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Contact Us
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Anne Avellone, M.Div., LMSWaavelloneasfnm.orgDirector
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VACANTAdministrative Assistant
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VACANTjustice2asfnm.orgCCHD Intern
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Project Rachelprhopeasfnm.org(Confidential Project Rachel Message Line 505.831.8238)
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RAISE YOUR VOICE
& MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
JOIN NOW!
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The goals of the Office of Social Justice & Respect Life are to bring awareness of Catholic social teachings of the Church, facilitate action, be a voice for the poor and powerless and to be a resource to parishes as they develop social justice outreach. Your involvement is welcome!
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Historic Pastoral Letter Against Racism. Check out our accompanying resources!
The full body of bishops voted on and adopted, nearly unanimously, the pastoral letter Open Wide Our Hearts. The full text of the pastoral letter can be found at usccb.org/racism.As a response to the Pastoral Letter Against Racism, "Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love" written by the US Catholic bishops, we designed a webinar series to dive deeper into the concepts of racism, justice, and love.
Click here to access all past webinars.
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CST 101 Videos from USCCB and CRS: Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers Use for religious education, confirmation and adult education
The video series is a joint collaboration of the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services. The videos in the series include:
Life and Dignity
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
Rights and Responsibilities
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
Solidarity
Care for God’s Creation
USCCB and CRS also have useful discussion guides for each of the YouTube videos that are usable for youth and adults that can be downloaded here. -
Policy & Guidelines Pertaining to Prohibited Campaign Activities in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe (April 2024) En Español
Services Offered
Education:
Teachers, Catechists, Youth Ministers, and Social Concerns Ministers:
Download a free online calendar of ideas on life and justice here!
The Office of Social Justice and Respect Life has assembled an online calendar called Days of Life, Dignity, Justice and Peace. It has a month-by-month summary for our current school year of important dates related to Catholic social teaching including many different life and dignity, peace and justice issues. It also has live links to resources that can be used in a school curriculum, religious education programs, RCIA, confirmation and social concerns ministries all year!
Provides written and visual materials on church programs for peace and justice.
Presents programs/workshops on Catholic social teaching at the deanery level.
Coordinates JustFaith, a parish-based, in-depth adult formation process to introduce and deepen Catholics’ engagement in the social mission of the Church.
Makes resources available to clergy, parish Social Concerns Committees, and other interested persons.
Provides Catholic Social Ministry Training and ongoing support for parish-based Social Concerns/Parish Social Ministry Committees.
Directs Catholic Campaign for Human Development Internship
Directs education, advocacy, and engagement about global solidarity through Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and encourages participation in CRS Rice Bowl during Lent.
- CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
CRS promotes human development by responding to major emergencies, fighting disease and poverty, and nurturing peaceful and just societies and serves Catholics in the United States as they live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world.
Administers the CRS Rice Bowl Small Grant Fund for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Each Lent, 75% of the Rice Bowl collection goes to CRS overseas development and hunger relief work. The remaining 25% of the Lenten Rice Bowl collection goes into the Local Archdiocesan Rice Bowl fund, to be used to support hunger and poverty alleviation programs in our Archdiocese. Completed applications (submitted by email only) are due this year by November 1. The application can be downloaded here. Please use the 2024 application. Older versions will be asked to be resubmitted.
Advocacy:
Cooperates with the legislative advocacy work of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Cooperates with the National legislative work of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Department of Justice Peace and Human Development and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Secretariat
Policy for Political Campaign Activities (April 2024)
Life Issues:
Coordinates Respect Life activities in the Archdiocese
Promotes the "consistent ethic of life" from "womb’ to "tomb"
Provides Walking with Moms in Need Resource List (WWMIN) for pregnant mothers
Supports "Project Rachel," a post-abortion healing ministry of the Catholic Church.
Empowerment:
Directs the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) (anti-poverty program of the American Catholic Bishops).
Administers Local and National CCHD Grants for community and economic development. Contact Anne Avellone for grant inquiries.
Provides resource materials to parishes, leadership training and support for social justice groups and activities.
Supports the ministry of the African American Catholic Community (AACC) whose mission in the context of our multi-cultural church is to support and reinforce the African American Catholic family and individuals. The AACC invites, challenges and develops an appreciation of the African American culture through liturgical, social, spiritual and educational programs. Members of the AACC pray that the African American culture will enhance the universality of the Church and the cause of evangelization. Begun in 1992, the AACC evangelizes and builds the church through prayer, education and service to the community.
The African American Catholic Community (AACC) also sponsors the Fr. Rollins Lambert Scholarship for African American students attending Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. For more information, call 505-831-8205.
Events:
Sponsors a variety of faith witness activities and events including:
The annual Sanctity of Life Awareness & Unity Mass
The annual African American Catholic Community Martin Luther King Mass and speaker
JustFAITH facilitator training
The annual Journey to Justice Retreat Day for JustFAITH participants
Annual Hiroshima and Nagaski commemoration events
July 16, 2023 Event Recording
Social Justice & Respect Life Links
For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Catholic Reflections on Food, Farmers & Farm workers
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops-Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development
YouTube Videos on DoctorAssisted Suicide: Four short (2-4 minutes) real life stories.
Assisted Suicide VideosLuke’s Story: Every Suicide is Tragic You don’t discourage suicide by assisting suicide. Every suicide is tragic—whether you’re old or young, healthy or sick, your lifeis worth living,” says Luke Maxwell, 19, who survived an attempt to take his own life.
John’s Story: Beyond Independence Born without arms, John Foppe speaks to a way of life beyond independence, namely interdependence: Together we are more. Assisted suicide sells everyone short, so in times of illness or disability, he encourages us to “step into life!”
Jeanette’s Story: 15 Years Later When Jeanette Hall had less than a year to live, she asked her doctor for the pills to commit suicide. Dr. Kenneth Stevens got to know her better, inspiring her to have treatment instead. Now 15 years later, Jeanette says: “It’s great to be alive!”
Maggie’s Story Maggie Karner, 51-year-old mother of three, has terminal brain cancer and opposes assisted suicide. She shares how her dad, when bedridden at the end of his life as a quadriplegic, taught her to face life & her final days with true grace and dignity.