National Catholic Rural Life Bulletin

In this issue

Essayist seeks input on Religion and Ecology
FINAL CALL for papers: Renewing the Face of the Earth
Take the Plunge at White Violet
Santa Clara University Challenge: Sustainability and Environmental Justice
Eating Local in SIOUX CITY
Job Opening at NETWORK: Annual Giving Coordinator
USDA Director of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Hill Briefing on Concentration in the U.S. Seed Market
Tracking USDA's Recovery Act Spending
JUNE: Month of devotion to the SACRED HEART of JESUS

Essayist seeks input on religion and ecology

Dan Spencer at the University of Montana is writing an essay this month on "Greening Religion: Pedagogy, Religion, and Ecology" for a special issue of the Ometeca Journal. The goal of this special issue is to provide readers with a compendium of insights and strategies for transforming particular disciplines, pedagogical practices, and our larger educational vision in regard to the pursuit of ecological sustainability. The editors ask that he include the following areas:

-- The history of religious education and praxis and ecological sustainability: what are the key books, theories, debates, criticism, etc.?
-- Pedagogical principles and practices.
-- Interdisciplinary connections.

Share your thoughts with Dan Spencer, Environmental Studies, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812; 406-243-6111; daniel.spencer@umontana.edu

FINAL CALL for PAPERS (due this week)

"Renewing the Face of the Earth: The Church and the Order of Creation"

The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, St. Paul, MN, invites papers that bring the wisdom of the Catholic intellectual tradition, especially that of St. Thomas Aquinas, to the articulation of an adequate vision of responsible stewardship: one that is coherent, meaningful and faithful.

Saint Paul Seminary will hold a special conference on this theme in St. Paul, MN, on October 29-31, 2009. Paper proposals are due June 5, 2009.

Please submit to Dr. Deborah Savage at pdsavage@stthomas.edu
More details at http://www.stthomas.edu/spssod/events/environment.html

Take the Plunge at White Violet, July 12-18

White Violet Center for Eco-Justice at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, will host "2009 Earth Plunge" (July 12-18). Amidst quiet time and time for prayer, participants will delve into presentations on the Universe Story, food issues, energy needs, water crisis and the critical question of what this all has to do with one's own life and faith. Let Earth touch your soul!

Contact Sister Maureen Freeman, CSJ, at 812-535-2930 or mfreeman@spsmw.org

Santa Clara University challenge: Sustainability and Environmental Justice

Incoming President Michael Engh, S.J. issued a challenge of environmental justice to students and faculty at Santa Clara University. In his inaugural address, Fr. Engh challenged the University with these words: "Santa Clara University is uniquely positioned to make a significant contribution to achieving a more just and sustainable future. And I propose that we seriously consider becoming a major center for the discussion of environmental justice and for examining the ethical dimensions of how we treat the physical world. I believe that we can lead in the development and promotion of practices, and businesses, and technologies that will insure a viable and just future for all."

Read more at http://www.scu.edu/ignatiancenter/publications/explore/spring2009/

EATING LOCAL in SIOUX CITY

In a quest to educate the public on what foods can be locally grown and consumed in the area, Woodbury County Rural Economic Development Department Director Rob Marqusee has vowed to only eat local foods for the month of June. In an effort to educate city resident on which foods are produced locally for consumption, hewill only eat foods produced within a 100-mile radius of Sioux City.

FOLLOW his "Save Rob '09" campaign at www.woodburyorganics.com

Background: In 2005, the Woodbury County Supervisors created a rural economic development department. One of their commitments was to develop a niche market of local foods for residents and restaurants, and thereby create a new generation of farmers. "We have to diversify our agricultural portfolio," Marqusee said.

Job Opening at NETWORK: Annual Giving Coordinator

NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby in Washington, DC, seeks an Annual Giving Coordinator. Their development efforts are closely tied to their mission to educate and politically mobilize Network members and offer development staff an opportunity for highly integrated work with Network lobbyists, field organizers and communications outreach.

See http://www.networklobby.org/employment/annual.html for the complete job announcement and application instructions.

USDA Director of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships: Max Finberg

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently appointed Max Finberg to serve as Director of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA has a long history of working with faith-based and community organizations to help those in need. Their programs provide federal assistance through domestic and international food aid and nutrition programs, rural development opportunities, and natural resource conservation.

Max Finberg most recently served as the director of the Alliance to End Hunger, which works to engage diverse institutions to build the public will to end hunger. He has also served as special assistant to the ambassador at the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Italy. Originally from the Catskill Mountains, he currently resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife, daughter and son.

The NCRLC Bulletin will monitor and provide updates about this USDA partnership with faith groups and neighborhoods.

Hill Briefing on Concentration in the U.S. Seed Market

On Tuesday, May 19, the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) hosted a Hill briefing on the adverse impact on farmers from concentration in the U.S. seed market. Topics included restrictions on rights of individual farmers' to save seed, retaliation by Monsanto against farmers who speak out against the seed company mergers, and decreasing availability of seed lines and other aspects arising from seed market consolidation. The need was emphasized for more public breeding positions at the nation's Land Grant Universities and more publicly available seed.

For more on the Hill briefing and seed issue, visit

http://www.competitivemarkets.com/index.php?

option=com_content&task=section&id=4&Itemid=28

Tracking USDA's Recovery Act Spending

Did you know that the USDA launched a web tool to track where and how USDA is spending funds provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009? This new geo-spatial mapping web-function is found at www.USDA.gov/recovery and shows exactly where and how USDA is spending every dollar of Recovery Act funding across the nation.

JUNE: Month of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

By tradition, the Catholic Church dedicates each month of the year to a certain devotion. In June, it is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Sacred Heart represents Christ's love for all people, and our devotion to it is an expression of our faith in His mercy.

Last year, Pope Benedict XVI urged Catholics everywhere to renew their devotion to the Sacred Heart during the month of June. This June, let us strive once again to unite ourselves fully to the Heart of Christ, asking Him to purify our wills so that everything we do may be in line with His Will. And if we should fall, that His Love and Mercy may shield us from the righteous judgment of God the Father.

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