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Join us for Catholic Day at Capitol
By George Evans
January 27, 2012
    As we attempt to meaningfully respond to the call of Pope Benedict XVI in “Caritas et Veritatis” (“Charity in Truth”) for involvement in the social and political events of our time and a similar call from our national bishops in repeated messages from the U.S. Conference of Catholic     Bishops (USCCB) as well as from Bishop Joseph Latino by his consistent support of Catholic Day at the Capitol, I urge each of us to respond to two important upcoming events which will occur at the end of February.
    The first to consider is the Second Annual Catholic Day at the Capitol (CDC) on Wednesday Feb. 29, at the Department of Education Building adjacent to St. Peter’s Cathedral.
    This day will provide a unique opportunity for each of us to come to Jackson, learn about two important legislative issues from very knowledgable people, hear from the bishops from both Jackson and Biloxi and celebrate Mass with them.
    The highpoint will be the opportunity to meet with your own legislators to discuss with them the Catholic position on expected immigration legislation and legislation for critical programs funding state foster care programs for some of our most vulnerable children.
    A tentative agenda is now in place as follows:
9:30 a.m. — Arrival, name tags, coffee and pastries.
    10 a.m. — Episcopal welcome and greeting — Bishop Joseph Latino, Jackson; Episcopal welcome and prayer — Bishop Roger Morin, Biloxi.
    10:15 a.m. — Legislative Involvement — Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.
    10:30 Issue I — Immigration — Father Fred Kammer, SJ.
    11 a.m. — Issue II — Funding Department of Human Services — Rickey Berry, executive director, and Lori Woodruff, deputy administrator for Family and Children Services (DHS), and Amy Turner (Catholic Charities Jackson).
    11:30 a.m. — Importance of Advocacy and Talking to your Legislator (How to do it) — Greg Patin, executive director, Catholic Charities Jackson, and Greg Crapo, executive director, Catholic Charities Biloxi.
    12 p.m. — Mass next door in the Cathedral Center.
    12:45 p.m. — Box lunch in Department of Education Building.
    1:30 p.m. — Walk as a group to Capitol.
    1:45 p.m. — Bishops press conference on Capitol steps.
    2 p.m. — Participants meet with legislators and return to Department of Education     Building at conclusion of the visit for coffee and return home.
    We need a great turn out to have a legislative impact and we need each person to register as soon as possible and no later than Feb. 15 to allow time for Ben Russell of     Catholic Charities to arrange for the individual meetings at the Capitol.
    Use the Catholic Charities website, www.catholiccharitiesjackson.org, to register or contact Ben Russell at 601-326-3785 or 601-850-6625 if you have any difficulty with the Internet. It will be a great day of prayer and action in the best Catholic tradition.
    The second upcoming event of importance is somewhat related to the first yet different. Father Kammer, one of the major speakers at the CDC, will speak on Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. in Foley Hall at St. Richard Church in Jackson. His topic is “Biblical Roots of Faithjustice.”
    Father Kammer has a truly remarkable background and we are very fortunate to have him available to address us. He is a priest, attorney and a member of the Southern Province of the Jesuits. Currently he is executive director of the Jesuit Social Research Institute at Loyola University New Orleans.
    Prior to that, from 2002-2008, he was provincial superior of the New Orleans Province of the Society of Jesus guiding their post-Katrina recovery and service to the devastated region’s poor and needy.
    From 1992 to 2001 he served as the president/CEO of Catholic Charities USA, the nation’s largest voluntary human service network. From 1990-1992 he was the policy advisor for Health and Welfare Issues, Department of Social Development and World Peace, U.S. Catholic Conference after serving from 1984 to 1989 as executive director of Catholic Community Services of Baton Rouge.
    Father Kammer is also a retreat director and author, including, “Doing Faithjustice: An Introduction to Catholic Social Thought.”
    I have heard Father Kammer at national meetings. Come hear him. You are in for a treat. This will be a distinguished program. Refreshments will follow his talk with the opportunity to visit with Father Kammer.
(George Evans is a pastoral minister at Jackson St. Richard Parish.Contact him via email)

    EVANS ARCHIVES