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JPIC Focus NewsThe Newsletter of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Network

JusticePeace and Integrity ofCreation Vol. 19, No. 1 Winter 2015

Dr. King was an advocate of nonviolence. He believed that nonviolence was the way for courageous people. For Dr. King, nonviolence was the means to defeat injustice, not people. He recognized that the perpetrators of evil were also victims in some way.

Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate. Nonviolence resists violence of the spirit as well as the body. Nonviolent love is active, not passive. Nonviolent love does not sink to the level of the hater. Love restores community and resists injustice. Nonviolence recognizes the fact that all life is interrelated.

-MLK service at The Temple, Sylvania, OH continued on page 2

JPIC Network MembersSisters:Theresa DargaAntoinette DudekSharon HavelakJoan JurskiMary Peter KaminskiGeraldine NowakJordan SchaeferRosine SobczakNancy Ann Surma

Associates:Deborah SchwartzMargaret Rabideau

Year of Consecrated Life – 2015 Sharon Havelak and Joan Jurski, OSF

Pope Francis declared 2015 the Year of Consecrated Life to recognize religious throughout the world. This

follows the previous “Year of the Priest” and the “Year of the Family”.

In his address to the religious of the world Pope Francis encouraged religious to, “Come out of your nest to the fringes of the man and woman of today! Therefore, let yourselves be encountered by Christ. The encounter with Him will drive you to encounter others and will lead you to the neediest, to the poorest. Reach the fringes that await the light of the Gospel. Inhabit the frontiers; discernment to identify the novelties of the Spirit; lucidity to recognize the complexity of the new frontiers; discernment to identify the limits and the appropriate way to proceed; and immersion in reality, “touching the suffering flesh of Christ in the people.”

Pope Francis’ words are a commanding and beautiful way to call all religious to once again renew their energies through prayer and good works in living out their call

to a life of consecration. Every member of each of the religious congregations in our own Diocese of Toledo, as well as throughout the world, is called each day to “follow Christ as taught by the Gospel”. Pope Francis reminds us that we must be realistic, without losing joy and hope in all that we do in our ministries. Another Francis also reminds us that “What are God’s servants but his minstrels, whose task it is to lift up people’s hearts and move them to joy.”

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Following the Christ of the Gospel gives religious the faith, commitment, courage and joy needed in their ministries: working to feed the poor in soup kitchens, working to eradicate human trafficking, praying for peace in the world, inviting young people to join in reverence for others, caring for pregnant women, educating youth, working to end all sorts of discrimination. Spiritual opportunities for all people, retreats, pastoral outreach to those in jail, health care, immigration reform, ministry to the victims of domestic violence and a movement to realize reverence for all nature are among the other areas where we have reached out.

As the Sisters of St. Francis, Sylvania, we continue to deepen our commitment to issues of justice and peace, in response to Jesus of the Gospels. We have established our Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Network, to keep informed and called to action on these issues. We have embraced the Franciscan call to concern for the poor, care for the Earth and peacemaking and put it into practice through our Peacemaking Initiative efforts.

We recognize that all we do is done in collaboration and partnership with all our sisters and brothers. Together we are Church and make the Gospel a reality. Let us pray for each other and be grateful for the gifts we share.

"What are God’s servants but his minstrels, whose task it is to lift up people’s hearts

and move them to joy."Pope Francis

Prison Ministry Marguerite Polcyn, OSF

I began prison ministry at ToCI (Toledo Correctional Institution) on November 3, 2014, while being involved in ministry at the CCNO (Corrections Center of Northwest

Ohio) since April 2001.

What is involved in this ministry at the prison? Three services occur each Wednesday afternoon that Catholic ministers are contracted for. A Mass or Communion Service is scheduled at 1:30 pm. The name of each inmate allowed to attend is on a list. As the inmate enters, he brings in a pass that is matched to his name. At 2:30 pm, inmates who attend the service at 1:30 pm may stay for catechism instruction for the next 45 minutes. At 3:30 pm another group of inmates from maximum security come in. If Catholics are present in this group there is a Communion Service. If no Catholics are present, a prayer service and instruction in the Catholic faith follow. I am able to run the 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm services.

On November 3, I shadowed a deacon and an Ursuline Sister. As we walked into the chapel (a large room used for religious services) a group of men were practicing the hymns to be sung for the Communion Service, another group of men were getting the altar ready for the service, and others were placing missalettes on the chairs. Soon the inmates with passes began arriving. Each dropped off his pass, blest himself with holy water and proceeded quietly to take a seat. When some noticed the newbie, me, I was welcomed and they introduced themselves. I also was introduced to three dogs that are being trained to become assistance dogs. As I stood watching the activity which was so respectful, I actually became teary-eyed. It was as if Jesus had walked in with these forty to fifty men. During the Communion Service,

the Catholics received Communion while others went up to receive a blessing. Many of the Catholics genuflected before the crucifix on the way to their seats. Some knelt on the floor afterwards. After the last blessing, the final hymn was sung and the men departed with the exception of those who were staying for the catechism class.

Matthew Kelly’s Rediscover Catholicism is used for the catechism. Each participant was given the book to read and mark up as preparation for the classes. It is obvious that some have difficulty reading while others take notes and outline the chapters. Once the men find their voices, the discussions are honest and serious.

At 3:30 pm, the men from maximum security arrive with a guard. This group is much smaller, usually less than 10. On November 3, no Catholics were present so the service consisted of the Sunday readings, sharing, and prayer.

We are aware that some inmates come for services just to get out of their blocks. However, the majority come to pray and praise their God. This is the beauty of this corporal work of mercy.

The Presentation at the TempleWORLD DAY FOR CONSECRATED LIFE

Image from a prayer card for the feast of the Presentation, also called Candlemas. – usccb.org

Sr. Clarinda Coffel, OSF (standing in blue) ministering among adults

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UPDATE ON BETHANY HOUSEAssociate Debbie Schwartz

After 30 years of helping survivors of domestic violence reclaim their lives, Bethany House continues to grow and develop as an organization. Not only are all units in the facility being renovated, but plans for the future are also under renovation.

In November, 2014, the Board of Trustees met for a half day strategic planning retreat to consider the results of a survey distributed to various stakeholders and do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. The survey results suggested that Bethany House is indeed fulfilling its mission but that fundraising is an area of concern.

A small group of Board members, along with the Executive Director and consultants from Aby Sterling Philanthropy, will continue the

work begun at the retreat and flesh out a plan for the future success of Bethany House. At the same time, Board and staff members will begin distributing an infographic developed to highlight the social return on investment (SROI) for donated funds. The infographic points out that domestic violence is a public health and economic issue and that for every $1 invested in Bethany House programs, our community saves $65.43 in social costs that would have been incurred from lost work productivity, mental health services for adults and children served by Bethany House, police, and the justice system.

Thirty years, 1,100 lives improved, and thousands and thousands of dollars saved thanks to the Sisters of St. Francis and everyone who has helped to sustain Bethany House.

Thank you ever so much to our Sisters and Associates who made donations to our Clare’s Pence Fund at Christmas time, 2014. Some even made donations to honor a friend/relative as a gift.

Also during the past year, Sisters and Associates who are connected with other groups who do fundraising have designated that the funds be given to our Clare’s Pence fund. Every bit of what you are each doing is greatly appreciated. More importantly your donations allow us to assist those in need.

Because of your generosity, during 2014 we were able to award seven grants, totaling 2,950.00

One recent grant was during the Christmas season when unexpected utility and health care bills took up a woman’s “Christmas money” for her children. She was most grateful for her grant and again saw the hand of God in our being able to assist her. That’s a huge thank you to those of you who are able to donate.

U.S. Catholic Sisters Against Human Trafficking (U.S.CSAHT)

A new website has been developed for this group and it can be found at www.sistersagainsttrafficking.org. Also there is a Facebook page. It would be greatly appreciated if you could go to their Facebook page and “Like” it. For those on Twitter, there is also a Twitter account. There are many helpful educational modules and resources on this website.

Please know that Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) and Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) introduced Senate Bill 2941 (S 2941) to Combat Human Trafficking on November 14, 2014. Any support you can give this bill is greatly appreciated. A recent news item conveyed that Human Trafficking is a priority for our 114th Congress. It’s a great bi-partisan issue to support.

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The Cost of WarEstimated cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to date:

Iraq $818,840,915,360 (every hour: $365,297)

Afghanistan $780,239,304,056 (every hour: $10.17 million)

Military Action against ISIS $1,741,148,746 (every hour: $312,500)

Total $1,598,980,219,416 (every hour: $10.54 million)

US Military Deaths: 6,845 (Iraq: 4,489; Afghanistan: 2,356)

Iraqi civilians killed: 134,564 – 151,868Sources for information: The National Priorities Project (www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar), the Iraq Coalition Casualty Count (http://icasualties.org/) and Iraq Body Count (www.iraqbodycount.org). Numbers are accurate as of November 5, 2014.

Issue: Death PenaltyIn their “Catholic Campaign to End the Use of the Death Penalty, announced March 2006, the Bishops asked us to pray for the victims of crime and their families, those who have been wrongly convicted and those awaiting execution. The following prisoners are on death row, awaiting execution soon. Please keep them in prayer, as well as their families, their victims and the victims’ families. Also, please continue to pray for healing in our country that the spirit of peace and reconciliation, rather than violence and revenge, may prevail.

March 20154 Terrance Williams, PA5 Benjamin Cole, OK 5 Kenneth Hairston, PA* 5 Rodney Reed, TX10 Alfonso Sanchez , PA*11 Robert Diamond, PA*11 Manuel Vasquez, TX12 Raymond Tibbetts, OH12 Kevin Mattison, PA*18 Randall Mays, TX19 Bill Kuenzel, AL24 Donnie Johnson, TN

April 20159 Kent Sprouse, TX15 Manuel Garza, OK23 Richard Vasquez, TX28 Robert Pruett, TX May 201512 Derrick Charles, TX14 Gregory Lott, OH

Executions in 2014: 35 Executions in 2015: 4 Executions since the ban was lifted in 1976: 1398

Sources for information: Death Penalty Information Center (www.deathpenaltyinfo.org). Numbers are accurate as of January 26, 2015.

US Gun Violence Statistics 2014 2015 Total Incidents of Gun Violence in the US 51,306 2,819 Total Deaths by Gun Violence in the US 12,571 876 Total Injuries by Gun Violence in the US 22,868 1,413 Children (0-11) injured or killed 629 29 Teens (12-17) injured or killed 2,351 142 Mass Shootings 281 16 Accidental Shootings 1, 565 134

Source of information: Gun Violence Archive, www.gunviolencearchive.org. Numbers are accurate as of January 26, 2015.

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The EcoQuiz Deck—Knowledge CardsMany thanks to Sr. Toni Dudek for bringing to our attention “The EcoQuiz Deck—Knowledge Cards. Beginning with this issue you’ll find an interesting question, answer, fact in our JPIC Newsletter that assists us with knowledge about shrinking our ecological footprint. Topics for the cards focus on the “4 R’s of Living Lightly”: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Reconsider your actions. Each card has the Sierra Club logo and is printed by Pomegranate Communications, Inc. in Portland, Oregon. We are most grateful to Pomegranate for their copyright permission to use these cards in our Newsletter. The whole deck is available for purchase at many book stores nation-wide and on-line for $9.99.

REDUCE/RECYCLE: How many pieces of paper does the average office worker use in a year?The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper each year. America consumes 30% of the world’s paper, about half of which is printing and writing paper. Switching to recycled paper is the first step. Compared to manufacturing and disposing of a ton of recycled paper is the first step. Compared to manufacturing and disposing of a ton of recycled office paper reduces solid waste by half, reduces total energy consumption by 43%, and reduces net greenhouse gas emissions by 70% carbon dioxide equivalents, among other environmental benefits. Every office should also have a plan to reduce paper use. Some simple tips: set your computer default to double sided printing, run a test copy before printing out a big job, don’t print e-mails, reduce junk mail coming to your office. And always think before you print anything.Text Courtesy of and © Pomegranate Communications, Inc. from The EcoQuiz Deck of Knowledge Cards ®. www.pomegranate.com.

BEING GREEN IS A FRANCISCAN THING!Theresa Darga, OSF

In an effort to make all events on campus sponsored by our congregation more environmentally friendly, we are making a concerted effort to realize and put into practice that “Being Green is a Franciscan Thing!” In order to do this, we need your help!

We are using compostable products for all events. If you are sponsoring an on-campus community meeting in Madonna Hall, Umbria 2 or Regina Conference Room please note that all supplies stored in these areas are compostable products. (If you need plates, cups, napkins, etc., please request these from Sister Helen Frances.)

Please try to bring your own water bottle or coffee mug for events like meetings, LCC’s, etc.

If you are bringing in your own supplies for a special event, please take the extra supplies home with you after the event.

Working together, we can make a difference in our world as we continue to care for all of creation.