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	John Watkins Coordinator for Social Justice 510-267-8379 jwatkins@oakdiocese.org

Social Justice Resources

Stop the Violence in Eastern Congo

The violent conflict in the Eastern DRC has by some estimates killed more than five million people and displaced more than 1.7 million people from their homes…read more

Take Action Now! Urge your members of Congress to help stop the violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by co-sponsoring H.R. 4128 in the House of Representatives or S.891 in the Senate.

Social Action Summer Institute

August 1-4, 2010, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA

You are invited to the Annual National Social Action Summer Institute on August 1-4, 2010 at Santa Clara University. The Institute is co-sponsored by the Roundtable Association of Catholic Social Action Directors in partnership with the USCCB/Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development; Catholic Charities USA; Catholic Relief Services; and JustFaith Ministries.

The Institute provides a prayerful, intensive education and advocacy training that covers the foundations of Catholic social teaching. This year's advanced symposium focuses on "Peacebuilding for the 21st Century." Also featured will be a day-long session on parish social action skills.

For more information and to register, click here.

Rachel's Vineyard Retreat

September 3-5, 2010
Has an abortion left you with a broken heart? Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats renew hearts broken by abortion. A confidential retreat will take place September 3-5 in Menlo Park California, offering a loving and supportive environment where women and men can reconcile painful post-abortive emotions and begin the process of renewal and healing. Rachel’s Vineyard is therapy for the soul. For confidential inquiries call Christine Watkins, MTS, LCSW (415) 260-4406 or email christine4faith@gmail.com. For more information click here

Join the California Catholic Legislative Network!!

You can make a big difference in just five minutes! That's all it will take to send an email or letter to your elected officials. You will learn how Catholic social teaching can be applied to the issues of the day, and join your voice with those of thousands of other Catholics across the Golden State.
Sign up now | More information

Get your parish involved! Publicize the Catholic Legislative Network, sign up parishioners and more with these Parish Sign-up Kits.
English | Español

World Food Crisis

Will you help? Across the globe, millions face malnutrition because of skyrocketing food prices. In some countries, hunger and starvation are looming threats. The Reuters news agency estimates basic food prices have gone up anywhere from 45% to 80%.

Resources and bulletin inserts:
Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty Fact Sheet
Church World Service Fact Sheet

How to get involved:
Church World Service
Catholic Relief Services
Oxfam America
Doctors Without Borders

Global Solidarity

What is new at Catholic Relief Services

Save Darfur

Catholic Campaign Against Global Poverty

Millennium Development Goals

Join the Local Fair Trade Coalition

Fair Trade with Catholic Relief Services

Fair Trade supports artisans and farmers around the world by promoting an alternative to business-as-usual. Join others in the Diocese of Oakland who are mobilizing efforts to bring fair trade products into schools and parishes around the Diocese.
Download brochure for more information
Download gift and product information

Get Involved!

Advocacy groups and other resources

Looking for opportunities to get involved? We have a great list of advocacy groups and other resources to help you out. Sign up for email alerts and more, and get involved!
Advocacy groups | Legislative advocacy info sheet

Justice for Immigrants Campaign

Every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of residence with the confines of his own state. When there are just reasons in favor or it, he must be permitted to emigrate to other countries and to take up residence there. The fact that he is a citizen of a particular state does not deprive him of membership in the human family, nor the citizenship in that universal society, the common, world-wide fellowship of women and men.
- Pacem in Terris#25

Beginning in 2010, Justice for Immigrants will be ramping up our efforts and re-launching a national campaign to support comprehensive immigration reform. This effort will educate and engage Catholics around the country on this critical issue. The action calendar below identifies a number of opportunities for action in the initial months of 2010, but may be modified as the legislative calendar evolves and new opportunities arise. We have provided resources below for each parish and all parishioners, and community members to participate in this effort. Parishes should announce this campaign, and insert a bulletin notice (link to bulletin announcement file) of this important effort. Attached is a postcard campaign order form (link to order form file). Electronic versions of the postcards will soon be available at the Justice for Immigrants website. Instructions for using postcards and suggestions for marketing the postcards are included as well.

Postcard Campaign Materials