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Social Justice Awareness and Advocacy Day Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity

. “Good News” For a Broken World: Catholic Social Mission and Message, Directions and Dangers For Religious Life. Social Justice Awareness and Advocacy Day Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc, WI July 17, 2010 John Carr

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Social Justice Awareness and Advocacy Day Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity

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  1. . “Good News” For a Broken World:Catholic Social Mission and Message, Directions and DangersFor Religious Life Social Justice Awareness and Advocacy Day Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc, WI July 17, 2010 John Carr Executive Director, Justice, Peace and Human Development United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

  2. Mixed Feelings • Happy to be here” • Whoyou are… • Whatyou do… • What brings us together… • Anxious…

  3. Mixed Feelings • Happy to be out ofWashington… • Polarized and Paralyzed … • New President … old behaviors… • who’s up…who’s down…. 24 news cycle • big problems and small politics “‘Least credible sentence…”

  4. Mixed Feelings • Outsider • Lay, not religious… • Man, not a woman… • Church Bureaucrat… not a Franciscan • Midwest: Minnesota, not Wisconsin • Wisc Lake Place • Vikings/Packers • Outsider • “Guest preacher” ”

  5. Perspectives • Professional: USCCB, CHA • Parish: “gap…” • Political: “mixed marriage” • Parent: “hardest thing…” (Two daughters…)

  6. Who you are You are… more than a collection of educators, health care leaders, pastoral workers, administrators… source of help and hope … you lead ministries, not industries. You offer services, not commodities You share a common mission (Jesus, Francis, Sisters) , not a corporate brand. You are …. • the Gospel at work. • The Beatitudes in action • Matthew 25 lived out everyday.

  7. What You Do… • You carry forward Jesus’ healing, teaching, caring mission in “out of the way” places • In Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ohio, Arizona, Illinois, Mississippi, Michigan, Hawaii • Since 1869 • Thank you – for who you are, for what you do, for how you make our Church more a sign of Christ’s love…. • You make us proud to be “Catholic.” …practice what we preach. .. • You are a gift to your communities and a blessing to our Church

  8. Manitowoc Outline • Mission and Message • Context and Assets • Directions and Dangers

  9. What Brings Us Together… What brings us here today is not the pursuit of institutional prestige, economic advantage, or political power, but the example of Francis and Clare, the vision of a foundress and the example of 5 young women 150 years ago… and a common mission. Mission Statement?

  10. Mission We, the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, are called by God to live the Gospel as women religious whose lives are rooted in prayer. Supported by life in community, we are committed to serving the Church in response to its call for justice and peace.

  11. Mission • Jesus' Mission “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. The Lord has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor, liberty to captives, new sight to the blind , to set the downtrodden free. ” (Luke 4 ) • “This is being fulfilled in yourmidst”… • Every day and countless ways…

  12. Mission • Why did Jesus come? “I have come to bring life and bring it to the full… John 10:10 John’s Disciples: “are you the one?” ‘the blind see, the lame walk, the poor have the good news preached to them”

  13. Mission • Tough time… • A Time for MISSION, not just maintenance, management… • Not just institutional survival, but institutional change…making a difference • This mission is not optional, fringe…leadership, occasional forum • “one more thing to feel bad about, one more set of expectations…

  14. Mission Taking this mission seriously helps us not just do more, but be more… • More “Catholic” health care, education… • More Franciscan… • More the Body of Christ, the People of God… • More the “salt of the earth and light of the world…”

  15. Mission • Good News: Mission is more clear and visible… • The Legacy of John Paul II • Leadership of Benedict XVI • The leadership of Religious Women • Bad News: Best kept secret • Work to do … “Catholic story”

  16. “Good News” With this MISSION, we have a MESSAGE A Biblical Mandate. A Moral Framework, A Set of Principles… Don’t make up…trendy…not free… “without a vision..”

  17. “Good News” With this mission comes a message.. “God is Love” Benedict XVI and The Apostle John

  18. “God Is Love” “Deus Caritas Est”/ “God is Love” • Unexpected topic: didn’t fit… • “all you need is love” (JPGR+BXVI) • Eros and agape… “ecstasy” • Calls for a “formation of the heart”.

  19. Social Teaching of Benedict XVI • Benedict XVI has placed charity at the very center of Catholic life • And defines charityin the most demanding, challenging way. • Unique Challenge for Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity

  20. Deus Caritas Est “Love of God and love of neighbor have become one: In the least of the brethren we find Jesus himself, and in Jesus we find God.”Deus Caritas Est #15

  21. Deus Caritas Est …Love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kindis as essential to her as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel.

  22. Deus Caritas Est The church cannot neglect the service of charity anymore than she can neglect the sacraments and the word.Deus Caritas Est #21

  23. Caritas In Veritatae:Charity AND Justice “If we love others with charity, then first of all we are just towards them. Not only is justice not extraneous to charity, …. justice is inseparable from charity, and intrinsic to it. Justice is the primary way of charity.”

  24. Caritas In Veritatae: Charity AND Common Good “The more we strive to secure a common good corresponding to the real needs of our neighbors, the more effectively we love them. Every Christian is called to practice this charity… This is the institutional path … the political path of charity, no less excellent and effective than the kind of charity which encounters the neighbor directly.” (7)

  25. Deus Caritas Est/God is Love Individuals who care for those in need must first be professionally competent: they should be properly trained in what to do and how to do it, and committed to continuing care. (#31)

  26. Deus Caritas Est/God is Love Yet, while professional competence is a primary, fundamental requirement, it is not of itself sufficient. We are dealing with human beings, and human beingsalways need something more thantechnically proper care. They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern. (#31)

  27. Deus Caritas Est/God is Love Consequently, in addition to their necessary professional training, these charity workers need a “formation ofthe heart”: they need to be led to that encounter with God in Christ which awakens their love and opens their spirits to others(#31)

  28. Mission What makes your work Catholic, what makes your service Franciscan is not just: • your charism and leadership as Franciscan Sisters, • chapels and chaplains, • the symbols and pictures on the wall, • observing the ERDs or the curriculum of our schools • and how you are governed…

  29. Mission • It is … • Who you are and what you believe • Who you serve… how you treat them • How we work together… treat those who work for us • How we speak for the voiceless and reach out to the “least of these” • How we work to transform education, health care, parish life, and the communities we serve to better reflect our principles of life and dignity, justice and peace.

  30. Message • About people and individual lives… not just principles and ideas…

  31. Manitowoc Outline • Mission and Message • Context and Assets • Directions and Dangers

  32. Context “SIGNS OF THE TIMES” White water rafting… • currents, waves and rocks • Crises: economic and health care, national and ecclesial… • Changed a lot… • not your mission… • more important than ever

  33. Challenged Church • Affirmative Challenges…passing on faith, applying principles, forming leaders, sharing Catholic and Franciscan identity • Negative Challenges… • Sex abuse… • Don’t practice what we preach • Mission

  34. Economy in Crisis • Most powerful, productive economy on earth…???? • 9% jobless, poverty growing • Several economies in one… • Pulling ahead… • Left behind… • Squeezed… (brother) • In the shadows

  35. Wounded Nation/Broken World • USA: Wounded by Terror… • Two wars • “wrong direction” • New World: Prayer after Mass? Russian Spies? • Imagine…Baghdad/Bethlehem/ Beijing… • Opportunities…responsibilities (Cuba)

  36. Culture of Violence/Death • Society in moral disarray… • Culture of Violence/Culture of Death • Abortion/Destruction of embryos • Euthanasia • death penalty • War… • “serious moral trouble” • Signs: Cycle of violence…

  37. Culture of Violence • Change culture to change policies/politics • Difficult to prevail on isolated issues… “Life is cheap/ people as things” • Health care for all…those who can afford it, depend on where you work, • Unborn as imposition • Elderly as burden • Immigrants as threat • Torture as necessary • Civilian casualties as collateral damage • All life deserves respect • “People of life, for all life, for every life …”

  38. Politics • Too much/Two kinds of Excessive Individualism… • Some Republicans/Right • “economic/ market individualism” • Tax cuts… • Some Democrats/Left • “lifestyle individualism” • “choice”—except if • Rhetoric: Matt 25:“forgotten middle class”

  39. “A New Moment” • New openness…New interest… • Fundamental problems are not just…moral, ethical, spiritual… • Life and death… • war and peace, • who moves ahead and who is left behind… • Who has care and who does not

  40. Re-moral-ize Politics • Makes people nervous… • “Religion and Politics”/“Church and state…” • When people bring their deepest convictions • not a threat…enrich not diminish… • Otherwise, only about power, money, ego

  41. Bishops: Renewed Politics • Focused more on moral principles than on the latest polls • Focused more on the needs of the weak than on benefits for the strong • Focused more on the pursuit of the common good than on the demands of narrow interests US Catholic Bishops Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

  42. “ Change the Wind”

  43. Catholic/Franciscan Assets • Focus on problems… • Move beyond liabilities to assets…. • Different set of assets…not $$$ “Our Father”

  44. Assets • Principles/Moral Framework • Everyday Experience • Presence/Structures • New Tools • Leaders • People

  45. Assets: Principles • Moral Framework/Principles • Don’t make it up… • Not free • Not “trendy”… • “Without a vision……”

  46. “Good News” • Not platitudes, bumper sticker solutions • Politically Incorrect… • Does not fit … • Not WWJD….

  47. Rerum Novarum,1891 Quadregesimo Annos, 1931 Pius XII, Christmas Messages Mater et Magistra,1961 Pacem in Terris,1963 Gaudium et Spes,1966 Populorum Progresssio, 1967 Octogesima Advenians, 1971 Justice in the World, 1974 Laborem Exercens,1981 Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 1988 Centesimus Annos, 1991 Envagelium Vitae Deus Caritas Est Caritas in Veritate Compendium of Social Doctrine of the Church

  48. Seven Themes of CST • The life and dignity of the human person • The call to family, community & participation • Human rights and responsibilities • The option for the poor and vulnerable • The dignity of work & the rights of workers • Solidarity • Care for creation U.S. Catholic Bishops Card: Sharing Catholic Social Teaching)

  49. “Message” Another way of examining CST… Catholic “AND”

  50. Catholic “AND” • Human Life andDignity… • RightsandResponsibilities… • Family and Community • Priority for Poor andVulnerable • Dignity of WorkandRights of Workers • Solidarity andSubsidiarity…. • Care for the Planet and People • Common Good (all about and)

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