Social Justice

The Ave Maria Parish Social Justice Committee (SJC) is a group of concerned and dedicated volunteers responsible for Social Justice planning, identification of needs, community outreach activities, and parishioner education regarding the myriad of social justice areas within Parker and Douglas County.  Volunteer participation in the SJC is open to all registered members of the parish, who wish to participate in this ministry’s activities. A Chairperson for the SJC will be designated and appointed by the Pastor.  Co-coordinators and/or subcommittees may be further designed and appointed by the SJC Chairperson, if/as needed.

Resources

• 7 Major Themes of Catholic Social Teaching
• Parish Social Ministries Handout
• Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
• Catholic Social Teaching and Migration
• Important Principles Concerning Enforcement of Immigration Laws
• Learn the Issues Concerning Immigrants in the US
• Understanding Catholic Social Teaching as it relates to Migration
• Response to Arguments of Undocumented Immigrants
• The Facts Concerning Economics and Migration
• Caridades Católicas de Colorado Springs

Links

• Bread for the World
• Catholic Campaign for Human Development
• Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform
• Catholic Relief Services
• Center of Concern
• Colorado Catholic Conference
• Diocese of Colorado Springs Catholic Charities
• National Catholic Rural Life Conference
• Network: A National catholic Social Justice Lobby
• Pax Christi USA
• Salt of the Earth
• Society of St Vincent de Paul in the U.S.
• Human Trafficking
• World Day of Peace Message 2010

Mission Statement

The Social Justice Committee (SJC) of the Ave Maria Parish, in light of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ for peace, charity and justice, is tasked to enlighten and empower our parish faith community, and to seek justice and promote human respect and dignity, through prayer, education, formation, communication, and action.

Purpose

• Parish social justice committee’s ministry is about building community and helping those in need;

• Organize and join others to change the conditions that cause or exacerbate poverty—always thinking the bigger picture beyond the local situation;

• Initiate planned efforts to identify, train, and develop parish leaders to facilitate and direct social justice activities within the Ave Maria Parish;

• Create sub-committees or programs and formation opportunities, ensuring that the social justice work remains rooted in scripture and Catholic social teachings; and

• Establish a good communication system (crosstalk/sharing; telephone; email; networking; etc.) that keeps the entire parish and community connected and accurately informed.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of a SCJ Chairperson, the committee will:

1. Continually pray, educate, and involve ourselves and the parish community in Catholic social teaching and current social justice concerns.

2. Provide educational resources for the parish in the form of bulletin announce-ments, flyers or informational packets about selected and/or varied social justice issues.

3. Organize and facilitate activities for parishioners to (as a minimum):

   1. Engage injustices, through letter writing campaigns and volunteer experiences.

   2. Participate in social justice committees, projects or programs, which facilitate the opening of door(s) and opportunities to provide help and hope to our faith community and those in need.

4. Seek out and collaborate with other area and diocese social justice committees, subcommittees, and social justice-related agencies.

Changes to and/or additions to the Social Justice Committee ministry responsibilities and duties will be at the sole discretion of the pastor (whether verbally or in writing) and/or parochial vicar.  Resolutions to problems regarding the Social Justice Committee’s mission, purpose, and/or responsibilities will be resolved by the SCJ Chairperson and/or Pastor, respectively.