Journey to Justice Process: An Overview
"Journey to Justice really brought the head and heart together."
College Student
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Like any journey that we take in life, as important as the destination is, the process of getting to our destination is perhaps most important. This is true of the Journey to Justice Process which was developed as a means to implement the full mandate* of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. In its effort to impress the circumstances that create poverty upon those who are more economically advantaged, the Journey to Justice Process is designed "to effect in them a conversion of heart, a growth in compassion and a sensitivity to the needs of their brothers [and sisters] in want." With these words, the Resolution on the Campaign for Human Development adopted by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in November 1970, set the groundwork for building solidarity between those who are poor and those who are economically advantaged. It is a solidarity that at the end of the journey creates communities that truly reflect the biblical principles of jubilee justice.
The initial event of the Journey to Justice process is a weekend retreat** that is designed for twenty to twenty-five participants. This retreat consists of eight sessions which build on each other and represent a key part of the total conversion process. During the retreat participants are led through reflection on and discussion of the Scriptural call to justice and Catholic social teaching, especially as they relate to the preferential option for and with the poor. A major and key portion of the second day of the retreat is devoted to a lengthy immersion experience with a CCHD funded group (or other empowered low-income group as defined by CCHD). Following the immersion experience participants are introduced to the concept of social sin and its relation to personal sin. This is followed by a session on social analysis within the context of the pastoral circle. The participants are then called to imagine anew what can be done to address root causes of poverty in their community. The final session is a call to commit to taking the first step to make real their image of a just community by agreeing to attend a post-retreat meeting. This is often done within the context of a liturgy.
The long term outcomes of the Journey to Justice process are a deepening of personal faith, conversion to the justice dimension of that faith, formation of small communities of faith, leadership development on a parish and diocesan level, relationships of mutuality with empowered low-income groups and new efforts of social action.
* The mandate of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development is to address the root causes of poverty in the United States through the promotion and support of community controlled, self-help and economic development projects and through the education of Catholics on principles of economic justice and the importance of building solidarity between those who are poor and those who are economically advantaged.
**NOTE: Journey to Justice is also offered as a 1-day border crossing experience in the JustFaith program.
| 7:00 p.m. |
Settling – Name Tags, Packets, Room Assignments |
| 7:30 |
Welcome and Orientation |
| 7:40 |
Opening Prayer |
| 7:50 |
Introductions |
| 8:30 |
Session 1 – Option for and with the Poor |
| 8:45 |
Small groups: Exercise/Sharing – Values and Fears |
| 9:15 |
Large group: Reporting Back |
| 9:30 |
Closing Prayer and Refreshments |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast |
| 9:00 |
Session 2 – Entering Scripture
Small group sharing – large group reporting |
| 10:30 |
Break |
| 11:00 |
Session 3 – Common Ground
Introduction to CCHD
Video: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty : Facing the Future with Hope
Small group sharing – large group reporting |
| 12:00 |
Lunch (with the empowered low-income group if possible) |
| 1:00 p.m. |
The Immersion Experience |
| 4:00 |
Session 4 – What You've Seen and Heard
Small group sharing – large groups reporting |
| 5:00 |
Break |
| 6:00 |
Dinner |
| 7:30 |
Session 5 – Sin and Grace
Small group sharing – large group reporting |
| 9:00 |
Closing Prayer and Refreshments |
| 8:00 a.m. |
Breakfast |
| 9:00 |
Opening Prayer |
| 9:15 |
Session 6 – Social Analysis
Small group sharing – large group reporting |
| 11:15 |
Break |
| 11:25 |
Session 7 – Imagining Anew |
| Noon |
Session 8 – Commitment and Closing Prayer/Liturgy |
| 1:00 p.m. |
Depart |
Participants receive background on CCHD and Journey to Justice.
Participants begin to name their fears and the values they hold when it comes
to poor and low-income people.
Participants come to a deeper understanding of the Church's preferential option for [and with] the poor.
Participants read and reflect on Luke 10:25-37, parable of the Good Samaritan
Participants gain an understanding of the world in which Jesus lived and his experience with the poor.
Participants begin to develop the ability to enter into scripture reflection beyond their own personal experience.
Participants view video, Breaking the Cycle of Poverty - Facing the Future with Hope, putting faces on the poor.
Participants meet with CCHD funded group at a project site to hear their stories and to
identify some similarities between them and poor and low-income people.
Reflection on the Immersion Experience:
What did I see?
What did I hear?
How do I feel about the experience?
Participants gain an understanding of the concepts of social sin and God's grace and begin to develop the ability to identify systems and structures in light of the concept of social sin and reconciliation.
Participants come to an understanding of the need to look for the root causes of poverty. Pastoral Circle is used to assist participants with learning how to do social analysis.
Participants begin to imagine ways in which they can address the root causes of poverty in their community and their parish.
Call to prophetic ministry, to a commitment to work on justice issues in the community
Closing prayer
The post-retreat phase of Journey to Justice is an essential and perhaps the most challenging part of the total process. Following the retreat a meeting should be held with the team and retreat participants. It is best if this meeting is held no more than 2-3 weeks after the retreat weekend. This allows participants time away from the retreat to think about what they have seen and heard.
The purpose of the post retreat meeting is to help the retreat participants begin to clarify their own call to work for justice and to identify concrete activities in which they can and will participate. A list of possible follow-up activities should be provided by the diocesan staff. These could include: the forming of small church communities, building relationships of mutuality/partnerships with CCHD or other empowered low-income community groups, developing new skills in the areas of social analysis, community organizing and/or leadership development, and repeating the retreat process with others in the parish or in another parish.
For those who want to develop new social justice action initiatives it is important to keep in mind that such actions:
- Call forth the parish community,
- Create opportunities for people to engage in social ministry projects that are determined and lead by empowered low-income people,
- Are a result of the process of moving from one's experience, to social analysis, to reflection on scripture, to action,
- Are with rather than for the poor,
- Develop leadership,
- Are evaluated on an on-going basis.
Special Note:
Within ten (10) days of the retreat weekend, diocesan staff should conduct a debriefing and reflection session with the empowered low-income group with which the immersion experience was done. This session will enable the low-income group to more fully discuss the immersion experience and will help in determining possible solidarity building actions.
- Contact the Education Coordinator for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
- Develop the Journey to Justice vision and timeframe for the diocese.
- Obtain a commitment to participate from a CCHD or other empowered low-income group.
- Organize a team to plan and run the retreat.
- Develop and initiate a recruitment strategy.
|
- Debrief the retreat experience.
- Determine follow-up action, e.g.,
- Form small communities of faith
- Build partnerships with a CCHD funded
group or other empowered low-income
group
- Develop new skills in areas such as
organizing, advocacy, leadership
development, and social analysis
- Support the annual CCHD parish Collection.
- Repeat the retreat for others.
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Download the brochure (pdf).
Specific criteria for selecting dioceses to participate in the Journey to Justice Process are:
- The CCHD Diocesan Director must have adequate staff or strong volunteer resources to make the Journey to Justice process (retreat and follow-up activities) successful.
- The process must be viewed by the CCHD Diocesan Director as a long-term effort (three to five years) of transformative education.
- The diocesan person staffing the Journey to Justice must be willing to participate in all steps of the process: planning, implementation, evaluation (verbal and written), and follow-up.
- There must be a CCHD funded group or other empowered (as defined by CCHD) low-income group present in the diocese.