JustLove is an e-publication of the Office of Peace, Justice and Ecological Integrity of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. This month features a report on the recent gathering Where Many Rivers Meet: Gathering of JPIC Committees of Federation Congregations in New York and New Jersey, January 2, 2016. It also offers a reminder of this to take note of in February.

JUSTICE, PEACE AND ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY DAYS iN FEBRUARY

February is Black History Month. Excellent resources can be found on the website of the Smithsonian Institute http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/ educators/resource_library/african_american_ resources.html
2 World Wetlands Day – Livelihoods from fishing, rice farming, travel, tourism, and water provision all depend on wetlands. Unfortunately, wetlands are often viewed as wasteland, and more than 64% of our wetlands have disappeared since 1900. www.worldwetlandsday.org
4 Birthday of Rosa Parks (1913) “I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free so other people would be also free.”
6 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation http://www.un.org/en/events/ femalegenitalmutilationday/
8 Feast of St. Josephine Bakhita ”Human trafficking distorts human relationships, from the relationship between the trafficked person and trafckersfi, to the buyers and users, all the way to the wider consumer society. The historical resistance story of St. Josephine Bakhita illustrates the need to expand the viewpoint of ethical reflection on human trafficking from an exclusive focus on the bad actors – traffickers, pimps, and sweatshop managers – to incorporate the wider web of relationships distorted by human trafficking.” Sr. Susan Francois, CSJP
11 Our Lady of Lourdes/World Day of the Sick
“We too can be hands, arms and hearts which help God to perform his miracles, so often hidden. We too, whether healthy or sick, can offer up our toil and sufferings like the water which filled the jars at the wedding feast of Cana and was turned into the nest wine.” Pope Francis
12 Martyrdom of Sr. Dorothy Stang, SNDdeN (+2005) “My heart screams joy. But I’m needing patience as justice for the poor can’t happen overnight. How to maintain hope has been a challenge. I have to be with these people. If it means my life, I want to give my life.”
14 St. Valentine’s Day – Send thoughts of love today to special people, living and deceased, to non-human creatures special to you, to victims of violence, poverty and war, to friends and enemies.
20 World Day of Social Justice “Human rights are not only violated by terrorism, repression or assassination, but also by unfair economic structures that creates huge inequalities.” Pope Francis
27 International Stand Up to Bullying Day http://www.pacer.org/bullying/

JustLove is an e-publication of the Office of Peace, Justice and Ecological Integrity of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. Email us at pjei@scnj.org. Editor: Fr. Terrence Moran – Layout: Donna Sartor