Sunday, Jan. 18

 

Registration                                                                                       12:30 - 1 p.m.

 

Keynote Address - Parish Hall                                         1 - 2 p.m.

 

Antonio Cube, national manager, Justice for Immigrants Campaign

 

The 2009 keynote speaker for the Iowa Institute for Social Action will be Antonio Cube, the national manager for the Justice for Immigrants campaign of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Antonio has been working on immigration issues since 1998, including five years on the staff of a U.S. Senator and serving with the Washington State Catholic Conference. Antonio is an immigrant himself, moving to the U.S. when he was four years old with his parents.

 

In 2005, the USCCB created the Justice for Immigrants campaign to infuse Catholic principles into the immigration debate and to work for the passage of comprehensive immigration reform.  The Campaign's primary objectives are to:

 

    * Educate the public about Church teaching on migration and immigrants;

    * Create political will for positive immigration reform;

    * Enact legislative an administrative reforms based on the principles articulated by the bishops; and

    * Organize Catholic networks to assist qualified immigrants obtain the benefits of the reforms.

 

The Campaign aims to reach beyond the networks of the participating national agencies, and to enlist the support of Catholic individuals and institutions in dioceses throughout the country.

 

Breakout Session I                                                                            2:05 -3:35 p.m.

 

Poverty: A Daunting but Solvable Problem

Jos Linn, domestic outreach organizer, RESULTS

In this presentation, we will look at poverty both domestically and internationally in areas such as health, education, economic empowerment. We will also examine programs designed to help lift people out of poverty and what we as citizens can do to support these initiatives. RESULTS is a grassroots advocacy organization committed to creating the political will to end hunger and the worst aspects of poverty.  RESULTS also works to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising their personal and political power.

Jos Linn is the Domestic Outreach Organizer for RESULTS, a Washington, DC-based grassroots advocacy organization working to end hunger and poverty. Jos is also the Coordinator of RESULTS' Faith in Action Project.  Jos works to engage volunteer activists to build the political will to end poverty by lobbying Congress, generating media and mobilizing others in their communities. 

 

Iowa Catholic Conference Legislative Priorities

Tom Chapman, executive director, Iowa Catholic Conference

In this presentation, you will learn more about the key 2009 legislative priorities for the Iowa Catholic Conference and how to use the ICC's web site in your advocacy efforts.

 

World Food Crisis - Securing Food for All

Bob Gronski, policy coordinator, National Catholic Rural Life Conference

This session will examine the causes and consequences of the world food crisis and review the U.S. global role in food production, exports and food relief. If the global food system is failing the poor and vulnerable, then how can we restructure the system for the livelihoods of all? What agrarian policies can the Church advocate to best meet the needs of the most vulnerable among us? How do we expressly meet the needs of people in rural communities?

Robert Gronski, NCRLC policy coordinator, will lead a discussion in answering these questions in the light of Catholic social teachings. He will highlight some of the actions taken by NCRLC, USCCB, Catholic Relief Services and others to address the chronic global problem of meeting daily food needs for the least among us.

 

Climate Change and Your Church's Response

Tim Fink, director, Iowa Interfaith Power and Light, and Humility Sister Cathleen Real

 

 

Breakout Session II                                                                           3:45-5:15 p.m.

 

Now Is The Time For Peace: Resources and Reasons for Moving Peace Forward in 2009

Presented by the Clinton Franciscan Center for Active Nonviolence and Peacemaking: Jan Cebula, OSF, President, Sallyann McCarthy, Communications Director

This is the moment to move nonviolence and peace-building to the forefront. This workshop will provide information and resources on practical ways to engage your local faith community in nonviolence and peace-building by working for:

            Nuclear Disarmament,

            Peace in the Middle East,

            The U. S. Department of Peace,

            and nonviolent conflict transformation and education.

 

Life Issues: Seeking Solutions By Finding Common Ground

Joan Thompson, research and outreach associate, Iowa Catholic Conference

Joan will lead a discussion of opportunities for addressing life issues.

 

Community Organizing

Suzanne Bring, development director, Jewish Community Action, St. Paul, Minn.

This session will cover the basics of Jewish Community Action and how it responded to the Postville crisis. Suzanne will discuss how the response to Postville helped launch the Hekhsher Tzedek project, which is intended to bring kosher food into compliance with Jewish ethical law and social justice values. JCA works in coalition with many groups, including Catholic and Protestant church-based social justice organizations, in its efforts for immigrant rights and worker justice. 

 

Break                                                                         5:15 - 5:30 p.m.

 

Dinner and Presentation of "Footprints" Awards  - Parish Hall 5:30 p.m.

 

 

Monday, Jan. 19

 

Postville Panel - Parish Hall             8:30 - 9:40 a.m.        

 

Panel of three ministers from the Postville area will discuss the fallout from last May's immigration raid. Those scheduled to be a part of the panel are:

 

Paul Rael, Hispanic Minister at St. Bridget's Church, Postville.

 

Father Lloyd Paul Ouderkirk, retired pastor who came back to full-time ministry following the raid

 

Father Richard Gaul, sacramental priest for Trinity Cluster Catholic Parishes at Monona, McGregor and Postville.

 

 

Breakout Session III                                                                         9:45 - 11:15 a.m.

 

Immigration 2009

Lori Chesser, immigration attorney, Des Moines

How to get involved and make a difference in reform efforts.  

 

Disaster Relief and Recovery Efforts

Kathy Harmon, disaster services coordinator for Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Dubuque

This session will present the normal reactions to disaster, the phases of recovery for individuals and communities, and how persons and parishes might be involved in disaster preparedness, response and recovery. 

 

JustFaith - How Can We Start The Process In My Parish?

John Kiley, director of social action for the Diocese of Davenport, and Glenn Leach, volunteer for the Davenport diocese

This breakout session will focus on the church's premier Scriptural-based faith formation process which emphasizes social ministry and justice. JustFaith is an educational experience, a formation process and a spiritual journey. Over the course of seven to eight months, participants meet weekly for readings, videos, lecture, discussion, prayer, retreats, and immersion experiences.

 

Conclusion - Parish Hall                                                                  11:20 a.m.