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What You Can Do

Act, Reflect, TransformENCORPORATE THE ART
(Act ~ Reflect ~ Transform)
of Justice and Peace into your Haiti Ministry

ACT
to serve human needs, giving issues a human face

Participate

Contact your parish twinning committee and see how you can become involved. If you discover that there is no twinning relationship, ask your parish to consider twinning. Contact Jay Brown to set up an informational presentation. 

Volunteer

Contact one of the boards, committees or special projects of the Diocese to find out how your skills can be used. For a brief description of projects go to the About Haiti Outreach section.

The Xaverian Brothers offer opportunities with the support of the Diocese of Richmond for year long Volunteer opportunities in Haiti. If you are interested you may contact Jay Brown or go to the web site of the Xaverian Brother's www.xaverianbrothers.org  to find out more information.

Donate

The Diocese of Richmond accepts donations for the projects and organizations it supports in Haiti. Your tax deductible gift will go directly to the project in Haiti. For a brief description of projects go to the About Haiti Outreach section.

Checks can be made out to:
The Catholic Diocese of Richmond
The Office of Justice and Peace
1512 Willow Lawn Drive
Richmond, VA  23230

REFLECT 
on social causes of poverty and issues of our faith

Visit Haiti! Participate in a Diocesan Immersion Retreat or a parish trip.   

Incorporate a process of social analysis and theological reflection using Catholic social teaching for your parish twinning committee and in debriefing sessions upon return from trips to Haiti. Contact Jay Brown for assistance.

Encourage parishioners to take Just Faith. Go to www.richmonddiocese.org/ojp/index.htm for more information.

Find out more about Global economic and political forces that affect Haiti. Go to www.richmonddiocese.org/ojp/index.htm for resources.

Begin a Haiti book study group. Begin with the use of the book "Uses of Haiti" by Paul Farmer and the accompanying study guide which is available from the Office of Justice and Peace.

Hold a prayer service for Haiti.

TRANSFORM
as individuals, as a community and in social structures

As individuals

Reflect on ways that individual lifestyles affect Haiti and the impoverished countries. Discern lifestyle changes that lead to sustainability of the Globe. Go to the simple Living Network: www.simpleliving.net

As a community 

Call on your parish community to a "ti machann" (merchant) for Haiti by purchasing and selling hand crafted items from Haiti. Plan to serve Haitian coffee, when it is available, at all events. If Haitian coffee is not available sell Fair Trade coffee from other countries. Fair Trade coffee is available at www.crsfairtrade.org

Learn more about and become involved in sustainable development. Contact the Diocese to find out about the Sustainable Development Committee.

Support Fonkoze's micro credit loan and literacy programs by sending donations to the Diocese of Richmond's Productivity Fund.

Social Structures

Become involved in Legislative Advocacy! Our Catholic social teaching calls us to uphold the life and dignity of the human person, to be in solidarity with our sisters and brothers around the world and to exercise a preferential option for the poor. In response to Catholic social teaching and the call of the Gospel, the Diocese is involved in helping meet the basic and emergency needs of the people in Haiti and in sustainable economic and ecological development projects. In addition to these ministry actions, Catholic social teaching calls us to advocate to our U.S. government to enact just policies toward Haiti.

Debt Relief Update and Action

Despite initiatives advocated by our Church and others to reduce the foreign debt of the world's poorest countries over the last several years, many countries, including Haiti still have debt burdens. Because of debt payments, impoverished countries cannot invest in health care, education and foster development.

In October of 2007, the Diocese of Richmond participated in Jubilee USA's National Cancel the Debt Fast and Congressional Call in Campaign. Presently The Jubilee Debt Act, HR 2634 has 94 co-sponsors and SB 2166 has 19 co-sponsors. Unfortunately the only Virginia Congressional Representative who has signed on is Rep. James Morgan. 

Actions to take:

  • Join the Virginia Catholic Conference to receive timely legislative alerts on this issue.
  • Write to your Congressional Legislators and share your interest, passion and personal experience of Haiti and encourage them to co sponsor the Jubilee Act. To contact your legislators, visit http://www.vacatholic.org/legislation.htm 
  • Participate in National Catholic Advocacy Day in Washington DC this year in April. Information and registration will be available from the Office of Justice and Peace.
  • Visit www.jubileeusa.org  for more information on the Debt Relief Campaign.