2007 ADVENT effort: "SEEK CHRIST! SEEK SIMPLICITY for Christmas."

2007 ADVENT effort, our Peace & Justice Committee did a series of articles, called

"SEEK CHRIST!  SEEK SIMPLICITY for Christmas."  

(A kind of "Shopping Program" to celebrate Christmas in a simpler way ....   invite everyone in parish to participate... )

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    November 18, 2007 our Forum front cover:  
Christ or Consumerism? Practical-Tips & Stories - Christmas:  

Christmas:  Christ or Consumerism?

I recently read in a copy of Our Sunday Visitor a description of Advent: “Advent is the season in which we prepare for the great celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas.  During these four weeks we are invited to contemplate the richness of God’s gift to us in Christ…”

I don’t know about you, but when I experience the season of Advent, it’s often hard for me to find the time to contemplate anything except my seemingly endless shopping lists, cooking and cleaning in preparation of guests, decorating my home and Christmas tree, sending out cards, and doing the hundreds of other chores that seem to come along with the Christmas season.

Many of us feel burned out by the hustle and bustle of Christmas, especially when merchants start the season in October.  With all the consumerism that surrounds the holiday, it’s sometimes hard to find Jesus in it at all. 

Because of this, some people try to take a different path, to simplify their lives just a little bit, and to recall the real meaning of Christmas.  Over the next few weeks, we will be promoting different ways to think about Christmas; different ways of seeking peace during this season of peace.


· Christmas Celebrations that Work Better than Just Buying Gifts as Usual:  Talk with your family – brainstorm ideas that will simplify Christmas celebrations and put the emphasis on the real reasons for the season:  Jesus’ birth, and bringing your family closer together.
 
· Service Projects to Help Others:  Participate as a family in service projects, to live the gospel message of caring for those who are most in need our help.
 
· Charities that Improve the World:  Support a charity that helps to create a better world.
 A resource that helps donors make informed decisions about supporting a charity is Charity Watch at: http://charitywatch.org/toprated.html

· Be a Thoughtful Shopper:  Buy products that support local businesses, or international products that support fair trade, to support the well-being of our brothers and sisters around the world.  Buy products that use less packaging, to reduce the landfills that destroy the beautiful world God has given us. 

· Get Politically Active:  support a cause that promotes your morals.  Sign a petition, write a letter, or volunteer on a campaign. 

· Prayer for Those in Need:  Pray for those in need, those who are sick, those who are traveling, those who are alone on the holidays, or anyone else who needs our prayers.

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    November 25, 2007, Our Health and the Holidays

The holidays are a time of joy, but for many people, they are also a time
of anxiety, depression, addictive behaviors and/or stress. Our mental health
and our physical health are definitely intertwined. It has been shown that
when individuals experience mental ailments (i.e. stress, anxiety, addictions,
mood and sleep disorders, eating issues), they are more likely to be 
at risk for contracting other diseases and physical illnesses. 
Below are some tips for staying as healthy as you can over the holiday season, so that you can enjoy the true meaning of the holidays:
1.  Drink green tea or give it as a gift. A compound in green tea called l-theanine has been shown to reduce stress and help calm people’s nerves. We can all drink to that over the holidays.
2.  If you have trouble falling asleep (or staying asleep), certain foods can help you.
Try eating an evening or bedtime snack of whole grain foods, in addition to a small
amount of certain proteins (eggs, chicken, turkey, dairy products, nuts and seeds, soy
products.) In addition, you may consider taking a B complex supplement in the afternoon
or evening. B vitamins help to relax people and are often called “the happy vitamins.”
Avoid all forms of caffeine if you have trouble sleeping.
3. If you do not have an exercise program, take a walk for 30 or 40 minutes, three times
a week. If you want to encourage a family member or friend to exercise, ask them
if they would like to join you for a few personal training sessions at a local gym.
Many gyms will let 2 or 3 people participate in the same session, which cuts the cost.
What an amazing gift, the gift of health, by jump starting a loved one’s fitness routine and helping them become as healthy and happy as they can be.
4. Negative relationships can drain our energy. For dealing with people that drain your energy over the holidays, try this approach: When you start to feel angry or stressed or resentful, take 4 or 5 deep breaths and feel your feet planted firmly on the ground. Closing your eyes can also help. Feeling grounded and in control will help you speak nicely and act kindly to those individuals who tend to make you angry.
5. Help educate others about the chemicals in our environment and how they may
impact our health. There are many chemicals in shampoos, lotions, deodorants,
cosmetics and cleaners that can negatively impact our health, and are linked to cancer, birth defects, and many other illnesses. When purchasing health
and beauty care items for loved ones over the holidays, shop for safer options.
If you go to www.safecosmetics.org, you can find a list of products and companies
that have pledged to remove harmful chemicals from their products. Also, purchasing
body care items from Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Vitamin Shoppe is a safer option.
6. For family members and friends that have addictions, give them the following link,
with a note telling them that you love them: www.racingforrecovery.com which helps
addicts find positive alternatives to addiction.
7. If you feel lost and need help in finding resources and additional solutions for a current health problem experienced by you or a loved one, go to www.mentalhealthalternatives.com, and click on “contact us”. For no charge, they will contact you and empower you with resources, articles and treatments in your area that can help to make you feel better. To experience the joy of the holidays, feeling good should be a priority.
8. If you live with or know a parent or other loved one that is overwhelmed,
tired or stressed out, consider giving them a gift that will allow them some
time to be alone and to find peace within. Giving a gift certificate to a massage therapist,
an acupuncturist, or a yoga studio can be very beneficial to one’s mental health and physical health. If that is not within the budget, have children make “coupons” that give the parent a certain amount of time each week to engage in a peaceful activity.
9. Keep the homeopathic remedy “Cold Calm,”(which is completely safe and has no side effects) nearby over the holidays.  At the first sign of a cold, adults and children 3 and over can take this natural remedy to reduce the length and the symptoms of the cold. Cold Calm can be purchased at Vitamin Shoppe or Whole Foods. These stores carry a different homeopathic remedy for babies called “C Plus Cold.” It is no fun to be sick, and we all want to enjoy the magic of the holidays.
10. Remember that “To wish to be well is part of becoming well” (Lucius Seneca).
Written by:  Katie Jackel

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    December 2, 2007, What is Fair Trade? 

What is Fair Trade?
Edited by Grace Potts from:
http://www.friendsofthethirdworld.org/fairtrade.html
Fair Trade Defined: 
As a concept becomes well-known its meaning often becomes unclear.  Let us take a moment and get a clearer picture of what fair trade is.
Fair Trade is a concept that was historically used in the domestic labor union movement, i.e. for products that were produced in accordance with certain labor standards concerned with worker safety, minimum wages, etc. There are certain federal laws enforcing these standards.
More recently the concept has been adapted on an international level to denote products produced in a manner that avoids sweatshop conditions, worker safety and environmental concerns, often working with small business owners as well as member-owned cooperative enterprises.
History of the Movement
After World War II several organizations, primarily charities or religious groups concerned with justice for the poor, began to market products, not as fundraisers, but as a way to help disadvantaged persons around the world earn a living. In Europe this effort took a strongly political tone, with products being sold to protest or promote certain foreign policies of Western governments or international trade agreements made by United Nations agencies. In the late 1960's and early 1970's conferences of groups interested in alternative marketing were held in Europe and North America. By the 1980's these efforts included producers who encouraged the group to be more inclusive and the movement changed it name to alternative trading, in recognition that the producer partners had an equal, if not controlling interest, in the movement. The consensus was not necessarily to oppose either capitalism or communism but to address the lack of concern by either system for the long-term effects on the environment or on the human-face behind the product.
As the meetings progressed more formal associations developed consensus on a list of basic principles, which if met, would create a more democratic marketplace, treating both producers and consumers justly. Because the movement sees itself as a positive force in the new global economy, it was decided that there was no need to be an "alternative", and thus the term now used is fair trade. As an idea suitable for everyone, fair trade is a concept, owned by no one, and shared by a majority of the world's people. The definitions of fair trade are still evolving, with refinements made at each major meeting of fair trade practitioners. Several federations are active the North American Fair Trade Federation, European Fair Trade Association (EFTA) and the International Fair Trade Association. New members must agree to adhere to basic fair trade principles, and can include both producers and marketing groups.
 
Fair Trade Labels are service marks owned by a coalition of independent nonprofit groups in now 20 countries which seek to help consumers identify genuine fair trade products. The concept started in Holland and now includes coffee, tea and chocolate here in the U.S. There are slightly different standards for each type of product. To use the fair trade label a producer and a marketing organization must subject themselves to an investigation concerning its business practices and policies from the Fair Trade committee and provide regular reports. This system is funded by a royalty fee of 1% of the purchase price of the product paid by the marketing groups. In the future, other products such as handicrafts, clothing, etc. will be researched and added to the official fair trade label register.
Fair Trade Organizations are groups which market products based on fair trade criteria, and are generally members of the various Fair Trade associations. There are, however, great differences between fair trade organizations. Some groups have religious affiliations. Other are nonprofit, others have political agendas or promote certain specific causes (Cocoons not Cocaine is a fair trade group marketing silk from Colombia.) Some market only to their members, with educations material attached, others only thru stores or on the web. Some are large, and advertise heavily. Some are owned by the producers themselves. There are currently 85 groups using the fair trade label for coffee, between 1000 and 1500 retail shops and numerous websites. Most are independent, not legally affiliated. Government regulators so far have not identified fair trade organizations as a special group requiring special rules. (And then there are primarily commercial organizations which sell a small percentage of items in the shop labeled as fair trade.) Just as it is important for consumers to evaluate products on fair trade criteria, it is also important that consumers learn about the specific marketing organization before purchasing a product.
Organic or natural foods, environmentally friendly (or even bird friendly/shade grown or sweatshop free products are all separate concepts which also relate to many fairly traded products. Each have their own trade associations, set of criteria and independent certification programs.
For example a certain coffee may be certified as fairly traded by Transfair USA, certified organic by the Organic Crop Improvement Association, approved as shade grown by the National Audubon Society, listed as sweatshop labor free by Co-op America, and use the twin-pines, cooperative symbol as a member of the National Cooperative Business Association. In addition, it might be marketed by the nonprofit Cooperative Trading/Friends of the Third World organization using its registered trademark, indicating that it was also imported, packaged and marketed thru Friends employment training program, providing jobs for local needy folks, and sold along with educational information explaining that the small farmers growing the coffee are members of a base level cooperative, a co-op federation and a coalition of peasant farmers covering all of Central America. Nine socially concerned labels in all for this single product.
Our modern world, with products coming into our homes from every corner of the world, certainly provides a challenge. But more than ever, the information available today thru computerization, presents an opportunity for every individual to make excellent choices when purchasing almost anything. And the fair trade movement offers the best opportunity for making that choice the most socially responsible one.

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    December 9, 2007, Alternative-Gift-Ideas 

       We will Sample Fairly Traded Coffee on Sunday, December 9 after 8:45 & 10:30AM Masses in the PAC.

Parishioners Share Alternative Ideas of ways to celebrate Christmas:
I started reading about how to simplify my life.  I began with Elaine St. Clair’s Simplify Your Life and then Katrina Kenison’s Mitten Strings for God.  I was also interested in the Benedictines and their simple ways.  Doing more for others, I discovered, was the key to a fulfilling holiday season.  -Jennifer Walsh

Several years ago I realized it wasn’t a gift I wanted from my family, it was a relationship them.  We were living all over the country, rarely saw each other and spent little time considering who they were or what they were about.  
We resolved this problem by giving gifts about ourselves.  Each sibling creates identical gifts for the other siblings and their families that tell something about one’s self and the year that has just past.  Over the years we have made: a photo album about a typical day; a CD of favorite songs and their meaning in our lives; an Advent calendar with family pictures under the doors; a Monopoly game chronicling family places and happenings; and placemats created from family pictures.  One year my brother sorted and scanned my parents’ slides and set them to music for posterity.  One year each family sent a package to a soldier serving abroad, and included in the package a letter about the giving family. These letters were shared with other family members as a gift about ourselves.  Last year we sent Spanish children’s books to an orphanage in Guatemala where my niece had worked.  The gift about ourselves was a letter included with the books and shared with all explaining why each book was chosen. This year we are donating to a local food pantry.  We don’t yet have the tie-in about ourselves.  Any ideas?    -Mary Ellen White
 
When my son was about 4 years old he was overwhelmed with Christmas gifts from family, the cumulative effect of which seemed to be a mountain of packaging to sit in landfills for years to come, and the need for us to rent a storage locker to house all the new toys.  Before finishing, my son looked up and asked, “Can I be done with presents now?”
We have a different family tradition now:  Grandparents give a card and a check to the kids at Christmas (sometimes accompanied by a small gift) and we use the money for a fun family outing. We take lots of pictures and send a big thank you to our generous family members. The memories that we’ve created and the fun we’ve had along the way are priceless. And no more packaging for the landfills!    –Kelly Gauthier
 
Dan and Cindy Lefeld “want to celebrate the birth of Christ, not Santa Claus.”  They look for ways to live the gospel during the holidays.  This year they are making scarves and Christmas cards for the women’s shelter and collecting winter clothing, scarves and gloves for the homeless in Ann Arbor.
 
Chuck and Patti Yonka give family members a choice of four or five charities (for example,  Catholic Relief Services, Heifer International, UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity or local groups that may be the special collection that month) and then make a donation in their name.  “People like this because they get to choose where the money will be donated rather than being told that money was donated in their name.  Choice is important.  And some agencies provide a card that you can download and print out to send to people that you have donated in the name of.” 
 
Dick Brown asks others to give to one of his favorite charities in his name.  This helps him support organizations that he believes in. It also helps his family and friends learn more about his values and what’s important to him, which brings them closer.  Doing good in the world and bringing people closer to their loved ones is what Christmas is all about!
 
Shirley Hogan offers the idea of letting the world have December 25th – “call it Santa Day”.  Then Christians everywhere can celebrate Christ’s birthday in January, maybe on the date that the Greek Orthodox celebrate Christmas.  In the meantime, she also suggests that gifts can be limited to a designated amount (say, $10) to help avoid overspending.  
 
Katie Jackel suggests a gift from The Heifer Foundation, which helps families around the world. If you go to www.heifer.org and click on ‘give’ (then ‘gift catalog’), you can read about the different animals that can be purchased to help people around the world become self-reliant. My 92-year old Grandmother is in a nursing home and does not need or want material things, so we purchase a flock of chicks in her name. Our children are involved in this process, so they understand the meaning of giving the chicks to a family. For $20, you can purchase a flock of chicks or ducks. For $10, you can purchase a share of a pig, goat or sheep.
Another great idea: many people are not sure what to purchase for people and/or they do not want to spend a lot of money on material objects.  An idea is to purchase multivitamins as gifts. It is well-established that people should take multivitamins, but not everyone does.  For $12, you can buy a 3-month supply of vitamins at the Vitamin Shoppe on Washtenaw Avenue and can help someone become a little healthier. I purchase vitamins each year for a friend of mine who is a priest in Indianapolis. It shows that I care about his health.  

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   December 16, 2007, Food for Thought...

As we anticipate the birth of Jesus, our St. Francis community has been exploring ideas and various ways of seeking a simpler holiday season. This week we ask you to think about food. “Food”, you say?  “How is thinking about food going help me to find simplicity during this time of the year?” Consider this. . .
Does what you eat affect who you are spiritually? 
Does your belief in God affect your way of living? The National Catholic Rural Life Conference [www.ncrlc.com] believes that the answers to these questions are yes.  There are many connections to the food that we choose to purchase and to eat.  The NCRLC believes that understanding all the ramifications of our food choices makes eating a moral issue. In seeking a more Christ-filled holiday, it is important for us to remind ourselves about a few of these connections:

• The bread and wine that is transformed into the Body and the Blood of Christ comes from the work of human hands. This is the Blessed Food for our Souls.

• We are what we eat.  Our food choices shape the world. By our diets and food conversations, we influence others.

• The food we place on our tables is produced by human labor. Meat processing, vegetable and fruit fields, dairy farms, poultry houses, etc. employ workers. The dignity of the human person requires that laborers are given safe and healthy work conditions. Ask yourself this: “Can I still follow the Golden Rule and eat at the Golden Arches?”

• In 1969, most food traveled on the average of 1300 miles from farm to plate.  Today, food travels between 1500 to 2500 miles, increasing the CO2 emissions.

• Genetically engineered foods are designed to meet farmers’ needs for disease and pest resistance.  They provide a longer shelf life, slower ripening and enhanced nutrients.  What are the environmental, economic and theological impacts of GMOs (genetically modified organisms)?

Simplicity is defined as freedom from intricacy or complexity. Awareness of the impact of our food choices will help us remember the challenge we have in shaping a world of peace.    (Written by: Patti & Chuck Yonka) 


O, Lord, Help us to remember where our bread comes from and why we yearn for living waters.  Teach us your guiding principles for reverence of your Creation.  Show us how to turn the ground into a sacred commons once again.  Guide us to cover the earth with a lasting agriculture.  Help us make a place at the table for everyone.  Grace us when we eat with justice on our plate.  Then fill us with joy.   Amen.
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    December 23, 2007, Give the Gift of Peace. "Opposition to Indiscriminate Warfare"

This Christmas, give the gift of peace – or, at least, help nudge the world a little closer in that direction.  You can do this simply enough by supporting two Peace and Justice Committee initiatives.
First, you can endorse the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ) Statement on Nuclear Disarmament.  A large number of signatures from parish members will allow us to go forward to our elected officials, to our own Catholic hierarchy, and to other citizens and religious groups, saying that a desire for comprehensive (world-wide) nuclear disarmament is something we all support.  Endorse the statement on line & see the list of signatures....
Also, available here to print in a Word document.
A second way to help nudge the world toward peace is to contact our Michigan senators... (Sample-Letter.doc), asking them to endorse and actively support two bills before the US Senate.  One of the two would end the production and deployment of the class of weapons known as “victim-activated land mines.”  The second bill is a newer initiative, aimed at ending the use of “cluster bombs” in areas where civilians are likely to be victims.  Both bills have been endorsed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference. 
Contact our Michigan senators... Sample-Letter.doc
The gift of peace at Christmas is appropriate.  Christmas is, after all, a time when we yearn for “Peace on Earth.”  In thinking about the connection between these specific peace issues and the Christmas Season, what comes to mind is the story of the “holy innocents.”  When Herod realized that the wise men were not going to return, he sent out his soldiers to kill all of the newborn males.  Modern warfare is sometimes conducted in much the same way.  Cluster bombs and landmines don’t discriminate between soldiers and innocent civilians.  Nuclear weapons don’t even make a pretense of doing this.  Saying NO to the indiscriminate weapons will not by itself bring peace to the world.  Nonetheless, it is in the spirit of the Prince of Peace, whose birthday we celebrate, that we reaffirm the sacredness of innocent human lives and the necessity of protecting civilian populations from the ravages of indiscriminate warfare.  Supporting these initiatives is a step in that direction. 
You can learn more about both initiatives at the social ministry page of the parish website.  You can endorse the nuclear disarmament statement on line.  Or, copies of the statement are available here.  You can simply sign it and drop it in the collection basket next week.
You can learn more about both Senate bills on-line  here. 
Sample letters are also available on line here: Contact our Michigan senators... Sample-Letter.doc.
 
Written by: James Varani 

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Have you tried to celebrate Christmas differently?  Share your success stories with others in our parish.  Have you felt overwhelmed about the pressure of Christmas Gift Giving?  Be Proactive for ADVENT and Christmas time.   Send your stories to Kelly Gauthier. 

To prepare in true Christ like fashion we want to:

 S implify our lives with preventing distractions, look for ways to support and gift give that adds to other's lives rather just adding things.

 E xcite our souls  with spiritual growth

 E njoy the true meaning of CHRIST'S birth with love for our neighbor and the stranger

 K indle Christ's love thru our actions.

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*** Our use of the word "SIMPLICITY" means doing things that are more "IN LINE" with WHO & what we are about. ("SIMPLICITY" does NOT mean that we will do nothing.)

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Sample Prayers of the Faithful – Environmental Stewardship

That God will open our eyes to the richness and beauty of creation and instill in us a deep love for the earth and all that is in and around it, we pray to the Lord

That by our actions we model environmental stewardship, we pray to the Lord

That we will be wise stewards of God’s creation, that we use it responsibly and protect it from abuse and exploitation, we pray to the Lord

That future generations may enjoy a healthy environment that reflects the goodness and beauty of the Creator, we pray to the Lord

For social justice for the poor and vulnerable who suffer disproportionately from environmental destruction, we pray to the Lord

For the unborn and for children, who are at greater risk from exposure to environmental hazards, we pray to the Lord

God our Creator has blessed us with the goodness of the earth, we ask forgiveness when we fail to care for it, we pray for help to change, and we give thanks for the gifts given to us, we pray to the Lord

Let us work for a sustainable environment, which is in great peril due to human greed and apathy for God’s creation, we pray to the Lord