by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 22, 2023
Vocation, Care of Creation, Social Justice Program
Care of Creation – to support and implement Maryknoll’s mission education outreach to care, protect, educate, advocate for the Care of Creation. With the rising awareness of Corporate Social Responsibility, many international corporations have published supplier policy standards, CSR reports, vulnerable worker policies, as well as declarations against modern slavery. While these policies aim to protect the rights of migrant workers and the communities, sometimes supplier factories hide these abuses and violations. The goal of this project is to eradicate human rights and environmental abuses in global supply chains and have a sustainable world that is equitable for all workers and communities by connecting migrant workers voices to those with the power to make change.
“For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him” Colossians 1:16
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 22, 2023
Assistance to Displaced People (DCA)
Fr. John Barth is working with farmers to teach new agricultural techniques through a planned training program so the migrants become less and less dependent on food relief sent from Thailand. Since the February 2021 military coup in Myanmar, a humanitarian crisis has occurred for hundreds of thousands of Myanmar people driven from their homes merely for protesting the military take-over. Homes, schools and churches have been bombed with over 2,100 people killed by the military.
Most of these Internally Displaced People (IDPs) have found safety far from home with friends and relatives, living in great poverty in isolated areas and forests for safety. Their needs are many, starting with rice and medicine. At the invitation of the Bishop Francis Vira Arpondratana, Bishop of the Diocese of Chiang Mai, Thailand, Maryknoll has agreed to work with the Caritas office of Thailand in their efforts to send much needed emergency aid to sister dioceses across the border in Myanmar.
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” Matthew 25:35
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 22, 2023
Japan Migrant Ministries Office
With so many migrant workers migrating to Japan, Father Lo Xuan Dam’s project provides pastoral care for as many as possible migrant workers who are increasing steadily in Japan. With his Vietnamese background, Father will work not only Vietnamese but also Philippinos and Burmeses. Because the migrants are spread all over the country, Father will travel expansively, and also plans to train others to offer assistance through workshops and seminars.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement” 2 Corinthians 1:3”
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
International Trainings – Spiritual into Palliative Care
Fr. Rick Bauer plans to participate in the UNAIDS/PEPFAR Faith and Community Initiative to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV, especially spiritual and psychosocial support. The Inter-professional Spiritual Care Education Curriculum (ISPEC) strives to enroll pairs of clinicians (e.g. physicians, nurses, social workers, counselors, and other professions) and chaplains or spiritual care providers, and will prepare them to attend to patients’ spiritual needs and resources as an integral part of their practice. The objectives of this project are to offer two (2) two-day, trainings for a total of 100 participants (50 persons in each training) using ISPEC—one in Africa and one in Latin America, utilize trainers from previous in-person and virtual trainings in collaboration with Fr. Rick and Dr. Christina Puchalski, MD and three other U.S. based faculty members with extensive experience in ISPEC facilitation, and link the participants of this training with ongoing mentors and mentorship for a period of twelve months following the initial training, including on-line continuing education. Participants will work within their clinical setting and national palliative care associations for continued dissemination and trainings following this regional training.
For the majority of individuals throughout the world who currently face life-limiting illnesses, access to culturally appropriate, holistic palliative care (including assessment and treatment of physical, emotional, social and spiritual pain) is still emerging. This projects’ curriculum focuses on a train-the-trainer program to build leaders, consultants, advocates, and knowledgeable clinicians who can educate, empower, and guide other healthcare professionals at their health institution for the integration of spiritual care in healthcare service provision.
“I invite you to reflect with me on “healing” as a process that restores an individual to personal and communal wholeness – physically, spiritually and emotionally. Often, the person effecting the healing is also transformed.”
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Human Rights and Care of Creation
Along with The Office of “Human Rights and Environment” – DHUMA – a non-governmental organization, this project supports members of indigenous communities and grassroots social organizations (OSB) who empower themselves by learning their rights, strengthening their communities and organizations, being proactive in nonviolent actions for the defense of our common home, Mother Earth, and her natural resources, especially water, and continually creating new paths, such as opening Constitutional legal suits (Casos de Amparo) against the State and mining enterprises, to assure that their rights are respected by the State and extractive industries.
With your gift, you will help leaders who are willing to challenge the “extractivist” model of development and any human activity, negligence or policy which generates disastrous impacts on Mother Earth or violates the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples to life, health, water, territory, land, prior consultation and consent, ethnic identity, organizational autonomy, indigenous justice, etc. succeed.
“In safeguarding and helping to renew God’s creation, we cultivate a peace we can not only enjoy today but also that can continue to sustain generations to come.”
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
The project will provide individual and group counseling to local Bolivians. Along with a psychiatrist, Fr. Greg hopes to counsel low-income adults and families who do not have financial access to professional counseling services. The psychologist and Fr. Greg will offer counseling services in individual offices at the Maryknoll Center. They will counsel adults and families on home visits. In order to accommodate the needs of a few clients, they will sometimes meet them at a public location near their place of work.
In collaboration with two other Bolivian professionals, Fr. Greg will offer courses, workshops and seminars. The courses will focus on spirituality for personal transformation. The education and counseling will emphasize the potential healing, purpose and interior peace of a mindful spiritual life.
In Bolivia, there is a genuine need for group and individual counseling to address the psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of struggling families and individuals. Nevertheless, many families are more concerned with immediate material needs than counseling. Fr. Greg would like to take a combined approach to address the counseling needs of poor Bolivian families by creating a small counseling center for single mothers through collaboration with a pre-existing tutoring and daycare center for the children of single mothers and fathers.
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Servicios Misioneros Proyecto Laudato Si
Fr. Alejandro Marina, M.M.
Missionary Services is the program through which we continue to offer “missionary formation” to the Churches of Latin America and beyond. Led by Fr. Alejandro Marina, M.M., this training is carried out through online workshops, administration of the “Ex-CMMAL” building so that various organizations committed to the mission, have their headquarters to offer their formative proposals which include counseling and spiritual accompaniment, and the Laudato Si Program: Care of creation and formation in an ecological spirituality.
Missionary Services is the program through which we continue to offer “missionary formation” to the Churches of Latin America and beyond.
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Virtual Outreach through Website and Podcast
Daily Gospel Reflection podcast, done in conjunction with the Digital Marketing Unit at Maryknoll, NY. In order to facilitate advertising of personal and Maryknoll programs with the faithful, a website containing weekly websites will be used. The funds requested here are specifically for the upkeep and maintenance of this website. Success will be based on the number of visitors and subscribers to this virtual event.
Daily Gospel Reflection podcast with Fr. Daniel Kim, M.M. done in conjunction with the Digital Marketing Unit at Maryknoll, NY.
“The call of each [missioner] is unique, but their journeys have a common thread. They all felt God inviting them to move out of self to something more, to leave their homes to proclaim the Gospel to people who may never hear it if not for them….The challenge for each of us is to listen for the voice of God constantly saying, ‘Go, prophesy to my people.’
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
Social Hall at Transfiguration Parish
Fr. John Eybel’s project includes the construction of a social hall adjacent to the Transfiguration Parish church and rectory in Mabatini, Mwanza. The Social Hall will allow for large groups to meet, e.g. 500 youths, and for potential parish income from wedding receptions and other major social functions.
With your help, the re-acquired property will serve the social needs of Transfiguration parishioners offering potential space for education, meetings, receptions, recreation and Sisters’ housing.
“Poverty is not an option. The poor have no options. Develop a situation where the people have opportunities, and they will flourish.”
by Dionel Rodriguez | Feb 8, 2022
The reforestation project will take place in 20-30 outstations of St. John the Baptist Parish. Two types of drought-resistant trees will be planted. The trees will bring various nutritional and socio-economic benefits to the local population. The second part of this proposal is for a solar pump for a well in St. John the Baptist Parish. In 2015, the Society funded the drilling of a well in the Parish. That well is now the main water source for the surrounding community. Fossil fuels are used to power the pump. Shifting to a solar pump will protect the environment and relieve the community of the costs entailed by purchasing diesel. If the trees survive, the tree project will become self-sustaining. The well has already been a self-sustaining project. The solar pump will enhance the well’s durability.
This care of creation project is for sustainable trees in the semi-arid area of Kibwezi in southeastern Kenya and a solar pump for a well. The Moringa Oleifera tree can provide a source of nutrition to community members, especially during the dry seasons, and the use of a solar pump will eliminate the need for fossil fuels to power the power.
