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June 2009
J/P Alert is the newsletter of the Justice and Peace office of CMSM. It is intended to inform and stimulate discussion and involvement among the members. Its contents do not necessarily represent official positions of CMSM.
National Catholic peace organization honors Bishop Leroy Matthiesen with 2009 Teacher of Peace Award
Washington, D.C.—Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement, has recognized the life and witness of Bishop Leroy Matthiesen by naming him the 2009 recipient of the Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Award. Pax Christi USA first gave the award to Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, in 1978 and has since recognized some of the most significant U.S. Catholic activists for peace and justice of the past 30 years, including actor Martin Sheen; poet and priest Daniel Berrigan, SJ; and Dead Man Walking author Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ. Bishop Matthiesen’s life has been defined by his long and consistent advocacy for peace and justice, from his activism as a young priest on issues of racism to his prophetic call for the abolition of nuclear weapons as a bishop with a nuclear weapons assembly facility in his diocese.
“We believe Bishop Matthiesen fulfills the criteria for the Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Award and exemplifies the theme ‘to reach peace, teach peace,’” reads his nomination, submitted under the names of 20 individuals, including seven former Teacher of Peace Award recipients. “It is now time—long overdue—to honor a courageous bishop, who suffered for his conscientious stands for justice and peace.”
Upon being notified that he had been recognized, Bishop Matthiesen recalled his past work to abolish nuclear weapons and the possibility that a new moment may exist to pursue that agenda even further.
“I wandered down memory lane to the 1980s, to 1983, when the U. S. Catholic bishops, I among them, raised our moral voices to warn that the world was on the brink of disaster and wound up giving conditioned moral approval of the possession of nuclear weapons as a deterrent, committing ourselves, however, to issue a blanket condemnation once the conditions changed,” Bishop Matthiesen stated. They [conditions] did change, but the bishops have not yet acted. Once I realized that we are now in a new moment for nuclear disarmament, I said yes to this award and to the invitation to speak at the awards banquet at this year’s national conference.”
In the 1980s, Bishop Matthiesen received what he has said was his own “personal wake-up call” when the Reagan administration announced that Pantex, the factory outside of Amarillo that is the final assembly point of all nuclear weapons in the U.S., would begin assembling neutron bombs. Bishop Matthiesen wrote a column in his diocesan newspaper, asking the people of his diocese to reconsider their continuation at the plant and to seek employment in peaceful pursuits. Because of his stance, he suffered personal attacks and angry denunciations locally and nationally. But his stand for peace also energized the Catholic peace movement and garnered support from the Texas bishops, who ultimately influenced the U.S. bishops in writing their watershed pastoral letter on the nuclear arms race, “The Challenge of Peace: God’s Promise and Our Response.”
“For many of us, Bishop Matthiesen is one of those true religious leaders who not only preach the peace of Christ, but witness to it in action and with his life,” stated Dave Robinson, executive director of Pax Christi USA. “His willingness to speak truth to power and to suffer the pushback that comes from proclaiming the gospel of peace and justice is an example to all of us.”
As a young parish priest in the 1950s, Bishop Matthiesen saw first-hand the injustice of racism when a waitress refused to serve one of the young girls with whom he was celebrating a victory following their basketball game because she was black. Fr. Matthiesen decided that the entire group would leave. Later, as editor of the diocesan newspaper, he initiated a series of articles on the racial situation in the Texas Panhandle. The series won an award from the Catholic Press Association, but also engendered the resentment of some white Catholics in the diocese.
Bishop Matthiesen will receive the Teacher of Peace award at a special banquet at Pax Christi USA’s national Catholic conference on peacemaking, to be held in Chicago, July 17-19.
TASSC [Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition] Calls for Truth and Accountability in Response to Torture Memos [excerpts]
[June is Torture Awareness Month. For the past 12 years, the Torture Abolition and Survivor Support Coalition (TASSC) has played a crucial role in organizing survivors and their friends to publicly oppose torture. The focus of TASSC’s activities this year will again be June Survivors’ Week, which commemorates the UN International Day in Support of Survivors and Victims of Torture, and issues a call to abolish torture once and for all. The complete statement can be found on TASSC's web site.]
We call on President Obama, Attorney General Holder and the U.S. Congress to fully disclose the truth and initiate an investigation into U.S. support for torture in violation of the US Constitution and International Human Rights Law.
….
We would do well to heed as a nation the wise words of Chief Justice Robert Jackson, the chief prosecutor for the United States at the Nuremberg Trials:
“We must never forget that the record on which we judge these defendants today is the record on which history will judge us tomorrow. To pass these defendants a poisoned chalice is to put it to our lips as well. We must summon such detachment and intellectual integrity to our task that this trial will commend itself to posterity as fulfilling humanity’s aspirations to do justice.”
….
TASSC is unequivocally opposed to the legalization of torture, and to the suspension of habeas corpus, the establishment of military commissions, secret detention facilities, extraordinary rendition, and prisons like Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, and Bagram Air Force Base where torture is practiced.
As a movement of survivors, TASSC’s contribution is to make a clear call for that process to
happen, and to support all the efforts at truth investigations, repeal of repressive legislation and practices, initiation of criminal investigation against principal administration officials responsible for policies and actions that legalized and practiced torture, and the implementation of policies that recompense survivors for the grave suffering inflicted on them as a consequence of those practices.
In Remembrance: Rev. Larry Rosebaugh, OMI
Rev. Lawrence Rosebaugh, a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, was shot and killed the evening of 18 May 2009 while he and other members of the order were driving along a road in Laguna Lachuá National Reserve in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, on their way to a religious meeting.
According to Gerardo Kapuska, who was not injured in the attack, several masked gunmen demanded the minivan Rosebaugh and the other Oblates were driving in stop; the gunmen then shot at the vehicle several times before the missionaries had a chance to get out, leaving three bullet holes in the front windshield.
Rosebaugh was killed in the attack and a Congolese Oblate, Jean Claude Ngomá, was injured and later taken to hospital in Cobán, Alta Verapaz. Three other Oblates were uninjured: Kapuska and Rubén Elizondo, both from the US, and Rodrigo Marcus from Canada. The attackers are reported to have taken just over $100, a cell phone, and various religious ornaments before escaping.
Rosebaugh was born in Appleton, Wisconsin in 1935 and was ordained in 1963. During the Vietnam War, Rosebaugh was involved in the anti-war movement and was one of the “Milwaukee 14” who broke into the Milwaukee offices of the Selective Service and burned the 10,000 service records. He and the others were convicted and served a year in jail.
In 1975, he was assigned to the missions in Brazil and lived among the poor in Recife, helping street children set up a soup kitchen there. He was jailed in 1977, during the time of the military dictatorship, and reported being stripped and beaten in prison. Rosebaugh later spent time in El Salvador, during that country’s brutal civil war, as a volunteer for the Christian Volunteer Ministries. As a result of his experience in El Salvador, he participated in a protest outside the School of the Americas in Fort Benning, GA. He and other protesters played the last sermon of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, an anti-war sermon given the day before his assassination, at full volume near the barracks of several hundred Salvadoran soldiers who were attending training sessions there. Rosebaugh and other participants were sent to jail for 18 months as a result. In 1993, Rosebaugh was assigned to the Oblate mission in Guatemala, where he ministered to the poor and HIV/AIDS victims.
A colleague in Guatemala, Rev. Felix Garcia, stated that, “Lorenzo's violent and unexpected death has given us another saint."
Rosebaugh was buried in Guatemala City on Wednesday, 20 May 2009.
Death threats against UNHCR partners in Colombia
[Source: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)]
The UNHCR Office in Colombia is deeply concerned about a recent wave of death threats against human right workers and social activists, including displaced leaders working to defend their communities' rights.
In the most recent wave of intimidation, pamphlets signed by one of Colombia's new illegal armed groups were distributed last week around the country, including in the Atlantic Coast region and in Bogotá.
The pamphlets issued threats against several state bodies as well as civil and human rights organizations. They particularly targeted the national Ombudsman Office for a series of early warnings the office has issued alerting people to the critical human rights situation in the same areas.
The Ombudsman Office is the National agency in charge of overseeing the protection of Civil and Human Rights within the legal framework of the state. It is one of UNHCR's closest partners in Colombia. Its Early Warning System provides a unique mechanism for prevention of rights abuses and of forced displacement. UNHCR reiterates its support to the Ombudsman and its staff at this difficult time.
Last week's threats come amid a climate of rising intimidation, originating from various armed groups, in recent months. Indigenous communities, social leaders and representatives of displaced people have all been targeted, putting at risk their rights to life, freedom of expression and participation in public life.
In some cases, the victims of threats have been forced to leave their communities in order to save their lives. In other cases, the threats end in death. Often, the survivors, including families and colleagues, refrain from denouncing the murders for fear of reprisals.
UNHCR strongly condemns these acts and is extremely concerned that new illegal groups that have begun operating in Colombia in the past few years are increasingly turning into another factor behind forced displacement in a country that already counts a very large IDP population.
Bishops Issue Statement on First Anniversary of Postville Enforcement Actions, Continue Call for Immigration Reform
To commemorate the first anniversary of the Postville, Iowa, immigration worksite enforcement action, Bishop John C. Wester, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Migration released a statement recalling the humanitarian cost of such actions and calling, once again, for the reform of our nation immigration policies. “My brother Catholic bishops and I understand and support the right and responsibility of government to enforce law,” said Bishop Wester. “We strongly believe, however, that worksite enforcement raids do not solve the challenge of illegal immigration. Instead they lead to the separation of U.S. families and the destruction of immigrant communities.”
Bishop Wester called families to pray for those hurt by the raid and to work for comprehensive immigration reform so that others will not face similar pain and cruelty in the future. “The Postville action of a year ago is a disturbing reminder of the need to repair the nations broken immigration policies,” said Bishop Wester.
Bishop Wester’s statement follows.
Statement of Most Reverend John C. Wester On The First Anniversary of the Postville, Iowa, Work Site Enforcement Action:
May 12, 2009, marks the one-year anniversary of what was, at the time, the largest work site immigration enforcement action in history. Since that raid in Postville, Iowa, larger raids have occurred, but the precedent set at Postville and the accompanying compassionate response by that small Iowa community and its people of faith underscore the humanitarian costs of workplace immigration raids as well as the need for reform of our nations immigration policies.
As religious leaders, my brother Catholic bishops and I understand and support the right and responsibility of the government to enforce the law. We strongly believe, however, that worksite enforcement raids do not solve the challenge of illegal immigration. Instead, they lead to the separation of U.S. families and the destruction of immigrant communities. The result of the Postville raid was family separation, immense suffering, denial of due process rights and community division.
Our religious and social response to such harm to our God-given human dignity is based on Scriptures, which call believers to welcome the newcomers among us, to treat the alien with respect and charity, and to provide pastoral and humanitarian assistance to individuals and their families.
The Postville action of a year ago is a disturbing reminder of the need to repair the nation’s broken immigration policies.
I ask all Catholics, the greater faith community, and persons of good will to commemorate the Postville raid of May 12, 2008, by remembering in their prayers those hurt by the raid and to work for comprehensive immigration reform so that others will not face similar pain and cruelty in the future.
[More information is available on the Justice for Immigrants web site.]
Catholics Confront Global Poverty
During the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) launched the much-anticipated Catholics Confront Global Poverty initiative.
This nationwide effort, inspired by Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 World Day of Peace Message, “Fighting Poverty to Build Peace,” calls on one million Catholics to “confront global poverty.” In a little over two months since the initiative was re-launched, 145,676 Catholics have become engaged in the effort, including 32 dioceses, 75 parishes, 27 religious communities, and 24 schools.
If you haven’t joined the effort already, sign up today. Individuals and groups (parishes, schools, etc.) can sign up. It is even possible to sign up your entire diocesan or religious community legislative network!
If you’ve already signed up, invite others to get involved.
Then explore the Catholics Confront Global Poverty website for ideas about how you can defend human life and dignity by learning about poverty, educating others, and advocating for solutions that reflect the values of Catholic social teaching.
Benedict XVI Praises Bethlehem University
In remarks during his May 2009 visit to Bethlehem, Pope Benedict XVI continued his support for educational initiatives and expressed his solidarity with the plight of Palestinians, especially those “from war-torn Gaza.”
Acknowledging the valuable contributions of many institutions and groups engaged in inter-religious dialogue, Pope Benedict said, “I wish to make special mention of the outstanding achievements of Bethlehem University.”
“When I spoke with Pope Benedict during the Mass in Manger Square on Wednesday,” said Brother Peter Bray, Vice Chancellor, “I expressed the University’s gratitude for his support and requested prayers for our students and benefactors.”
His Holiness went on to say, “you daily demonstrate your belief that our duty before God is expressed not only in our worship but also in our love and concern for society, for culture, for our world and for all who live in this land.”
“There is a particular hopefulness that the Pope’s visit will provide an opportunity for the Israeli authorities to once again give permission for students from Gaza to study at Bethlehem University,” said Brother Robert Smith, FSC, Academic Vice President of Bethlehem University.
“As a Vatican-sponsored Palestinian university, we are seeking support from any and all countries, organizations, and persons of good will to help us secure permission from the Israeli authorities for students from Gaza to study at Bethlehem University,” said Brother Jack Curran, Vice President for Development.
On Monday, the Pope reminded the President and Government of Israel that peace and security are inseparable from, and in fact result from, the practice of justice and integrity.
Father David Neuhaus, SJ, of the Bethlehem University faculty, noted that “the Pope comes into the heart of a troubled area to show the Church’s face as a promoter of justice, of peace and most importantly, of pardon and compassion. We need this visit.”
Social Action Summer Institute: July 19-24, 2009
Tuition fees:
Full week: $420
Half week: $210
Room & Board:
Full week: $520 (single), $420 (double)
Half week: $260 (single), $210 (double)
Printable registration form (PDF)
Driving directions and commuter info
Download informational flier (PDF)
Program:
Sunday, July 19 - Tuesday, July 21
* Track I: Foundations of Catholic Social Teaching
* Track II: Advanced Symposium on Economics and the Common Good (Diocesan Focus)
Wednesday, July 22 - Friday, July 24
* Parish Social Action Skills Track
* Diocesan Social Action Skills Track
Download complete schedule (PDF)
Co-sponsored by
- The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors
- USCCB-Dept. of Justice, Peace, and Human Development
- Catholic Charities USA
- USCCB-Catholic Campaign for Human Development
- Catholic Relief Services
- JustFaith Ministries
Hosted by The Archdioceses of Newark and New York.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.
How
can the Justice and Peace Office help you get involved?
T. Michael McNulty, SJ, editor
mmcnulty@cmsm.org
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Tel: 301-588-4030
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This newsletter is sent to members and associate members of CMSM. It is also sent to justice and peace directors of CMSM member organizations, and to others who have expressed an interest. If you fall into the last category and no longer wish to receive this newsletter, send an e-mail to postmaster@cmsm.org, and you will be removed from the list.
