SOCIAL JUSTICE - THE JUST SHEPHERD

April - June 2011
Quarterly Update

Expression of faith by action: leading faithful, informed and dutiful lives of service to each other and to our larger communities.
- Social Justice Ministry Mission Statement

Justice and Peace Prayer
By: Jane Deren

God of Justice and Peace,
Mold our consciences
according to justice,
And shape our hearts
according to peace,

That we may recognize the talents
that you have given us
To secure the rights of the poor,
the oppressed, the sick
and the marginalized.

God, we are Your children.
Grant us the courage and strength
To work for justice,
And in this way,
Live out our call
to be peacemakers.

Peace to all,
Katie Esser: Director, Social Justice Ministry
Karen O’Hern: Social Justice Committee

Included in this issue:

• GSCC Hosts The Parenting Education Program
• V.O.I.C.E: Focused in on Affordable Housing
• SJ Meeting Guest Speaker
• 2nd Annual Vigil for Peace
• Adult WorkCamp with Christian Appalachia Project

GSCC Hosts The Parenting Education Program
The Parenting Education Program (formerly the Nurturing Parenting Program) is a curriculum used by the Fairfax County Department of Family Services that offers caring, comprehensive classes to parents and their children to help them learn new ways to work together as a family. The program is based on the philosophy that parenting is learned - the way parents were raised directly influences the way they raise their children. The program helps parents learn nurturing behaviors in place of others that are hurtful to children. A basic principle of the nurturing philosophy is that most parents would rather build happy, healthy interactions in their families rather than struggle with problems they were never taught to solve. Together the family learns to:

• Build and develop the ability to recognize and value the thoughts and feelings of others.
• Handle uncomfortable feelings such as stress and anger.
• Communicate in non-threatening ways.
• Establish consistent, nurturing routines for fun family activities.
• Use alternatives to physical punishment.
• Take charge of their own feelings and behaviors, and interact with others in positive ways.

These programs are special in that both parents and children attend classes and are free for Fairfax County residents. Free childcare, dinner and educational materials are provided as part of the program which meets weekly between 12-21 weeks, depending on the program curriculum.

Most programs are hosted at local churches where volunteers cook dinner for participants and staff from food donated by local residents and churches. A team from Good Shepherd Catholic Church supports the program by preparing and serving meals twice a year at Mt Vernon Presbyterian Church and once a year at the Gum Springs Community Center. Barbara Cotter is the coordinator for Good Shepherd and is supported by a team of volunteers including Judy Mitchell, Chris Baden Mayer, Kathy Andrus, Marisa Souza, Mary Beth Rock, Ben and Jerri Pogue and the Batchelder family.

Additionally, Good Shepherd will host this summer the first ever version of this program in Spanish - Familias Fuertes. This 7-week condensed pilot program, also sponsored by Fairfax County, hopes to be replicated throughout the county if it proves successful here.

For further information about the program or volunteering, please contact Barbara Cotter at (703) 780-6166 or babs11@earthlink.net.

V.O.I.C.E.: Making an Impact in the Mt. Vernon Area
VOICE member congregations of Route 1/Mount Vernon met on May 23 to consider what issues the members should pursue in this area. There were about 20 people from 8 institutions. The three main actionable problems discussed were (1) getting a shovel into North Hill; (2) working with Fairfax County on homeless issues; and (3) programs for youth.  After some discussion the group agreed that even though North Hill is an actionable, perhaps even winnable goal, it probably isn't worth the amount of effort versus the eventual outcome--of the approximately 70 units built on the property, only 13 would be low income. The group decided that the major goal would be to push the county to honor--or at least start working towards--its commitment to eliminate homelessness in Fairfax County in 10 years (see www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless for more details). There is a need for about 2,500 units.

Possible plans include:

• Does it make sense to go to churches and ask for each to develop some land on their own property?
• Does it make sense to get the county to acquire vacant housing space (such as the currently unused Sunrise on Rt. 1 and Lorton Road) and develop it for permanent housing?
• Does it make sense to scour the county for alternate land/vacant dwellings?

Another meeting was held at Rising Hope Methodist Mission Church on Russell Road on Thursday, June 23; Good Shepherd was well represented. The primary focus at the meeting was building up advocacy for affordable housing the Mount Vernon area. As a follow on to the June 23 meeting, Good Shepherd members met on June 30 to discuss further how the parish might play a role in building the advocacy.

Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) of Northern Virginia is a broad-based, multi-racial, multi-faith, multi-issue, multi-county, strictly non-partisan citizens' power organization dedicated to making change on social justice issues (affordable housing, healthcare, immigration) affecting the lives of low- and middle-income residents in four Northern Virginia jurisdictions: Prince William, Fairfax, and Arlington counties as well as the City of Alexandria. Good Shepherd is one of the founding members of VOICE; the parish is one of VOICE’s 50 member houses of worship, which include more than 125,000 congregants across the region. For more information contact Bill Zaccagnino at wzaccagnino@cox.net.

SJ Meeting Guest Speaker
With an interest in broadening our knowledge of homelessness in our area, Sandra Chisholm, Interfaith Coordinator from Fairfax County Human Services and Lloyd Tucker, Region I Manager, Department of Neighborhood and Community Services were invited to speak at our monthly Social Justice Ministry gathering in April. In addition to facts and figures they discussed their objectives and how they can work with us at GSCC.

At one time the county used to rely on faith communities to provide human services. Faith communities reached out because of their faith, not to proselytize. In 2001 the Community Interfaith Liaison Office was created in Fairfax County to promote better communication between houses of worship and the county. In 2010 the Clergy Leadership Council was formed and topics such as the initiative to end homelessness in Fairfax County by 2018 are discussed and coordinated. The county looks to provide information and support to faith communities to help them address those in need and for the faith communities to give information back to the county regarding the needs in the community. Ms. Chisholm and Mr. Tucker can be reached at the South County Government Center.

As a result of this presentation and further discussion among Ministry participants the Ministry has decided to make homelessness the focus of our efforts over the next year. Watch the bulletin for dates and times of regular meetings. Contact Lynn Thompson, SJ Ministry Chair for more information: socialjustice@gs-cc.org.

2nd Annual Vigil for Peace
The GSCC tradition for a "Peace Vigil" this past June began a year ago, after the violent death of a teenage parishioner, Christian Perez. With the cooperation of a multicultural and intergenerational team of parish ministers, volunteers, and families, the vigil evolved into a prayerful reflection on the losses in our lives, coping with change through mutual support and "circles of care", and the challenges we face in seeking peace and justice in our world.

Youth and families reported that the paraliturgical format for the Peace Vigil welcomed involvement of diverse groups and allowed for the inclusion and integration of many themes central to our parish mission and faith life. Most importantly it brought about meaningful and lasting bonds between our Spanish and English speaking parishioners in the planning of the celebration. Parishioners requested that the service be an annual occurrence, offering community members opportunities for deepened awareness of our calling to be instruments of peace, healing and hope. On the eve of our 2nd Peace Vigil, like Father Chuck, Father Tom Ferguson encouraged planners and participants to move forward with the event.

On June 9, 2011, GSCC parishioners gathered at 7pm for the 2nd Annual Vigil for Peace. Candles lined the central aisle and front of the altar focusing everyone's attention on the possibilities that abound as our hearts and hands and work and celebration of life--is illuminated by the LIGHT OF CHRIST, the Spirit of God who dwells within each of us!

Although our new pastor, Father Tom Ferguson had just come on board at Good Shepherd, and could not attend the 2nd Annual Peace Vigil, remarkably, his homily on July 3rd, echoed and elaborated on many of the same messages embedded in the songs, readings and prayers for that Sunday--and highlighted in the Peace Vigil. His reflection noted that, "the message of Jesus in the Gospel strengthens our hope as he reminds us that even though we may at times be weary, and find life burdensome, we are never alone. "Come to Me!"

The paraliturgy was a cross-ministerial event with youth, social justice, liturgy, music and Latino ministers and volunteers, in both Spanish and English, coming together to celebrate. Parishioners were invited to write down petitions, prayers related to their personal needs and the needs of others. Those prayer requests were then included in the opening "Procession of Peace and Light". The procession included parishioners carrying candles, objects and symbols of strength and struggle in achieving peace. Some of those images depicted symbols of our sacramental lives and others were symbolic of the challenges, joys and sorrows we experience everyday in our relationships, families, workplace and communities. The symbols were rich reminders of our faith life: water and a white robe, crucifix and stole, bread and wine, a heart and clasped hands, a prayer quilt and pictures to remind us of suffering and loss; symbols of community: picture of people of different cultures working together in our GSCC community, and symbols of us working in occupations that bring promise for attaining safety and freedom from conflict and hunger, and homelessness in our world.

Alternating Spanish and English refrains from the psalm and song, "Spirit of God, fill all of my life, my soul and me; come to me with your presence, with your power and with all your love" responded to a reading from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, offering reassurance that, "there is an appointed time for every affair under the Heavens". The second reading from Saint Francis de Sales reminded everyone to "not look forward in fear to the changes of life, God will carry you in his arms, be at peace and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations.” Again Father Tom's homily reflections reiterated this concept--reminding us that "we are called as Christians to be people of hope, because of the Spirit who dwells within each of us." The psalm, "You Are Near", sung alternately in Spanish and English, beautifully announced the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, processed down the aisle by Father Luis and the ritual of the laying on of hands as the prayer service concluded.

The planning and implementation of this paraliturgy was a result of the collaboration of our gifted and culturally integrated GSCC ministry teams, volunteers, teachers, musicians and liturgists. Together they poignantly highlighted religious education and sacramental topics as well as themes reflecting social justice issues, and the life and faith experiences of families. Because social justice issues and themes reflect gospel values they serve to connect with all other ministries in our church community. The content and process of creating the Peace Vigil unified parishioners with different cultures and roles in parish life but rooted together in similar biblical, sacramental and Catholic Christian traditions. It is hoped that this prayerful gatherings can be a model, perhaps replicated several times a year as we join together to celebrate, and validate accomplishments in our ministries as well as discerning future directions and inspiring continuing work to achieve peace and justice objectives in our communities and our world.

Special thanks to all of the participants acting out their faith in many different facets of parish life and representing different generations, cultures and ministries--Miguel De Angel, Katie Esser, Leah Tenorio, Brenda Caballero, Jerri Pogue, Barbara Cotter, Mary Beth Rock, Veronica Bryant, our military family--Mack and Shay Bessemer and children, Apolonia and Maria Alejandra Perez and Family (the family of Christian Perez), the Hispanic Prayer Group, the Evangelization Choir accompanied by Anne Shingler and Jorge Salgado, and Father Luis. For more information contact Jerri Pogue at gbpogue@aol.com.

Adult WorkCamp with Christian Appalachia Project
From May 22-27, eight Good Shepherd parishioners and one friend participated in Good Shepherd’s second Adult WorkCamp. They volunteered with crew leaders from the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) to refurbish a home in eastern Kentucky.

The volunteers put siding on the home, including the soffit and fascia; painted the porch; constructed rails along the steps from the porch; installed a new screen door; and started the construction of steps from a door on the side of the home. Since the home was set on rock pilings, the volunteers also enclosed the perimeter of the home with concrete panels to prevent animals from getting under the home and to keep the home warmer in the winter.

In addition to refurbishing the home, the volunteers made some wonderful friendships with the three children and their two great aunts who live in the home. On one evening, the volunteers attended Mass which Father Beiting celebrated, and on the next evening they enjoyed the music and dancing at the Country Music Highway Museum.

Good Shepherd's first Adult WorkCamp was in August 2010 when 22 parishioners volunteered with CAP. Another group of Good Shepherd parishioners is headed to Kentucky to work with CAP July 17-22.

 

The next issue of the “Just Shepherd” will be published in early October 2011 covering Social Justice activities in the months of July, August & September 2011.  If you have an item you would like to contribute contact Karen O’Hern at socialjustice@gs-cc.org.