SCL Speaks at Commission
At the recent 52nd Commission on the Status of Women, Diane Steele, SCL, participated in a panel sponsored by the United States Federation for Middle East Peace (USFMEP) and the International Council of Jewish Women. The theme of the panel was “Muslim, Christian and Jewish Women Building Bridges of Understanding.”
Diane is the President of the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth. She holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame.
Her role on the panel was to address the nature of religion and its interaction with culture. Diane reported that on the panel were “two Muslim women, two Jewish women, and one Irish Catholic nun.”
Diane has been asked to serve on the board of the USFMEP. This is a non-profit organization that promotes the United Nations’ commitment to international peace and justice through educational programs, public relations and community outreach efforts. USFMEP works to provide information about the Middle East-its history, religions, cultures and current issues. The goal is to promote understanding of the Middle East through seminars, workshops, roundtables, and public forums.
World Water Day
March 22 is World Day for Water set by the United Nations. This year the international focus is on Sanitation. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing infant mortality, combating diseases and ensuring environmental sustainability are directly related to clean water and sanitation.
Water is a daily privilege that millions take for granted. The little known truth is that lack of clean and accessible drinking water is the second largest worldwide killer of children under five.
To address this situation, a nationwide effort is being launched during World Water Week called the Tap Project, a campaign to help UNICEF provide safe drinking water to children around the world.
Beginning Sunday March 16 through Saturday, March 22, restaurants will invite their customers to donate a minimum of $1 for the tap water they would normally get for free. For every dollar raised, a child will have clean drinking water for 40 days.
Find out what restaurants in your area are participating in the TAP Project by going to:
SC of Halifax Ministers to Victims or Trafficking
by Joan Dawber, SC
In September of 2006 I left parish ministry and began to work full-time to combat human trafficking by establishing a not-for-profit corporation called LIFEWAY NETWORK (COLLABORATING TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING).
LIFEWAY NETWORK provides a safe and welcoming environment and offers steps towards a new life path for survivors of human trafficking. Its goal is to form partnerships to establish a safe house and a network of safe spaces for survivors of human trafficking, as well as to provide awareness, advocacy and education to the general public.
I am also a founding member and co-chair of a Coalition of Religious Congregations (27 communities) working together to raise awareness and provide education through legislative advocacy and safe housing research in the New York area. We have also offered several days of education for our congregations.
Sister Elaine Owens (SC, NY) and I work with Safe Horizons, a large service provider, to establish a network of safe spaces for victims of human trafficking. Currently we have the possibility of four religious communities who have agreed to provide safe spaces. I have offered presentations to schools, parish groups, and groups of religious women throughout the New York area. As a member of my congregation’s Global Concerns Resource Team, I have worked with two other Sisters in offering presentations throughout our congregation in the United States and Canada. The presentation was entitled “Root Causes of Poverty and the Issue of Human Trafficking.”
I am interested in connecting with other members of the Charity Federation who would like to work collaboratively on the issue of Human Trafficking.
I can be contacted at:
Canadian Corner
The following is from a statement by Dr. Claude Rocan, Director General, Centre for Health Promotion of the Public Health Agency of Canada, at the 46th Session of the Commission for Social Development, on Canadian efforts to address issues which affect the daily lives of older persons.
“During the last few years, Canada has been working with partners within its borders and around the world
Dr. Claude Rocan
on issues of seniors and emergency preparedness… Our work to date has been primarily focused on building bridges of collaboration with stakeholders and constructing the evidence base necessary to develop workable strategies. Our ultimate goal is to develop guidelines, tools and plans that can be used worldwide by governments and NGOs to ensure that information on seniors in emergencies is widely disseminated and integrated into emergency planning and management. The entire statement is available in French and English. If interested, contact: cjwillie@prodigy.net
Go to www.sisters-of-charity-federation.org
Click on NGO
The NGO section of the federation website is a work in progress. I know how busy people are so want to make it as user-friendly as possible. Therefore, I am organizing information on the NGO section according to topics. Just click on the topic or topics you are interested in and the relevant information will appear.
Topics to date include: Education, Climate Change, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Poverty Eradication, Human Rights, Trafficking, Migration, and Micro-financing.
One of my goals is to network people throughout the federation who have similar skills and/or interests. Learning about who we are as a federation has been an exciting aspect of this job and I am convinced that the more we can connect the more effective our ministries will be.
If you have information you would like to share or need input on a topic, e-mail cjwillie@prodigy.net.
OLMs Receive Kresge Grant – Expand Wellness House Services
by Mary Thomas Neal, OLM
Charleston, S.C.: Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach took a major step in transforming the lives of people in need on Charleston’s barrier islands through its Wellness House. The Outreach held a groundbreaking ceremony November 28, 2007, for a new Wellness House that will provide expanded educational, dental and prenatal services to residents of James, Johns and Wadmalaw islands. In December the Kresge Foundation awarded the organization a $500,000 challenge grant for its ambitious building project.
A rendering of the new Wellness House
Presently the clinic is operated out of a 1,500 square foot trailer which is large enough for two small dental offices and exam room. It is staffed by volunteer medical professionals and is the sole source of healthcare to low-income, uninsured or underinsured residents of the islands and Hispanic migrant workers, according to Sister Mary Joseph Ritter, Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach director. “Since 1999, over 15,000 people have walked through those doors,” said Annette Maranville, Wellness House director.
The new building will be approximately 4,600 square feet and will include four dental offices, four medical exam rooms, a multipurpose educational space, labs and professional offices. “The new building will provide the patients with a comfortable and state of-the-art facility and, hopefully attract more volunteers,” said Dr. John P. Howard, part-time dental director at the outreach.
Social Development Commission
The final outcome Resolution on the priority theme of “Promoting Full Employment and Decent Work for All” included mention of the importance of national governments being the owners of their own policies, the need to promote gender equality and the importance of social dialogue at the workplace. International migration was also mentioned in the text as well as youth unemployment.
The Social Development Committee was disappointed that there was no mention of the impact of climate change: both in a very probable loss of jobs, as well as in creating opportunities for new “green” jobs. The Committee continues to find ways to strengthen the Commission by striving to put in place accountability mechanisms.
“The Spirituality of Politics: Searching for the Common Good”
“The Spirituality of Politics: Searching for the common Good” is the title of the annual spring meeting of the Partnership for Global Justice. According to the meeting brochure, “This meeting will gather members of the Partnership and Associates and those who are interested in discussing the crisis of our current political system so that we can bring our collective voices to the global agenda; to be a voice for the disenfranchised as the new world order emerges; to act on our vision statements and chapter enactments calling us to collaboration and action for global systemic change…This year we will focus on the needs of those who do not have a voice in the way politics is enacted. Our purpose in gathering together is so that our voice is firmly established in our primary vowed and Christian commitments reaching out to those in need. If interested go to: www.partnershipforglobal justicr.net or contact the NGO office.
Did You Know?
1 billion people lack access to clean water-approximately one in six people on earth.
2.6 billion live in areas that lack access to improved sanitation.
More than 97% of Earth’s water is salt water.
Less than 1% of the world’s fresh water supply is usable.
Women and children around the world walk 200 million hours every day for water.
Every 15 seconds a child dies from a water-borne illness.
Lack of access to safe water leads to a perpetual cycle of disease, death and lost productivity.
The average American individual uses 100-176 gallons of water each day. The average African family uses about 5 gallons.
By 2025 two thirds of the world’s population will be facing severe water shortages. Bottled water can be up to 1000 times more expensive than tap water and it may not be as safe.
Sources:
Check out:
to find out the many events and activities taking place for World Water Day.
NGO Activities Update
The Elizabeth Seton Federation co-sponsored a side event with the Salesian Mission at the Commission on Social Development on “The Cristo Rey Network.” Principals, teachers, and students from the area Cristo Rey schools participated.
Faith Colligan, DC (Albany) gave an oral intervention at the Social Development Commission on behalf of the Federation addressing the NGO hopes for the negotiations of government texts on “Promoting Full Employment and Decent Work for All.”
Visionary Direction Statement
By 2010, we have embraced the international reality of our lives both in context of membership and our mission. And in solidarity with the poor we have intentionally used our corporate energy as Federation for witness, advocacy and systemic change on a global and local level. (Direction Statement, 2002)
NGO Office
211 E. 43rd Street, Suite 504
Caroljean Willie, SC – NGO Representative
Janet McLaughlin, SC - Administrative Asstistant
Phone: (Cj) 646-678-0210
(Janet) 646-678-2797
Email:
Cj – cjwillie@prodigy.net
Janet – janetmclaughlin1@verizon.net