Write a letter to someone in public life who acts or speaks on justice issues in a • manner consistent with your beliefs. Obtain comments from other family members and incorporate them into the letter prior to sending it. Inform yourself on the basic facts around one issue of concern to you. • Practise hospitality, a fundamental Christian virtue, especially in relation to the • lonely or hurt or rejected in your area. Fostering a child is a particularly generous and effective form of hospitality. Practise attentive listening, especially in relation to those in pain. Listening • which really attends to the other is both a form of hospitality and a walking in someone It is the kind of listening which heals much. else’s shoes. Begin to consider the possibility of a simpler lifestyle in relation to energy • consumption, type and quality of goods purchased, type and quantity of food consumed. Participate in recycling programmes in your area. Decide on what standard of living is both fair and for you at present • and commit yourself to not seek to improve it. In doing so you will be resisting the temptation and false promises of materialism and conspicuous consumption. (A number of the suggestions in this section come from Michael True’s book Homemade Social Justice.) At school Devote one week each year to a specific focus on justice. One World Week • provides an excellent opportunity for this. Organise a contest on a justice theme and ask for relevant poems, posters, • essays. Incorporate justice themes in whole-school and class liturgies. • Organise a tree-planting ceremony to commemorate an important event or • person relevant to the work of justice. Use educational materials developed by organisations such as the Australian • Catholic Social Justice Council, Caritas Australia and Community Aid Abroad. Diocesan Education Offices have a wide range of excellent materials in the justice, peace and development areas. Discuss television programmes and advertisements (see above note on the same • suggestion for the home). Invite speakers from charities and justice groups to address students. Some • schools have based a whole day around a group visit from such speakers. Devote some staff development days to an examination of justice within the • school. Develop a Community Service Programme. • Incorporate justice concerns into the curriculum. • At work If in management: •
• Write a letter to someone in public life who acts or speaks on justice issues in a manner consistent with your beliefs. Obtain comments from other family members and incorporate them into the letter prior to sending it. • Inform yourself on the basic facts around one issue of concern to you. • Practise hospitality, a fundamental Christian virtue, especially in relation to the lonely or hurt or rejected in your area. Fostering a child is a particularly generous and effective form of hospitality. • Practise attentive listening, especially in relation to those in pain. Listening which really attends to the other is both a form of hospitality and a walking in someone else’s shoes. It is the kind of listening which heals much. • Begin to consider the possibility of a simpler lifestyle in relation to energy consumption, type and quality of goods purchased, type and quantity of food consumed. Participate in recycling programmes in your area. • Decide on what standard of living is both fair and for you at present and commit yourself to not seek to improve it. In doing so you will be resisting the temptation and false promises of materialism and conspicuous consumption. (A number of the suggestions in this section come from Michael True’s book Homemade Social Justice.) At school • Devote one week each year to a specific focus on justice. One World Week provides an excellent opportunity for this. • Organise a contest on a justice theme and ask for relevant poems, posters, essays. • Incorporate justice themes in whole-school and class liturgies. • Organise a tree-planting ceremony to commemorate an important event or person relevant to the work of justice. • Use educational materials developed by organisations such as the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Caritas Australia and Community Aid Abroad. Diocesan Education Offices have a wide range of excellent materials in the justice, peace and development areas. • Discuss television programmes and advertisements (see above note on the same suggestion for the home). • Invite speakers from charities and justice groups to address students. Some schools have based a whole day around a group visit from such speakers. • Devote some staff development days to an examination of justice within the school. • Develop a Community Service Programme. • Incorporate justice concerns into the curriculum. At work • If in management:
1990_SJS_Social_Justice_in_Everyday_Life.docx