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Friday Night at the Movies. July 8 - 29 starting at 7:15 pm. Sponsored by the Peace & Justice Committee

Come for a movie and stay for discussion and refreshments.

July 8 - Conviction (2010). Convinced that her brother, Kenneth (Sam Rockwell), has been unjustly convicted of murder and incompetently defended by court-ordered attorneys, high school dropout Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) puts herself through law school in order to represent him in his appeal. Inspired by a true story.
Screened at the home of Mitch and Andy Harbison, 2171 Kenmore Avenue, Glenside. (If steps are a problem, pull into the driveway.)

July 15 - One Man’s War (1990). Suspense-filled drama of ordinary people fighting tyranny during a brutal dictatorship in Paraguay in 1976.
Screened at the home of Bonnie Dalzell, 1029 Holly Tree Road, Abington.

July 22 - God on Trial (2008). World War II drama about a group of Auschwitz prisoners who decide to put God on trial.
Screened at the home of Mitch and Andy Harbison, 2171 Kenmore Avenue, Glenside

July 29 - Made in Dagenham (2010). Dramatization of the landmark 1968 strike initiated by hundreds of women who rebelled against discrimination in a London automobile factory.
Screened at the home of Mitch and Andy Harbison, 2171 Kenmore Avenue, Glenside

On Nov. 5, 2008, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor released his first pastoral letter as bishop of Little Rock. "I Was a Stranger and You Welcomed Me: A Pastoral Letter on the Human Rights of Immigrants," challenges us to open our minds and hearts to Christ's teachings as well as learn the plight of immigrants seeking a better life in the United States.

On Nov. 23, the feast of Christ the King, the letter was distributed at all parishes throughout the state. Bishop Taylor asked all Catholics in Arkansas to study the letter by participating in a three-week Advent Study Guide.

Summary of pastoral letter.

Torture is a Moral Issue: A Catholic Study Guide. (This guide is available here.)

Peace and Justice Committee Reports

Disposable Shopping Bags and the Environment:

Plastic Bag Consumption:
Disposable plastic bags were introduced in 1977. The current use in the US alone is 14,000,000,000 per year with an average cost to retailers of $4,000,000,000 per year and annual use of 12,000,000 barrels of oil. Only 1% of all plastic bags used are recycled. On the other hand it's been estimated that there are 46,00 bags per square mile of ocean and that 100,00 marine animals are killed each year due to plastic bags.

Paper Bag Consumption:
In the US, 10,000,000,000 paper bags are consumed per year and 14,000,000 trees are cut down each year to make this many bags.

Plastic vs. Paper: which is the better choice?
Compared to paper bags, production of plastic bags saves energy, water use and results in less air pollution. On the other hand plastic bag production depletes our oil supply and plastic bags remain with us a long time; it is estimated that it takes 1000 years to biodegrade plastic bags in land fills. Countries like Ireland have instituted a tax for use of plastic bags and this has significantly reduced plastic bag litter. It has been estimated that the tax in Ireland generates 10 million euros in revenue per year and reduces plastic bag usage by 1,000,000,000!
Unfortunately paper bags usage still litter landfills for hundreds of years and are costly in terms of water and energy use.

What is the best alternative?? Reusable bags are truly the most environmentally sound solution.

www.myownbag.com/activism.html

Christmas Gifts that Give Twice

The websites listed below are for non-profit organizations that sell items suitable for gift giving. We'd like to suggest you consider purchasing from these organizations because they subscribe to "Fair Trade" practices and ensure that sale profits directly benefit the artisans.

www.southwestindian.com is the website for The Southwest Indian Foundation, started in 1968 by a Franciscan priest to help Native Americans living in Four Corners. Most of the items offered are made by Indian artisans living in the reservation and include jewelry and ceramics. The catalog employs many Southwestern Native Americans who live below poverty levels. The website offers many sale and overstock items. Orders can also be placed bv telephone at 1-505-863-4037 or Fax at 1-505-863-2760 Hours: 24h service Mon -Sat: closed Sundays

www.agreatergift.org is the website for "A Greater Gift" a program of SERRV International which was founded by the Church of the Brethren in 1949 to help refugees in Europe after WWII. This catalog offers a wide variety of foods and handcrafts from around the world. Orders can also be placed bv telephone at 1-800-422-5915 or Fax at 1-888-294-6376 Hours are: M-F 8:OOAM-9:OOPM:

SAT 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM Fall hours are: M-F 7:30AM-10:(X) PM: SAT 9:OOAM-8:OOPM: SUN Noon-6:00 PM. EST

www.crsfairtrade.org is the website for "Work for Human Hands" a program of Catholic Relief Services established in 1995 and done in partnership with "A Greater Gift." There is some overlap between these two catalogs. Orders can also be placed by telephone at 1-800-685-7572 or Fax at f-888-294-6376 Hours are the same as for "A Greater Gift."

CST & MDG

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). [At the 2000 United Nations' Millennium Summit, 189 Heads of State and government signed onto the Millennium Declaration. They committed to achieve by the year 2015 what are now known as the Millennium Development Goals.]

Seven Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching (CST)

Life and dignity of the human person - each person possesses a basic dignity that comes from God
Call to family, community, and participation - we realize our dignity and rights in relationship with others
Rights and responsibilities of the human person - all people have fundamental rights and corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities
Option for the poor and vulnerable - a basic moral test of a society is how its most vulnerable members are faring
The dignity of work and the rights of workers - in Catholic teaching the economy exists to serve people, not the other way around
Solidarity - we are one human family
Care for God's creation - our commitment to the common good and our concern for our neighbors and generations yet to come require responsible stewardship of the earth

Eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG)

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development

The Links between CST & MDG

Care for God's creation - Ensure environmental sustainability

Solidarity - Develop a global partnership for development

Option for the poor and vulnerable - Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Life and dignity of the human person - Promote gender equality and empower women
Life and dignity of the human person - Reduce child mortality
Life and dignity of the human person - Improve maternal health
Life and dignity of the human person - Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Call to family, community, and participation - Achieve universal primary education

The dignity of work and the rights of workers - Develop a global partnership for development

Rights and responsibilities of the human person - All 8 of the MDGs

For more information on the MDGs go to the UN site: www.millenniumcampaign.org