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Who gets hurt when you shop?

Interfaith Worker Justice points to a group of retailers who are either refusing to negotiate with workers or are proactively dragging worker organizers (on hunger strike) and worker advocates into court to in an attempt to block advocacy and worker organization.

Seems to me that we become less and less free when big corporations can so blithely attack the right of people to freely gather, or to espouse a cause. Something about that in some old document in Washington, but who remembers that anymore. First they came for the organizers, then…

In the first instance, the parent company of several chains, SuperValu, including a chain local to me, Save-A-Lot Stores, filed a suit against organizers and Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (Center of Workers United in Struggle — CTUL), IWJ’s affiliate in the Minneapolis-St. Paul. The workers had sought the Center’s assistance because as they state:

Every night, we are surrounded by food as we clean the grocery stores in our community. Yet often we cannot afford to put enough food on the table for our own families.

With the help of CTUL, workers who clean Cub Foods stores have been trying for over a year to engage Cub Foods in a dialogue about fair wages and working conditions. Also with the help of CTUL, workers went on Hunger Strike for 12 days beginning at the end of May, in a further effort to seek a dialogue. That hunger strike action resulted in SuperValu suing CTUL and its organizers personally.

Please pray for the workers and organizers, sign this on-line petition to support them, and if you are able, make a donation to assist in fighting off this assault on the Center and its organizers.

I Stand with CTUL for Fair Wages and Working Conditions for Retail Cleaning Workers in the Twin Cities

I am concerned about the many reports of human rights violations taking place in retail cleaning. When retail cleaning workers earn sub-poverty wages and have increasingly stressful workloads, this has a negative impact on our entire community. Therefore, I stand firmly with the Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL) in calling on major retail chains (including Cub Foods, SuperValu, Target, and Lunds & Byerly’s) to partner with CTUL to create a code of conduct that guarantees fair wages and benefits for the workers who clean their stores.

Meanwhile at Walmart, work for change is building momentum because of the voices of workers and their advocates.

Walmart Associates throughout the country are standing up for change at Walmart – and IWJ is standing beside them as they work to make a difference in their stores and their company. Momentum is building – both for the Associate-led Organization United for Respect at Walmart (OUR Walmart) and for Making Change at Walmart, a campaign that stands in solidarity with Associates claiming the respect they deserve.

No single employer in America has a larger impact on employment standards than Walmart. That’s why stopping Walmart’s race to the bottom is essential. From my point-of-view, the race to the bottom is becoming pervasive in our culture. We all want faster, less expensive, and more convenient, and the thing that makes that happen is a push to lower wages, eliminate benefits, and work people until they drop. The savings have to come from somewhere, so we no longer manufacture in our country, and the workers who are left have to pay the price for a better bottom line. Sadly, we also do it to our neighbors. Should our neighbor be a Union member who enjoys a better standard of living we say: ‘Why should he/she have it, take it away,’ and in due course we all loose what little we have.

If you are concerned in seeing change happen at Walmart, and at fighting against the race to the bottom, be sure to like the Making Change at Walmart Facebook page.

Begin with prayer for workers, and ask for strength to speak out. Speak up for worker rights. Ask that contractor who comes to your door whether his/her workers are employees. You would think that when they tell a worker to nail shingles to your roof that worker would be an employee. Unfortunately, most times employers illegally claim that workers are “independent.” Really!!! The boss is telling them to do something, what shingles to nail, how to do it, where to do it, when to do it, but they are “independent.” Ask your local restauranteur whether the people chopping food in the back room are paid fairly. Ask the chain market manager whether his/her workers are paid properly and have benefits. Then vote with your feet and dollars supporting only those who do right by their workers and your community.

Workers can find more information on minimum employment standards, and can file complaints at the U.S. Department of Labor’s We Can Help/Podemos ayudar webpage.

When did we clothe you, feed you, dress your wounds, visit you? Whenever you did it to these, the least of my brothers (Matthew 25:40).

Christian Witness, Perspective, ,

On Pentecost – Doing “and”

From Jim Wallis at Sojourners: Pentecost: The Coming of the Wild Goose

This Sunday is Pentecost. For 50 days, a group of 120 followers of Jesus waited. Their teacher, for whom they had left all they had, was now gone. Judas, one of their own, betrayed their master and then killed himself. The comforter they had been promised had not yet come. They picked Mathias as a replacement for Judas. And then they waited.

I have to speculate sometimes at the conversations that occurred during those 50 days from Easter until Pentecost. There were, I am sure, some nervous exchanges. Jesus had appeared to them: he had offered Thomas an opportunity to place his hands into his wounds; he had eaten fish with his disciples by the shore. But where was this promised comforter who would be with them always?

Pentecost is a part of the Christian calendar today, but for the disciples, it was the Feast of Shavuot, or the “Feast of Oaths.” It was a festival remembering the covenants God made with Noah after the flood, Abraham and the Israelites about a new homeland, and Moses on Mt. Sinai. It was a time to remember God’s faithfulness.

When I read Acts 2 and imagine the room filled with the small band of believers, a sound “like the rush of a violent wind” and tongues “as of fire” resting above each of their heads, my faith is encouraged. I am reminded that there are greater things at work in this world than what is at first visible. There is power and strength in the Spirit that God sent to the church. While there had only been 120 gathered in that room, 3,000 were added to their number that day.

While much of my work revolves around challenging unjust systems and structures, I do not doubt that the world we see around us of broken people and institutions is only a small portion of what is real. The Spirit of God extends wider and deeper and is at work in my life, the lives of others, and in the communities and institutions of this world. While I work for societal transformation, I try to stay rooted in the transforming work that the Spirit is constantly doing in me.

Too often, it feels like we need to make a choice between the work of this world, and the work of the Spirit, or between a personal focus, or a social focus of the gospel. “Either/or” marks how some churches present the Christian faith. Often, however, this is a false dichotomy. Early in the days of the Sojourners community I remember that one of our favorite words was “and.” We would talk about personal salvation and social justice, prayer and peacemaking, faith and action, belief and obedience, salvation and discipleship, worship and politics, spiritual transformation and social transformation. These were things that complemented one another and deepened each other instead of being in opposition.

In two weeks, my family and I will be headed down to Shakori Hills, North Carolina for the Wild Goose Festival. In the Celtic Church, the symbol for the Holy Spirit is a wild goose — wild, free, and untamed. The festival will be a weekend of justice, spirituality, music, and the arts. It is an “and” kind of space, more than an “either/or.” It will, no doubt, be a busy weekend. But I am looking forward to it, not just for the activities, but for the reminder that it is by chasing after the wild goose, the Holy Spirit’s movement, that we see ourselves, and our world, transformed.

Take a minute to watch this video below. It’s not too late join us.

Wild Goose Festival – June 23 – 26, 2011 – Shakori Hills Farm, NC from Wild Goose on Vimeo.

Christian Witness,

Tornado Aid

From Fr. Randy Calvo of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in South Deerfield, Massachusetts:

We have all seen the pictures of the destruction brought about by last Wednesday’s tornado from Westfield to Sturbridge. Insurance may end up covering a good portion of the rebuilding expenses. However, in the meanwhile, many families are now homeless. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts is doing its best to help these suddenly desperate families – families in a situation that any of us could be in a moment’s notice because of a random natural disaster. We have prayed for them at Mass, but if your condition in life allows, please also consider the practical help requested by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts has been working hard to respond to the emergency food needs in the communities affected by the recent tornado. A financial donation allows the Food Bank to buy in bulk the specific food products that are needed so for every $1 donated they can purchase $13 worth of food. If you prefer to donate in kind, the following food products are needed: ready-to-eat, non-perishable meals like canned ravioli; canned tuna; canned fruit with pop-tops and fruit cups; cereal; granola bars; bread; and peanut butter and jelly. A collection basket will be placed in the vestibule and will be delivered to the Food Bank this week, and we will repeat the collection next week. Please make checks payable to “The Food Bank of Western Mass.” And thank you.

You may make a donation online here.

Christian Witness, PNCC, , ,

On the installation of the Rt. Rev. John Mack, 8th Bishop of the Central Diocese of the PNCC

From The Times Leader: Keeper of the faith: Area Polish churches welcome new bishop

SCRANTON – Newly ordained 25 years ago, the Rt. Rev. John E. Mack had modest goals.

He became pastor of a Polish National Catholic Church parish in Massachusetts.

On Sunday, the 55-year-old Detroit, Mich., native was installed as eighth bishop of the Central Diocese, the church’s largest, covering Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and stretching into Colorado and Los Angeles.

“You don’t become a priest thinking you’re going to become a bishop,” said Mack after the solemn ceremony and Mass at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Cathedral attended by approximately 200 people and bishops and priests from other dioceses.

“It’s something God calls you to,” he said.

The church, which broke away from the Roman Catholic Church, was founded [sic] in 1897 by the Rev. Franciszek Hodur, who was pastor of the cathedral and the first bishop. Mack has been pastor at the mother church on East Locust Street since February, when he was assigned to head the diocese. He previously served as auxiliary bishop of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese for three years.

The promotion requires him to serve in more than one role, said his predecessor, the Most Rev. Anthony A. Mikovsky, who was elevated to Prime Bishop of the church.

He must be a teacher, ensuring what is taught is in accordance with the faith, and he must be keeper of the faith, Mikovsky noted.

“Above all of these, the bishop is to be a shepherd,” said Mikovsky, pointing out the symbolism of the wooden staff carried by Mack as leader of the flock.

Mikovsky imparted some advice, acknowledging Mack had heard it before, “My brother John, I tell you something you already know, love your people.”

And to the people, Mikovsky said, “Pray for your bishop.”

Mack has made a good impression on Barbara Placek of Harding.

“I think he’s going to be good. He brings a refreshing essence to the church,” she said.

“He’s musically oriented,” she added.

Mack started taking piano lessons when he was 8 from his great aunt Laura Jaworowski of Clifton, N.J., when she spent summers with his family, according to a church biography of the new bishop. Mack and his wife, Sherry, have three children and all of them participated in the installation. Their daughter, Rebecca, 24, served as cantor. Their sons, Andrew, 17, played the flute and Phillip, 21, was a lector.

From the Times-Tribune: Diocese formally installs bishop

Three decades ago, seminarian John Mack taught St. Stanislaus children catechism, followed with a lesson on the basketball court.

At 6 feet 3 inches, Mr. Mack impressed his students with a passion for the Lord and the layup. Sunday, some of those former students looked on as the man they met as a seminarian was installed as bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church’s Central Diocese at a Mass at St. Stanislaus Cathedral

“He was very friendly and energetic,” said one of those students, Fred Aebli, after the service. “It’s neat to see him come back in such a big way.”

Yours truly as Deacon, Bishop Mack, Subdeacon Donald Wunderlich
Bishop Mack had been in the post since Feb. 1, but his era as the eighth bishop of the Scranton-based religion officially began at the Mass with the certification of the election results and passing of the symbolic pastoral staff.

Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky reminded those at the ceremony that the elected bishop has the authority of God and God’s people, and he exhorted them to “Unite in faith…. follow, listen and work.”

Bishop Mack had recently been auxiliary bishop in the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese. He was elected to the new post after Bishop Mikovsky was elected prime bishop in the fall.

Bishop Mack will also serve as pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral, the denomination’s mother church.

While Bishop Mack moved on from his education in Scranton, he never really left, said Joe Nasser, president of the St. Stanislaus Men’s Association.

With the headquarters of the church in the city, he was a common sight in Scranton throughout his career.

“He’s the same as a bishop as he has always been in his career: down-to-earth, a good communicator, and easy to get a hold of,” Mr. Nasser said. “The new leadership has made this an exciting time here.”

After the Mass, the church held a reception in the parish youth center.

Bishop Mack was born and raised in the Polish National Catholic Church in the Greater Detroit area and attended Savonarola Theological Seminary in Scranton.

He and his wife have three children.

Events, PNCC, , ,

Sacred Vocations Month

June is Sacred Vocations Month in the Polish National Catholic Church. During the month we particularly focus our prayer on vocations to Holy Orders within the Church. We further consider our loyal and dedicated clergy who have served many years, offering their guidance, counseling, assistance, hard work, and service in the cause of drawing all to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

First and foremost, we must pray for vocations. Too often we see dwindling congregations and the closing of churches all around us. Within the PNCC we sometimes lament over the state of the Church in our country, but the reality is far different. Throughout our nation, and all around the world, people are calling out to us, to our One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church with its democratic form of governance, and are asking for priests and new parishes. The only thing holding us back from going out into the field and reaping this harvest (Luke 10:2) is a lack of vocations.

The life of service within the Church is not without its occasional difficulties, but instead of focusing on temporary and occasional drawbacks, think rather to the blessing our God showers upon those who give generously of themselves (Malachi 3:10), of plain, hard working men who are ready to step up and work.

If you are ready to look past small roadblocks and set to work, please contact the Savonarola Theological Seminary of the Polish National Catholic Church, 1031 Cedar Ave, Scranton, PA 18505. School, (570) 961-9288, Office, (570) 343-0100.

Also, during the month of June, we are asked to give generously to our Clergy Pension Fund. The Fund was established to aid our retired clergy who have given service to the Lord all their lives. A small stipend aids and adds to their Social Security benefits. Currently, the stipend for the clergy is $600 per month. The theme of the Fund is: “Retire with Dignity.” So, on Father’s Day each year the Polish National Catholic Church sets aside a second collection to be taken for the Clergy Pension Fund. In 2011 the Clergy Pension Fund began accepting credit cards for donations to the fund through PayPal. Please donate generously to this worthy cause.





O Almighty God, look mercifully upon Thy Church and incline he hearts of many of her sons to offer themselves for the work of the sacred priesthood, so that by their labors Thy light may shine in the darkness of the world and the coming of Thy kingdom may be hastened by the perfecting of Thine elect. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — A Prayer for the Increase of Priests from A Book of Devotions and Prayers According to the Use of the Polish National Catholic Church.

Art, PNCC, , ,

Art for Memorial Day

To the Burial Ground, Alexander Russo

About the Artist: Alexander P. Russo (1922- ), Specialist First Class, USNR

Russo studied art at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve in 1942. First assigned as a graphic artist for the Navy recruiting bureau, he documented in art North African, Sicilian, and Normandy invasion operations. While completing that work he came into contact with the Navy Combat Art Program. He later transferred to that section and completed an assignment on board U.S.S. Tranquility in the Pacific. Russo received a Guggenheim Fellowship for his combat artwork. After the war, he continued to study art and later taught at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C and Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. He exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions, mainly in New York, Washington, D.C., and East Hampton, Long Island.

Heavenly Father, Whose care and guidance brought our forefathers to this great land, and led them through faith, courage and self-sacrifice to build the foundations of a great democratic nation, dedicated to Thy service and the rights of man, lead us, O God, in our day, as Thou didst lead our forefathers, and help us to be faithful stewards of the heritage which Thou hast entrusted to us.

Reverently, on this Memorial Day, in Thy holy presence, we pay our tribute of respect to the memory of those who gave their lives in the service of our country. We pray, that the souls of these, our heroic dead may have found perfect rest in Thee, and received the crown of an unfading life. O Thou, Eternal Lover of souls, cherish and bless them, we entreat Thee, and give unto us, the living, peace and hope as we think of them in this solemn hour.

Before Thee, O Lord God, we humbly acknowledge our debt to them, and beseech Thee to give us the strength, to go on towards the ideals for which they fought and died. Take, O Lord, the veil from their hearts, and join us in one communion with all Thy saints on earth, and in the life beyond.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — From Memorial Day Prayers according to the Ritual of the Polish National Catholic Church

Events, PNCC, ,

The lnstallation of the Eighth Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese

The lnstallation of the Rt. Rev. John Mack as Eighth Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese and Pastor of Saint Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr Cathedral will take place on Sunday, June 5th.

The Holy Rite of lnstallation will be celebrated during a Holy Mass scheduled for 4 pm. A celebratory reception will be held in the Cathedral Youth Center following Holy Mass.

Bishop Mack has been serving as Bishop Ordinary since February 1, 2011.

Please join in formally welcoming Bishop Mack by your presence, and if unable to attend, through your prayers.

Update from the Scranton Times Tribune: New bishop to be installed Sunday in Polish National Catholic diocese

The new bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church’s Central Diocese will be installed during a Mass at St. Stanislaus Cathedral on Sunday, four months after he assumed the post in Scranton.

The Right Rev. John Mack became bishop of the denomination’s largest diocese on Feb. 1 when he arrived in a snowstorm from his previous assignment as auxiliary bishop in the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese.

The installation ceremony will officially mark the start of a new era in the diocese under its eighth bishop.

“The work has gone on before – you were on the job already – but now it is official,” Bishop Mack said.

Bishop Mack was selected for the post after the diocese’s previous bishop, the Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, was elected Prime Bishop last fall. Bishop Mack is also pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral, the denomination’s mother church.

Sunday’s ceremony will draw parishioners and more than 30 priests from across the diocese, which stretches from New York to Maryland. Bishops and pastors from other Polish National Catholic dioceses and other denominations also are expected to attend.

“It’s a time for the diocese to come together and celebrate,” Bishop Mack said.

The Mass will begin at 4 p.m. and will be followed by a reception in the parish youth center.

Christian Witness, PNCC, , , ,

To fast and abstain on appointed days

Ash Wednesday and Good Friday have been set forth as days of strict fasting. Days of abstinence (not eating meat) are Wednesdays and Fridays during Lent. The pious tradition of abstinence on Fridays outside of Eastertide is also observed, but not mandatory. In situations where health considerations make such observance impossible, ecclesiastical dispensation should be secured.

The rule of fasting is a fairly simple one and therefore bears the full authority of the Church. Our Lord announced to his followers that he expected them to fast. “But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.” (Mark 2:20)

Jesus even issued instructions on how Christians were to comfort themselves when they fast, promising them God’s reward. “When you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is in hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.” (Matthew 6:17-18) Our Lord Himself fasted, forty days and forty nights, and later warned that some spiritual evils are overcome only “through prayer and through fasting.” (Mark 9:29)

Striving to follow Christ, St. Paul himself engaged in “frequent fastings.” (2 Corinthians 11:27). Paul urged Christians to prove themselves to be ministers of God in “fasts“. (2 Corinthians 6:5) When we fast or abstain, then, we do so in obedience to the Lord’s own command. We imitate His example and join in the company of all the blessed Saints, who tried to follow Him, and whose lives were adomed by this means of grace and intercession.

Today, when we fast and abstain in obedience to the Church’s law on prescribed days we join ourselves to fellow Catholics throughout the world in a mighty supplication to God. — From “To Grow in Catholic Faith in the Polish National Catholic Church” by Ś.P. Most Rev. Francis Rowinski, D.D. fourth Prime Bishop of the PNCC

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