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The website is now interactive. All you have to do is get a password and you can enter into discussions with other MSJC members about social justice issues. NOTE - if you are using the AOL browser, you can view the website but cannot enter any of the discussions with that browser.

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Justice Jottings has been emailed every two months during this past year. We're thinking of moving to monthly so we can be more timely. But we don't want to strain already bulging inboxes. Do you have a preference? If so let us know by emailing jimvogt2@yahoo.com. Type "monthly" or "bimonthly" as the subject to indicate your preference.

Scroll down to read the following items:
Issue Team updates
MSJC Steering Committee Update
After the Election - some next steps
Resources
Sharing the Good News - justice happenings in the Marianist world
A Thought to Ponder

Issue Teams Update

Ecology & Environment
Team member Marilyn Schwieterman suggests an easy action to promote the sale of Fair Trade coffee.

Anti-Racism
The team has almost completed a Statement on Racism that will be submitted to the Marianist Family Council. All Marianist communities and institutions will be asked to pledge to this statement

A team of lay and professed Marianists will be attending the Conducting a Cultural Audit Workshop on January 6-8 in Burlingame, CA. The team will then make this tool for understanding cultural influences available to all Marianists.

Sweatshop Labor

The nationwide tour of garment workers from Bangladesh was incredibly successful. Thousands heard their moving stories.

A report on the first half of the tour is available at www.nlcnet.org.

Death Penalty

Bro. Frank O'Donnell, SM attended the Second World Congress to Abolish the Dealth Penalty October 6-8 in Montreal, Canada. To find out more about the World Congress visit: www.montreal2004.org.

Distributing "Executive Justice, Not People" decals to Marianist institutions in the days prior to a pending execution. If you are interested in getting some, contact team chair Brian Halderman - brian.halderman@notes.udayton.edu

MSJC Steering Committee Update

MSJC joined a wide array of ecumenical church leaders and organizations in signing a letter to both Bush and Kerry calling for a new U.S. policy toward Colombia. Go to www.lwr.org to see the letter.

We are initiating a dialog with the World Council of the Marianist Family to help MSJC connect with Marianist communities in other parts of the world who share our passion fro promoting justice.

After the Election

Regardless of whether your candidates won, check out these "next step" resources:

November 18 is Let's Talk America Day - a day to encourage conversation on a bi-partisan basis, about where we go from here and how to heal the divisions that separate so many of us. www.letstalkamerica.org

And some wise words from a wise woman - Joan Chittister http://nationalcatholicreporter.org/fwis/fw102804.htm

Resources - know any good ones? Share them with us

The Peace Pulpit - www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/peace - weekly homilies by US bishop and peace activist, Thomas Gumbleton.

Sharing the Good News - let us know if you have some to share

Jesse Hernandez reports that, as a follow-up to the Anti-Racism Issue Team workshop on Cultural Diversity, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Helotes, TX did a Unity in Diversity program attended by 125 parishioners. The parish is also now a member of 2 ecumenical organizations that advocate with elected officials to address social justice issues. For more information, contact Jesse at troy30@sbcglobal.net

A Thought to Ponder

    "What if what unites us is more than we realize and what divides us is less than we fear?"

               -Let's Talk America

If you would like to add your name or be removed from our distribution list, please e-mail and give us your information: cmsccathy1@aol.com you are being added, please supply your mailing address and phone number for our records. This information will be kept confidential and used only to keep you informed on Social Justice issues.

Jim Vogt, Director
Marianist Social Justice Collaborative
523 East Southern Ave.
Covington KY 41015
859-291-6197; fax - 859-291-4742
jimvogt2@yahoo.com; www.msjc.net