Workshop Descriptions

International Workshops

Domestic Workshops

Strategy Sessions

 

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International Workshops -- Monday, February 13, 2012

I1: Saving Lives and Livelihoods:  Poverty-Focused International Assistance

Poverty-focused international assistance saves lives.  It helps people living in poverty feed their families, prevent common diseases in children, keep HIV positive parents alive to raise their children, and assist displaced people and refugees fleeing famine and violence.  This workshop will give participants a better understanding of these life-saving and life-changing programs and the impact of any future federal budget challenges.

Moderator/Presenter: 
Steve Hilbert, Foreign Policy Advisor, International Justice and Peace, USCCB

Presenter:     
Bill O’Keefe, Senior Director for Advocacy, Catholic Relief Services

Hill Notes and Backgrounder

• Hill Notes
• Backgrounder

I2: What Next in Afghanistan and Pakistan?

Catholic just war teaching lifts up discrimination, proportionality and probability of success when force is employed.  What is the probability of success for the use of military force in these countries?  What other efforts are needed to stabilize Afghanistan and Pakistan?  What moral obligations does the U.S. have toward the peoples of these two nations, particularly the human rights of women?

Moderator:
Dr. Stephen Colecchi, Director, International Justice and Peace, USCCB

Presenters
Dr. David Cortright, Professor, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame
Jill Marie Gerschutz-Bell, Senior Legislative Specialist, Catholic Relief Services

• Backgrounder on Afghanistan and Pakistan
  

I3: Causes and Consequences of Migration

People are uprooted from their homes by political violence, more frequent and intense droughts driven by climate change, and a lack of economic opportunities to support their families.  Others are victimized by human trafficking and smuggling.  This workshop will help participants to understand the factors that contribute to migration, and what can be done overseas to assist massive populations that have been dislocated.  It will also explore current U.S. policies.

Moderator:    
Kevin Appleby, Director of Migration Policy and Public Affairs, Migration and Refugee Services, USCCB

Presenters:  
Jane Bloom, U.S. Liaison Officer, International Catholic Migration Commission
Mary Delorey, Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Catholic Relief Services

I4: Human Rights and Religious Freedom:  Vulnerable Populations at Risk

Religious freedom is the foundation of human rights and is tied to freedom of speech, association and assembly.  When all religious communities are free they can contribute to societal justice and peace; when they are not free, conflict and violence grow.  Christians face harassment in 67% of all countries, a larger share of the world’s countries than any other religious group.  What are the implications of all this for U.S. foreign policy?

Moderator:    
Virginia Farris, Foreign Policy Advisor, International Justice and Peace, USCCB

Presenters:   
Dr. Thomas Farr, Director of Religious Freedom Project, The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, Georgetown University
Knox Thames, Director of Policy and Research, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

• Backgrounder on Religious Freedom
  

 

I5: Commodities, Extractives and Trade Policies:  Impacts on Global Poverty

Excessive speculation in food and other commodities can mean hunger in poor communities.  Trade policies can have a significant impact on indigenous agricultural production. The regulation or lack of regulation of extractive industries can poison communities, contribute to conflict or displace indigenous peoples from their lands.  This workshop will examine how these economic policies, and related attempts at regulation, can affect poverty.

Moderator/Presenter: 
Richard Coll, Foreign Policy Advisor, International Justice and  Peace, USCCB

Presenter:     
Father Juan J. Molina, OSST, Director, Church in Latin America, Office of National Collections, USCCB

Backgrounder on Trade

 

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Domestic Workshops -- Tuesday, February 14, 2012 

D1: Liberty and Justice for All: Threats, Challenges, and Opportunities Facing the Catholic Church in the United States

We have viewed with growing concern the ongoing erosion of religious liberty in our country. During their last general meeting in November, the bishops decided to make the defense of religious liberty a Conference priority and embraced our responsibility to address threats to this precious freedom.

This workshop will examine the Church's teaching through the lens of respect for human life and dignity and religious liberty, as well as in the light of our nation’s founding principles and laws. Presenters will discuss recent situations that threaten Catholics’ freedom to live out the Gospel mission in the public square, including the recent denial of the human trafficking contract to USCCB’s Migration and Refugee Services; state legislation prohibiting Catholic Charities from carrying out adoption services in accordance with our faith; and the recent Supreme Court decision in Hosanna-Tabor Church v. EEOC.

Moderator:     
Ms. Kathy Saile, Domestic Social Development, USCCB

Presenters:   
Mr. Anthony Picarello, Esq., Associate General Secretary and General Counsel, USCCB
Ms. Hilary Chester, Migration and Refugee Services, USCCB
Sr. Melanie DiPietro, SC, JD, JCD, Catholic Charities USA (invited)

D2: The Housing Crisis in America: It’s Effect on the Economy and How to Protect Families

The foreclosure crisis continues to ravage local communities, as federal programs to address it have been important but insufficient to handle to scope of the problem. At the same time, affordable housing programs in the federal budget designed to protect the most vulnerable have been decimated by round after round of budget cuts. In Faithful Citizenship, the bishops highlight the importance of fighting for safe and affordable housing. This workshop will look at the importance of housing to a larger economic recovery, the state of federal affordable housing policy, as well as the local initiatives that are helping families avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.

Moderator:    
Mr. Sean Wendlinder, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, USCCB

Presenters:   
Ms. Jeanne (Reitz) Fekade-Sellassie (invited), National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program, NeighborWorks America
Dr. Doug Rice, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

D3: Protecting Human Life, Caring for Creation: Safeguarding Children from Mercury and Toxic Air Pollution

Learn how unborn and young children are uniquely vulnerable to exposure to toxic chemicals (such as mercury in the environment) and what the Church and others in the faith community are doing to protect children from harmful air pollution. This workshop will also examine how the impact of toxic air pollution on children’s health brings together environment and life issues as well as how the work of the Church in this area is shaped by Catholic teaching principals calling us to protect human life and care for creation. Future policy opportunities to safeguard children from toxic air pollution and educational resources will also be shared.

Moderator/Presenter: 
Ms. Cecilia Calvo, Environmental Justice Program, USCCB

Presenters:
Mr. Richard Doerflinger, Pro-Life Activities, USCCB
Rev. Mitch Hescox, Evangelical Environmental Network
 

D4: The Farm Bill: Food, Farming and the Good of People and Creation

In his World Food Day 2011 message, Pope Benedict XVI stated that “the liberation from the yoke of hunger is the first concrete expression of the right to life…” It is through this lens that the Church will approach the next Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is scheduled for reauthorization this year and debates on how to reduce the federal deficit will drive this process. Plans have already been proposed calling for a reduction in Food Stamps which is one of the important nutrition programs contained in the Farm Bill.

In this session, representatives of diverse Catholic partner organizations will explore the different components or “titles” that make up the Farm Bill and share their thoughts and priorities. In addition, the issue of farm subsidies will be discussed and how these can be targeted or redirected in a way that supports both poor farmers who need help and hungry people. The presenters will also discuss ways in which we can work together as a community to inform Congress and the Administration of the need to protect: nutrition programs that feed hungry people at home and abroad, conservation programs which promote stewardship of creation and programs that help strengthen rural communities.

 
Moderator/Presenter:
Mr. Anthony Granado, Domestic Social Development, USCCB

Presenters:  
Mr. James Ennis, The National Catholic Rural Life Conference
Ms. Lucreda Cobbs, Catholic Charities USA
Mr. Bruce White, Catholic Relief Services
 

D5: Tools for Educating and Advocating on Poverty and Unemployment

In Faithful Citizenship, the bishops point out that the “economy must serve people, not the other way around.” Earlier this year, president of the USCCB and Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan wrote about the moral scandal of poverty and unemployment, and encouraged priests and bishops to preach, educate, and advocate. The poverty and unemployment rates remain high as more and more families struggle to live in dignity. This workshop will explore poverty and unemployment in America as well as the new Supplemental Poverty Measure, and highlight the tools and resources USCCB has developed to respond to cardinal-designate Dolan’s call.

Moderator/Presenter:
Mr. Thomas Mulloy, Domestic Social Development, USCCB

Presenter:     
Ms. Donna Grimes, Justice, Peace and Human Development, USCCB

• Tools for Educating and Advocating on Poverty and Unemployment
  
  
• Tools Handout
  
  
  
  

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Strategy Sessions -- Wednesday, February 15, 2012

In order to support creativity, honest dialogue and the generation of solutions, the Strategy Sessions will be off-the-record, media will be excluded and nothing can be recorded.  (Please note that off-the-record forbids any social media posting of the sessions by any participant or attendee in the room.)

S1: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 101

Best practices, advice, warnings, opportunities, resources and time for real questions and answers.

Facilitator: 
John Carr, Justice, Peace and Human Development, USCCB

S2: Respectful, Civil Dialogue

In our increasingly polarized world and Church, we are challenged to be neighbor, and brother and sister, to all. Yet sometimes we can’t even talk or listen to each other in a respectful way. The ability to discuss topics of importance, disagree constructively and ultimately find ways to work together, as followers of Christ, is essential to addressing the pressing problems of our world today. This strategy session will address key attitudes and habits that foster civil dialogue and examine which guidelines in Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship have been helpful to this end.  There will also be significant small group time for discussion of challenges and opportunities.

Facilitator:  
Susan Sullivan, Justice, Peace and Human Development, USCCB

S3: Think and Act Anew

Our 21st Century problems – like poverty and unemployment – are going to require 21st Century solutions. And, these solutions will only be uncovered if we bring our innovation and imaginations to the discussion.  Bring an idea to this session and join other concerned ministers and advocates to identify and inspire action to reduce poverty.  Together we can exercise our “faithful citizenship” and build a national dialogue that includes poverty and dispels the myths about poverty around the world.  

Facilitator:  
Rachel Lustig, Catholic Charities, USA

S4: Becoming Neighbors

As Catholics, we are all aware of the answer to the question, “who is my neighbor” as we work to encourage the inclusion and fuller participation of all God's People in the life and ministry of the Church.  Come to explore how Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship and its guidelines support our vision of neighbor that honors the cultural, racial, generational, socio-economical and physical ability diversity across our church.  We will also reflect on how building our intercultural competency skills contribute to our formation in Catholic social teaching and builds invitational parishes.
 
Facilitator:  
Kim Mazyck, Catholic Relief Services