilitate action prompted by that awareness, to be a voice for the poor and the powerless and to be a resource to parishes as they develop social justice outreach. The office is a collaborative partner with the other offices of the Pastoral Ministries Division. Your involvement is welcome!

"The world must be educated to love Peace, to build it up and defend it."
- Pope Paul VI, 1968

Resources for 2018 World Day of Peace:

Papal Statements Marking the World Day of Peace

• Pope Francis (2013-Present) . . . 
• Pope Benedict XVI (2006-2013). . .
• Pope John Paul II (1979-2005). . .
• Pope Paul VI (1968-1978). . .

Prayers for Peace

Take up Pope Francis’ challenge to go to the peripheries by participating in Poverty Awareness Month in January. What can you do?  Work to understand the issues and help others understand as well. Take action in your community. Give your attention, time, resources. Contemplate and pray for change. The road starts here to live in solidarity with the poor!

In addition to the calendar in English and Spanish,longer daily reflections in English and Spanish are also available.  Share this liturgical aid  in English and Spanish with parish leaders to incorporate Poverty Awareness Month into the liturgy. You can sign up to have the daily reflections emailed to you during Poverty Awareness Month.

Poverty Awareness Month is here! Over 46 million people are living in poverty in the United States! Here in New Mexico 21.3% of our neighbors live in poverty. If you are asking yourself “how can I help?” you can start by visiting the resource links below. Resource Links:

Poverty USA

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – Poverty Awareness Month

The 2018 Poverty Awareness Month Calendar 
This calendar provides you with a poverty reflection for every day of the month of January, as well as suggested steps you can take to eradicate poverty in the United States.

Catholics Confront Global Poverty

Catholic Relief Services

Visit the Prayers for Peace and Prayers for the Church and the World pages for prayers from many sources. 

RESOURCES 2018

• "Migrants and Refugees: Men and Women in Search of Peace" - 2 Page Handout | en Español
• Read the text of the 2018 World Day of Peace Message. . . | en Español. . .
• Visit the USCCB Justice for Immigrants website
• Visit ShareJourney.org. . . , a joint initiative of USCCB, Catholic Relief Services, and Catholic Charities USA

New CST 101 Video from USCCB and CRS: Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers! Use for religious education, confirmation and adult education! 
The 7th (and final) video in the Catholic Social Teaching 101 video series, on Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers is now available

The video series is a joint collaboration of the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services. Other videos in the series include:
Life and Dignity
Call to Family, Community and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Solidarity
Care for God’s Creation 

USCCB and CRS also has useful discussion guides for each of the YouTube videos that are usable for youth and adults that can be downloaded here: We are Salt and Light

Policy & Guidelines Pertaining to Prohibited Campaign Activities in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe

Services Offered

Education:

• Teachers, Catechists, Youth Ministers and Social Concerns Ministers:  Download a free on-line Calendar of ideas on life and justice!

The Office of Social Justice and Respect Life has assembled an on-line calendar called Days of Life, Dignity, Justice and Peace.  It has a month by month summary for our current school year of important dates related to Catholic social teaching including many different life and dignity, peace and justice issues.  It also has live links to resources that can be used in a school curriculum, religious education programs, RCIA, Confirmation and social concerns ministries all year!  Download here.

• Provides written and visual materials on church programs for peace and justice.

• Presents programs/workshops on Catholic social teaching at the deanery level.

• Coordinates JustFaith , a parish-based, in-depth adult formation process to introduce and deepen Catholics’ engagement in the social mission of the Church.

• Makes resources available to clergy, parish Social Concerns Committees and other interested persons.

• Provides Catholic Social Ministry Training and on-going support for parish based Social Concerns/Parish Social Ministry Committees.

• Directs Catholic Campaign for Human Development Internship.

  • Job Announcement for CCHD Internship for 2018-19

  • Application for CCHD Internship 2018-2019

• Collaborates with the archdiocesan director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS)on education about world wide relief efforts and solidarity, and encourages participation in CRS Rice Bowl during Lent. 

  • CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

  • CRS promotes human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies and serves Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.

  • Administers the CRS Rice Bowl Small Grant Fund for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Each Lent, 75% of the Rice Bowl collection goes to CRS overseas development and hunger relief work.  The remaining 25% of the Lenten Rice Bowl collection goes into the Local Archdiocesan Rice Bowl fund, to be used to support hunger and poverty alleviation programs in our Archdiocese. Completed applications (submitted by email only) are due each year by November 1. Download application here.

Advocacy:

• Cooperates with the legislative advocacy work of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops.

• Cooperates with the National legislative work of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Department of Justice Peace and Human Development and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Secretariat . 

• Policy for Political Campaign Activities 

Life Issues:

• Coordinates Respect Life activities in the Archdiocese

• Promotes the "consistent ethic of life" from "womb’ to "tomb"

• Promotes the Elizabeth Ministry

• Supports "Project Rachel," a post-abortion healing ministry of the Catholic Church.

Empowerment:

• Directs the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) (anti-poverty program of the American Catholic Bishops).

  • 2016 Grantees

  • En Español

• Administers Local and National CCHD Grants for community and economic development. Contact Anne Avellone for grant inquiries.

  • National CCHD Grant Process

  • Local CCHD Local Process and CCHD Local Grant Guide for Applicants

• Provides resource materials to parishes, leadership training and support for social justice groups and activities.

• Supports the ministry of the African American Catholic Community (AACC) whose mission in the context of our multi-cultural church is to support and reinforce the African American Catholic family and individuals.  The AACC invites, challenges and develops an appreciation of the African American culture through liturgical, social, spiritual and educational programs.  Members of the AACC pray that the African American culture will enhance the universality of the Church and the cause of evangelization.   Begun in 1992, the AACC evangelizes and builds the church through prayer, education and service to the community.

• The African American Catholic Community (AACC) also sponsors the Fr. Rollins Lambert Scholarship for African American students attending Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.  For more information, call Brenda Dabney (505) 836-3627.  

Events:

Sponsors a variety of faith witness activities and events including:

• The annual Sanctity of Life Awareness & Unity Mass

• The annual African American Catholic Community Martin Luther King Mass and speaker

• JustFAITH facilitator training

• The annual Journey to Justice Retreat Day for JustFAITH participants

• Fair Trade training

Social Justice & Respect Life Links

• Bread for the World

• Ethics of Eating

• Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States

• For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers & Farm workers 

• Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center 

• Resources & Tools for Catholic Social Teaching

• Catholic Rural Life 

• Principles for Ethical Eaters

• U.S. Catholic Bishops' Conference-Pro-Life Activities

• U.S. Bishops' Statement-A Place at the Table: A Catholic Recommitment to Overcome Poverty & to Respect the Dignity of All God's Children 

• Themes of Catholic Social Teaching 

• US Conference of Catholic Bishops 

• U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops-Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development 

YouTube Videos on DoctorAssisted Suicide: Four short (2-4 minutes) real life stories.
Assisted Suicide Videos

Luke’s Story: Every Suicide is Tragic You don’t discourage suicide by assisting suicide.  Every suicide is tragic—whether you’re old or young, healthy or sick, your lifeis worth living,” says Luke Maxwell, 19, who survived an attempt to take hisown life.  

John’s Story: Beyond Independence Born without arms, John Foppe speaks to a way of life beyondindependence, namely interdependence: Together we are more. Assisted suicide sells everyone short, so in times of illness or disability, heencourages us to “step into life!”  

Jeanette’s Story: 15 Years Later When Jeanette Hall had less than a year to live, she asked herdoctor for the pills to commit suicide. Dr. Kenneth Stevens got to knowher better, inspiring her to have treatment instead. Now 15 years later,Jeanette says: “It’s great to be alive!”  

Maggie’s Story Maggie Karner, 51-year-old mother of three, has terminal braincancer and opposes assisted suicide. She shares how her dad, whenbedridden at the end of his life as a quadriplegic, taught her to face life& her final days with true grace and dignity.

Emergency Social Services