I have recently had one of my photos published. I received the following email about a picture I took in Almaden Quicksilver County Park:

Hi Bill,

I am delighted to let you know that your submitted photo has been selected for inclusion in the newly released second edition of our Schmap California Guide:

Almaden Quicksilver County Park
www.schmap.com/california/parks/p=167388/i=167388_5.jpg

If you like the guide and have a website, blog or personal page, then please also check out the customizable widgetized versions of our Schmap California Guide, complete with your published photo:

www.schmap.com/guidewidgets/p=7577171N07/c=SG33023019

Thanks so much for letting us include your photo - please enjoy the guide!

Best regards,

Emma Williams,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guides

You can see the picture via this Widget:

Since 1973, Americans have been arguing over the issue of abortion. Amidst the rancorous debate and occasional violence, very little has been achieved other than the election of many Republicans chanting the anti-abortion mantra. The abortion rate is roughly equivalent to what it was in 1973, and many religious people have been duped into thinking that one party is in favor of abortion and the other is opposed to it.

It is time to reframe the discussion around abortion, in the hope that we might accomplish something.

Everyone is "pro-life" (except for suicides and sociopaths). To suggest otherwise ignores something fundamental about the human condition. It is most often used when the speaker wants to vilify someone.

Similarly, no one is really "pro-abortion", just an no one is "pro-disembowelment." Every abortion is a tragedy, and represents a failure of society at many levels.

"Pro-Choice" is not the appropriate term either, because "The Choice" will happen whether or not this "Choice" is legal. We only need to look to either the developing world. In 2003, nearly 50% of world-wide induced abortions occur in countries where abortion is illegal. Or we could turn to pre-1973 America for the physics of abortion. They will happen whether or not the procedure is legal.

Beyond the old way of discussing this issue, the core discussion is whether or not a particular course of action reduces the overall number of abortions. It should also be noted that Catholics are not unanimous on this issue. In fact, in the United States, American Catholics mirror the population in general for the unfortunate and unnecessary procedure. In the wider Church, the debate continues as well. No less an authority than Cardinal Carlo Martini, the former Bishop of Milan, called legal abortion a "positive", echoing a recent World Health Organization report which showed that countries where abortion was criminalized showed no decrease in the number of abortions, and a marked decline in maternal health. Predictably, the Vatican issued a statement offering corrections to Cardinal Martini's statement.

I will leave the moral language to the clergy and the theologians. Its not clear that language like "abomination", or "intrinsic evil" help to improve the situation. But if you believe that every abortion is a tragedy, then it follows that reducing the number of abortions is a worthy goal.

Let this be the anchor of the new way to discussion the issue. If we all agree abortion is a tragedy, and if we all agree that criminalization has failed and that the data shows it does not make the situation better, then shouldn't we work to reduce the number of abortions by other means? Instead of focusing on abortion per se, we should focus on eliminating unwanted pregnancies.Instead of focusing on the procedure itself, we should focus on giving women more options, by providing free access to family planning services, and better access to women's heathcare services in general. It is useful to consider that the major cause of abortions in this country is unplanned pregancy. The government, the private sector, and faith-based groups all have a role in acting on ways to reduce the number of abortions.

Once beyond the criminalization argument an entire range of options opem themselves up. To those who ascribe to a free-market approach, I ask "are there economic incentives that could help to lower the number of abortions?" To the faith-based communities I ask, "are you doing enough to take care of women with unwanted pregnancies so they do not need to have abortions?" To the rest of us I ask, "What are the new ways to think about this problem that could help to lower the number of abortions?"

Many positive ways of looking at this problem have been proposed. Congress has shown, with their Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act bill (HR 1074) and the Prevention First Act (HR 819) bill, they are serious about finding new solutions to serious problems posed by the practice of abortion. These efforts have been supported by Democrats and Republicans.

Congress has also worked on making other alternatives more attractive, including adoption, with the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003, which is now Public Law No: 108-145. Just as the new language on abortion will help to reframe the discussion, Congress' new approach could be a forerunner of a strategy that will avoid the divisiveness of the past, and give a glimmer of hope that we can make real progress on this issue in the future.

As Catholics and as Democrats, we believe that our faith perspective informs our political outlook at this situation - and visa versa. We call upon our Church to broaden the dialog beyond casting the stone of blame on an individual, but to use our Catholic Social Teaching to get at these deeper issues. We call upon our party to work even more diligently in the areas of academic and vocational opportunities for our young generation, particularly women; to work for universal health care; and to move forward legislation that will result in the creation of jobs that pay solid wages. We call upon the press to cover Democratic people of faith and their positions on this serious issue with equal weight to that of Republicans. We believe that using the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and our solid Democratic platform will be the most effective means to address abortion.

I spend a lot of time on politics. Mainly because this is how i serve my country and work to get my values reflected in the community around me. Also, I am not disillusioned when I loose an election, since I know my role in the community, and I understand I am one person of the over 1 Million that live in San Jose. That said, I can take justifiable pride when we do win an election ans something positive comes of it.

In my view, there is only one reason to be in politics, and that is to make other people's lives better. This was driven home to me this weekend when I was at Leland High in San Jose for a swim meet. New fields had just been put in over last summer, and they were in spectacular shape. What really put a fine point on it was the amount of people on the field enjoying a beautiful Northern California February day. I took a picture of it for good measure.

Now this is what politics is all about. The work we've done on Measure A, Measure F, and getting city representitives like Nancy Pyle elected have paid off. The work is hard, the payback long in coming, but that is what it takes.

(Draft 2)

Abortion is the single most divisive, polarizing and destructive issue in American politics. It is an issue that has been used by political consultants for decades to drive a wedge into the Catholic community, severely diluting our ability to have a voice on a range of other important topics.

Consider the following: If I say Catholic Democrat what is the next word that comes into your mind? Abortion. It is the issue that sucks all the air out of the room, and keeps us from making progress on other important issues like human rights, poverty, workers rights and stewardship of the environment. The politicians on both sides know it. They use this issue to bend our community to their political ends.

But a new study (Induced Abortion: estimated rates and trends worldwide, G. Sedgh, et al) published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, offers some data which may allow some common ground for Catholics. It may also allow us to make headway on other important issues such as the war in Iraq, poverty, human rights, and stewardship of the environment.

The position of the Roman Catholic Church is clear. As Catholics, we believe in a consistent ethic of life from the moment of conception to a natural death (Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, November,2007) Abortion is an intrinsic evil, and morally unacceptable in all cases. Every abortion is a tragedy. Every abortion is a failure of the Catholic community. Every abortion is a failure of society to protect our women and our children. Every child deserves a chance at life, and every woman deserves unfettered healthcare options.

But what if making the practice illegal had no effect on the number of abortions? What if making the practice illegal actually caused more harm? What if making the practice legal actually caused the number of abortions to go down?

If all this were true, it could change the nature of debate, and strengthen our community and our ability to be a force for positive change in the world.

It turns out that all 3 of these hypotheticals are true. The facts of the study are clear. First, there is some encouraging news. The number of abortions is down worldwide for the period from 1995 to 2003, by from 46 million to 42 million. Every abortion is a tragedy, and a diminution of the number is a good thing.

However, the rest of the data in the study is bracing. We know, for instance, that unsafe abortion is major cause of maternal mortality, and a threat to womens health. We also know that safe abortions have relatively few heath consequences.

The studys most startling finding is that overall abortion rates are roughly similar between developed countries (where abortion is largely legal) and developing countries (where abortion is largely illegal). This indicates that criminalizing abortion has no effect on lowering the abortion rate, but it does have the effect of causing serious risks to womens healthcare. In effect, criminalizing abortion does more harm than good.

The study also says that 48% of all abortions were unsafe, and that 97% of all unsafe abortions happen in the developing world. Of the 42 million abortions performed, 35 Million of them were performed in the developing world, where the practice is largely illegal.

If all this is true, then what is an American Roman Catholic to do? We need to work for an end to the practice of abortion, the same as before.

However, we need to achieve this without criminalizing it, as this only causes a greater harm. As Democrats have shown with their Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act bill (HR 1074) and the Prevention First Act (HR 819) bill, they are serious about finding new solutions to serious problems posed by the practice of abortion. The have also worked on making other alternatives more attractive, including adoption, with the Adoption Promotion Act of 2003, which is now Public Law No: 108-145. Their new approach could be a forerunner of a strategy that will avoid the divisiveness of the past, and give a glimmer of hope that we can make real progress on this issue in the future.

By BERNARD BAKER
Register & Bee staff writer
February 5, 2008

The Rev. James A. Forbes Jr. said he didn?t come to Danville on Monday to politick for Democrat Tom Perriello. But he couldn?t help it.

Forbes returned to an area where he once preached to let about 200 people at Bibleway Cathedral know that Danville has better days ahead.

Forbes and Perriello, who is challenging Congressman Virgil Goode in the 5th District, got to know each other in New York when Forbes was pastor of Riverside Church. The first African-American pastor of Riverside Church has been listed as one of the best U.S. preachers in Newsweek.

Perriello, also at Monday?s gathering, said he heard about the prophetic justice principles Forbes developed and he wanted to know more. Forbes believes the problem isn?t who is sitting in the White House, but the culture that elected that type of person.

?Poverty is a weapon of mass destruction,? he said.

Read the full story here.

(Draft 1)

Abortion is the single most divisive, polarizing and destructive issue in American politics. It is an issue that has been used by political consultants for decades to drive a wedge into the Catholic community, severely diluting our ability to have a voice on a range of other important topics.

Consider the following: If I say “Catholic Democrat” what is the next word that comes into your mind? “Abortion”. It is the issue that sucks all the air out of the room, and keeps us from making progress on other important issues like human rights, poverty, worker’s rights and stewardship of the environment. The politicians on both sides know it. They use this issue to bend our community to their political ends.

But a new study (“Induced Abortion: estimated rates and trends worldwide”, G. Sedgh, et al) published in the British medical journal, The Lancet, offers some data which may allow some common ground for Catholics. It may also allow us to make headway on other important issues such as the war in Iraq, poverty, human rights, and stewardship of the environment.

The position of the Roman Catholic Church is clear. As Catholics, we believe in a “consistent ethic of life” from the moment of conception to a natural death (“Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, November,2007) Abortion is an intrinsic evil, and morally unacceptable in all cases. Every abortion is a tragedy. Every abortion is a failure of the Catholic community. Every abortion is a failure of society to protect our women and our children. Every child deserves a chance at life, and every woman deserves unfettered healthcare options.

But what if making the practice illegal had no effect on the number of abortions? What if making the practice illegal actually caused more harm? What if making the practice legal actually caused the number of abortions to go down?

If all this were true, it could change the nature of debate, and strengthen our community and our ability to be a force for positive change in the world.

The facts of the study are clear. First, there is some encouraging news. The number of abortions is down worldwide for the period from 1995 to 2003, by from 46 million to 42 million. Every abortion is a tragedy, and a diminution of the number is a good thing.

However, the rest of the data in the study is bracing. We know, for instance, that unsafe abortion is major cause of maternal mortality, and a threat to women’s health. We also know that safe abortions have relatively few heath consequences.

The study’s most startling finding is that overall abortion rates are roughly similar between developed countries (where abortion is largely legal) and developing countries (where abortion is largely illegal). This indicates that criminalizing abortion has no effect on lowering the abortion rate, but it does have the effect of causing serious risks to women’s healthcare. In effect, criminalizing abortion does more harm than good.

The study also says that 48% of all abortions were unsafe, and that 97% of all unsafe abortions happen in the developing world. Of the 42 million abortions performed, 35 Million of them were performed in the developing world, where the practice is largely illegal.

If all this is true, then what is an American Roman Catholic to do? We need to work for an end to the practice of abortion, the same as before. However, we need to achieve this without criminalizing it, as this only causes a greater harm. As Democrats have shown with their “Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act” bill (HR 1074) and the “Prevention First Act” (HR 819) bill, they are serious about finding new solutions to serious problems posed by the practice of abortion. Their new approach could be a forerunner of a strategy that will avoid the divisiveness of the past, and give a glimmer of hope that we can make real progress on this issue in the future.

As Catholics, we believe that it is through faith and good works that we achieve salvation. In essence, it is essential for us to put our faith into action. Our “four minute” catechesis in October focused on the Just War theory. On November 1st, the United Status Conference of Catholic Bishops sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice applying the Just War teaching to our nation’s current position with Iran.

The bishops express "profound concern" with respect to the situation in Iran. They deliver a balanced message, saying on the one hand, that for Iran (and indeed any nation) to develop nuclear weapons is "unacceptable". On the other hand, they make it clear that to "engage in preventative war" without proof of imminent danger raises "serious moral and juridical questions". Couching the topic in terms of the Just War teaching, they point out that "use of force must always be a last resort" and that all options need to be exhausted before force is used. From the bishops' point of view, the mere fact of having a nuclear energy program, possession of nuclear weapons, or delivering bellicose statements, are not sufficient to justify a preventative war.

The bishops conclude the letter by placing the discussion in context of their long-standing position on nuclear disarmament and proliferation. The point out that Iran is entitled to improve itself and promote economic development for its people. This includes developing a peaceful nuclear energy program. But the international community has a role to play. The international community must do what it can to fulfill its obligations in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which include ending reliance on nuclear weapons by any country, including the United States.

In his inaugural, President John F. Kennedy said "We must never negotiate from fear, and we must never fear to negotiate." Echoing this, the bishops are forceful in their language around the need for thorough and exhaustive diplomacy. They urge Dr. Rice to begin a dialogue with Iran immediately. Discussions with Iran are essential, and should not be viewed as a reward, but a means to a much more important end. That end is peace.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will be voting to approve the latest edition of its quadrennial guidance on how the Church and the Faithful should participate in politics. It renders its guidance by asking and answering four questions.

The first question is "Why does the Church teach about issues affecting public policy?" In fact, Scriptures and the teaching of Jesus teach us much that informs our public policy. This includes showing us what is true and good, that all human beings are in God’s image, and are endowed with dignity and rights. This becomes the foundation on which our well-formed conscience is based.

The second question is "Who in the Church should participate in public life?" The Catechism is quite clear: "As far as possible, all citizens should take active part in public life."(1913) But the Church also calls us to engage in a way that seeks to recognize the “dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and vulnerable.” We should be guided more by our well-formed conscience than by any political party or interest group.

The third question is "How does the Church help the Faithful to speak about political and social questions?" The Church does this by helping the faithful develop well-formed sciences, through its writing and teaching. It also fosters a spirit of prudence, whereby we attempt to discern true good in every circumstance. It also assists us in its teaching role providing a framework what allows us to make difficult moral choices.

The fourth question is "What does the Church say about Catholic social teaching in the public square?" The document concludes with seven key themes about its social teaching. The first theme is the consistent ethic of life, from conception until natural death. The second is the Church’s call to family and participation in society. The third is the human rights and human responsibilities. The fourth is the principle of having a preferential option for the poor and needy. The fifth is on the dignity of work and the rights of workings. The sixth theme is solidarity and an end to racism, divisiveness, extreme poverty and disease throughout the world. The final theme is about the care and stewardship of God’s creation.

The document is a worthwhile read for all Catholics of voting age, and should be available shortly after the November 12th-15th meeting.

In light of the state of the Iraq War, it is useful to review the Just War Theory. This doctrine was advanced in the early Church by St. Augustine and refined by St. Thomas Aquinas. We have heard in general teams about the theory, but what does the central teaching document of our faith tell us? The Catechism Of the Catholic Church tells is that “all citizens and all governments are obliged to work for peace.”(2308).

Is it ever possible to use military force? The Catechism says “as long as the danger of war persists, and there is no international authority with the necessary competence and power,” then states have a right to defend themselves. But there are strict conditions for a war must meet.

First, the damage by the aggressor must be lasting, grave and certain. This means that there must be tangible damage to respond to. It also implies that there no justification for a pre-emptive or first strike.

Second, all means of avoiding war must have been shown to be exhausted or ineffective. Diplomacy, negation and proper discourse among nations should be the principal means of avoiding war.

Third, there must be serious prospects of success. The means that fighting a battle that is sure to fail, or a suicide attack, is not morally legitimate.

Finally, the war must not produce evils greater than the ones they are replacing. The Catechism make it clear that “the power of modern means of destruction”, like nuclear weapons, “weighs very heavily” in consideration of this condition(2309). Clearly, a phrase such as the one that arose in the Viet Nam war’s My Lai incident “We had to destroy the village to save it” is patently morally illegitimate.

For the use of force to be morally legitimate, all of these conditions must be met. This is a high bar with makes the moral use of force a rare thing. But will we ever be free of the prosect of war? Gaudiam et Spes says no: “To the extent that people are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until the coming of Christ; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished…” (74)

The US Catholic Conference of Bishops(USCCB) staff has just sent out a letter defending one of its own, as a result of pressure from right-wing Catholic organizing. It is essentially an attack on Kathy Saile, the Domestic Policy Director. It unfortunately claims that the Democratic Party embraces abortion and has a litmus test. The letter, while well intentioned, distorts the Democratic Party's positions, and should be with drawn. This entry will give the details of the letter, the refutation points, and a call to action.

John Carr, Executive Director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development at the USCCB has sent out a letter pleading for understanding from right-wing groups over a meeting attended by Saile. In it he says:

Last week we shared with you the good news that Kathy Saile is joining
our leadership team. You may be aware that on the web there are some
unfounded accusations. Here are the facts.

The new Director, Kathy Saile, is a faithful Catholic who is pro-life
and fully committed to the Catholic Church and its moral and social
teaching, beginning with the right to life. These matters were fully
explored and confirmed in the hiring process and in reference checks.

These charges apparently originated in blogs suggesting that Kathy
Saile is pro-choice because she spoke at a dinner sponsored by a
pro-choice women’s group.

He goes on to say that:

1. It was a small, information dinner


2. It was one of a series of dinners, and less than 10 people attended.


3. Kathy made the case that progressives can and should be pro-life and that the Democratic Party should welcome pro-life candidates and positions

He also make the following claim:

Kathy used the occasion to make the case that the Democratic Party’s embrace of abortion and its pro-choice litmus [test] is wrong both morally and politically.

This letter raises a whole passel of issues, but the ones that I would like to make clear are:

1. There are Pro-Life Democrats in Congress


2. Pro-Life and Pro-Choice Democrats working to reduce the number of abortions (See Tim Ryan and Rose DeLauro's work from July)


3. There is no embrace of abortion by the Democratic Party; the platform calls for rights for women to choose and against criminalization


4. There is no litmus test

It is also wholly inappropriate (and against the spirit of Deus Caritas Est) for the USCCB to state the Democratic Party is morally or politically wrong.

This leads me to point ask the USCCB how they reconcile their action with the following statement from Deus Caritas Est:

The Church can not and must not take upon herself the political battle to bring about the most just society possible...a just society must be the achievement of politics, not the Church.

Please call John Carr of the USCCB at (202) 541-3181, and ask him for an immediate retraction of his letter.

I sent the following letter to the editor of the mercury news:

"Last week President Bush suggested a 50-year presence in Iraq, comparing Iraq to Korea. This creates a stark contrast in the body politic. While the Republican presidential candidates talk about continuing the same failed strategy for decades to come, the Democratic Party is focused on ending the war. I believe the American people reject the Republican Party’s insistence on an open-ended commitment for the next 50 years. We can do better."

This Pope continues to amaze me, in positive ways. Pope Benedict XVI has been speaking clearly and forcefully on the subject of Climate Change recently. In a recent speech during the Church's Save Creation Day, he said:

"New generations will be entrusted with the future of the planet, which bears clear signs of a type of development that has not always protected nature's delicate equilibriums. Before it is too late one must make courageous choices that can recreate a strong alliance between mankind and the earth. What is needed is a decisive 'yes' to the protection of creation and a strong commitment to reverse the trend that risks leading to situations of irreversible degradation." (My emphasis)

This is not the first time the Pope (or any pope for that matter) has talked about the environment. (You can find a Vatican Radio report on the Pope's speeches on this topic on iTunes) In fact, Catholic Social Teaching has a very solid track record on the subject of "Stewardship", the proper and moral care of God's creation. It is in this context that statements a prominent voice in the Religious Right, Roman Catholic Edition, reveal their true agenda.

Disgraced former Republican Advisor, Conservative Publisher and prominent right-wing blogger Deal Hudson, in a recent post on his blog says the following in reaction to the Pope's statements:

Let's hope the Vatican doesn't join the crusade against Global Warming. This would be used by the Catholic Left  to provide justification for their lack of concern for life issues.

This lovely little non-sequitur is fascinating for a number of reasons. First, it shows just how mono-maniacal the Religious Catholic Right is. It demonstrates that advocacy for any other issue other than "anti-abortion" is somehow scandalous. Second, it shows a lack of true understanding that care for the environment flows from the "Seamless Garment of Life" so often discussed by John Paul II. How can you show "concern for life" without a planet.

Third, and most revealing, it shows the Catholic Right is only concerned about regaining their political majority through the exploitation and narrowing of Catholic teachings. John Paul II was equally clear and forceful in his writing on the "ecologic question", from one of the landmark documents in Catholic Social Teaching, "Centesimus Annus" (#37)

Equally worrying is the ecological question which accompanies the problem of consumerism and which is closely connected to it. In his desire to have and to enjoy rather than to be and to grow, man consumes the resources of the earth and his own life in an excessive and disordered way. At the root of the senseless destruction of the natural environment lies an anthropological error, which unfortunately is widespread in our day.

He continues:

In all this, one notes first the poverty or narrowness of man's outlook, motivated as he is by a desire to possess things rather than to relate them to the truth, and lacking that disinterested, unselfish and aesthetic attitude that is born of wonder in the presence of being and of the beauty which enables one to see in visible things the message of the invisible God who created them. In this regard, humanity today must be conscious of its duties and obligations towards future generations.

What is truly stunning is Hudson's repudiation of all of the Church's teaching except for abortion.  It is very clear that proper discernment dictates that we must make moral decisions, and as a result political ones, in proper context, and not on the basis of a single issue.

 

As we approach the end of summer, as Labor Day is upon us, it is fitting that we take time out to consider the moral and spiritual impacts of work. Key to this is the fundamental tenet of our belief systems that faith alone is not sufficient for salvation. As Roman Catholics, we must act in the real world as well. James 2:17 reminds us that “… faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

This does not exhort us to be revolutionaries, but rather to act out our faith. Faith can not be a “Sunday only affair,” but something we do every day of the week. For many of us, this provides us an opportunity to carry out our faith in our daily work. In our every day life, trying to act in accord with our faith is what we are called to do.

Catholic Social Teaching has taken this one step further. The watershed encyclical Rerum Novarum helped to define much of the modern Church’s concept of the moral aspects of “the work of human hands.” Published in 1891, it advocated that all workers have a right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, and to safe working conditions. It also makes a powerful point that society must pursue economic justice and the economy must serve people, not the other way around.

The document also calls out a “right to work” and right earn a living wage. This is an important point to consider in a region where the adjusted poverty level is in excess of three times the national average. This issue spills over into the current-day controversy surrounding immigration. We should look around us and note the conditions of the people working around us, including the day laborers standing in the parking lot of Home Depot, and the men on the lawn service crews. Leo XIII scolds us: “It is neither just nor human so to grind men down with excessive labour as to stupefy their minds and wear out their bodies.” Let us keep these people in our thoughts on this Labor Day.

   This weekend I attended the California Democratic Party(CDP) Faith and Values Summit in Goleta, CA. This was one of the first events that are bearing fruit from the investments that the CDP has made in its Interfaith Outreach. The theme was "Moral Issues of our Time...People of Faith Speak Out" The meeting featured US Rep. Lois Capps and Senator Art Torres, Chairman of the CDP. In looking through the agenda, it was interesting to note that there was no one who was identifiably Roman Catholic, while there was ample representation by Presbyterian, Baptist, Jewish, and Islamic groups. I view this as both an opportunity to get our message out, and a challenge, since we as a community are not more active.
   Rep. Lois Capps gave the keynote speech, and she talked about her conversion from keeping her religion private, to using her faith as a means of action. She related her meeting with evangelicals a few years ago, and their complaints that the religious Right had perverted their faith for political gain. Based on this, she has spoken out, since issues of social and economic justice are dear to all people of faith. She also invoked her late husband, Walter Capps, on how we are strongest when we help the weakest.
  Rabbi Allison Conyer, of Santa Barbara Hillel, then spoke about how the conference came about, and about her faith journey. She was recently criticized for being too political. Her response typifies the motivations of many in the crowd. She believes that she does not speak politically, but rather speaks to how Judaism informs how she speaks to her congregation. There was also a Muslim, and an Evangelical who also spoke.
   I then attended the Health care session with was run by Rev. Teena Grant, and included Peter Conn, noted California Health Care activist. We discussed several key topics:

• What values does the current health care system demonstrate? (our answer:People before profit, etc)
  
• What values to do we think the health care system should reflect? (the intrinsic value of being human, equity)
  
• What changes would we make to the health care system that would reflect these values (Health care for all, progressive, costs indexed to inflation, etc).

During the session a number of interesting statistics came out:

• 15% of people in the US have no access to health care
  
• 20% of the people in California have no access to health care
  
• $10881 is the cost of heath care in the US

This was a wonderful session and I was struck by 2 things:

• The various faith traditions presented positions which were remarkable aligned around health care, war, poverty, and social justice, and very in line with the Democratic party
  
• There was a very weak Roman Catholic presence
  

The CDP is looking to replicate these across the state, and these will be very successful.

In general, I left feeling very hopeful for the CDP, the State and the country.

As one begins to study Catholic Social Teaching, the phrase “Preferential Option for the Poor” begins to show up repeatedly. But what does it really mean? It means that we must make an extra effort to help those who are less fortunate than most of the parishioners of Holy Spirit parish.

There are those that would take Jesus’ admonition to his friends “The poor you will always have with you” (Matt 26:11) as an indication that among all the social issues we face that the issue of poverty is to be treated as one among equals. But when one looks at all of Jesus’ references to the poor, a clear preference for the poor emerges. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor...” (Matt 19:21), and John’s recounting of his instructions to Judas to buy food for Holy Thursday, and give the rest to the poor (John 13:39). He also praises the poor widow’s contribution to the temple treasury saying “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others…” (Mark 12:43).

Pope Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum makes it very clear, that one can not and must not overlook our social mission: “Neither must it be supposed that the solicitude of the Church is so preoccupied with the spiritual concerns of her children as to neglect their temporal and earthly interests. Her desire is that the poor, for example, should rise above poverty…".

A recent study entitled “Hunger Analysis of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties” by the Second Harvest Food Bank showed some very troubling statistics. The study called out that there are 40,000 people in Santa Clara County who suffer from chronic hunger. To make matters worse, of those 40,000 there are 14,590 children who suffer from chronic hunger.

There are people, actual people, in our community who need us to continue to fight for and end to poverty. Look around at your community. Look at those around you. There are people in need that are within your reach, and need your help.