LINKS    -      NEWS

Senate says "No" to torture

Most of us can send a “thank you” to our senators for supporting the McCain amendment to the military appropriation bill, prohibiting U.S.-sponsored torture of any person under the custody or control of the U.S. government. In this October 5 vote, 90 senators voted in favor of the amendment and deserve to be thanked. Those living in a state in which one of the 9 senators voting against the amendment can express their disappointment. (Allard-CO; Bond-MO0;Cochran (MS); Coburn and Inhofe-OK; Cornyn-TX; Roberts-KS; Sessions-AL; Stevens-AK. Continue to urge senators to ensure that anti-torture language is not stripped out of the legislation during reconciliation of House and Senate versions.

GULU Walk: 60 seconds for peace

On OCTOBER 22, at least 32 cities around the world will host GuluWalks in solidarity with the “night commuter” children of northern Uganda who walk from camps for the displaced into the relative safety of town centers. In the brutal war of the rebel army against the government, thousands of children have been abducted, forced to kill, tortured, and sexually abused. Every night 40,000 children walk for their lives. To learn more about the Walks see www.guluwalk.com and see www.actforstolenchildren.org for a 60-second video clip. Supporters of the Walk in Washington, DC include Africa Faith and Justice Network and Catholic Relief Services.

LCWR Assembly public witness in October "Stop Trafficking!"

The October issue of “Stop Trafficking!” includes pictures of the Public Witness Against Trafficking event during the LCWR August Assembly in Anaheim. The same issue provides important information about Fair Trade, including the “green/social washing” of big corporations who claim to be fair traders but import only a fraction of their products as fair trade( e.g. Starbucks, Green Mountain, and Procter & Gamble).
The issue draws attention to the LIFETIME/TV Series on Human Trafficking, October 24-25 at 9:00 p.m.

Artic Refuge Action Day: September 20, Oil and hurricane Katrina

One of the outcomes of the hurricane was the rising cost at the gas pumps and recognition of how dependent our nation is on oil and gasoline. Some will use this as a rationale to open the Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil drilling. This will do nothing to reduce U.S. oil dependence or gas prices.

There are more environmentally friendly ways. For a letter to Congress see either of these links:

Faithful America: http://ga3.org/campaign/protectearth
FCNL (Friends Committee on Nuclear Legislation):
http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=8023491&type=CO
Please contact Representatives and Senators on Sept. 20.

Environmental Defense: Protect coastal communities from the next storm by protecting wetlands

While mourning the tragedy that has devastated the Gulf Coast, environmental professionals with Environmental Defense note that since 1930, over a million acres of wetlands have disappeared from the Mississippi Delta. To send an e-mail to Congress urging support for wetlands restoration as one important way to protect the Gulf Coast in the future, see http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/restore_wetlands.

When you have had a really bad day—anything from losing your job to losing your temper—there is an instant cure: Do something for someone else. When you focus your mind outside yourself, everything quickly falls into place.

This webpage contains some links to organizations in South Texas that you may want to check out. They are looking for volunteers like you. See if there is a fit.

Or if you have a program that needs volunteers and you would like to be listed, please

For Renewal

Centers for Spirituality Programs and Direction, Ruah Center, Houston, TX.

Christian Renewal Center in Dickinson, TX. 281-337-1312.

Cenacle Retreat Center at Kirkwood & I-10. 281-497-3131.

Oblate Renewal Center in San Antonio, 210-349-4173.

Community Programs

Madonna Neighborhood Center
Norma J. Funari, Director
210-432-2374
www.madonnacenter.org

Benetia Family Center
Sister Carmen Sanchez, mcdp, Director
210-433-9300
www.benitia.org

Merced Housing Texas
Susan Sheeran, President
210-281-0234
www.mercedhousingtexas.org

- Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas
- Folklife Festival
- Habitat for Humanity
- Hands On Housing
- Loaves and Fishes
- Literacy South Texas
- Meals on Wheels
- Metropolitan Ministries
- Reading for the Blind
- Salvation Army

Spirituality Retreat Centers

Moye Retreat Center
www.moyecenter.org

Healthcare Interests
Community Health Reach (Santa Rosa Health Care)

Aging & The Elderly (AARP)
American Hospital Directory
Catholic Healthcare West
CHRISTUS Health
Health World Online
National Health Information Center
The Visible Human

Legislative
Congress.Org
CapWeb: The Internet Guide to the U.S. Congress
U.S. House of Representatives
U.S. Judicial Branch
U.S. Legislative Branch
U.S. Senate
"Write to your Representative"

Social Concerns

Catholic Charities of Corpus Christi
Services currently provided by Catholic Charities, located at 1332 Comanche Street next to Sacred Heart Church, are emergency aid, counseling, immigration/refugee assistance, a payee program and rural outreach.

Center for Public Policy Priorities
Established by the Benedictine Sisters of Boerne, Texas, CPPP reviews pending and recent Texas and national legislation for its affect upon the poor.

A Monograph on Capital Punishment
Catholics Against Capital Punishment
Death Penalty Updates
McAuley Institute
National Catholic Social Justice

Cultural

Mexican American Cultural Center
A National Catholic Institute for Pastoral Leadership and Language Studies.

African American Catholic information
http://www.nbccongress.org

Catholic Websites of Interest

Women's Congregations

Men's Congregations

http://www.usccb.org
Catechism of the Catholic Church, daily liturgical readings, church's position on current societal issues, other resources from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

http://www.vatican.va
Holy See's Web site, in six languages. Includes Pope John Paul II's encyclicals, the documents of the Second Vatican Council, etc.

http://www.americancatholic.org
Lives of the Saints, "minute meditations" (St. Anthony Press)

http://www.liturgyhours.org
Liturgy of the Hours (the Divine Office) in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian.

http://www.visionguide.info
National Religious Vocation Conference. Good information for someone considering a vocation to the priesthood or consecrated life.

http://www.catholicstewardship.org
International site, in six languages, contains stewardship resources.