General Election November 2, 2010

The 2010 General Election is just days away and the website for the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State provides vital information to assist voters in getting to the polls and casting their ballot. All citizens of this great nation have the right and the responsiblity to vote. The entire website of the Sectretary of State provides resources.

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie reminds us that Minnesota consistently leads the nation in voter turnout. We can do so again if you step

up to the plate and vote in 2010.

Do you, a family member or friend have problems standing in line at the polls? Check out the curbside voting option available at Polling Place Access and Personal Assistance.

Minnesota Votes

Election Day Registration

Interfaith Coalition on Immigration Monthly Vigil: November 7, 2:30p.m.

Photo of the October 3, 2010 Vigil
The first Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. the Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (the Justice Commission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates are members) gathers in peaceful prayer and presence outside the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center(RCADC) located at 425 Grove Street, Saint Paul, to recognize and remember our sisters and brothers who are being held there awaiting deportation. Despite the defense that the target is criminals and terrorists in our midst, half or less of the detainees have a criminal history. On any given day there are approximately 15 people detained at the RCADC.

Some websites pertaining to the detention of immigrants
Detention Watch
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Justice for Immigrants Campaign
Minnesota Public Radio: ICE Jail Screenings
Energy of a Nation: Immigration & Detention
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
More Criminal Aliens Deported Last Year

Remembering Senator Paul Wellstone

Monday, October 25, 2010 is the eighth anniversary of the plane crash that claimed the lives of Senator Paul Wellstone; his wife, Sheila; their daughter, Marcia Wellstone Markuson; his driver, Will McLaughlin; two members of his staff Mary McEvoy and Tom Lapic and the two pilots, Michael Conry and Michael Guess.

Quotes by the late Senator Paul Wellstone

We all do better when we all do better.

The future will not belong to those on the sidelines. The future will not belong to the cynics. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

Above and beyond the question of how to grow the economy is a legitimate concern of how to grow the quality of our lives.

Successful organizing is not built on self-interest but rather on dignity and a sense of purpose.

More quotes by Senator Paul Wellstone

Anti Human Trafficking and Slavery Demonstration

As part of our annual U. S. Congregations of the Sisters of St. Joseph Justice and Peace Coordinators meeting, we gathered with Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange at the corner of their campus and the freeway entrance, Friday, October 8 at 4:30 p.m. for silent and peaceful demonstration for an end to the trafficking of humans into slavery.

Catherine Marie Kreta, CSJLA, Board President of Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST) provided the banner, signs, death masks for more than 35 peaceful demonstrators.

United Nations Women

Michelle Bachelet

UN Women, Executive Director

From UN Women website:
In a historic move, the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously on July 2, 2010 to create a new entity to accelerate the needs of women and girls worldwide.

The establishment of the UN Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women - to be known as UN Women - is the result of years of negotiations between UN Member States and advocacy of the global women's movement. It is part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. "I am grateful to Member States for taking this major step forward for the world's women and girls," said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in a statement welcoming the decision.

The CSSJ Federation Justice and Peace Coordinators met early October in Orange, California. Marianne Senneck, CSJ, and Alternate ECOSOC Representative, CSSJ NGO Ministry at the United Nations provided an update on UN Women. She stated that all CSSJ sisters need to know that there are UN agencies in all countries. We celebrated this enormous step forward for the world's women and girls. UN Millennium Goal #3 (MDG) Empowerment of Women and Gender Equality has been one of our priorities for the past three years. It was unanimously agreed to keep MDG #3 as one of our 2010-2011 goals.

Annual Meeting: CSSJ Federation Justice and Peace Coordinators

October 7-10, 2010

The Sisters of St. Joseph Orange, California are hosting the Annual Meeting of the CSSJ Federation Justice and Peace Coodinators. Griselda Martinez-Morales, CSJ, CSSJ NGO ECOSOC Representative to the United Nations provided a report on her first year the United Nations. In addition, presentations were given on Anti-Human Trafficking, Immigration, the Housing Crisis, ICCR/Monsanto, the CSJ living and working in Latino American Countries Meeting (held every five years) and Systemic Justice Office of the Sisters of St. Joseph in London Ontario, Canada.L

Thursday evening, October 9, participants organized a peaceful demonstration highlighting Anti-Human Trafficking which is an issue being addressed by the CSSJ Federation Justice and Peace Coordinators.

Griselda Martinez Morales , CSJ

The CSSJ NGO Representative to the United Nations

October Criminal Justice Month

Criminal Justice Week was established in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis in response to the statement by the United States Catholic Bishops: Responsibility, Rehabilitation, Restoration: A Catholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice (2000). In the year 2006 it was extended to Criminal Justice Month and is observed in October annually.
Criminal Justice Month Resources