The Menu “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the

the blind, and you will be blessed.

Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Luke 14:13-14

Newsletter of the UCC Social Justice Team Issue 4, April 1, 2007

Chef’s Special:
Our call to faithful citizenship
Catholic Social Teaching: What does scripture say?
Rights and Responsibilities “Even though you bring me
The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be
protected and a healthy community can be achieved only burnt offerings and grain
offerings, I will not accept
if human rights are protected and responsibilities are
them… but let justice roll like
You’re Invited! met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to a river, righteousness a never-
Building a Culture life and a right to those things required for human
decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and failing stream!”
of Justice: A responsibilities--to one another, to our families, and to
Workshop the larger society. Amos 5:22, 24
Source: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/excerpt.htm
Sun. April 15, 1-5 pm
Cost:: $5 (includes materials
and snacks)
Bishops Expect Much from 2007 Legislative Session
Registration: After masses,
at UCC front desk, or email
sjteam@utcatholic.org by
T he Texas Legislative
Session is flying by! In
this issue, we’ll take a look
of the Texas Legislature and
the leadership in order to
promote issues on our
vision that is more inclusive
and open to supporting the
dignity and sanctity of the
April 8 back at the Bishops’ desires legislative priorities lives of all individuals.
for the session. list," [TCC Associate Director In addition to what are often
Scheduled talks and activities: By Alfr edo Cardenas, Jennifer] Carr said. considered traditional pro-life
*What are the CST and why Reprinted from Catholic Thirty percent of the Texas issues, other legislative
do they matter? (Featuring the Spirit Jan. 2007 Issue, © 2005, Legislature is Catholic, but priorities of the conference
UCC’s own Jim Harrington, 2006 Diocese of Austin, the bishops and their staff include immigration, health
Director, Texas Civil Rights www.austindiocese.org/ don't let that discourage and human services,
Project) catholic_spirit/index.php them. education and criminal justice
*The Catholic Church a Peace reform.
Church? (By Matt Lohmeier, Some legislators are receptive
"Our foundational principle to the church's teachings on The rest of the article, outlining
Adjunct Professor in Religious to protect the life and dignity
Studies, St Edward's University) abortion, stem cell and specific legislative issues is
of all human persons calls us traditional marriage but are summarized on page 2.
*Catholic Life Issues (By
to work to end abortion, not as open to helping with
Catholic Longhorns for Life) View statements by the Texas
*Using CST as a leader euthanasia, destruction of social justice issues such as bishops, public testimony
*Faithful Citizenship (By human embryos, cloning and ending capital punishment, made on behalf of bishops
Barbara Budde, Director of assisted suicide," say Texas' advancing immigrant rights or and a list of priorities at
Parish Social Ministry and Social Catholic bishops in a providing more benefits to www.txcatholic.org. Also, the
Concern, Diocese of Austin) legislative policy statement the poor. Other legislators Conference of Catholic
*Hope Bags for the homeless issued before the start of the vote with the church on Bishops has many documents
80th Texas legislative session, social justice issues but will on their site (www.usccb.org)
Email sjteam@utcatholic.org which is currently underway withhold support from pro- that provide information on
with questions, registration, i n A u s t i n … life and traditional marriage. Catholic social teachings and
or to help out! "TCC works with members The hope is to move toward a the public policy positions.
The Menu Newsletter of the UCC Social Justice Team
“ B U T W H E N Y O U G I V E A B A N Q U E T , I N V I T E T H E P O O R , T H E C R I P P L E D , T H E L A M E , T H E B L I N D ,
A N D Y O U W I L L B E B L E S S E D . A L T H O U G H T H E Y C A N N O T R E P A Y Y O U , Y O U W I L L B E R E P A I D A T
T H E R E S U R R E C T I O N O F T H E R I G H T E O U S . ” L U K E 1 4 : 1 3 - 1 4

“...but we must Life Issues including foster care enrolled in non-public

speak.”
An event celebrating the
40th Anniversary of Dr.
King’s courageous stand
against war in his
“Riverside” address.
Thurs., April 12 7-9pm
St. James Episcopal Church
3707 E MLK, 78721
Please join us for readings
from “Beyond Vietnam”
music, commentary, and
community sharing.
For more information
contact: Austin Center for
Peace & Justice 799-5117
contact@austinpeacecenter.o
rg
SJ Team Mission statement:
The UCC Social Justice Team
seeks to connect what we
experience at Mass on Sunday
to how we live the rest of the
week by focusing on the
tenets of charity and justice.
We serve the common good
through works of mercy for
the poor and vulnerable and
advocate for just social policy.
• Trigger Ban: abolition of service delivery
abortions in case Roe v. • Increase access to
Wade is overturned by affordable housing
Supreme Court • Cut the number of
• Parental consent laws uninsured Texas children
• “Choose Life” license in half by enrolling every
plate eligible child in the
• Funding abortion Children Health Insurance • End the death penalty
alternative providers Program and Medicaid
• Oppose payment for ova with 12 months of
donation continuous eligibility by
• Oppose funding fir providing adequate
embryonic stem cell reimbursement to
research providers
• Support funding for adult • Increased access to mental
stem cell research health care, including
Immigration services for the homeless
• Texas driver's licenses Education
available to all residents • Support parental choice
• Oppose attempts to (vouchers), because it
reduce access to healthcare recognizes parents as the
and education for primary educators of their • Full implementation and
immigrants children
• Oppose fence along the • Adequate funding for
Texas-Mexico border Equal Educational
Concern for Poor Opportunity and the
• Support foster care Tuition Equalization
services and programs that Program (TEG)
make health care more • Tax credits or tax
affordable and accessible deductions for educational
• Increase funding for Child expenses
Protective Services, • Enable the state to loan
textbooks to children
school
• Expand school breakfast
program to include state
subsidies for universal free
breakfast program offered
by the USDA
Criminal Justice
• Support successful
rehabilitation and
reintegration for those
leaving prison
• Increase funding and
support for the chaplain
corps within the Texas
Department of Criminal
Justice (TDCJ
• Equitable pay and
increased funding for
training of corrections
officers
funding for the Indigent
Defense Act of 2001
• Oppose passage of
“Jessica's Law,” which
would require tougher
tracking of released sex
offenders
For information on specific
legislation and to see what bills
have already passed, visit
www.legis.state.tx.us

Apathy or Action: The Struggle for Human Rights Like what you see?
Symposium April 16 - 19 Want to become a
The White Rose Society is a UT student organization dedicated to part of it?
holocaust and genocide awareness and activism. In their campaign to
end genocide in Darfur they have raised and donated thousands of A small group of students
dollars, sent thousands of letters to politicians, raised awareness on and adults committed to
campus and in the community, and successfully lobbied the Texas Senate to divest from promoting justice around the
Sudan. The events include a Holocaust and Genocide Commemoration, Film Festival, UCC and the community
Speaker Series, and a Social Justice Activism Fair. produces this bi-weekly
The White Rose Society will be handing out 10,000 individual white roses for free on news let t er , looks for
campus, roses for every man, woman, and child murdered at Auschwitz in just half a day opportunities to do charity
during the Holocaust. These roses honor those who were lost and serve to bring awareness and justice, leads workshops
to injustice in our time. They need 100 people on Wednesday April 11 to prepare the roses, and hosts other events. If you
and 100 people on Thursday April 12 to hand them out. would like to help with
• Wed., April 11 - 6 pm- 10 pm Roses Preparation at the University Catholic Center planning, or would like to
• Thurs., April 12 - 10 am - 3 pm Hand out roses on the West Mall and Speedway submit to the newsletter,
Visit www.thewhiterosesociety.org for more information. email sjteam@utcatholic.org.