Friends of Fr. Jon: Report from the Congreso Del Pueblo

Friends,

   Below is a link the full report on our the Congreso del Pueblo, held in early November, after the election: The purpose of the Congreso is to create an agenda that is generated from people living at the base of society because they are the primary stakeholders because they are directly affected by policies. The result of a Congreso process is that the social agenda and spiritual and economic concerns of the marginalized are lifted up.

Congreso Report

Read and Enjoy. Happy Holidays.

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Bill Roth, 408-876-0111

Misa De Solidaridad, December 4th.

Dear Compañeras and Compañeros,

Our next Misa de Solidaridad will be at 9 am at the Newman Center on 10th and San Carlos. Our Second Sunday of Advent will be a reflection on our relationship with the planet.

Our species evolved over millions of years by living in harmony with our planet and other species. Up until the Industrial Revolution the West - by and large - still lived in relative balance with the resources and environment, but new economic forces combined with technological breakthroughs in industrial and agricultural production and the introduction of the American practice of treating corporations as “people,” our relationship with the planet and other species shifted from a practice of sustainability, long term gain, investment and stewardship to immediate consumption, consumerism, privatization.  The population began to rise and large tracts of untouched land disappeared: trees were felled, cities buried meadows and farmlands under roads, parking lots and suburban housing.

Pope Francis has made the case that economic degradation and ecological degradation are not separate phenomenon, but are in fact tied together.  In light of our idea of solidarity and the Pope’s teachings on the economy and ecology, will discuss how we, (as individuals and collectively), might incorporate into our work a plan of solidarity with the planet itself.

Hasta domingo!

Padre Jon

Misa de Solidaridad and El Congreso del Pueblo November 20

Compañeras y Compañeras!

This coming weekend we have a very important Misa and Congreso.  The theme of the Misa is, “Vision, Hope and Resistance.”  We will look at this theme in the context of the feast of Christ the King.  In preparation for our gathering, let us ask ourselves, what was Christ’s vision for humanity? How did Christ offer hope in a time of oppression?  How did Christ express resistance to injustice? If the President Elect follows through on his campaign promises, how will we live our faith out under the threat of mass deportation,  the construction of a massive wall, and the registration of Muslims?

Following the Misa we will have the first Congreso del Pueblo. This Congreso is open to all people and so far we have confirmations from Jewish and Muslim participants and several community organizing groups plus others who are interested in connecting with others who share our values of justice, inclusion and solidarity.  The congreso will be bilingual and will begin with a short faith reflection from the Jewish and Muslim participants and they will share their experience.  We will then move into a three-part discussion looking at Vision of what we want our country to look like in terms of inclusion, participation and justice; followed by a discussion on what values and principles are most important to us; and conclude with a discussion on the kind of public policies would move us toward the vision that we believe in and would hold up our values and principles.  We will then consider a modest proposal for how the Congreso process might be used as a way to connect other social movements together throughout the Bay Area and beyond. We will conclude by 12:30 in time for those who might wish to join a public rally at 1:30 pm at City Hall.  We will also have a Congreso de Niños y Adolescentes happening at the same time.

I hope to see you THIS SUNDAY

Misa de Solidaridad at 9 am, Newman Center, Corner of 10th and San Carlos
Congreso del Pueblo at 10:30 am, Newman Center, Corner of 10th and San Carlos

Fr. Jon
https://fatherjonhomilies.blogspot.com

Please VOTE today, PACT Viewing Party, and Next Mass is Nov 20th

Compañeras and Compañeros-

Election Day is here!  Be sure to VOTE!  and if you cannot vote, call someone to VOTE.  There is a PACT Viewing Party at St Paul’s United Methodist Church on the corner of 10th and San Salvador. PACT has been planning that event for a while and rather than us creating our own event, I think it would be a good sign of unity to attend the PACT viewing party.

Our next Misa de Solidaridad will be November 20th at 9 am at the Newman Center, the corner of 10th and San Carlos. (I’ll be on a retreat next weekend and so we will NOT have mass on November 13). Please pass the word!

Thank you to Yadira Guerrero for facilitating our time at the Liturgy of the Word and Teresa Castellanos for the amazing Community Forum last Sunday.

As I stated at the introduction to the Liturgy of the Word, we are in a powerful time where we must find a way to be united and stay united.  Our faith heritage teaches us that we are the Body of Christ and we have an obligation to help maintain that Body.  Eucharistic theologians suggest that the “Body of Christ” is more than a “membership” in an institution as one would have membership at Costco or the Elks Club and it is certainly more than a denominational declaration. Contemporary theologians suggest that the "Body of Christ” is so powerful, so “mystical” that the concept of “belonging” to the Body of Christ is a concept that is continually pushing the limits of inclusion. Some even suggest that the  "Body of Christ” is the entire cosmos. What a powerful image that is!  Ponder this concept: the whole universe: humanity, our planet, solar system, galaxy and time itself is woven together.  We are all connected.  We are a part of the fabric of creation…and because we are woven together, the task of the Church is to promote connections...and to heal divisions.

By the time we gather together on November 20th, we will have elected a new president and city and county measured and state propositions will have passed or failed. Some will be happy, others not.  I believe our task to continue the powerful work of making connections with others who are not like ourselves. As our movement grows, we will find more and more connections with people from other areas of the city, whose life experience is different than our own, whose language is not the same as our language.

Our Misa de Solidaridad is but one humble attempt to bring all of us together at one table. To “encounter” or “encontrar” the sacred Other in our Sister and Brother. When we share our hearts with each other at our Scripture sharing and then break the bread at Eucharist, the wall that divides us dissolves and we finally “see” each other.  It is my hope that we can offer other faith communities that are struggling to heal from the divisiveness and rancor of electoral politics, will find in our community a model of listening, sharing and healing.

So when you go to the polls today, remember that when you VOTE, you are not simply voting for a candidate nor are you voting for an issue.  When you vote, take the stories of your sister who is homeless and suffering with untreated mental illness.  Take the story of your undocumented immigrant brother who works the swing shift and then goes off to a day job with only 4 hours of sleep and never sees his children until Sunday.  Take the story of the young couple with their 3 small children living in a van along San Antonio Street. VOTE.

¡Hasta pronto!

Fr Jon