Write for Rights #W4R19

Every year the Sisters gather together, take pen to paper, and participate in the Write for Rights.  Next Tuesday the Sisters of St Joseph will gather once again. We feel great action happens when people gather together. This is such an important and wonderful way to talk about serious issues - and take ACTION! 

 

 

 

Every year around   International Human Rights Day on December 10th, hundreds of thousands of people around the world send a letter or an e-mail on behalf of someone they’ve never met. 

Join Amnesty International for Write for Rights.

This year, all 10 global cases will focus on young people under the age of 25 who are a leading force for change. 

Justice for Grassy Narrows

This year, Amnesty International is highlighting a case right here in Canada, of youth from Asubpeeschoseewagong (“Grassy Narrows First Nation”) who are fighting for justice in the face of 50 years of mercury poisoning in their community.

Because of government inaction, generations of young Indigenous people have grown up with devastating health problems and the loss of their cultural traditions. It’s time for the government to keep its promise to deal with the mercury crisis “once and for all” so that young people can grow up in a healthy and thriving community.

Get to know some of the youth from Grassy Narrows and hear what makes their community special to them. 

Learn more at www.writeathon.ca/grassynarrows.

Taken from the Amnesty International website    https://writeathon.ca/

 

Widen the Horizons of Your Heart

Widen the Horizons of Your Heart   (Pope Francis)

The Milky Way over Yellowstone | The Abyss Pool in Yellowstone National Park.

Image credit: Dave Lane

Here we are on the First Sunday of Advent.  We have been here before, many times.  Over the years, different themes have paved the way for us through these four weeks of Advent towards Christmas.  As I cast a backward glance over this past year, what stands out is how so many dark things have engulfed our earth this year.  Never-ending human tragedies, riots and strikes as well as indescribable natural disasters … fires, floods, droughts – to just name a few.  Our poor planet is in deep trouble.  We are in trouble.  However, valiant efforts are being made to turn things around.  On the forefront are conservationists addressing the issue of climate change.  In 2015, Pope Francis gave us Laudato ‘Si and this year he convened the Amazon Synod to encourage all of us, you and me, to take better care of our beautiful planet, our common home.  And in this Sunday’s Epistle we hear St. Paul’s clarion call: “You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep … let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light … “ Romans 13:11-12.

In his Advent message last year, Pope Francis urged us to, “widen the horizons of our hearts.”  Widen them for what?  To lay aside the works of darkness.  You might take umbrage with that statement.  But have we not all contributed to the state of our planet to some extend?  Each of us has a vital role to play in protecting our ailing earth for, “We have become a planetary species, a planetary power, and the future shape of life on our earth depends on us recognizing this reality and making different choices—NOW!” -Mary Southard, CSJ.

Advent is a good time to take stock of how we have contributed to the sad state of our world. Young people are speaking up, pleading for a change of heart in each one of us.  Last December, sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg addressed world leaders at the UN regarding climate change.  Here in Canada a group of young people are bringing suit against the government over climate change, saying government inaction is causing climate change and hurting their future. What are we doing to help turn things around?  What efforts are you and I making to be present and respond to this greatest challenge we humans have ever faced? 

Perhaps, like me, you have read and were inspired by Chris Hadfield’s book An Astronauts Guide to Life on Earth.  He wrote this about our beautiful earth, “The world, when you look at it, it just can't be random. I mean, it's so different than the vast emptiness that is everything else, and even all the other planets we've seen, at least in our solar system, none of them even remotely resemble the precious life-giving nature of our own planet.”  Let us inscribe these words, our life-giving planet, on our minds and hearts. As we prepare to celebrate the dawn of the Light among us, may our Advent journeying strengthen us to shoulder our responsibility to care for our planet. 

- Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps

Art work by Mary Southard, CSJ

CSJ Blue Communities Updates

November 28, 2019

These past few weeks, our Blue Communities Coordinator Paul Baines has been following water issues in the news while also participating in a grassroots review of Ontario's bottled water permit policy. 

Wellington Water Watchers

A network of water groups have been trying to limit Nestlé's access to groundwater for years. Led by groups such as the Wellington Water Watchers, this network (which our Blue Community project is a member of) has been raising awareness about the impacts of the bottled water business and asking for a science, ethics, and rights-based approach for sustainable and just water policy. 

There is a 4-page information sheet regarding this subject available on the CSJ Blue Communities website. These past two weeks have seen major shifts in bottled water policy.

10,000 Signatures

Two weeks ago, water protectors were asking for public support to extend the current moratorium on new bottled water permits. One week ago, we found out that the ban would be lifted at the end of 2019 allowing for growth in the industry including a third well for Nestlé near Elora Ontario.

The pressure was on to let Jeff Yurek (our Minister of Environment, Conservation, and Parks) know that there are far too many unresolved issues to grant new permits. The moratorium was needed to address water flow science, plastic pollution, the rights, consent, and jurisdiction of Indigenous nations, as well as a groundswell of public opposition.

None of these issues have been addressed since the ban started two years ago. Then, just days ago, the Ontario provincial government announced it would add another nine months onto the ban.

What happened during these two weeks?   Environmental Defence launched a petition that gathered 10,000 signatures. The Council of Canadians also launched a petition that gathered 10,000 signatures!

Save Our Water in Elora launched a letter writing campaign and Wellington Water Watchers held four high profile public events (called All Eyes on Nestlé tour) in four cities and launched a campaign organizing people to phone Minister Yurek (MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London).

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Canada's Lead Crisis

These past two weeks have also seen an explosion of stories about Canada's lead crisis in tap water. Earlier this week, an investigative report by several media outlets revealed dangerously high levels of lead in tap water across Canada.

This investigation took a combined effort from 120 journalists, working at nine universities and 10 media organizations across the country.

They reported that millions of Canadians are exposed to this neurotoxin through the aging lead pipes that distribute water from municipal water treatment plant to households across 11 cities. Please click here to read a story about this on Canadians.org. The Toronto Star also published a column, How to Solve the Lead Crisis in Canada, which you can read by clicking here.

 

THE POWER OF WOMEN

“As a child, I never went to school. Being a poor woman, I was shy and scared to go out of my house. I did not know anything about the outside world. I thought that people might laugh at me or tease me if I go out. I did not know my rights, nor my role in the society. This was my life.”

These words come from Sita Lakshmi. She grew up in the village of Guggila in South-East India. In Guggila, women have little possibilities for personal growth and achievements.
Would you believe Sitha Lakshmi got elected in January 2019 as village mayor?
Here is her story:
15 years ago, Sita Lakshmi joined SOPAR’s Women Program. She recalls:
“I started to attend monthly group meetings and to do small savings. I participated in all the planned activities and skills trainings. With SOPAR’s adult literacy summer classes, I even learned how to read and write. Slowly but surely, I started to feel the change within me. I became brave. I started opening to others. I felt the desire to share my opinions on different subjects. I wanted to improve our living conditions”.
“Some years ago, women members motivated me to become the leader of our women’s group. I accepted the challenge. Then, they encouraged me to run for village council member. To my surprise, I got elected. This experience gave me good knowledge about the village council. And so, I stood for our mayor elections in January 2019 with the encouragement of my family and friends. During the campaign, many people in the village talked negatively about me. How can I even think I could win this election- they laughed and asked? They tried to make me feel as I was worthless. In those moments, I remembered SOPAR’s teachings. To think positively and to know my rights. That women can achieve many great things in life and give service to others in need. I stood strong. I tried not to be influenced by the negative words and… I got elected.”

At SOPAR, we aim to empower rural poor, illiterate and marginalized women like Sita Lakshmi. This requires bringing changes not only in women’s minds and hearts. It also requires changes at the root of unjust systems. It is a very ambitious goal by no means, but we have been pursuing it for more than 40 years now.
Empowering women takes time and commitment, but it works! A total of 147 members of our women program got elected in the 2019 election either as village leader, village leader assistant or council member. These women will continue transforming their village and the Indian society.
Our work is made possible because of the continued and generous support of many donors including the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada. Together, we make this world a better place for all. On behalf of Sitha Lakshmi, thank you Sisters!

 - Janice Aubry, Program Manager