Catholics for Peace and Justice of southeastern WI is an organization based on Catholic social principles. We support the Church's "consistent ethic of life," which begins with an understanding of God as our creator and human life as God's sacred gift. The dignity of all life must be respected from conception to natural death.
We are concerned about the state of our nation and world. We see a world threatened by war, terrorism, growing economic inequality, environmental catastrophe, and divisions between religions, nations, races, genders, and ethnic groups. We call on Catholics, and all people of faith, to consider whether their political and economic beliefs and actions are reflective of their faith.[Join Us]
Entering the 6th Year of the War and Occupation of Iraq, What's Your Priority? Over $767.3 million of your greater Milwaukee taxpayer's money is proposed to be spent on the war in Iraq this year. Imagine what we could do with that money to bring Christ's kingdom closer...
*Provide affordable housing for those in need? *Improve our schools and youth programs? *Provide health care for uninsured residents? *Fund job programs for our community?
The human cost is incalculable. Nearly 4000 US soldiers, over 1000 contractors, and over 650,000 Iraquis dead. Could you imagine what we could do spending our lives and resources on Peace?
Pope Benedict XVI issued one of his strongest appeals for peace in Iraq on Sunday, days after the body of the kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop was found near the northern city of Mosul.
The pope also denounced the five-year-long war, saying it had provoked the complete breakup of Iraqi civilian life.
"Enough with the slaughters. Enough with the violence. Enough with the hatred in Iraq!" Benedict said to applause at the end of his Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square.
SE WI Common Ground: Greater Milwaukee area has some serious problems. Crime and violence, racism, educational inequities, nearly 50% black male unemployment, health care woes for workers and employers alike, and growing regional problems like water use, transportation, and urban sprawl. These are big problems and require a large-scale response. However, until now there has been no source of power for us as citizens against the well-organized and well-financed interests of big business and the political system that is often in its pocket.
All that is about to change. In a few short weeks, on Sunday April 13, over 2000 citizens will gather at the Midwest Center on 4th and Wisconsin from 2:30 to 4:30 PM to tell our public officials and corporate leaders that the days of them being alone at the decision-making table are over.
On that day, Southeastern Wisconsin Common Ground will be born, and a new coalition – African-American, Anglo, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, city-dwellers, suburbanites, exurbanites, Democrats, Republicans and Independents – will unite around the belief that the system is seriously broken and in need of dramatic change, change for the common good..
Common Ground will be an organization of organizations, which will pay dues to keep the organization going for decades to come (or until we solve all our problems, whichever comes first!). You cannot join as an individual. You have to get your church, union, small business, or civic organization to join. But if you want to come on April 13 and check it out, you can come through one of the sponsoring organizations.
On this common ground, we will build hope for our future! To learn more about Common Ground, the issues it will take on and how to register for the April 13th event, Click Here . Common Ground’s website can be found at www.commongroundwi.org
From “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” “Now let us begin. Now let us rededicate ourselves to the long and bitter -- but beautiful -- struggle for a new world. This is the calling of the sons of God, and our brothers wait eagerly for our response. Shall we say the odds are too great? Shall we tell them the struggle is too hard? Will our message be that the forces of American life militate against their arrival as full men, and we send our deepest regrets? Or will there be another message, of longing, of hope, of solidarity with their yearnings, of commitment to their cause, whatever the cost? The choice is ours, and though we might prefer it otherwise we must choose in this crucial moment of human history.”
