Social Concerns Column for Sunday, November 6, 2011

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. --Psalm 82:3

Livermore Homeless Refuge Needs Volunteers to Staff Night Shift.  

The Refuge opened its doors on November 1st to provide shelter to the approximately one hundred homeless men and women of Livermore. When the weather forecast is for rain or temperatures below 40 degrees, the Refuge is open all night to literally prevent deaths by exposure.  At this time, the Refuge most needs your time to staff shifts from evening, through the night, to early morning.  For more information, please contact Bob and Donna, 925-443-7389 or 925-895-4167

Catholic Social Teaching: Solidarity.  
We are all one human family, and we are responsible for the well-being of each other.  This responsibility reaches across national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences.  Indifference to the pain and suffering of others has no place in our interdependent society.  We are all responsible for all.  Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means that ‘loving our neighbor’ has global dimensions in an interdependent world.  -- Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions, U.S. Bishops, 1998. Learn more from the US Bishops (http://tinyurl.com/BishopsSocialTeaching) and the Vatican (http://tinyurl.com/CatholicSocialTeaching).

Oakland Diocese Website for Social Justice.  

The Diocese of Oakland’s Office for Life and Justice supports social justice, respect life and restorative justice in parishes, deaneries, schools, ethnic centers and other institutions, recognizing that our efforts in education, service, advocacy, and solidarity are an essential aspect of the Christian life.  Their redesigned website showcases current issues and ministries:
Gabriel Project (a ministry to support pregnant mothers and their unborn children),  
After The Choice (a post-abortion healing ministry), 
JustFaith Ministries (faith formation programs for social ministry),
Change for Life (baby bottle fundraising program),
Action Alerts (to enlist voters on legislation with moral implications),
and much more. Visit the website at: http://www.oakdiocese.org/ministries/social-justice

Would you like to pursue a social justice project? 
The St. Michael Parish Social Concerns Ministry would like to help you to help others!  Call Joanne, 443-1422.

I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. --Psalm 140:12