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Author: Louise

Being Part of the Life Boat

Being Part of the Life Boat

Embed from Getty Images 50 years ago, during Lyndon Johnson’s first State of the Union Address on January 8, 1964, he announced: “This administration today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.” Despite this determination many political, social and economic factors became obstacles rather means to success. Numerous resources are available today for analysis, reflection and action.  Years later government stats demonstrate we are facing a reality of over 46 million people in poverty in the United…

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WHEN THE SONG OF THE ANGELS IS STILLED

WHEN THE SONG OF THE ANGELS IS STILLED

When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among people, To make music in the heart. -Howard Thurman. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Louise

Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times Vatican II was the catalyst that helped create a new way of being Church:  a Church centered on justice, professing a preferential option for the poor, a Church of modern day martyrs, and a Church with a growing number of laity desiring a more active role. Below is the first paragraph of the document – Church in the Modern World – that helped make this happen. Its focus and tone was a watershed moment in Church…

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WE GIVE THANKS. . .

WE GIVE THANKS. . .

Embed from Getty Images NOVEMBER is a month of days full of remembering and giving thanks! To name a few. . .We started with All Saints  and All Souls Days which give us opportunities to recall loved ones who have gone before us. Veterans’ Day sets forth a time in which we honor those, living and dead, who have fought for, died for and have been wounded for peace. A difficult memory for many as we realize the carnage that…

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October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Embed from Getty Images This year’s theme raises a question “What will it take to end violence?”  I believe the first step is exactly what is stated above: AWARENESS.  So many examples are highlighted in the media today ~ both local and global.  Have we become immune to the myriad statistics and depictions of women being raped, emotionally, physically and verbally abused in film and on TV or are they also teachable moments? Does it desensitize us or move us…

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Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor. . .

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor. . .

Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor. . . Do these words sound familiar? Do they resonate? Or are they passé? According some in the U.S. House of Representatives this sentiment is not relevant today. Their vote, 217-210, to cut a devastating amount – about $40 billion over the next 10 years – from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP), perpetuates and intensifies a  position against those who are living in poverty ~ both those who live generational poverty and the…

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The Dream of MLK, Jr. 50 years later. . .1963-2013

The Dream of MLK, Jr. 50 years later. . .1963-2013

Embed from Getty Images Art work with narrative reflecting the thoughts, feelings and dreams of ethnic communities of color. www.thenation.com/article/175731/how-streets-honor-martin-luther-king-jr?rel=emailNation#http://   Reflection & Analysis on Marching on Washington Today –  www.thenation.com/article/175757/time-march-washington-again?rel=emailNation#axzz2coT2JUYE

Walking while Black…

Walking while Black…

April 2012 “On the rainy night of Sunday, Feb. 26, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin walked to a convenience store in Sanford, Fla. On his way home, with his Skittles and iced tea, the African-American teenager was shot and killed. The gunman, George Zimmerman, didn’t run. He claimed that he killed the young man in self-defense. The Sanford Police agreed and let him go. Since then, witnesses have come forward, 911 emergency calls have been released, and outrage over the killing has…

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