Fwd: The Catholic Commitment to Justice: A Synod Conversation

[Catholic Worker]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Matthew Harper <mattha...@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Jun 7, 2022 at 10:55 PM
Subject: The Catholic Commitment to Justice: A Synod Conversation
To:

Dear friends of the Catholic Worker,

In an effort to hear from the people of the Church and to honor the sacred insights from God in our own lives, the Catholic Church is inviting all the baptised to participate in a Synodal Process. 

Unfortunately, many justice-minded Catholics have found their contributions unwelcome or minimized in the conversations happening at the parish and diocesan levels. And yet we know there are too many of us to be silenced and that our visions reflect a deep commitment to Gospel-truths. So, we choose to host our own conversations to ensure justice work is not lost in the discussions on Church priorities.

And yet, knowing intimately the power dynamics within our Church, we are not naive to believe speaking our truths is enough to determine the direction of our Church. And yet our coming together, putting words to the things we feel and the hopes we have, is a powerful act of faith, hope, and love. Believing the Spirit will continue to move through us as she always has, we gather to name our truths and see what comes. 

So, we invite you to join the Los Angeles Catholic Worker either:
FRIDAY, JUNE 17th from 2-4pm (PDT) / 3-5pm (MDT) / 4-6pm (CDT) / 5-7pm (EDT) or 

SUNDAY, JUNE 19th from 1-3pm (PDT), 2-4pm (MDT), 3-5pm (CDT), 4-6pm (EDT) for a conversation on the place of justice work in our Church. 

If you cannot attend either but want your voice heard and included, please take time to answer the reflection questions below and email them back to me by June 19th at 4pm (PDT). Please take 30 seconds to fill out this survey so we can know what to expect. Thanks.

- Matt and the Los Angeles Catholic Worker  

(Sorry if you receive this email twice. Will try to ensure that doesn't happen again.)

Questions: 

1. When we talk about justice in the context of the Catholic faith, what is included in that? What does "justice" mean? 
2. What place does justice work have in an authentically Christian church or believer? What is at risk for the institution or the individual by the decision to engage justice work deeply or not?
3. What has been your experience of the Church's commitment to the internal and external works for justice (in all of its forms)? What are some of the works you see our Church (on the local, regional, national, and international levels) committed to and what are some areas you believe our Church is absent in?

--

Matt Harper

Pronouns: He/Him
Cell: (818) 590-1085
LA Catholic Worker: lacatholicworker.org 

White People 4 Black Lives: awarela.org
@wp4bl

"For the African American knows, [Thomas] Merton caustically observed, that for white people 'your material comforts, your security, and your congenial relations with the establishment are much more important to you then your rather volatile idealism, and that when the game gets rough you will be quick to see your own interested menaced by [the Black community's] demands. And you will sell him down the river for the five hundredth time in order to protect yourself."      - Albert J. Raboteau, American Prophets