Category: Politics and Society

Politics and society in Cambodia

Another rally–almost

Many of the immigrants currently at risk of being detained and deported have actually been involved in the process of seeking legalization and have been following immigration rules and guidelines. Although trying to do what is right, they currently are uncertain what to do. Yesterday a rally was planned to bring together people who might be able to help bring the present situation to a peaceful and constructive conclusion.

A newspaper article about this gathering described it as a “protest” and the organizers felt that might attract the attention of authorities and increase the possibility of detention so they decided to cancel the gathering. Organizers stayed at the site to explain to those coming what had happened.

Immigration Rally

Yesterday a vigil was held to support immigrants and decry violence targeting them. U.S. Representative Morgan McGarvey spoke to the assembled people at a Louisville park. The vigil was scheduled to take place at a Catholic parish but was moved at the last minute.

The change of venue to the park created traffic jams on the street near the park and parking problems that delayed the arrival of many and may have dissuaded others from attempting to get near the site.
The sun was setting and it was really cold as people gathered in the park for what turned out to be an outdoor vigil.

The increased number of younger people was notable and encouraging.

Representative McGarvey spoke to the gathered crowd in a shortened program. The traffic was so bad and we had to walk so far from a parking place that I arrived at the actual vigil site so late that I caught only the last minute of the program and then we all headed back to the warmth of the cars.

War is not the answer

“Catholic personnel in the US military could in good conscience consider disobeying orders to attack Greenland, according to the bishop responsible for their pastoral care.

The Archbishop of the Military Services Timothy Broglio said personnel “could be put in a situation where they’re being ordered to do something that’s morally questionable” if the US acted on President Donald Trump’s threats of military action to take control of Greenland.”

Week of Christian Unity

Today is the first day of the week of prayer for Christian Unity. Jesus emphasized our unity as God’s children and as brothers and sisters, and especially now, when there are so many divisive forces at work in our world and our politics, it is even more imperative that we Christians work together to create a new environment of peace and collaboration.

Fratelli Tutti: Respect for Others

Pope Francis, #191 in the encyclical

191. At a time when various forms of fundamentalist intolerance are damaging relationships between individuals, groups and peoples, let us be committed to living and teaching the value of respect for others, a love capable of welcoming differences, and the priority of the dignity of every human being over his or her ideas, opinions, practices and even sins. Even as forms of fanaticism, closedmindedness and social and cultural fragmentation proliferate in present-day society, a good politician will take the first step and insist that different voices be heard. Disagreements may well give rise to conflicts, but uniformity proves stifling and leads to cultural decay. May we not be content with being enclosed in one fragment of reality.

192. …When a specific policy sows hatred and fear towards other nations in the name of its own country’s welfare, there is need to be concerned, to react in time and immediately to correct the course.

Fratelli Tutti: Dialogue

Pope Francis, #198 in the encyclical

Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word “dialogue”. If we want to encounter and help one another, we have to dialogue. There is no need for me to stress the benefits of dialogue. I have only to think of what our world would be like without the patient dialogue of the many generous persons who keep families and communities together. Unlike disagreement and conflict, persistent and courageous dialogue does not make headlines, but quietly helps the world to live much better than we imagine.

A Bad Week

Jan, a reader of my website, commented:

The more I watched the video that day (of Dick Van Dyke dancing at 100 years of age) the sadder I became. I even cried. I cried serious tears. I felt a very heavy dark cloud lingering around me. I finally realized that I was crying for the innocence I once had. I was also crying for the innocence I once saw in my fellow human beings. I am sad for our country, humanity in general and for what I once thought we were as a country.

Pope Leo, the day Jan wrote, commented on the need for the church:

to open up to the world and to embrace the changes and challenges of the modern age in dialogue and co-responsibility, as a church that wishes to open her arms to humanity, to echo the hopes and anxieties of peoples, and to collaborate in building a more just and fraternal society.

Anne Lamott, spiritual writer, wished:

I wish us praying people could pray a fast turnaround—Remember Flip Wilson saying, “I’m about to pray. Anybody need anything?” This isn’t how it works. How it works is each of us doing one small good thing, every day.