On Movements, Education & Poetry

The Presidential Inauguration let millions meet Amanda Gorman, the Young Poet Laureate. Vatican News posted a brief interview. Ms. Gorman’s poem may be found here.

Amanda Gorman, who captivated the US with her poem recited at President Biden's inauguration ceremony, shares her thoughts on the importance of education, the power of poetry, and the movements launched by the dedication of young women. @AGisotti https://t.co/PpRHRtz07d

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) February 13, 2021

A Moral Imperative for Today

In a 12-minute TED Countdown Talk Pope Francis offered 3 actions steps to address climate change. He sounded notes from his encyclicals Laudato Si! and Fratelli Tutti.

This second address in this venue by the Pope was part of the of the TED Countdown Global Launch. The website hosting the video described it as “a visionary TED Talk from Vatican City.”

21st-Century Renaissance

Pope Francis’ most recent encyclical takes stock of human relationships in the world. He invites a renaissance in human relationships ([8], [35]), “a new style of life.” Two overviews help reading the encyclical.

• Panelists at an event hosted by Georgetown University noted key elements
• “Inside the Vatican” host Colleen Dulle offered 5 takeaways from it

Human Trafficking

Thursday was World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Pope Francis called it a “scourge” wounding the weakest. Cardinal Michael Czerny noted “that women religious ‘around the world have discovered, invented, developed the ministry to victims of human trafficking.’ Today they are also involved in prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and raising awareness, he said, which shows that ‘their ministry is more developed than at the beginning.’”

Daughters of St. Paul Sr. Bernadette Mary Reis filed her report at Vatican News. It includes an audio interview.

Cardinal Michael Czerny shares how the Church’s first responders to victims have developed their ministry over the years. #EndHumanTrafficking https://t.co/kptGbFLEAF

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) July 30, 2020

Racial Justice Initiative

The dean of Boston College Law School and president-elect of the Association of American Law Schools explained that the “the Forum on Racial Justice in America...will be a transformative process for the university and will launch a rethinking of how we understand our role in higher education, in the greater Boston community, in the nation and in the world.”

Pleased to welcome Dean Vincent Rougeau of @BCLAW back to the pages of @americamag to talk about this important new initiative. @BostonCollege @jesuitcolleges @jesuitnews https://t.co/wYX4dP1XtO

— Matt Malone, S.J. (@Americaeditor) July 17, 2020

Appeal More than Reflection

Dismissing the crowds, [Jesus] went into the house: easy to miss phrases in the gospel selection remind that Matthew allowed Jesus’ original parable to speak to his hearers, his faith community. Contemporary hearers may consider how the parable of wheat and tares (a weed that resembles wheat in its early stages of growth) illuminates and encourages them.

Jaime L. Waters considers how this parable shapes those who welcome it to work for justice.

How the parable of the weeds compels us to fight for justice https://t.co/dPNPO14nBQ

— America Magazine (@americamag) July 19, 2020

In Memoriam

John Lewis (U.S. Congress) has died. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2019. He had been the last living member of the civil rights activists who had the most significant effect on the movement.

John Lewis, lion of civil rights and Congress, dies at 80 https://t.co/hJZuYOWnuW

— America Magazine (@americamag) July 18, 2020

Arranging the Pieces of Annexation

Israel has occupied the West Bank for decades. But now PM Benjamin Netanyahu wants to take even more control through annexation.

How will that change things for Palestinians? And what does the US presidential election have to do with it?#AJStartHere puts the pieces together 👇 pic.twitter.com/PVoxMtxpyd

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 12, 2020

To Transform Communities

The Yale School of Medicine and the Yale Law School together have begun the SEICHE Center for Health and Justice It seeks to identify “the legal, policy, and practice levers that can improve the health of individuals and communities impacted by mass incarceration.” The collaboration promotes both justice and health.

Yale School of Medicine & Yale Law School to Launch Center Focused on Health and Mass Incarcerationhttps://t.co/iKGeoPwWy8 pic.twitter.com/iyS8ZPCSZz

— Yale University (@Yale) June 30, 2020

Facing Ugliness

“When we do not deal with the ugly part about the truth about our history we have no chance of going forward in any productive way.”

[Jeffrey Robinson, 9:08 of video]

The U.S. celebrates Independence Day. The dream has never fully been realized. in 2017 the American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] streamed a video featuring Jeffery Robinson, who continues to be part of the ACLU. Acknowledging all facets of history, all actions within history is the beginning of reconciling and moving forward.

The Truth About the Confederacy in the United States (FULL Version) https://t.co/TNinTdcqPx via @YouTube. Please take some time over this 4th of July weekend to watch this video. It is a must see.

— Sharon Malone (@smalonemd) July 3, 2020

Quiet Attacks

Some are using the pandemic as cover for activities against the earth and against people: Israel seeking to annex Palestine; China exerting hegemony over Hong Kong. The president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences has called all Christians to pray “with great insistence” for Hong Kong because “‘the new law approved by China’s National People’s Congress…seriously weakens Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and Hong Kong’s autonomy’ and ‘radically changes Hong Kong’s identity.’” 

Cardinal Bo: Pray for Hong Kong amid China crackdown https://t.co/Ov3wPVOOAi

— America Magazine (@americamag) July 3, 2020

Jesuits Praying, Working for Racial Justice

From the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States.

Join the #Jesuits in taking action to support meaningful policing reforms. The murders of #GeorgeFloyd & #BreonnaTaylor make it clear that we need transformational change in policing in the US: https://t.co/SgAp6P9RdC pic.twitter.com/mJN25UcANm

— Jesuit News (@jesuitnews) June 29, 2020

Not at War

The Second Vatican Council developed “the doctrine of recent popes on the inviolable rights of the human person and the constitutional order of society”(Declaration on Religious Freedom, 1). This week the U.S. Supreme Court defended L.G.B.T. people and their right to work: they  cannot be fired for belonging to that community.

A reasoned America Magazine editorial noted: “The vocation of Catholics is to exercise moral suasion to influence the opinion of the citizens of the United States.” Persuasion is not force; “suasion” respects human dignity and freedom.

Editorial: L.G.B.T. discrimination protections are not a catastrophe for Catholicism. https://t.co/blF7fIP9jW

— America Magazine (@americamag) June 18, 2020

To Remain Silent Is a Choice

Podcast

This week on @jesuiticalshow, we ask @OlgaMSegura how she approaches conversations about racism with her family, the role of the Catholic Church in the fight for racial justice and what white Catholics can do to become allies in that fight. Listen now 🎧https://t.co/IXYlNskCt2

— America Magazine (@americamag) June 16, 2020

Responding to an Urgent Question

Fr. Alvan I. Amadi serves in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He wanted 2^nd graders ”to know another truth…’we are more alike than unalike.’”

How can I explain the color of my skin—and racism—to young white students? https://t.co/l2XWAs5HEV

— America Magazine (@americamag) June 13, 2020

Conversation: Racial Injustice and Space Exploration

Former astronaut Leland Melvin conversed with Bill Nye about personal experiences—one could have changed his life so that he would not be an astronaut; about Amy Cooper, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd; as well as space exploration.

Bill Nye and former astronaut Leland Melvin talk racial injustice and space exploration (video) https://t.co/MAHjtoFe9F pic.twitter.com/9jPPB2CeK1

— SPACE.com (@SPACEdotcom) June 13, 2020

Racism Can Affect Anyone

Sean Cardinal O’Malley spoke personally as well as pastorally in a call to end racism. “Racism can be explicit, but it also can be unrecognized and unacknowledged. Yet, all of its manifestations are deadly and corrosive to civil society. …Racism is a social and spiritual disease that kills people."

Trial for Assassination Killings

The defendant is the former Vice-Minister of Public Security in El Salvador where six Jesuits and their housekeeper and her daughter were killed. On 8-10 June the Spanish court completed its first “block” of the trial. The second block will begin on 08 July. In addition to securing justice for 8 people murdered, “demonstrates the need to reinstitute rules that will allow the effective exercise of Universal Jurisdiction.”

The trial for the killings of Ignacio Ellacuría, Ignacio Martín-Baró, Amando López, Joaquín López y López, Juan Ramón Moreno, Segundo Montes, their housekeeper and her daughter, Elba Julia Ramos and Celina Maricet Ramos, began in Spain on Monday 8 June. https://t.co/jRDGny5NOu pic.twitter.com/i5cwStXJSO

— Thinking Faith (@ThinkingFaith) June 11, 2020

Mayor’s Action

The mayor of Buffalo, New York, ordered that a new police unit without military gear and trained in civil rights handle peaceful demonstrations after a riot unit was involved in the injury of a 75-year-old protester https://t.co/nx9AxT1g5P

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 11, 2020

Listening: Conversation Essential

Matt Malone is a Jesuit and the President & Editor in Chief of America Media. In his first-person essay he noted that all Americans are judged by the colour of their skin. “The difference is that this judgment created an advantage for [those who are white] and a disadvantage for [those who are black].”

I wrote this essay for @americamag over the weekend. You are welcome to join the conversation. “I have walked into the lobby of more than a dozen hotels in Manhattan and used the men’s room. I have been stopped exactly once.” https://t.co/AH4AszE9un via @americamag

— Matt Malone, S.J. (@Americaeditor) June 9, 2020