Peace, Justice and Care for Creation

Moving Justice with Grace

By Debbie Weber, OPJCC director

The Office of Peace, Justice and became a reality for all of us and the Care for Creation (OPJCC) collection initiative halted. enjoyed a faith-filled, For the first few months of the collaborative, and productive year despite pandemic, there was a collective pause. the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the shock of this novel virus

During the month of August 2019, amongst us, it was an opportunity for the office was open for Sisters and deeper prayer and contemplation, and a Associates to write letters to Congress. time to regroup and begin to adjust to a OPJCC collaborated with the Archdiocese new way of being. It was a time to “meet of Cincinnati in a letter writing campaign our grace.” urging Congress to make changes in Thanks to the coordination of Sisters our broken immigration system. Driven In August 2019, OPJCC collaborated with the Archdiocese of and employees at the Motherhouse, by the tragic shooting in Dayton, Ohio Cincinnati in a letter writing campaign urging Congress to make staff from Shelterhouse picked up our that month, OPJCC offered another changes in our broken immigration system. donations in June 2020. Even though we letter writing opportunity for Sisters and could not continue to collect donations Associates to encourage Congress to address gun control. during Lent, the Shelterhouse staff was thankful for such a large

From Sept. 1 to Oct. 4, Christians around the world celebrate amount of laundry soap and toothbrushes. the Season of Creation. Some of us pray, some of us do hands- Water With Blessings (WWB) is the nonprofit co-founded on projects, and some of us advocate. With the help of several by S. Larraine Lauter, OSu, that supplies water filtration systems Sisters, OPJCC kicked off the Season of Creation with a beautiful to women in countries who have no access to clean water. WWB prayer service followed by a month of “handouts” consisting of also serves people in emergency situations such as in the aftermath compostable corn straws, fairly traded tea, and recycled newspaper of earthquakes, tornadoes and tsunamis. Throughout the years, pencils. It was a fun way to celebrate creative alternatives to OPJCC has supported these endeavors. S. Larraine reached out ordinary purchases we make. asking for assistance in getting water filtration systems to the

OPJCC Director Debbie Weber continued her partnership navajo Reservation. navajo families were struggling to survive a with Mount St. Joseph university, mentoring and working with massive COVID-19 outbreak and many had no access to clean a service-learning student during the 2019 fall semester. Emma water. Through the OPJCC water initiatives fund, we were able to focused on human trafficking, particularly concerning our buy enough filtration kits to serve up to 40 navajo families. vulnerable migrant sisters and brothers. Her project was writing As a liaison to the SC Federation’s representative to the united an OPJCC column for Update. nations, Debbie usually participates in the annual SC Federation unbeknownst to us, OPJCC was about to “meet our grace in Leadership meetings. Because of the pandemic, the liaisons now meet every circumstance” as we began the 2020 liturgical season of Lent. via Zoom technology and correspond via email on a regular basis. The office partnered with Cincinnati-based Shelterhouse to provide OPJCC staff, advisory committee members and collaborators a unique opportunity for almsgiving. Shelterhouse was in need of are grateful for the many opportunities during the last fiscal year. liquid laundry soap and toothbrushes for their residents who were We look forward to moving the work of social and Earth justice in experiencing homelessness. A Charity Family Lenten Collection a grace-filled and creative way.was initiated. Three weeks into the robust collection, COVID-19