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Catholic rural life directors discuss ways to connect farms, cities
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CLEVELAND (CNS) -- Whether they're harvesting corn in a field or grilling corn at a barbecue at a city park, Catholics from the farms, suburbs and cities are connected by their faith and their kitchen tables. A March 11-12 retreat presented by the Ohio Catholic Rural Life Conference explored the issues of food availability, sustainable farming and how Catholics from different communities can come together to make sure God's creation is being used in just and socially responsible ways for the good of all. "We Share Around the Table" was the retreat theme. From a faith perspective, supporting farm families matters because when farms struggle to survive it affects the entire community through food prices and eventually support for schools and local parishes, said Jim Ennis, director of the National Catholic Rural Life Conference. He made the comments to the Catholic Universe Bulletin, Cleveland's diocesan newspaper, after the retreat. "The church has a lot to say around food and taking care of the land and taking care of your neighbor," Ennis said. "Food is a place where we all have a connection." Jim Tobin, associate director of the Department on Social Concerns for the Catholic Conference of Ohio, said the retreat was a time for members of the Ohio Catholic Rural Life Board to reflect upon the mission of promoting God's call to be faith-filled stewards of the land. It was a time of spiritual renewal and strategic planning, he said. "Understanding the importance of fair food policies and practices, and taking appropriate actions, is a challenge for every person, whether rural or urban," Tobin said.
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