WORKERS4JUSTICE MINISTRY

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IMPORTANT MEETING INFORMATION

The first meeting of the St. Joseph’s Workers 4 Justice will take place Tuesday, July 7, at 8:00 p.m. via Zoom. Please, email Axel and Kim for Zoom details. At this meeting we will meet each other and begin discussions on Catholic Social Teaching and our own personal reflections of the quotation "If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together” (Aboriginal activists group, Queensland, 1970s).

As a group, we will start a dialogue around our call as Catholics to work for racial justice in our community through the lens of the USCCB document, Open Wide our Heats. We hope to commit to reading pp. 1-8 (top of 8) of the PDF (the Introduction), and discuss it through the accompanying study guide (see pp. 4-5 specifically for the discussion questions on this section). We plan to point to a few concrete steps we can take as a parish community found in the USCCB document: Practical Steps for Eradicating Racism: An Invitation. This is an ongoing group, and so we will continue on a regular basis with these documents, other texts, and concrete actions.

Axel and Kim look forward to meeting you virtually! 

Links:
Axel and Kim Oaks Takacs: oaks.takacs@gmail.com
Open Wide Our Hearts: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/upload/open-wide-our-hearts.pdf
Accompanying Study Guide: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/upload/study-guide-open-hearts-2019-09.pdf
Practical Steps for Eradicating Racism: An Invitation: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/racism/upload/action-steps-to-eradicate-racism.pdf


Tentative Agenda

1. Axel and Kim Opening Greeting and Prayer
2. Introduce Ourselves
   1. Names, where you are from, and/or any other pertinent but brief details you wish to share
3. Share (if you wish), ever so briefly, your own reflection on the following in the context of working for justice, liberation, solidarity, and love through the gospel of Jesus Christ: "If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together” (Aboriginal activists group, Queensland, 1970s). What does this mean to you? How is it helpful in working for justice, liberation, and solidarity? How might it challenge what we tend to think about “volunteering” and “charity” (in colloquial meaning of the word)?
4. Catholic Social Teaching: What is It? (Axel) - 5 minutes
   1. The Incarnation: “The Word became flesh and pitched camp among us.” (John 1:14)
   2. Common Good, Subsidiarity, and Solidarity
5. Open discussion about Open Wide Our Hearts — the first section to p. 8. Use study guide for discussion questions.
6. In the document, “Practical Steps for Eradicating Racism: An Invitation,” provided by the USCCB, which of the ten possibilities do you want to see happen at our parish community and why? 
7. Next Steps
   1. Continue Open Wide Are Hearts
   2. Begin to think about a book or text to read later
   3. Action Items (from (6), maybe?)
   4. Anything else

Axel and Kim look forward to meeting you virtually! 

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There are Four Pillars that this group is built upon:

• Justice
• Solidarity
• Liberation
• Love
  with Jesus Christ being the Cornerstone.

​This group is open to all who seek a better understanding of Catholic Social teaching regarding racial, economic, and gender justice and who wish to practice that teaching in works of transformative justice in our community and beyond. St. Joseph’s two most well-known titles are “the Worker” and “the Just”. The first one refers to his profession as a carpenter; St. Joseph the Worker is celebrated on May 1st to coincide with International Labor Day, thus honoring the dignity of work. The second title is celebrated on March 19th, and commemorates his just and righteous disposition. Drawing inspiration from St. Joseph, this group will be dedicated to learning and working for justice in our unjust world in the context of Catholic Social teaching, Theology, and History.

There will be a specific focus on racial, economic, and gender justice. If interested in joining, contact: Axel Marc Oaks Takacs at: axeltakacs@gmail.com or Kim Oaks Takacs at: kimotakacs@gmail.com.