Archive for the ‘Global Poverty’ Category

Last fall, Jesuit Brother Jim Boynton was missioned to northern Haiti to serve refugees through the Jesuit-founded “Foi et Joie” (Faith and Joy) school system. On January 12, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake devastated the capital city of Port-au-Prince 80 miles away. The next day, the Jesuit superior in the area sent Br. Boynton an email saying, “I know that you have led medical brigades in the past . . . I want you to bring doctors immediately.”

Filled with fear and faith, Boynton connected with a group of Jesuit-educated former soldiers and health care professionals and headed into the heart of the crisis to serve the greatest needs. In a video interview with the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus, Boynton shares his story and his mission to help rebuild Haiti through education and service. Click on the picture of Boyton below to be taken to the video interview with him.

Attempts to arrest an alleged drug kingpin in Kingston, Jamaica turned into urban warfare that has left dozens dead in Tivoli Gardens, the Kingston neighborhood that has been under siege for days as the security forces battle heavily-armed gangsters defending their leader, Christopher Coke, known as Dudus.

In the midst of this violence sits St. Anne’s parish, as well as the Jesuits and the schools that they oversee. Canadian Jesuit Father Peter McIsaac, Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Jamaica, recently sent this letter to the New England Province of the Society of Jesus. Since 1929, the New England Jesuits have overseen the Jamaica Mission for the Society.

Below is a message received by the New England Province of the Society of Jesus from Jesuit Father Peter McIsaac, Regional Superior, Jamaica regarding the Jesuits in Jamaica:

Dear brothers,

Many thanks for your concern and prayers for the Jesuits in Jamaica, and for the stability of the country at this time.

Over the past few months tensions have escalated between inner city “garrison” communities, particularly those in West Kingston (Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town), and the Jamaican government over the U.S. request for the extradition of Christopher “Dudus” Coke, one of the most powerful criminal “dons” in Jamaica, a man with strong links to crime in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

After a political crisis over a week ago in which the Prime Minister apologized for his exposed connection to a legal contract intended to protect the West Kingston strongman, the extradition papers were signed. The network of Tivoli Gardens and Denham Town gunmen in reaction erected road blocks and barricaded the two communities in an effort to frustrate the execution of the warrant for the arrest of Coke.

On Tuesday, just a short distance from St. Anne’s Church and schools, an army vehicle that attempted to clear a roadblock was assaulted by gunman and made a retreat. The roadblocks were intensified by the local gunmen, and by Saturday morning there was no road access to the two communities (in which St. Anne’s is located). The St. Anne’s Infant, Primary and High Schools were closed Thursday and Friday.

On Sunday, the police attempted a preliminary incursion into the communities, but were repelled, and in retaliation the Hannah Town Police Station (about two hundred meters from the Church) was overtaken and burned. Two other police stations were attacked and bombed. The Prime Minister announced a limited state of emergency.

On Monday, May 24, the army began their offensive. The gun battles continued for eight hours, and it seems that they have successfully recaptured the communities. One soldier and two policeman have been killed, and many more have been injured. There is no official count of the civilian dead (including the gunmen), but given the length and intensity of the gun battles, it seems as though the casualties will be very high. Gun battles were often accompanied by the bomb explosions.

This morning, the soldiers are out in full force, and going from corner to corner. There is sporadic gun fire, and no one is permitted on the road.

Peter McIsaac and John Sullivan have been at St. Anne’s Rectory throughout the conflict, and remain confined to the house, but are fine. Chris Llanos and John O’Brien are not far away on St. George’s College at the novitiate community, and are also fine. We thank you for your continued prayers for peace in West Kingston, and for the safety of our Jesuits here.

Jesuit Father Bill Johnson was in the Dominican Republic when the earthquake struck Haiti on January 12. Fr. Johnson is the director for pastoral care at the Institute of Latin American Concern (ILAC) of Creighton University located just outside of Santiago. ILAC is a Catholic, Ignatian-inspired, collaborative health care and educational organization offering service-learning and immersion experience opportunities in dental, medical, nursing, pharmacy, law, physical therapy and occupational therapy for undergraduate and high school students, and also to faculty-led groups, medical/surgical teams and other colleges in the rural Dominican Republic.

When the call went out for help in the days after the earthquake, Johnson answered it by offering his services as a translator and as a helper to the Creighton medical team assembled to come to Haiti to provide emergency medical care to the wounded and critically injured.

Jesuit Fr. Bill Johnson (center) poses with Jim Jalovec (right) and John Ward (left) in front of Jalovec's helicopter as they deliver supplies during relief efforts in Haiti.

Johnson experienced another tragedy in the days that followed the earthquake when his good friend, Jim Jalovec, was killed while providing help during the Haiti relief efforts. Jalovec had phoned Johnson immediately after the earthquake in Haiti to offer the services of his helicopter in the relief efforts. Good Samaritan Hospital in Jimaní, Dominican Republic, where Johnson and Creighton University’s medical teams were working, invited Jalovec and his pilot, John Ward, to come and fly doctors and medicine into Haiti. Three days into their rescue efforts, they died when their helicopter hit a mountain on the foggy night of Feb. 4. Johnson presided at Jalovec’s funeral in Chicago and Ward’s in Ft. Myers, Fla.

In memory of Jalovec, ILAC is selling “Show Your Goodness” t-shirts to help the ongoing relief efforts in Haiti. All profits will be sent to the Jesuit Refugee Service in Haiti to help children suffering from the earthquake. The shirts can be purchased by visiting the showyourgoodness.com website.

Johnson shared his reflections with nationaljesuitnews.com on his time helping at Good Samaritan hospital in the days following the earthquake. You can read his reflections and see his photos by clicking below.

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Jesuits are encouraged by last night’s first public release of Chevron Corporation’s new Policy 520 on human rights. This breakthrough follows six years of shareholder dialog with one of the world’s largest energy and oil companies. As a result of this announcement, a coalition of Jesuit groups and other religious congregations are withdrawing a 2010 shareholder resolution petitioning the development of a corporate human rights policy.

“We very much appreciate the commitment Chevron has demonstrated in staying with this dialogue over the past six years of engagement,” said Jesuit Father G. Thomas Krettek, Provincial for the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus, the lead filer for the shareholder resolution. “We remain committed to ongoing dialogue with Chevron regarding implementation, monitoring, reporting, and incentivizing the policy, as well as identifying potential areas where Policy 520 might be strengthened.”

Jesuit affiliated members of the coalition include:  the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus, Creighton University and Loyola University Chicago, among others. Since 2004, this coalition has presented a shareholder resolution and held regular dialogues regarding the need to develop a transparent, verifiable and comprehensive human rights policy. At the 2009 annual meeting, more than 357 million shares of Chevron stock voted in favor of establishing such a policy and the resolution has currently drawn the support of 42 institutional investors. The Jesuits hope adoption of this new human rights policy indicates Chevron’s awareness of their social footprint and their potential as a force for integral human development, as well as protection and promotion of human rights in the extractive sector. They anticipate future and ongoing dialogue with Chevron regarding policy deployment and transparent monitoring of the policy. Furthermore, the Jesuit-led coalition encourages Chevron to have more explicit community engagements, management directives and a widening mandate to honor the human rights protections by suppliers and security contractors.

You can read more about the Jesuit’s response to Chevron’s new policy on human rights by clicking here.

In this short video clip, Jesuit Father Thomas Smolich, president of the Jesuit Conference of the United States, talks of the Jesuits’ efforts in Haiti to provide earthquake relief. Through the mobilization of the Society of Jesus’ missionary arm, Jesuit Refugee Service, the Jesuits are responding to God’s call to provide aid to the suffering and to stand in solidarity with the people of Haiti during their time of need.

National Jesuit News is urging people to give to the Jesuit organization Jesuit Refugee Service to help those in Haiti.

To support JRS/USA’s humanitarian response to the emergency needs of the Haitian people, please click here to be directed to their secure website and choose “Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.”

Or you may send a check to:

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA
1016 16th Street NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

Checks should be made payable to “Jesuit Refugee Service/USA.”
Please clearly note “Haiti Earthquake Relief” in the memo field on the check.