If You Want Peace, Work for Justice...........Pope Paul VI

The mission of the Peace & Social Justice Ministry is  to assist parishioners in continuing Jesus' mission, His work and His service to others.  The ministry educates, organizes and acts on social issues facing our local and global community by deepening an awareness of the Gospel's call to love our neighbors.

 Peace & Social Justice Ministry is based on the seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching which are:

  • Life & Dignity of the Human Person
  • Call to Family, Community and Participation
  • Rights and Responsibilities
  • Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
  • The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
  • Solidarity
  • Care for God's Creation

Throughout the year, programs and action opportunities are provided to parishioners including regular sales of fair trade coffee and other food items, letter-writing campaigns to our legislators, cultivating a parish garden that serves the hungry, assisting refugee families, and more. We also provide educational opportunities through presentations on various issues including poverty and hunger, non-violence, immigration, human trafficking, peace initiatives, care for creation and more.

Peace & Social Justice meets monthly from September through June in Franciscan Hall, usually on the third Monday of the month.  Dates are published in the bulletin.  For more information contact Lorrie Tracy at 815-485-8049.

   

"The church has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public square". (Pope Benedict) The Peace & Social Justice ministry strives to incorporate  principles of the Laudato Si' Goals in the spirit of Pope Francis

https://laudatosiactionplatform.org/

 FAIR TRADE:

Peace & Social Justice provides ethically  traded coffee, tea, chocolate and olive oil thorough Equal Exchange.  Equal Exchange was the first fair trade company in the U.S. founded in 1986.  Equal Exchange 's mission is to build long-term trade partnerships that are economically just and environmentally sound and to foster mutually beneficial relationships between farmer and consumers. Equal Exchange products are sold the First Sunday of the month in the West Narthex 8:00am-12:15pm after Mass

  • Builds right relationships between buyers and sellers that are rooted in the principles of human dignity and solidarity
  • Respects human dignity
  • Promotes the common good  
  • Advances economic justice
  • Empowers disadvantaged people 
  • Connects us with the people who create the things we buy 
  • Cultivates global solidarity

OTHER FAIR TRADE VENDORS

Click below:

  • SERRV
  • TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES 
    Stores:  Oak Park, 121 N. Marion Street, 708-848-4572  
                   Evanston, 719 Main Street, 847-733-8258 
                   Glen Ellyn, 503 Pennsylvania Avenue, 630-790-1166  
    . 

Read the full text of the Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching 

Visit Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish 

PARTNERING ORGANIZATONS:                                                                   

  Bread for the World            https://www.bread.org/          

Catholic Climate Covenant      https://catholicclimatecovenant.org/

     

            Exodus World Service      https://exodusworldservice.org/ 

                   Water With Blessings      https://waterwithblessings.org/  

        United State Conference of Catholic Bishops      https://www.usccb.org/