Moral Mandate—A New Direction
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PEOPLEPEOPLE LOBBYING LOBBYING FOR SOCIAL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE JUSTICE • JANUARY/FEBRUARY • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2009 2008 Moral Mandate—A New Direction dear members I had thought that we were NOTE TO ALL NETWORK MEMBERS: busy before the election, NETW RK but that almost pales in A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby Be sure to vote for new comparison to the momen- NETWORK—a Catholic leader tum that we have now. members of NETWORK’s in the global movement There are so many opportu- Board of Directors. for justice and peace— educates, organizes and nities to have our concerns Your ballot can be found lobbies for economic heard and considered that on the back page and and social transformation. we have to prioritize the must be postmarked NETWORK Board of Directors opportunities because we Mary Ann Brenden Marie Lucey, OSF by March 14, 2009. Marie Clarke Brill Rhonda Meister cannot do it all. In that Simone Campbell, SSS Kateri Mitchell, SSA Joan Carey, SSJ Mary Ann Nestel, CSJ process, our field team is Cathleen Crayton Judith Braitmayer Sharpe trying to make sure that we Mary Ann Gaido Sandra Thibodeux, MMB Linda Howell-Perrin, LSW Mary T. Yelenick do not overwhelm you, our Barbara Lange Peter J. Zografos e-activists, with opportuni- Contents NETWORK Education Program Board of Directors ties—but know that this is envisioning Elizabeth Dahlman Kit Hinga, SSJ the time when your voice Anticipation Katherine Feely, SND Dorothy Jackson, SCN 3 Jennifer Haut Kathleen Phelan, OP really can count. Simone Campbell, SSS, believes that a new springtime in governance is coming, but our NETWORK Staff In the midst of this great Communications Coordinator/Editor— expectations must be tempered by current opening for our message for Stephanie Niedringhaus fiscal realities. Coordinator of Annual Giving—Hanna Rutz the common good comes a Executive Director—Simone Campbell, SSS financial crisis that is keep- cover story Field Coordinator—Jean Sammon Addressing the Economic IT Coordinator—Joy Wigwe ing me awake nights (which 4 Lobbyists—Marge Clark, BVM; is VERY rare for me). We at Crisis with Faith Catherine Pinkerton, CSJ Amata Miller, IHM, examines the economic Major GIfts Coordinator—John R. Price, D.Min. NETWORK, like the rest of downturn through the lens of Catholic Social NETWORK Associates—Katrine Herrick, Kelly Trout Teaching. How did we reach this point, and the country, are struggling Office/Membership Coordinator—Ann Dunn where do we go from here? to make ends meet and Articles in NETWORK Connection may be weather this storm. As one reprinted. Please include the following on voting record the reprints: “Reprinted with permission of our Board members said, from NETWORK, a National Catholic So- “It doesn’t seem fair—just 7 Voting Record of the 110th cial Justice Lobby, 25 E Street NW, Suite when there is new pos- Congress, 2nd Session 200, Washington, DC 20001, www.net- See how your legislators voted on issues that worklobby.org.” Please send us a copy of the reprinted article. sibility, there is no money.” mattered. But we live through faith January/February 2009—Vol. 37, No. 1 NETWORK Connection and hard work, knowing making a differencee ISSN 0199-5723 this too will change. We Published bimonthly by 15 Move Your Legislators NETWORK also realized the other day Toward Justice! PHONE 202-347-9797 FAX 202-347-9864 that this puts us in closer We have voted, but we are called to do more. E-MAIL : [email protected] WEB SITE : www.networklobby.org relationship with those back page POStmaSter: Send addreSS CHangeS to who live at the economic NETWORK • 25 E Street NW, Suite 200 margins of our country and 16 Board Election Ballot for Washington, DC 20001 NETWORK Members Annual dues: $50/$60 international. our world. Perhaps this is a Copyright © 2009 NETWORK. time to live more intensely Cover photo: AP. the reality that we are one. Together in our com- mitment to justice, we can find a shared way through. Know that I am grateful that we are in this together. Enough for All Creation Community is the warmth March 13-16, 2009 that reminds me that we Washington, D.C. live in the Spirit! Let’s continue to make change www.advocacydays.org together. Comments on this issue? Ideas for future issues of Connection? Let us hear from you! [email protected] 2 Connection January/February 2009 www.networklobby.org envisioning Anticipation BY SIMONE CAMP B ELL , SSS The excitement in DC is palpable. On maintain the basic principles on which views is the fullness of the ideal. In this the Metro, people talk to strangers about we were established. We have to be the time of possibility we are called, while Tthe Inauguration. We are making plans people involved in forming this more anchored in our faith values, to walk the to deal with the expected crowds and are perfect union. And we have a long rough roads of engagement, compromise. We on our own quest for tickets! I had not road ahead. are called to continue to dialogue with known how arduous and spirit-sapping Long-term engagement is needed if people who think differently—not just these last years had been until I began to we are to solve the challenging prob- out of political necessity, but as a spiri- experience that change is not only pos- lems of the economy, healthcare, Iraqi tual practice to find the best way for- sible, but it is happening. In our policy occupation, immigration, ecology and ward. We are called to find solutions to meetings with President-elect Obama’s trade. The political pushback will be sig- the vexing problems of our time, under- transition staff we experienced recep- nificant when any detailed plan is pro- standing that governance is the solving tivity to our concerns and an effort to posed. The human species consistently of problems for the sake of the whole. understand the principles behind our seems to resist change—no matter how And as the Prophet Isaiah challenges, agenda. This was a stark contrast to the bad the current situation. And we NET- we are called to struggle together both last eight years, when it was virtually WORK people will most likely be disap- individually and as a nation to share our impossible to get anyone in the admin- pointed in the reality that not every seed bread with those who are hungry, shel- istration to listen. It appears that there is we plant will result in a sheaf of wheat. It ter the homeless, clothe those who are a new springtime in governance. What will be tempting to complain, pout and naked, and not turn our back on people a relief! disengage. I think that this springtime in need. These are spiritual practices for But just as this new springtime is com- reality is calling us to shift our spiritual our twenty-first century. By engaging ing, we are facing the most serious fiscal stance from rugged endurance and resis- together, we will be true to the promise crisis in my lifetime. I have inside myself tance to a mature engagement. of this springtime—and realize a hun- hope and happiness, as well as finan- In this time of change, we are called to dredfold harvest. cial concern—a strange mix of spring be people of the Gospel engaged in cre- with deep winter worry. This worry was ating this more perfect union. We must Simone Campbell, SSS, is NETWORK’s heightened when Senate Republicans remember that no one of our individual Executive Director. recently demanded significant cuts to ordinary autoworker salaries in order for them to approve the auto industry bail- out. These are the same senators who refused to include caps on CEO salaries when they approved the financial servic- es/mortgage bailout. We still have more work to do if the GOP Senate leadership does not understand the wrongness of this view. This is the work that we must be ready for. We need a national party on January 20 to celebrate the turning of a page in our history, but we must be ready on January 21 to get to work. I worry that we think that a new president and administration can “fix it all.” Our nation will function only if we www.networklobby.org January/February 2009 Connection 3 Addressing the Economic Crisis with Faith BY AMATA MILLER , IHM The economic news is bad everywhere, in terms of how big our house is, what inequality of incomes. Some have gained Tfor everybody it seems! What got us into kind of car we drive, and the purse we inordinately while incomes of middle- this mess? What do we need to avoid carry. Greed has become good. This spir- and lower-income workers stagnated in the future? What do we need to do it undermines the confidence needed in or inched up. Tax cuts have favored the now—as individuals and as a nation? a free market economy. wealthy, and productivity gains have What principles of Catholic Social This spirit has also fostered a culture enriched those at the top instead of Teaching can guide our consciences as of irresponsible borrowing. Our econo- being shared more equitably. we face the realities? And what are the my depends on the ability to borrow in A sense of citizenship has dimin- opportunities inherent in all of this? anticipation of future ability to repay— ished as individualism has supplanted and on a willingness to lend in reli- co-responsibility for the common good. Cultural Causes ance on that repayment. National data Economist Randy Albeda has remarked The media have told us in great detail show that we have become a nation of that at some point in the 1980s the Amer- about the institutional causes of the cur- people living beyond our means, using ican people began to think of themselves rent economic crisis.