Silence Begets Violence?

This tragic event really struck home with a lot of people, mainly because the victims were young children. There seems to be a boundary that one doesn't cross when it comes to violence and crimes. As a society, any tragedy involving children seems to strike closest to our hearts. People can relate to the people grieving in Newtown, because they lead similar lives. Although it's kind of sad that it is this way, it's harder for people to feel the true pain of those suffer in foreign countries because they can't relate their lives to people living in Afghanistan or Israel. However, this tragedy could've happened to any school. Many people feel the need to protect those they love and speak out about this horrific event. I think that we as a society should ban together and take a serious look at our statutes that allowed something like this to happen. That is not to say that we need to take away people's right to bear arms; however, there should be some sort of policy in place   to prevent a person suffering from mental illness from possessing weapons. Our world needs more than just our prayers. We need to support those families that have lost people very dear to them but also take responsibility for the part that we have played in this tragedy. We have allowed a dark, cruel, violent world to exist and the most innocent among us have been made the victims. As not only Catholics, as human beings, we need to work toward building a safer, kinder community. We need to have those difficult conversations, facing the fact that we have made mistakes as a nation. It's not going to be easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is. As a nation, we need to act. now.

Factory Fire

As consumers we cannot hope to gain every single detail about every single factory of every single company of every single item we purchase. We already can barely retain the subjects taught to us in school, let alone retain information about the world's corporations. However, it is our responsibility as Christians to seek a means to prevent the misuse of workers. We have to. The first step is not forgetting the article we all just read. Like we talked about earlier in the class, we hear about these horrific stories on the news, say our "Aww" and move on with our lives. It is here that we can make a difference. Although it may seem difficult to bear the sins of the world, to walk around knowing that someone somewhere is hungry, cold, alone, and without hope, we cannot hope to solve a problem if we don't acknowledge its existence in the first place. We can't act for the corporations. It is they who must address the consequences of their own shortcuts. That's not to say that if corporations didn't cut corners there wouldn't be any mistreatment of workers; however, there may be less of it. Although these workers, like those in Bangladesh, receive a salary, they lack the monetary means to live - not just to eat, drink, or stay warm at night - but to live. Some people argue that something is better than nothing; yet, in a way it's worse. Rather than hitting rock bottom with not a penny to their name, these people exist in a middle state. This is their "normal." There's always an "up" from rock bottom. Where's the hope for a better future in "normal."

Dorothy Day: Saint!

I think saints should be determined by their life as a whole. Each saint has their own unique back story that shaped them into the person that made them a true saint. No saint in the past is free from ghosts in his or her past. As humans, we aren't perfect. It is because these people experienced difficulty in the past and have made a complete transformation into a follower of Christ that makes them saints. To be elevated to that place of respect and reverence, I feel that a saint must give everything that they are to God, leaving behind the skeletons in the closet, fears of the unknown, and doubt of one's true calling. Saints are those people who go above and beyond Christ's call to all of us. They possess a unique capability to interpret God's will in everyday life and bring his kingdom to life here on Earth. It does not surprise me that the Archbishop supports the canonization of Dorothy Day, because I feel that she truly is a modern day saint. People can relate to someone like her. Hearing stories of these perfect human beings known as saints makes it difficult for people to imagine leading a similar life. However, hearing the story of someone who was once just like them (making the same mistakes, seeking the same forgiveness) can make people believe that their is hope and that they are still called to serve out God's will.

Circles of Justice

In his speech, Obama states poverty as a moral issue and that as a nation, we cannot sit idly by. He focuses on good jobs with good wages, healthcare, retirement, and education. All of these follow the Church's teaching on justice and charity. We should provide education for the poor to help end the cycle of poverty. He also plans to help pay down the debt in a balanced way, saying that we cannot move forward on the backs of the poor. Obama's speech contains a lot of the Church's teaching; however, he does not give a method of how he will balance cutting government programs and still aiding the poor.
In Romney's speech he focuses more on the economy. He describes his 5 part plan to give more jobs and more opportunities. He hopes to see fewer people on well-fare. He also plans to work face to face with programs and not stand in their way. Romney possesses many great ideas that coincide with Church's teachings on justice and charity; however, he focuses on government programs which could be viewed as charity, rather than justice.

Beyond the Swoosh

The mistreatment of workers is so prevalent in today's society that to boycott every single company that does so would prove nearly impossible. However, there are other steps that we, as advocates for Catholic Social Teaching, can take in order to affect change among these big businesses. The first of all being to raise awareness. Although I have heard throughout my life of sweatshops and people working in Asia and the Middle East for pennies a day, it never truly hit home to what exactly that meant. Seeing the true inability to live on such meager wages struck me, as I did not realize the true reality of the situation. Another step we can take is getting people to sign petitions to insist that the company pay their workers adequate wages. If we all raise our voices as one, we cannot be ignored. As Christians, it is our duty to stand up and speak out against the injustices of the world.

Church and Scripture

Church has always been a source of community and salvation in my life. As noted in our textbook, God intended for the world to exist in community and that we seek to love everyone equally. God demands justice as is evident in the promises made with Noah and Abraham in the Old Testament. God calls all of us to respect the lives of other people. The Church and my faith have always remained the sources of these beliefs in my life. Church blends the individual aspect of faith (the relationship between myself and God) and adds a more social aspect where I can share in my faith among other people. Without fear of judgment or ridicule, I can enter Church on Sunday morning, knowing I will become a part of a true faith community based on love and faith.

How's The World? Messy....

When I hear stories of immense suffering or sadness on the news, I feel helpless. To fully understand that there are people out there starving while I complain that there is no "good food" in the house is almost more than I can manage. That could have been me. I could have been born into that life, and not the privileged one I now live. And even though I do live a privileged and excellent life, everyday I find something to complain about. When I hear about these horrific events on the news, I can't help but think that I'm more than a terrible Catholic, but a terrible person as well for not realizing all that I have and giving it back to others. The more despicable thing, however, is how easily I forget this revelation and move on with my everyday life. It's almost as if these horrible situations occur in a different world, and after hearing about them, I travel through a portal back to my own.
I agree with this article in that we need to remember, no matter how painful or uncomfortable it is. Regardless of whether or not we want to acknowledge their existence, these stories of suffering are happening every day. It is our duty as Christians to raise awareness and not push these horrific tales to the far recesses of our minds. How can we DO anything if we pretend like these things aren't happening? If everyone sees the story on the news about that group of people being tortured under a dictator and says, "That's terrible" and moves on with their life, then who will affect change and stand up for those incapable of raising their own voices? Naturally, it's easy for me to say that we all need to take a stand and not be afraid to put aside our mundane lives to do what we know is right. I have had many an opportunity to do this and have failed to do so, whether it be helping 9/11 victims or my neighbors who have been victimized by hurricane Sandy. I am not perfect. But I hope with the realization of my own imperfections, I can rise above them and bring about justice in the world.

Justice and Charity

Project H.O.M.E. works for justice by giving people the opportunities they deserve. People who were once homeless are sold homes at discounted prices, which they then can call their own. Project H.O.M.E. also offers medical help, and educational and career opportunities for people so that they can defeat the cycle of poverty and make their own way in the world. Everyone deserves an education and equal opportunities, so these works provide by Project H.O.M.E. are works of justice and not charity. However, some people may view these works as works of charity.
Project H.O.M.E. is very different from most shelters in that nothing is freely given to those who need it. Rather than there be an atmosphere of a giver and a receiver - that of someone being inferior to someone else. Project H.O.M.E gives those people who may have been placed into an unfortunate situation the opportunities they need to achieve their fullest potential on their own terms and by their own means. Project H.O.M.E. offers people the ability to achieve what they deserve
I think that their most important program is the education they provide for young children and even adults. The ability to become educated and eventually obtain a career is one of the sole means of breaking the cycle of poverty. If all of the children of the homeless can become educated, they will have the ability to provide means for not only their parents but future generations to come.