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Statements
from 8th Day Center
Women's
Ordination: In Support of Dialogue Not Excommunication
8th
Day Center for Justice Declares Sanctuary and Releases Statement on
Migration
A
Response to the
Instruction from the Vatican Congregation on Catholic Education
Free
Trade Statement
A
Catholic Voice on the Invasion and occupation of Iraq
Pastoral
Statement on the
September 11, 2001 Tragedy
A
Call for
Transformation: A Statement on Sexual Abuse in the Church
Statements
endorsed by 8th day Center
(Statements
are listed under the Center group working on the issue)
Militarism Group
Statement on
Prosecution of Former High Officials
Global Call For
Nonviolent Civil Resistance to End the U.S.-Led Military Occupation of
Iraq
Women
In The Church Group
A
Call to
Accountability
Global Economic
Group
Demands for
the World Bank and IMF
WOMEN’S ORDINATION:
IN SUPPORT OF DIALOGUE NOT EXCOMMUNICATION
The staff of 8th
Day Center for Justice sent this letter to the following church leaders
on the
occasion of the threatened excommunication of Fr. Roy Bourgeois for his
participation in a woman’s ordination. For more information visit the Woman’s
Ordination Conference
You may also wish to send your own letter to these church leaders.
Pope Benedict XVI
Cardinal
William Levada
00120 Via Del
Pellegrino
Congregation
for Doctrine of Faith
Vatican City
Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11
Rome, Italy
00193 Rome Italy
benedictxvi@vatican.va
Fax from USA:
011-39-06698-85378
Maryknoll Fathers Superior
General, Fr. Edward Dougherty edougherty@maryknoll.org
Maryknoll Council (3 members) mklcouncil@maryknoll.org
THE LETTER
December, 2009
Dear Pope Benedict,
We are writing to
express our concern about the threatened excommunication of Fr. Roy
Bourgeois
because of his participation in and public support for women’s
ordination. We understand that the action of Fr. Roy
differs with Church teaching and tradition concerning women’s ministry.
However, we believe that the tradition and teachings of the Church
should never
serve as a foundation for exclusion based on a person’s gender or
beliefs.
In Gaudiem et
Spes the Church writes:
“Respect and love
ought to be extended also to those who think or act differently than we
do in
social, political, and religious matters, too. In fact, the more deeply
we come
to understand their ways of thinking through such courtesy and love,
the more
easily we will be able to enter into dialogue with them.”
Gaudiem et Spes 28
Church teaching
recognizes the need to dialog and hold open a space for different
ideas, even
ideas that may appear as dissent to the authority of the Church. The
wisdom in
the view extended by Gaudiem is that the Church maintains her
authority
not through absolute power, as in the act of excommunication, but
through the
power of relationship in which each party is given the opportunity to
speak and
be heard. This means that the faithful engage the teachings of the
Church not
from fear but from a place of genuine understanding. This strengthens
the
witness of the faithful in the world and the body of the Church as
whole.
If we sacrifice this
space, this call to dialog, we are losing the genuine relationship
between the
“head and its members” and replacing it with a false obedience that is
dependent not on the truth but on the use of force.
Through this action you put at risk another
important piece of
Catholic teaching, the teaching on conscience.
“In the depths of his conscience,
man detects
a law which he does not impose upon himself, but which holds him to
obedience…For man has in his heart a law written by God. To obey it is
the very
dignity of man, according to it he will be judged.” Gaudiem et Spes 16 – 17
In reading the reflections
offered by Fr. Roy on the motivations for taking this
position it
is clear the Fr. Roy is acting from a place of conscience. What are we
saying
to ourselves as a Catholic communion and to the larger world if we
condemn a
man for following “in his heart a law written by God?”
If Jesus had heeded the warnings from his
own religious authorities we would have no story to tell. Jesus risked
deeply
for what he believed and that led to his death because the leaders of
his day
lacked the wisdom to listen. What should be our wisdom now?
We call on the
leaders of the Church to dialog with Fr. Roy and his community and with
the
different movements within the Church that are working to create an
equal place
for women in the Church body.
Sincerely,
8th Day
Center Staff
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8th Day Center for Justice
Declares Sanctuary and
Releases Statement on Migration
As a member of Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition and
New Sanctuary Movement
8th Day Center for Justice, a
faith-based organization grounded in the Catholic tradition, declares
itself a New Sanctuary Organization. We stand in solidarity with
our migrant sisters and brothers, particularly with those who are the
most vulnerable in today's climate of raids, criminalization and highly
politicized debate. We stand with the undocumented and recent immigrant
communities. Our scripture and tradition of Catholic Social
Teaching (CST) emphasizes welcoming migrants and honoring their human
dignity, always extending hospitality to the stranger, the hungry, and
the exploited among us.
Today, people crossing into the
United States of America "are among the most abused, exploited and
denigrated people in our society" (1), and we believe that to ignore
them is to ignore the call of the gospel. CST instructs us that
"globalization, like any other system, must be at the service of the
human person; it must serve solidarity and the common good (11)" and
that "a just trading system should enhance the life and dignity of
everyone, lessen economic injustice, and help eradicate poverty (12)."
“The obligation to earn one’s bread
by the sweat of one’s brow also presumes a right to do so. A society in
which this right is systematically denied, in which economic policies
do not allow workers to reach satisfactory levels of employment, cannot
be justified from an ethical point of view.” (Centesimus Annus #43)
In Response:
8th Day Center for Justice publicly
declares itself a New Sanctuary Organization. From the historical
understanding of sanctuary as a sacred place for protection from
injustice and persecution, the 1980s sanctuary movement to today -- a
call has been made for a New Sanctuary Movement in urgent response to
the current failures of the immigration system in the United States.
"Sanctuary is not a building. It is
a response rooted in faith and nurtured by prayer and conscience (10)."
As a New Sanctuary Organization:
"We stand together in believing that
every human person, regardless of national origin, has basic rights
which must be safeguarded, including:
1) The right to earn a livelihood;
2) The right to family unity; and
3) The right to physical and
emotional safety.
We believe that these undeniable
rights are being violated under current immigration law." (6)
8th Day Center for Justice calls for
the promotion of just economic policies, the decriminalization of
migrants and the removal of punitive legislation and procedures.
We ask you to stand with 8th Day and
declare sanctuary as a congregation, community or organization.
The following pages map out the different aspects of Migration and are
important educational tools for reflection, discussion or debate
pertaining to immigration.
Economic Roots of Migration
The current model of free trade
agreements favors profit over people. For example, the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was envisioned as an open-market trade
union between the United States, Mexico and Canada. In theory, this
partnership reflects other trade unions like the European Union. In
practice, however, NAFTA is distinctly different.
Unlike the European Union, which
allows for the free movement of goods, capital and people between
participating nations, NAFTA only allows for the free exchange of goods
and capital while deliberately restricting the movement of people. As a
result, those most negatively influenced by the new trade agreement are
forced into economic desperation because they are unable to freely move
to where work is most available.
Furthermore, not only does NAFTA
lack any requirements for worker rights, labor mobility, or
environmental standards, the advantages of free trade are unevenly
distributed as well. While NAFTA encouraged Mexico to stop providing
subsidies to rural farmers, the United States government continues to
sustain the powerful U.S. agri-business through massive subsidies which
have not only raised food prices worldwide but have also given small
Mexican farmers few options aside from migration.
Human Migration is a Global
Phenomenon
The movement of people, both within
a nation state and externally between countries, is a global and
historic phenomenon. Migration is understood in terms of push and pull
factors. Push factors are the factors of out-migration, such as the
economic or social pressures that encourage or force people to
emigrate. Pull factors are the factors of in-migration, such as the
economic or social pressures that lead people to immigrate.
Migration occurs for a variety of
reasons, which include but are not limited to:
Conflict-Induced – forced to leave
due to armed conflict, civil war, violence and persecution.
Development-Induced – forced to move
due to projects or policies ex: dams, roads, airports etc.
Disaster-Induced – forced to move
due to natural disasters, global climate change, or human made
disasters. (www.forcedmigrgation.org)
“The number of international
migrants around the world has expanded very rapidly over the past
decade. According to a policy analyst for the UN refugee agency,
current estimates indicate that 200 million people around the world are
now living outside the country in which they were born: ‘And all of the
current projections suggest that because of differentials in living
standards and human security in different parts of the world, the
number of people seeking to leave their own country and move to another
country or another part of the world will continue to increase in the
years to come’.”(http://www.un.org/radio/story.asp?NewsID=5224)
In the United States the debate on
immigration policies has been significantly focused on one ethnic
group. This limited scope continues to ignore the global
perspective necessary to address the multitude of issues surrounding
human migration and immigration policies.
Family
Unity
The majority of those who come to
the United States are motivated by family. Whether it is to
reunite with family members or to ensure the survival of their family
in their country of origin, people make the journey. As border
enforcement increases, family reunification becomes more difficult and
dangerous. Often family members never know what happens to their
loved ones and are left to wonder about them for many years or
indefinitely.
Even children are crossing the
border some with their families, others alone and still others are
trafficked. Too often their human rights are violated. "They are
routinely treated foremost as “illegal immigrants” rather than children
entitled to and in need of protection. The routine and widespread
use of detention with migrant children is not only in itself often a
breach of international obligations but may lead to additional abuses
if migrant children are mixed with adult or criminal populations or
subjected to punitive measures such as solitary confinement.
Detention often results in additional restrictions on their right to
education and on their assistance needs as a result of trauma, abuse,
neglect and exploitation (9)."
The issue of family unity also is
paramount in the discussion of raids and deportation. Many
children who are citizens are left behind without a parent or even an
opportunity to say good-bye. This leaves them in a state of fear
and uncertainty. Family members who are left behind are forced to
carry the burden of sustaining the family both financially and
emotionally.
The Postville, Iowa raid on May
12th, 2008 left a community of 2,200 with nearly 300 people serving
prison sentences before their eventual deportation. Many families
were separated, detained and imprisoned. In some cases both
parents were detained. Postville, like many communities, has been
greatly affected by the raid and continues to be plagued by fear and
racism.
Detention Abuses and Due Process
Violations
While by law, immigrants are to be
held in non-criminal detention facilities, the practice used by the
U.S. government (both in the U.S. and globally) is significantly
different. “The U.S. government detains over 280,000 people a year –
more than triple the number of people in detention just nine years ago
– in a hodgepodge of over 400 facilities at an annual cost of more than
$1.2 billion.”
Despite the fact that many immigrant
detainees should be in non-criminal custody, detainees are placed in
general prison populations, endure inhumane detention conditions and
suffer preventable deaths. Detainees complain consistently about the
severe lack of access to basic medical care, no use of phones, physical
and verbal abuse, inedible food, overcrowding, and limited access to
religious counsel. (15)
“Immigrants in detention include
many vulnerable individuals, including asylum seekers, asylees, victims
of trafficking, the sick and elderly, the disabled, pregnant women, and
children. Detention has been shown to contribute to these detainees’
depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These
immigrants are kept in detention despite the fact that they do not pose
flight risks or any threat to society” (15)
While the average cost of detaining
an immigrant is $95 per person/ per day, less expensive alternatives do
exist. These generally include a combination of reporting and
electronic monitoring, both of which are effective and significantly
cheaper, with some programs costing as little as $12 per day.
Immigrants have been found to have
been detained without charge, denied bond, denied access to counsel,
subjected to physical and mental abuse, and held for lengthy periods of
time without trial, even though two United States Supreme Court
decisions in 2001 and 2005 declared that immigrants in detention can
only be held for up to 180 days.
Not only are immigrants subjected to
inhumane periods of detention, they are kept in this state while
knowing there is little hope of a fair trial before their deportation
because immigrants do not have rights to a public attorney.
The Growth of Private Prisons and
Detention Profiteering
“The [Bush] administration expects
that about 27,500 immigrants will be in detention each night, an
increase of 6,700 over the current number in custody. At the average
cost these days of $95 a night, that adds up to an estimated total
annual cost of nearly $1 billion.”
“With all the federal centers now
filled and the federal government not planning to build more, most of
the new money is expected to go to private companies or to county
governments. Even some of the money paid to counties, which currently
hold 57 percent of the immigrants in detention, will end up in the
pockets of the private companies, since they manage a number of the
county jails.” Two of the leading private security firms are the
Corrections Corporation of America and the Geo Group (formerly the
Wackenhut Corrections Corporation).
“Wall Street has taken notice of the
potential growth in the industry. The stock of Corrections Corp. has
climbed to $53.77 from $42.50, an increase of about 27 percent, since
February when President Bush proposed adding to spending on immigrant
detention.” New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/19/business/19detain.html
The growth of private contractors
raises other pertinent concerns. The shift from public to private
will result in lower wages, less job security and lost job
benefits. Of equal concern is the loss of public oversight and
accountability.
Racial Profiling
Amnesty International USA (AIUSA)
defines racial profiling as, “the targeting of individuals and groups
by law enforcement officials, even partially, on the basis of race,
ethnicity, national origin, or religion, except when there is
trustworthy information, relevant to the locality and time frame, that
links persons belonging to one of the aforementioned groups to an
identified criminal incident or scheme.”
US Senator Menendez (D-NJ) has
created legislation to prevent the unlawful detention of U.S. citizens
and permanent residents. He states, “The legitimate desire to get
control over our borders has too often turned into a witch-hunt against
Hispanic Americans and other people of color.”
Racial profiling has created an
environment of fear and isolation in all recent immigrant
communities. The Mexican and Latin American communities have been
the most obvious targets portrayed by the media. All communities,
however, with recent immigrant populations are being significantly
affected.
The Militarization of the U.S./
Mexico Border
Securing the border regions has
continually been escalating with several layers including local and
state police, Border Patrol, private security firms, National Guard and
U.S. Military. The Bush administration has increased the number
of border patrol agents from 9,000 to 15,000, with another 3,000 to be
added by the time Bush leaves office. Funding for border security
initiatives has increased under Bush from $4.8 billion in 2001 to $12.3
billion this year, and plans call for having 670 miles of enhanced
border fence in place by the end of Bush's presidency. (World Politics
Review http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=1735)
Not only does this funnel
significant funds away from much needed social services but it also
impacts the community on a spiritual and psychological level,
regardless of status The increased militarization has
significantly impacted communities along the border where their
presence has become commonplace. The increased militarized
response can also be seen as a growing phenomena spreading to other
parts of the country, including local police acting as Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The vigilante groups such as
the Minutemen or Civilian Homeland Defense who have taken matters into
their own hands adds another layer to this complex border system.
The flow of migrants has not
decreased. The new policies have been ineffective and have simply
succeeded in forcing migrants into the most dangerous and inhumane
stretches of the border where death has become a much more frequent
occurrence. Also, there has been a significant shift from a catch
and release of people who are undocumented to a practice of catch,
detain, and criminalize. This has only increased the number of
people in detention centers and has done nothing to address the
situation.
Border Violence and Death
We have a human rights tragedy on
our hands at the US/Mexico border. Of those that are crossing the
border, the players include organized crime, drug smugglers, human
trafficking, coyotes, and regular people making the journey. With
the increase militarization, coupled with all the players, the border
has become a place of violence and death.
“The official statistics compiled by
the U.S. Border Patrol consistently undercounts the actual number of
deaths in Arizona and elsewhere along the U.S.-Mexico border. But
various academic and government studies estimate that the bodies of
between 2,000 and 3,000 men, women, and children have been found along
the entire southwest border since 1995, including at least 1,000 in the
inhospitable terrain of southern Arizona. Experts, including the U.S.
Government Accountability Office (GAO), now explain this crisis as a
direct consequence of U.S. immigration-control policies instituted in
the mid-1990s.”
People die in the desert from
dehydration, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and other medical
complications. Many migrants are also severely injured or in need
of permanent medical attention, for example, kidney dialysis. In
the areas along the Rio Grande people are found drowned.
To decide to cross in many cases is
a life and death decision with life, and death consequences.
There is a lot at stake and even with all the risks and threats to
one’s life there is still, for some, no other choice for persons or
their families to survive.
Pathway to Citizenship and Economic
Barriers
According to U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services, the naturalization process required to become a
U.S. Citizen costs $675. This amount consists of a $595 fee to file the
naturalization application and another $80 biometrics fee for
photographs, fingerprints, and signatures. This money must be paid in
the form of a check or money order from a U.S. bank; no cash is
accepted. All money is non-refundable, even if the application is
withdrawn or citizenship is not granted. The $675 dollar amount is
really the bare minimum. If you have lost your Permanent Resident Card
or Green Card, which is necessary for the naturalization application
and process, there is an additional fee of $290 to replace the card.
If you are trying to obtain
citizenship for your child, a whole host of other applications that
cost money are required. If an applicant wishes to request premium
processing services, this costs an additional $1,000. If an applicant
wishes to request a hearing on a decision in naturalization
proceedings, the application costs $605. The naturalization process has
a great deal of fine print to read and is quite costly all together.
(U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis)
The increase in cost for filing for
citizenship and visas has only impacted those people who have low
income. There have been instances of runs on banks in immigrant
communities especially following a raid. With the recent and
significant price increase for legal routes to citizenship and the
longer waits to gain access, this will lead to fewer people being
willing and able to follow this route.
To follow the legal route of
entrance and the pathway toward citizenship takes more than money; it
also is significant time consuming and complicated. It is often
taken for granted how difficult it is to navigate this system when
English is not one’s first language. The amount of time which it
takes can vary significantly and differs depending on what is your
country of origin. The process for Visas is limited and by
lottery. The citizenship process is backlogged and can be up to
20 years for some countries.
The Role of Debt
The flow of migrants typically
occurs from poor, highly indebted countries into wealthy countries.
Governments of indebted countries are held to unjust debt payments on
loans made irresponsibly, oftentimes to corrupt former regimes, while
the majority of their population cannot meet their most basic needs.
(13)
"Debt is one factor in the inability
of impoverished country governments to provide an adequate social
safety net and a safe environment. Indebtedness can be seen as part of
a cluster of 'push factors' in immigration."
“Debt cancellation is one measure
that would give impoverished country governments a better chance of
providing basic services, like health care and education. Combined with
new approaches to trade, investment, and aid, it could help many
developing countries reduce the economic pressures that drive
migration.” (Jubilee USA
http://www.jubileeusa.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Resources/Policy_Archive/BorderCrossings.pdf)
References:
(1) Richard Cohen, "Realism,
compassion lacking in immigration
debate," http://www.splcenter.org
(2) “Illegal Immigrants in the US:
How many are there?", Brad
Knickerbocker, Christian Science
Monitor.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0516/p01s02-ussc.htm
(3) "Bush OKs 700-mile border
fence." CNN.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/26/border.fence/
(4) Raul Moreno, April 2, 2007, 8th
Day Center for Justice, Chicago, Illinois
(5) 8th Day Center for Justice
Statement on Free Trade
(6) The New Sanctuary Movement –
Interfaith Worker Justice & Chicago
Metropolitan Sanctuary
Alliance, www.newsanctuarymovement.org
(7)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migration
(8) "A Migrant Summit"
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070730/lovato
(from the first Latin American
Community Summit on Migration (LACSM))
(9) Human Rights Watch,
http://hrw.org/children/refugee.htm
(10) The New Sanctuary Movement
(11) Pope John Paul II
(12) U.S. Catholic Bishops
(13) http://www.jubileeusa.org
(14) "Border Crosssings: Links
Between Immigration, Debt and Trade"
by Sarah Anderson, Institute for
Policy Studies
(15) www.workingrightsgroup.com
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A Response to the
Instruction from the
Vatican
Congregation for Catholic Education - January,
2006
The Staff of the
8th Day Center for Justice -- a center impelled by the belief that all
creation is sacred
and inter-related and imbued with the principles of nonviolence,
mutuality and cooperation -- strongly
objects to the Congregation for Catholic Education’s Instruction
concerning the ordination of “gay”
priests. As a center rooted in a thirty-year history of challenging
systems of oppression, we oppose this
instruction because of its discriminatory nature and false claims.
The instruction, in brief summary, draws a connection between emotional
immaturity and
homosexuality. The instruction states that a person who is homosexual
is “objectively disordered” and
therefore incapable of being able to provide appropriate pastoral care.
In light of this, then, the Church
must deny homosexual men entry into ordination as a way to protect and
preserve the Church
community. It notes in particular that this instruction is made
“more urgent by the present situation.” We
believe the present situation refers to the scandal of the sexual abuse
of children that has unfolded in the
Catholic Church.
The instruction provides no insight into how the Congregation for
Catholic Education came to
understand homosexuality as a sign of emotional immaturity. The
document only references natural law,
the Church’s Tradition, and Scripture, according to the Magisterium’s
narrow interpretation. It also
provides no substantiation of a link between homosexual orientation and
a propensity for sexually
abusing children. In fact, the disciplines of biology, psychology, and
anthropology do not support the
claim that homosexuality is disordered or leads to sexual abuse of
children.
This instruction flows from a worldview that names heterosexuality as
normative, and it broadens the
centuries old discriminatory practice barring women from ordination.
Our sisters and brothers who are
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender live each day in a society and
culture that judges their sexuality,
rejects their family units and denies them access to basic civil
liberties. This instruction furthers this
climate of prejudice and oppression and it attempts to justify
discrimination with moral language.
We
reject an understanding of
Tradition, Scripture and Church that harms or discriminates against any
individual person or group. We reject a worldview wherein
heterosexuality is normative and
homosexuality is “objectively disordered” and therefore excluded from
the rich diversity of human
experience and love. We reject the false connection between sexual
orientation and sexual abuse. And
we reject the use of our homosexual brothers as scapegoats in the
sexual abuse crisis. Further, we
reject an understanding of community which permits a powerful elite to
name “norms” that are divisive
and exclusionary.
We
believe that “placing the
onus on those who love to defend their love, is an odd and unjust demand
in a religious tradition that teaches love as its highest value,” as
Mary Hunt says. We believe that all
members of the Church should have equal access to Sacraments regardless
of gender or sexual
orientation. We believe, as a staff that is rooted in Christian faith
principles especially those of inclusivity
and nonviolence, that we are called to stand in solidarity with those
who are oppressed and
marginalized - in this case our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
sisters and brothers. Finally, as
stated in the “Catechism of the Catholic Church,” in regard to
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
individuals, we believe that “they must be accepted with respect,
compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign
of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” (Par. 2358)
THEREFORE
–
WE
CALL for a community where
“all are welcomed, where the
gifts of all are recognized and
received, and where the rights of all are defended and promoted” as
said Rev. Paul Sherry, former
head of the United Church of Christ.
WE
CALL for a worldview that
embraces the complexity of the human person and celebrates that
diversity rather than creating false and prejudiced norms.
WE
CALL for an examination of
heterosexism as a force in our culture that builds and sustains systems
of discrimination against persons of different sexual orientations.
WE
CALL for an understanding
of Tradition, Scripture, Church and a cosmology that honors and
enacts a call to justice where we challenge oppression, instead of
enacting oppression against anyone,
especially our own members.
WE
CALL for true
accountability in regard to the sex abuse scandal. We call the
institutional Church to address the power disparities between leaders
and lay people in the Church and
acknowledge the need for a new
understanding of relationships that are rooted in ideals of mutuality
and equality.
ACTIONS
1. Add your name to this statement by sending an email to 8thday@claret.org
Click here
to see a list of the
current cosigners.
2. Share this statement with the leadership of your local church
(Bishop, pastor, etc.) and other
concerned persons.
3. Send it to your local media and encourage them to do a piece on the
statement. They may contact
8th Day Center for comments at 312-641-5151.
4. Reflect upon this statement as it applies to your own life and
relationships.
SOURCES
“Eradicating the Sin of Heterosexism” by Mary E. Hunt August 2005 –
Chapter of a forthcoming book
“Now, No Condemnation-A Pastoral Letter to the United Church of Christ”
by Rev. Paul H. Sherry,
Former President of the United Church of Christ (November 1998)
“Catechism of the Catholic Church”, Ligouri Publications, 1994 Pg. 566
CURRENT
COSIGNERS
CENTER STAFF
Bob Bossie, SCJ
Michael Corlew, representing CMF
Stephanie Dernek, representating SVD
Liz Deligio, representing, FSPA
Kathleen Desautels, SP
Gwen Farry, BVM
Mary kay Flanigan, OSF
John Gonzalez, representing CP
Christy Lytle, CSA
Cesar Macias
Dorothy Pagosa, SSJ-TOSF
OTHER
COSIGNERS (list in formation)
Mary Ann Krems,
Margaret Kasper, BVM
Sr. Marie L. Corr, BVM
Kathleen M. Carr, BVM
Patricia Peach (BVM)
Diane Rapozo, BVM
Anne Buckley
Mary Francis Leahy, BVM
Mary Alma Sullivan
Marie Lorentzen, bvm
Mary A. Maas
Joann Quinkert, SP
Mary Lou Ruck, S.P.
Sister Jean Patrice Keenon,S.P.
Regina Gallo, SP
Terri Grasso, SP
Ann Sullivan, SP
Sister Maureen O'Brien, BVM
Brigid Mary Hart, BVM
Nancy McCarthy,BVM
Carmelina Meyers, BVM
Betty Voss, BVM
Carol Cook, BVM
Rita Clare Gerardot, SP
Father Bernard E. Sheffield, OSJB
Sr. Jeanne Conzemius, SSJ-TOSF
Sr. Katherind Wyszynski, SSJ-TOSF
Sr. Valerie Kulbacki, SSJ-TOSF
Donna Butler, SP
Dorothy Gartland, SP
Institute of BVM Provincial Leadership Council
IBVM Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee
Arlene Ashack, IBVM
The Congregation Peace with Justice Committee
of the Sisters of Providence, SMW, Indiana
Carole Kimes, SP
Ann Sullivan, SP
General Council of the Sisters of Providence,
St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
FREE
TRADE STATEMENT
The 8th Day Center for Justice strongly opposes the
current method of
corporate controlled Globalization specifically used in trade
agreements modeled after the 1994 NAFTA (North American
Free Trade Agreement). The following statement first outlines the
principles that we believe need to be the
basis from which free trade agreements should be guided, followed by a
condensed criticism of this model of trade
agreements. We conclude this statement with benchmarks, which we
see as minimal realistic measures that we will be
looking for trade agreements to meet in the near future.
We
affirm the following principles as fundamental for any
international trade agreement. These principles come out of numerous
sources of wisdom including Catholic Social
teachings. We affirm these basic principles:
- Human
Dignity and Integrity of All Creation
- Preferential
Option for the Poor
- Sustainability
- Oversight
of civil society
- Transparency
and Accountability
- Subsidiary
of local communities and governments
We
do not agree with the current free trade model for
several
reasons.
The foundational theories1 of NAFTA
(North American Free
Trade Agreement) and other free trade agreements are based upon
assumptions that do not take into consideration the complex
reality of international trade.2 The theories fail to
acknowledge the reality of free-flowing capital between states
or states with varying levels of infrastructure and technology such as
Mexico and United States. The assumptions made
by these theories apply only in highly hypothetical cases and have not
accurately predicted the effects of
NAFTA or CAFTA (Central American Free rade Agreement).
Economists use the total gain to a nation’s economy
(usually expressed
as gross domestic product) as the measure of success, but most of the
gains occur only to the wealthiest citizens
of the population.3 While the people who are poor, on
all sides of these agreements suffer greatly, there is no
mechanism to advocate for them or to allow them to advocate for
themselves. NAFTA style trade agreements further
marginalize the fringes of society by promoting unsustainable economies.4
In the US, NAFTA has caused
unemployment or underemployment which contributes to the growing prison
populations. In Mexico inequality is growing
by the year. The richest 10% of the Mexican population now earns 35.6%
of the countries income, while the
poorest 10% earn only 1.6% of the income.5 Of the
population of Mexico 40% are below the poverty line.6 Faced
with heavily subsidized food imports Mexican campesino farmers can no
longer sustain their livelihood, which has
lead to several uprisings in southern Mexico, including the Zapatistas.
The workers of all countries involved in free trade
suffer.
Multinational corporations often use threats of relocation as
bargaining chips against organized labor and laws that promote a
good standard of living for workers.7 The NAFTA trade
adjustment assistance (NAFTA-TAA) program, which offered
aid to U.S. workers whose jobs were relocated specifically due to
NAFTA, calculated 525,094 jobs relocated
from the United States between 1994-2002.8 This free
flow of capital, in the forms of the corporate entity and
foreign investment, puts downward pressure on labor wages, health
standards, environmental protections, and worker
rights. As an example in Mexico while manufacturing exports did
increase the average wage of Mexican
manufacturing workers declined from $5 per day in 1994 to $4 per day in
2004.9 This is what is commonly known
as the ‘race to the bottom’, a rush to the areas with the lowest
standards in order to make the largest profits.
Beyond the basic economic flaws with trade
agreements like NAFTA we are
also concerned with the Investor to State Dispute mechanisms that are
part of these trade agreements.
Chapter 11 of NAFTA gave rise to secret tribunals that allow investors
and corporations to sue nations for laws that
regulates corporate action.10 This anti-democratic mechanism
furthers the race to the bottom by allowing corporations to
financially press a participating nation to alter its environmental and
social laws using the argument that these
regulations hinder the corporations’ ability to maximize any potential
profit. Many of these cases are directed against
local or state laws with the process excluding local authorities such
as the attorney general of the State (these
tribunals are held between corporations/investors and the federal
government). This mechanism fully undermines local
democratic authority.
Therefore, 8th Day Center for Justice calls
for the following minimal benchmarks
in present and upcoming U.S. International
Trade Agreements (ITA):
1. Human
Rights – ITA shall pledge to uphold the rights of
the
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, Geneva
Conventions and all other applicable human rights standards. In the
American continents
ITA shall also
pledge to uphold the American convention on Human Rights
with
development of a tribunal to resolve disputes
with regard to the violation of these rights.
2. Labor
Standards (Principles and Mechanisms) – ITA shall
comply
with the 1998 ILO
(International Labor
Organization) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work,
with
inclusion of eight
core ILO conventions.11 ITA shall also delegate to the ILO
monitoring
authority in
addition to other
independent monitoring
that will occur in consultation with civil society regarding
these
principles.12
3.
Community
Consultative Process – ITA shall engage in a
transparent negotiated process
that involves the local citizens and civil society
organization. This would include providing for full
access to information and intergovernmental negotiations
as well as opportunities for local
governmental and NGO input. Furthermore ITA shall affirm
local indigenous and marginalized
communities to full autonomy over local decisions.
4. Investors
- State Dispute Mechanism – ITA shall
not have
these
types of mechanisms
that allow
corporations to directly demand that a state alter its own laws based
on “potential
profits losses.”
5.
Equal Market
Access Strategies – ITA shall take into
consideration the market
inequalities that
exist between
developed and undeveloped nations in so doing plan a constructive
strategy for using
tariffs and standards
that would lead to the development of the industrial,
technological and
infrastructure of undeveloped nations. This should be reflected by the
developed
nations
ending subsidies and lowering or eliminating tariffs from the start of
the trade agreement.
6.
Protection of
those who are
Marginalized - Under no circumstances should the
trade
agreement facilitate or
encourage the displacement of, or deprivation of property or rights
of
those who are poor and/or marginalized.
7.
Economic
Sustainability - Economic instability
and market
fluctuations are unavoidable
side effects of free
trade agreements. Therefore, we insist that participating
governments prepare
for the instability
by strengthening social programs such as welfare, job
training, healthcare,
unemployment
protection, and universal education. This may be paid for
in part by tariffs on the
flow
of capital across national borders.
8.
Environmental
Protections - The local community, in
coalition with the international
environmentalist
community, should have the first and final say over
all aspects of the economy
that have the
potential to negatively impact the biodiversity and
sustainability of the environment.
This oversight would
extend to infrastructure projects such as dams and
airports. Additional taxes
on foreign
corporations and investment capital should be levied to
support environmental law
enforcement and
initiatives.
ACTIONS
1. Share this statement with your family, friends,
coworkers and your
faith community via email.
2. Send a copy to your Senators and Representative and ask them how
them how they will employ the Benchmarks in upcoming International
Trade Agreements. For contact info, go to http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/
3. Send a copy to your local newspaper or church newspaper with a
request that they provide some coverage of the statement.
Endnotes
1. Heckscher Ohlin (HO) Theory is the basis for
NAFTA. It is a
improvement on the Theory of Comparative Advantage.
2. HO Theory only takes into account only two countries, two factors of
production , and two products being traded.
3. Based on the World Bank’s GINI index, which measures disparity in
the distribution of wealth, as well as the UN Development Program’s
figures with the UN Human Development Index. In
the US, The richest 1% owns more than the bottom 95%. A typical US CEO
earns 419 times the average employee. The
richest 5% of American households own more than 60% of the nation’s
household wealth. Between 1973 and 1997, the
average annual incomes of the poorest 20% of families actually fell by
5%, while the average income of the richest
20% of families grew by 41% . The incomes of the richest 5% of families
grew by 64%. Statistics current in 2000, taken
from US Census figures and Congressman Bernard Sanders report “Working
Families in the Global Economy.”
4. In Mexico Between 1993 and 1995 the number of unemployed workers had
doubled to 1.7 million. Between 1994 and 1996 real hourly Mexican wages
had fallen by 27 %, and stood at
37 % less than 1980 levels. During the first three years of
NAFTA, the citizens classed as "extremely poor" had
risen from 32 % to 51 %.
5. 2002 estimate from CIA World Fact Book.
6. 2003 estimate from CIA World Fact Book.
7. In Mexico union membership fell from 30% in 1980 to 20% in 2000.-
NACLA vol 39 no 1 pg 18
8. A regularly updated, searchable database of NAFTA-TAA and TAA
certifications is maintained by Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch at http://www.citizen.org/trade/nafta/
9. Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, “The Mexican Economy,
Agriculture and Environment” Public Citizen’s
NAFTA at Ten Series, http://www.citizen.org/trade/nafta/.
Also the
North American Congress on Latin America reports that Mexican workers’
wages fell by 50% between 1980-2000.
NACLA vol 39 no 1 pg 18.
10. Ibid., “Undermining Sovereignty and Democracy”
11. ILO conventions (29, 87, 100, 105, 111, 138, and 182)
12. ILO convention (169)
A CATHOLIC VOICE ON THE INVASION AND OCCUPATION OF
IRAQ
by the staff of the 8th
Day
Center for Justice - May, 2005
INTRODUCTION:
We address ourselves
to the US Catholic Community and all people of good will. As a Catholic
social justice organization working for systemic change, 8th Day Center
for Justice proclaims
and promotes the fundamental Gospel values of nonviolence, the
dignity of each person, the common good
and the integrity of creation. In this spirit, we
denounce the
unprovoked US-led invasion of Iraq in
March 2003, the ongoing occupation -- including torture and all other
human rights violations, and all US efforts to control Iraq’s economy,
security and political life.
RATIONALE FOR 8th DAY’S
POSITION: The whole
Catholic voice has not been heard. We appreciate the Vatican position
before the invasion. Prior to March 2003, the Vatican – along with the
US Conference of Catholic Bishops as well as the leaders of most
major religious denominations -- declared that the pending attack
failed “just war” criteria.1 Despite its declaration, the
Vatican failed to use its moral authority to guide military personnel
away from participation in this war. Furthermore, once the attack began
the Vatican supported the US occupation as a necessary force for
stabilizing the country.2 8th Day Center adds its voice to
those who disagree with this position.
8th Day’s position is that
the
invasion was immoral and illegal
• the reasons for the invasion
were
inaccurate and manipulated the public trust3
• the US did not have a “just cause”
because it was under no imminent threat3
• all reasonable diplomatic options had
not been exhausted3
• the invasion would set a precedent
for preventive strikes4
• the invasion violated several
articles of international law5
8th Day’s position is that
the
occupation is an extension of this immoral invasion
• the number of deaths and
injuries of
combatants and civilians are incomprehensible6
• the US is training local death squads
(Salvadoran Option) akin to the dirty wars it conducted in
Central America in the
1980s7
• prisoners are designated “enemy
combatants”, without recourse to international standards or due
process8
• torture has become a normal part of
the occupation9
• the US employs the policy of
“Rendition”, that is, sending prisoners to other countries for the
purpose of torture.9
• Iraq’s infrastructure has been
devastated10
• Iraq’s antiquities, treasures of the
human community, and culture have been destroyed11
• the use of Depleted Uranium munitions
has turned Iraq into a radioactive “hot zone”12
• the US plans to maintain indefinite
military, economic and administrative authority over Iraq13
• Iraqis voted for "a timetable for the
withdrawal of the multinational forces from Iraq"14
• US military personnel have been
placed in the untenable moral position of killing or being killed15
• the US “back door” draft -- a
unilateral extension of military enlistments -- prolongs this untenable
moral position16
• resistance fighters target everyone
aligned with the occupation forces17
• vast numbers of civilian and military
personnel are suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD)18
• many nations now seek nuclear weapons
as a deterrence to a “preventive” attack and occupation
by the US19
• astronomical military spending steals
from people who are made poor through cuts in social
programs.20
CALL:
In
recognition of the priority of self determination of the Iraqi people,
and in light of the immorality of the invasion and occupation, we call
for . . .
1. the
immediate, planned withdrawal of all US troops, and the cessation of
any plans for
permanent US military installations in Iraq and the
control
of the Iraqi economy;
the
international community to offer
assistance to the people of Iraq in building a system of
public order which ensures both the protection
of human rights and safeguards against
indigenous and/or foreign entities
destabilizing Iraq to control
its oil resources.
2.
all
occupying military personnel to reconsider their involvement in this
immoral undertaking
and refuse to participate any further;
the Catholic
community -- in light of
the social, economic and legal risks incurred by such a
decision -- to support those who are reconsidering
their
involvement, or who refuse to
participate, by offering the following services:
personal counseling,
guidance in seeking
Conscientious Objector status, sanctuary from prosecution,
free legal advice,
financial
aid, and even heralding their moral fortitude.
3.
the
Catholic community to demand US restitution for all the harm done to
the Iraqi people,
their institutions and the land. Restorative Justice
demands nothing less.
CLOSING:
In the spirit of the Gospel command to treat all
persons as our sisters
and brothers and to
show respect for all creation, the staff of the 8th Day Center for
Justice denounces, once again, the
unprovoked US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the ongoing
occupation -- including torture and all
other human rights violations, and all US efforts to control Iraq’s
economy, security and political life. We
invite you to join your voice to our call.
ACTION
1. Share this statement with your family, friends,
coworkers and your
faith community via email. Or, print and distribute a copy with a
photo, from www.8thdaycenter.org/aboutus/statements.html
2. Send a copy to your local bishop and ask them how they are going to
respond to the Call.
3. Send a copy to your local newspaper or church newspaper with a
request that they provide some coverage of the statement.
Endnotes
1. Statement of Cardinal Pio Laghi, Special Envoy of
John Paul II to
President George Bush,
Washington D.C., United States of America, Wednesday, 5 March 2003,
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2003/03-051.shtml;
Iraq War 'Unjustifiable', Says Bush's Church Head, Ed Vulliamy, The
Observer (UK),
Sunday, 20 October, 2002, http://www.observer.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12239,815693,00.html;
Letter to
President Bush on Iraq, September 12, 2002, Churches for Middle East
Peace,
http://www.cmep.org/letters/2002Sep12_BushReIraq.htm
2. Pope Tells Bush Situation in Iraq Must Be "Normalized" Agence France
Presse, June 4, 2004,
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0604-03.htm
; Irresponsible to pull out of Iraq now, Vatican
official warns, Vatican, May. 27, 2004, http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=29836
3. The secret Downing Street memo, The Sunday Times - Britain, May 1,
2005,
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1593607,00.html
; The Secret Way to War, The New York
Review of Books, 6/9/05, http://www.nybooks.com/articles/18034
;Wolfowitz comments revive doubts
over Iraq's WMD, USA Today, 5/30/03,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-05-30-wolfowitz-iraq_x.htm
4. India Mulls 'Pre-Emptive' Pakistan Strike, Cites U.S. Iraq War
Precedent, AFP, 04/11/03,
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article2867.htm
5. The United Nations, International Law, and the War in Iraq, World
Press Review online,
http://www.worldpress.org/specials/iraq/
; Iraq war illegal, says Annan, BBC, Sept. 16, 2004,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3661134.stm
6. Study puts Iraqi toll at 100,000, CNN.com, October 29, 2004,
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/29/iraq.deaths/
; Iraq Body Count,
http://www.iraqbodycount.net/
; U.S. deaths in Iraq surpass 1,600, CNN.com, May 8, 2005,
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/05/08/iraq.main/;
Casualties of the conflict in Iraq since 2003,
from Wikipedia the free encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_and_occupation_of_Iraq_casualties#Iraqi_military_casualties
7. The Salvador Option, Newsweek, Jan. 14, 2005,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6802629/site/newsweek/
8. ‘Enemy combatant’ added to DOD doctrine, United Press International,
4/08/05,
http://washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050408-043247-5208r.htm;
Bring Justice to Thousands Still
Illegally Detained in Iraq, Amnesty International, 7/17/04, Women’s
International League for Peace and
Freedom, http://www.peacewomen.org/news/Iraq/July04/justice.html
9. Getting Away with Torture? Command Responsibility for the U.S. Abuse
of Detainees, Human Rights
Watch, April 24, 05, http://www.hrw.org/reports/2005/us0405/
10. Health fears grow in polluted Iraq, BBC News, 7/24/04,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3922055.stm;
U.S. Blames Own Contracting Rules for Iraq
Reconstruction Failures, The New Standard, 4/15/05,
http://newstandardnews.net/content/?action=show_item&itemid=1691
; Allied Air War Struck Broadly in
Iraq; Officials Acknowledge Strategy Went Beyond Purely Military
Targets, The Washington Post, June
23, 1991, http://www.scn.org/ccpi/WashPostWarDamage23Jun91.html
; Oil ministry an untouched
building in ravaged Baghdad, AFP, April 16 2003,
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/04/16/1050172643895.html
11. The 2003- Iraq War & Archaeology, University of Vienna,
Austria, 5/23/05,
http://iwa.univie.ac.at/index.html;
12. Poison Dust: a new look at U.S. radioactive weapons, DVD,
International Action Center, NY, NY,
2005, http://www.iacenter.org/poison-dust.htm;
Remains of toxic bullets litter Iraq, Christian Science
Monitor, 5/13/03, http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0515/p01s02-woiq.html
13. Iraq Elections I, 8th Day Center for Justice Bulletins, 1/28/05,
http://www.8thdaycenter.org/resources/bulletins/05_0128.html
14. Getting the Purple Finger, The Nation, 2/11/05,
http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050228&s=klein;
Survey Finds Deep Divisions in Iraq; Sunni
Arabs Overwhelmingly Reject Sunday Elections; Majority of Sunnis,
Shiites Favor U.S. Withdrawal, New
Abu Dhabi TV/Zogby Poll Reveals, Jan 28, 05, Zogby International,
Utica, NY, http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=957
15. Lenten Reflection I: Regaining my humanity, 8th Day Center for
Justice Bulletins, 3/11/05,
http://www.8thdaycenter.org/resources/bulletins/05_0311_Lenten_Reflection_II.html
16. California case could shed light on 'back-door' draft, USA Today,
8/23/04,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/2004-08-23-wickham_x.htm;
Beating the Back Door
Draft, Austin Chronicle.com, 8/8/04,
http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2004-10-08/pols_naked9.html
17. Iraqi Shiites march for ouster of U.S., Colin McMahon, Chicago
Tribune, 4/10/05,
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0504100402apr10,1,6578831.story?coll=chi-newsna
tionworld-utl ; Unembedded in Iraq, Newtopia Magazine and
Alternet, 12/6/04
http://www.gp.org/articles/shaw_2004_12_06.html
18. Trauma of Iraq war haunting thousands returning home, USA TODAY,
2/28/05,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-02-28-cover-iraq-injuries_x.htm
;
19. U.S. doubts North Korean claims, Richard Roth, CNN.com,world,
10/2/03,
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/10/01/nkorea.nukes/
20. Cost of the war in Iraq, http://www.awitness.org/journal/cost_iraq_war.html;
a Failed "Transition":
The Mounting Costs of the Iraq War, http://www.ips-dc.org/iraq/failedtransition/index.htm
STATEMENT ON THE
ATTACKS AGAINST THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND PENTAGON
September 12,
2001
8th Day Center for Justice
deplores the
violent loss of lives in
Pennsylvania, New York City, and Washington D.C. from yesterday’s
tragic events. We express our heartfelt sadness for all the victims and
prayerful support to their families and friends.
We recognize that such an act of
terrorism is a result
of systemic violence. The economic and military policies of the U.S.
have resulted in untold poverty and deaths globally, which causes many
to view the U.S. as a perpetrator of such violence.
We believe that an escalation of
violence as proposed by
U.S. leaders will only perpetuate the cycle of violence.
Therefore, we call U.S.
political,
religious, and civil
leaders to respond with
• reconciliation based on
social justice rather than revenge
• open dialogue rather than
inflammatory rhetoric
• peaceful nonviolent
alternatives rather than plans for war
• respect for all peoples
rather than stereotypes and blame
• restraint rather than
retaliation
• examining the impact of
U.S. policies on the global community rather than proclaiming innocence
As we continue to mourn the many
lives
lost we plead for
a world of nonviolence rather than one of fear and terror.
8TH DAY
STATEMENT RE CHURCH SEXUAL ABUSE CONTROVERSY
Following three lengthy meetings
over a
three week
period, 8th Day Center staff reached consensus on the following
statement on the sexual abuse controversy within the Roman Catholic
Church. This statement will be sent to all US bishops, the media
and the general public.
A Call for Transformation - May
17, 2002
The 8th Day Center for Justice
Staff
wants to express
our sorrow, our grief and extend our prayers of healing for the victims
sexually molested by priests. We call for the transformation of a
structure, which has not only allowed such evil to exist, but to
thrive.
Over the past two years, the
hierarchy
of the Roman
Catholic Church has been faced with two major scandals involving misuse
of power over another person. The first to come to light was the rape
of nuns and other women by priests throughout the world. Some were used
as concubines to avoid the HIV virus. Some were threatened with loss of
privileges or even necessities if they did not submit to the wants of
the priest. The second, and most recent scandal, is the sexual abuse
and rape of children by those in positions of authority and trust -
their priests.
We condemn not only the abuse of
power
by individual
priests, but the scandalous cover-up and obstruction of justice by
Church officials. These acts contradict the most basic principles of
the Gospel teachings on love, mercy, and justice.
It is out of this context and the
continued abuse of
power over centuries by the Church hierarchical system, that we join
the collective voices of Catholics throughout the world and call for
transformation. Such transformation has been long overdue. Lack of
transparency in decision-making and disrespect for non-clerics
especially women, allows
sexual abuse to thrive.
Recent actions by the Cardinals
in Rome
prove the urgent
need to begin the process of transformation. The "Final Communique"
from the April 23-24 meeting between the Vatican and U.S. Cardinals
includes threats to "reprimand individuals who spread dissent _" Such
threats seek to squelch voices calling for transformation and allow for
continued scapegoating and minimizing of culpability. True
transformation can only come from those who exercise their prophetic
role to the call of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit.
New policies to restrict
homosexuals
from entering the
priesthood will not address the issues of sexual abuse. Such abuse of
minors is not inherent among homosexuals; both homosexual and
heterosexual men are capable of committing such crimes. According to
Sr. Kathleen Pruitt, president of the Leadership Conference of Women
Religious "Homosexuality is not the issue. Celibacy is not the issue.
The issue is whether we will address the need in the church for an
integrated holistic theology of human sexuality and start discussing
how you foster healthy relationships." Similarly, shared responsibility
and power by women in decision making positions can provide a balance
to the male patriarchal thoughts and policies expressed by the Church
hierarchy.
We, staff of the 8th Day Center
for
Justice, are not
experts in the area of pedophilia and sexual abuse. We have done work
for 27 years on issues of systemic change. Psychiatrists, lawyers, and
other experts on pedophilia are advising the Church on how to deal with
the current scandal. Good ideas may come from the Bishops' meeting in
June. However, we see
this as a measure to merely deal with the current scandal. It does not
deal with the overall problems, which have not only allowed sexual
abuse and the rape of children, but of nuns and other women as well. We
do not want to wait until the next scandal erupts to deal with
transformation issues.
We ask the institutional church
to
develop a process to
address the following topics on transforming the church structure:
- A church structure that
shares its
responsibility and
power among the laity, the clerics, and the congregations of religious
life, thus providing an atmosphere that allows each to develop and
exercise their own spiritual gifts in the Church and in our world.
- The role and participation of women
in decision
making positions of the Catholic Church including the priesthood.
- The need in the church for an
integrated holistic
theology of human sexuality and how to foster healthy relationships.
- The opening of the priesthood to
married persons and
laity.
We ask all the faithful to commit
to
prayer and action
to help usher in a new movement of the Spirit. Let us all pray for the
victims, abuser priests and those involved in the cover-up of these
activities. We pray that the grace and wisdom of God will see us all
through this difficult time yet monumental opportunity for
transformation.
ACTIONS
1. Share this statement with others,
especially family and
friends, and be willing to engage in conversation with them about this
issue.
2. Call or write you own bishop, urging them to raise issues of
church transformation at the annual meeting of the US Catholic Bishops
in Dallas TX on June 13, 2002. To find their phone, address and
email, go to http://www.USCCB.org
3. Encourage those discouraged persons within the church to
consider this as a moment of great opportunity for transformation, a
work of the Spirit among us.
4. Write a letter to the editor about the issue of church
transformation
5. Attend the Call to Action events in Dallas during the bishops
meeting. For more info visit http://www.cta-usa.org/responses/dallas.html
»Back
to top
STATEMENT
ON PROSECUTION OF FORMER HIGH OFFICIALS
We urge Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a
non-partisan independent Special Counsel to
immediately commence a prosecutorial investigation into the most
serious alleged crimes of
former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Richard B.
Cheney, the attorneys
formerly employed by the Department of Justice whose memos sought to
justify torture, and
other former top officials of the Bush Administration.
Our laws, and treaties that under Article VI of our Constitution are
the supreme law of the land,
require the prosecution of crimes that strong evidence suggests these
individuals have committed.
Both the former president and the former vice president have confessed
to authorizing a torture
procedure that is illegal under our law and treaty obligations. The
former president has confessed
to violating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
We see no need for these prosecutions to be extraordinarily lengthy or
costly, and no need to wait
for the recommendations of a panel or “truth” commission when
substantial evidence of the
crimes is already in the public domain. We believe the most effective
investigation can be
conducted by a prosecutor, and we believe such an investigation should
begin immediately.
Signed By over 150 individuals and organization: (for the full list,
visit
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/prosecutorstatement
)
ACTION
Please add your name and / or the name of your organization to the
above Statement on Prosecution of
Former High Officials at http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/prosecutorstatement
»Back
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Global Call For
Nonviolent Civil Resistance to End the U.S.-Led
Military Occupation of Iraq
Contact: dm@aglobalcall.org
Global Call to Action Voluntown, CT, USA http://www.aglobalcall.org/
From: (Please see end of this message for the full list of signers and
their identification)
* Nobel Peace and Literature Laureates
* Cindy Sheehan and other peace and human-rights
activists
* Religious leaders of various traditions
* Prisoners of conscience
* Former government ministers
* Poets, authors, journalists
We, the undersigned, invite peace-makers throughout the world to
participate in an international
campaign of massive, nonviolent civil resistance to stop the U.S.-led
occupation of Iraq. These
actions could be organized to include both non-violent civil resistance
and legal demonstrations.
The killing of tens of thousands of civilians, the wounding of perhaps
100,000 or more people, the torture and murder of prisoners in U.S.
custody—these and other realities of the occupation are evidence of the
massive state terrorism being perpetrated against the people of Iraq.
At the same time, we mourn the deaths of over 2,300 soldiers of the
“coalition forces,” while we denounce the lies (weapons of mass
destruction, ties between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda) proclaimed in an
effort to justify the invasion.
First Date of International Actions: Monday, March 19–20, 2006, the
third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The subsequent days of
action are specified below.
THE
ACTIONS
Some would participate in legal demonstrations while others would stage
sit-ins, die-ins, and other nonviolent methods of blocking “business as
usual” at government buildings or installations (including military
bases and recruiting centers) or at corporate offices of war profiteers
in the U.S., Great Britain, and other countries which are taking part
in the deadly and unjust military occupation of Iraq. For these
governments, “business as usual” is the business of violence, death,
and exploitation. It must be blocked and stopped by responsible
citizens.
Peace-makers in countries whose governments are not at war in Iraq
could consider U.S. or British embassies, consulates, military bases,
or appropriate corporate offices as sites for legal demonstrations and
nonviolent civil resistance.
Examples
of Possible Actions
A group could sit down in the entrance of a U.S. or British government
installation in any country, refusing to leave when the U.S. Marines or
other security agents order them to disperse. They could insist on
having a meeting with the ambassador or the officer in charge of the
military base, or they could wait for a clear statement from
Washington, D.C., or from London of the date when all their soldiers
will be withdrawn from Iraq.
If those doing civil resistance are not able to enter U.S. or British
property, they could sit down on the street or sidewalk in front of the
building or base, or they could lie down in a “die-in” representing the
victims of the war. In any case those involved in civil resistance
might be carried out of the building or away from the entrance and
arrested by the police.
We invite people to think of other creative forms of civil resistance
and to share these ideas with us so
that we can pass them along to others. (For instance, people in the
U.S. might consider the local offices
of their U.S. Senators and Representatives among the potential sites
for non-violent action.)
All of this could happen in the presence of the mass media and in
conjunction with a large legal
demonstration very close to the same site.
The impact of these actions on public opinion, the mass media, and
governments would come from their
sheer quantity and geographical diversity, on the same day, as well as
from the clarity of their message
and the disciplined nonviolence of the tactics. As this invitation
spreads through the internet and other
media, we expect that hundreds of actions could be held in scores of
countries around the world, all with
the same purpose—to demand an end to the violent military occupation of
Iraq.
A Sustained, Growing Campaign
The second International Day of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End
the military occupation of Iraq
will be May 1, May Day, the International Day of the Worker—an occasion
for massive demonstrations
in all countries where working class struggle is celebrated and kept
alive. The impact of the war on the
poor and working class of the world could be emphasized.
The third International Day of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the
Military Occupation of Iraq
will be August 9, 2006, the 61st anniversary of the U.S. nuclear
bombing of Nagasaki, Japan—to
demand an end to U.S. proliferation of nuclear weapons of mass
destruction and an end to the U.S. state
terrrorism in Iraq.
The fourth International Day of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End
the Military Occupation of Iraq
will be Sept. 11, 2006, the 5th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist
attack on the U.S.—to commemorate and
deplore that horrible act of violence and to denounce the terrorist
violence which the U.S. government is
inflicting on Iraq under the false pretense of the “war on terrorism.”
If necessary, we will continue with the International Days of
Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the
Military Occupation of Iraq. The fifth could be on Dec. 10, 2006,
International Human Rights Day. (The
Day itself, Dec. 10, falls on a Sunday, which would be appropriate for
legal demonstrations. Groups
doing civil resistance or civil disobedience actions at government
installations may choose Monday,
Dec. 11, when these offices will be open. This is similar to the
situation of March 19–20.)
Path
to Action
If you are interested in discussing this proposal with us, please
contact dm@aglobalcall.org (It is
possible that by making this initial contact you may be putting
yourself in some legal jeopardy).
If you express interest in implementing this proposal, our Coordinating
Committee could put you in
touch with others from your country, region, or city who have also
expressed interest to explore
possibilities for collaboration.
We would be willing to support the local grass roots organizing efforts
according to the needs of the
individuals and groups in these areas. Contact us if you would like any
guidance or assistance. As we
develop our contact list, we will send out update information and other
information to assist you and
your group in the planning of your actions.
The Number One message of every action would be: End the military
occupation of Iraq. This emphasis
must be clear if the many actions in many places are to have a profound
impact on the public and
governments. Local or national organizers may wish to present one or
two related issues or demands,
with the main focus staying on ending the military occupation of Iraq.
Our Coordinating Committee will send out a brief sample statement which
could be used with each
action. Groups are free to express their demands and motivations in
religious language or not, as they see
fit.
Spreading
the Word
We ask individuals, groups, and organizations around the globe to
endorse this Call and to send it out to
their mailing lists and to the media. Groups which are not committed to
participating in the actions of
civil resistance could simply transmit our Call.
We hope that this global call will be a part of a sustained grassroots
campaign to end the violent
occupation of Iraq. Through our Coordinating Committee, we would be
happy to support grassroots
efforts to this end and to work with others in organizing nonviolent
civil resistance around the world.
Some persons and organizations may choose to organize legal
demonstrations (without any component
of civil resistance) on the days we have proposed. We would request
that they inform us of the legal
demonstration they are planning, and that they inform their local
media. We will also inform
international media about the actions planned.
As for those who are planning civil resistance in their locality, if
you are proposing this publicly prior to
your action, please inform your local or national media and please let
us know so that we can inform the
international media.
If you are not making this public before your action, please inform us
as soon as the action takes place so
that we can report it as one of many actions in various parts of the
world.
Thanks for your kind consideration of this proposal.
Sincerely,
(Signers are from 16 countries. In some cases organizational
affiliations are for personal identification
purposes only.) Gary Ashbeck,
Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Jonah House, Father
Daniel Berrigan, S.J., New York, New York, USA, Catholic priest,
author, lecturer, peace activist, Father
Bob Bossie, S.C.J., Chicago, Illinois, USA, cofounder of Voices in the
Wilderness and a staff member at the 8th Day Center for Justice, Father Roy Bourgeois, M.M.,
Columbus, Georgia, USA, Catholic priest; founder, School of the
Americas Watch, Father Ernesto
Cardenal, Managua, Nicaragua, Catholic priest; poet, sculptor,
former Minist |
