Rick Steves’ Program on Immigration

Rick Steves, the well know travel writer and PBS personality, has developed a public television special about hunger, hope and the impact of smart development aid in the Global South. He is introducing the program at Town Hall in Seattle on Sept. 8. The web link includes more information about the program and a short video that will be live after Sept. 8. This program comes from Rick’s passion for “Travel as a Political Act.” The program shares lessons learned while traveling in Guatemala and Ethiopia.

View Resource

Current Immigration Program/Activities

St. Joe’s is continuing their immigration effort in 2019 & 2020 with a variety of programs and activities:
* Immigration subcommittee – We created a subcommittee of our Faith Justice Commission to support our immigration programs and activities.
* Casa Latina – We formed a partnership with Casa Latina, a local non-profit that supports low income documented and undocumented hispanic immigrants throughout the City of Seattle. Casa Latina will be presenting a public forum at the parish on Immigrant/Refugee/Asylum stories on 9/12.
* Sister Parish Celebration – This year in October, we celebrate 30-years in relationship with San Bartolme, Arcatao, El Salvador. Padre Miguel, the long time pastor will be joining us and on Oct. 23rd will speak about why people are leaving El Salvador for the US and other destinations. St. Joe’s supports a post secondary scholarship program and a sustainable livelihood program. The sustainable livelihood program provides an alternative to outbound emigration.
* KBI Immersion – St. Joe’s is leading a 10 person delegation to the border from 11/9-14/2019.
* Parish Witness/Action – The parish is planning a non-violent demonstration from our campus to the Federal Building in downtown Seattle. We hope to walk around or surround the Federal Building to call attention to the continued separation of immigrant families and the incarceration of immigrant children. We plan to do this in collaboration with other Catholic parishes and faith communities.

View Resource

JustFaith Resources

JustFaith has several new short programs or modules that are especially useful to parish social justice ministries:
* Faith and Racial Equity (Brand New)
* Cultivating Nonviolence, Harvesting Peace
* Exploring Migration: A Faith Journey (Global and National Migration/Immigration
* Hunger for Change (Food Insecurity)
* Just Engagement: The Power to Change (Advocacy)
These are excellent programs running 6-8 weeks that can be facilitated by parishioners. They are best suited for small faith sharing groups of 8-15 people. At St. Joe’s we have done Exploring Migration and plan to offer Faith and Racial Equity this year.

View Resource

Closing Prayers

List of Closing Prayers that might be useful for various social justice gatherings.

View Resource

 

Developing “Public Narratives” to engage others

At Bellarmine Chapel (Cincinnati), JustFaith “graduates” have prepared and shared “Public Narratives” (short talks, PNs can become e.g,. pulpit announcements and “graced history” reflections). Public Narratives are developed by leader-organizers to engage others (see introductory video (0:12:13, link) by Marshall Ganz and attached PN development workshop handouts from the Episcopal Diocese of California).

View Video 

View Resource

Visit a Home with Parish Conf. of St. Vincent de Paul (Retreat pre-homework)

This is part of an assignment for a Dec. 2018 Retreat of parish JustFaith “graduates” in Christian Life Communities. This formation experience is part of our efforts to build a “Culture of Encounter,” so much encouraged by Pope Francis. See online article on a Culture of Encounter (URL below).

View Resource (Culture of Encounter)

View Resource (Homework)

 

 

Parish Mobilization Presentation from St. Ignatius – Portland

Presentation on parish mobilization for social justice (with the example of environmental justice) by St. Ignatius – Portland.

VIEW RESOURCE

Partnerships Presentation from St. Ignatius – Portland

Presentation about St. Ignatius – Portland’s partnership with Portland Clean Energy.

VIEW RESOURCE

Discernment, Capacity Building, and Parish Mobilization

Presentation by Tim Severyn from Bellarmine Chapel.

VIEW PRESENTATION

VIEW HANDOUT

Immigration Vigil Program

This is the program we used in our “Vigil in Solidarity with Detained and Separated Immigrant Families” event that our Peace, Justice & Reconciliation Commission organized. The purpose was to challenge the Trump administration’s family separation policies and stand in solidarity with immigrant families and their basic rights to dignity and family unity.

VIEW RESOURCE