IHM Hosts Workshop On Justice Ministry

Published: December 11, 2003

ATLANTA—Immaculate Heart of Mary Church’s Social Justice and Ecumenical Concerns Committee recently sponsored a workshop that called people to work for justice and serve the least of Christ’s people.

“Living in the Spirit of Justice” was the theme of the workshop, which was presented by Sister Mary Schmuck, RSM, of the Archdiocese of Louisville Catholic Charities office. Sister Schmuck was previously assigned in New York with the Sisters of Mercy Justice Team where she coordinated the justice ministry and was a non-governmental organization representative with the United Nations.

Parishioners from four different parishes attended the workshop.

Among the materials presented, Sister Schmuck had a handout called “Catholic Social Teaching in ‘Kid Language.’” The points included that all people are holy, made in the image of God; that people are both holy and social; when one suffers everyone suffers; and that people have a basic right to life, food, shelter, health care, education and work. The handout also said that the “Jesus” test of a community of society is how it treats its neediest members, that money, work and business exist to serve people, not the other way around, and that people are called to work for justice for all people and to care for God’s creation.

The points of the handout were derived from encyclicals and church documents over the years.

Sister Schmuck also discussed in detail a recent U.S. bishops’ document, “Making a Place at the Table,” which treats interdependence of individuals and family, churches and community groups, business and labor, and government in the effort to understand and solve the problem of poverty.