Social Concerns Column for Sunday, February 5, 2012

Happy those whose help is Jacob’s God, whose hope is in the Lord, their God, the maker of heaven and earth, the seas and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. --Psalm 146

Bay Area Social Justice Forum: “People of Hope Agents for Change”, Saturday February 11th, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
The Forum is sponsored by the Holy Names University and the Oakland Diocese.  The keynote speakers are Fr. Daniel Groody, University of Notre Dame, and Jack Weinstein.  Workshop topics include: Human trafficking, Immigration, Restorative Justice, Water Security, Death Penalty, Affordable Housing, Racism, and more.  Valley Center for the Performing Arts, Holy Names University, 3500 Mountain Blvd, Oakland.  To carpool, call Joanne Angvick, 443-1422.  To register: www.hnu.edu/SocialJustice

Pope John XXIII on Government:
If any government does not acknowledge the rights of man or violates them, it not only fails in its duty, but its orders completely lack juridical force.  -- Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth), Pope John XXIII, 1963, #63, http://tinyurl.com/VaticanPeaceOnEarth

California Bishops Support Life & Family Initiatives: Be Ready to Write Your Representative. 
Our Bishops are supporting two initiatives for the November ballot: (1) parental notification before a minor’s abortion and (2) an end to the use of the death penalty.  Sign up with the Catholic Legislative Network to learn more and to receive alerts when our Bishops need us, the Catholic voters, to write our representatives: http://www.cacatholic.org

Emergency Services in the Tri-Valley
(http://stm-scm.blogspot.com/p/emergency-services-in-tri-valley.html)
We are collecting emergency resource points of contact on our website with links to the many services available in Alameda County.  The Diocese of Oakland’s Office for Life and Justice has many links.  In Alameda County, call 2-1-1 for information and referral to dozens of services with translators available for many languages.
   
Would you like to pursue a social justice project?
The St. Michael Parish Social Concerns Ministry can help you help others!  Call Joanne 443-1422.

To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.  --Prov 21:3