Social Justice / Social Justice

St. Odilia Social Justice

In the St. Odilia Parish Mission Statement, we commit ourselves to "making Jesus Christ known and loved".

“You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18)

Interested in upcoming Social Justice events in the Twin Cities area? Download myParish app and join the ‘St. Odilia Social Justice Group’ (To download myParish app text App to 55321, download myParish app and select St. Odilia after opening.)

Catholic Social Teaching in Current Events

Catholic Spirit

US Catholic - Peace & Justice section

Catholic News Agency - Catholic Social Teaching section

Catholic News Agency - Social Justice section

America Magazine - Catholic Social Teaching section

Social Media
Facebook: Vatican News, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Twitter: @Pontifex, @USCCB, @ArchbishopHebda, @ArchdioceseSPM

Other Social Justice Related Events

Catholic Social Teaching Themes from USCCB

Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Minnesota Catholic Conference - Catholic Advocacy Network

Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (MCRF) - emergency relief fund designed to meet the urgent needs of our Catholic community.

Justice for Immigrants (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

One Body - Immigrant Families and the Catholic Church in Minnesota

How YOU Can Get Involved

2022-2023 Social Justice Council
Meets monthly to promote parishioner awareness of the connection between faith and justice, and involvement in works of justice.

Goals (2022-2023) - Summary

Past Parish programs include:

8-week Faith and Racial Healing Programs (Winter 2021, Summer 2021)

8-week Faith and Racial Justice Program (Winter 2022)

Voting and Values Webinar (Fall 2020)

Implicit Bias Workshop (Fall 2020)

Immigration Panels (Fall 2019)

Recycling containers

For more details: 2021-2022, 2020-2021, 2019-2020

For more information, contact the Parish Office 651-484-6681.

Reflections (*denotes printed in past Bulletin)

Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching* by Blaine Mably

Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health by Sheba Fernandez

Reflection on ‘Open Wide Your Heart’ by Richard Podvin

Statement about LGBTQ by Richard Podvin

Black Lives Matter Rally by the Social Justice Council

USCCB Reflections on Black Lives Matter

Love Your Neighbor* by Ann Marie Johnson

Life and Dignity of the Human Person Reflection* by Blaine Mably

Call to Family, Community and Participation

Call to Family, Community, and Participation Reflection* by Blaine Mably

Rights and Responsibilities

Rights and Responsibilities Reflection* by Blaine Mably

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable Reflection by Blaine Mably

Homelessness 1* Blaine Mably

Homelessness 2* Blaine Mably

Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

Dignity and Rights of Workers Reflection* by Blaine Mably

Solidarity

Solidarity Reflection by Blaine Mably

Migration by Blaine Mably

Gun Violence by Jeanne Stupar

Story of an Arrest by Richard Podvin

Care for God's Creation

Care for God’s Creation Reflection by Blaine Mably

Environment by Richard Podvin

Racial Equity Ministry

“The centrality of the human person and the natural inclination of persons and peoples to establish relationships among themselves are the fundamental elements for building a true international community, the ordering of which must aim at guaranteeing the effective universal common good. . . . any theory or form whatsoever of racism and racial discrimination is morally unacceptable.”
-Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 433

MInistry Mission:

To lead and motivate our faith community to make intentional steps toward becoming a parish that is committed to racial and ethnic equity, fosters a sense of belonging among people of all races, respects the humanity of each person, creates a culture that inspires transformative change, and welcomes diverse populations.

Racial Housing Covenants Presentation
Thursday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. in the Courtyard

Discriminatory Covenants in Shoreview? Yes, there are.

A recent article in the Shoreview Press (dated November 22, 2022) caught the attention of our Social Justice Council. It stated that at least 91 residences in Shoreview have discriminatory covenants on their property deeds. Who would have thought?

Discriminatory covenants were a popular tool in the early 1900’s to limit who could purchase homes. While they are not valid today, they still exist on 4,000 Ramsey County properties. An example and common covenant found on approximately 20 Turtle Lake properties states that “the grantees shall not sell or lease said real estate to anyone of the Black, Yellow or Semitic races.”

The Education Ministry of the SJ Council wants to assist the City of Shoreview in educating the community about these covenants and provide a means to have them discharged at no expense to the property owners. On March 23rd at 6:30 PM in our courtyard, the SJ Council will host an engaging presentation and discussion on Racial Housing Covenants. What are they? Where are they? Why should I care? And hopefully, how can I get them discharged?

Our two guest speakers will be Renee Eisenbeisz, Assistant City Manager of Shoreview and Maria Cisneros, City Attorney of Golden Valley and co-founder of the Just Deeds Coalition.

For over six years, the Mapping Prejudice project, located at the University of Minnesota has worked to identify and map discriminatory covenants in our region. Their Hennepin County map was the first-ever visualization of these covenants in the nation. The Just Deeds Coalition was developed in 2020 by the City of Golden Valley, Mapping Prejudice, Edina Realty Title, the Minnesota Association of City Attorneys, and Minneapolis Area Realtors. hey provide free legal assistance to property owners who want to research and discharge discriminatory covenants.

Join us to learn about this discriminatory tactic and how we can eliminate these covenants to make our community a more welcoming place to live. As we acknowledge truths from our shared history and repair damage done by racist practices of the past, we put racial healing into action today. No registration is required for this free event. All are welcome—feel free to bring a friend!

Accomplishments

Goals (2023)

Important Links:

Fr. Rask Letter on Racial Justice (2020)
The Christian Response to Racism (2020)
Becoming Human, Dismantling Racism (2020)
Open Wide Our Hearts Pastoral Letter on Racism (2018)
In God’s Image (2003)
Ways to Engage in the Work of Racial Justice (from Guardian Angels Parish in Oakdale)
Racial Justice Resources

Care for Creation

The dominion granted to man by the Creator is not an absolute power, nor can one speak of a freedom to "use and misuse," or to dispose of things as one pleases. The limitation imposed from the beginning by the Creator himself and expressed symbolically by the prohibition not to "eat of the fruit of the tree" (cf. Gen 2:16-17) shows clearly enough that, when it comes to the natural world, we are subject not only to biological laws but also to moral ones, which cannot be violated with impunity. A true concept of development cannot ignore the use of the elements of nature, the renewability of resources and the consequences of haphazard industrialization - three considerations which alert our consciences to the moral dimension of development. (St. John Paul II, On Social Concerns [Sollicitudo rei Socialis], no. 34)

We human beings are not only the beneficiaries but also the stewards of other creatures. Thanks to our bodies, God has joined us so closely to the world around us that we can feel the desertification of the soil almost as a physical ailment, and the extinction of a species as a painful disfigurement. Let us not leave in our wake a swath of destruction and death which will affect our own lives and those of future generations. (Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel [Evangelii Guadium], no. 215)

Laudato Si (Papal Encyclical 2015)
Laudato Si Prayer Book
Creation Mysteries of the Rosary
Care for Creation Resources

If you are interested in doing more to promote the Care for Creation at St. Odilia, please email Blaine Mably at mablyb@gmail.com

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship

"We need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern." ~ Pope Francis, 9/16/13

Faithful Citizenship Document (with new 2020 Introductory Letter)

Civilize It Pledge

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Website

The documents below are part of a summary of the US bishops’ reflection, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, which complements the teaching of bishops in dioceses and states:

Part I of II: Our Call as Catholic Citizen

Part II of II: Making Moral Choices and Applying Our Principles

How to Contact Your Elected Officials Bulletin Insert - Who to contact

Conscience Formation Bulletin Insert (Civilize It)

Videos for Faithful Citizenship

USCCB Faithful Citizenship Video Playlist

If you are interested in doing more to promote faithful citizenship or civil dialogue at St. Odilia, please email Blaine Mably at mablyb@gmail.com