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Fall Edition - October 4, 2022

From The Heart

Jean Weber
St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:47- 48)

In this passage from the Sermon on the Mount and other passages in the gospels, such as the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus connects our love for God with how we treat those marginalized in our community. We are to treat those outside of our comfort zone with as much kindness and care as we treat those within our own community. 

Although as an individual, I fall far short of being “perfect” at that, I am still called to keep trying. How can I offer people kindness and grace even if I don’t feel a real connection? How can I reach out to the people on the outside, on the margins, who do not feel welcome in our faith community? How can I welcome and accompany them, as Pope Francis calls us to do?

In some ways, that is what the Peace and Justice Ministry is all about: calling ourselves and our parish family to always put these words of Jesus at the front of our actions. Over the years, we have tried to reach out to the poor or marginalized in our midst.
But of the many groups who can use that support - we see a particular need to reach out to LGBTQ Catholics and their families who feel unaccepted by the Church. What must it be like as an LGBTQ Catholic to hear that you are not accepted, that your faith is questioned? What must it be like to love your LGBTQ son or daughter yet feel that the Church you love holds them at arm's length? 

One way we can participate in God’s plan to have His love shine equally on everyone is to listen with openness and compassion to the struggles and
experiences of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters and their families.

St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry is planning a series of educational sessions to help our parish understand what it is like to live on the margins of
society and feel unwelcome in the Church so that we may accompany these neighbors with a more effective love. Let our parish motto, “Welcoming Christ in the Face of Others," continues to progress from mission statement to mission accomplished!

If you want to know more about our Ministry’s plans for LGBTQ learning and listening sessions, please contact PJ@saintcletus.org.

No Place to Turn…Suicide Risk Among LGBTQ Youth

Bill Weisrock
St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry
In August 2021, St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry published in our parish bulletin a Statement from 14 U.S. Bishops on protecting LGBTQ youth, entitled ‘God Is On Your Side’.

We did this because a major focus of our ministry is to reach out to, welcome, and accompany those on the margins, as Jesus Christ taught us and Pope Francis has encouraged.
 
We desire to have St. Cletus be known as a welcoming parish to LGBTQ persons and their families. We’ll share more about our efforts in this regard at the end of this article, but first, let’s shed some light on why protecting LGBTQ youth is so critical.

Nigel Shelby committed suicide in 2019 after being subjected to homophobic bullying at school. According to his mother, Nigel loved to entertain and share his bubbly personality with others, going out of his way to uplift them despite the hardship he experienced as a Black, gay kid in Huntsville, Alabama.

In 2010, Tyler Clementi took his life in desperation after becoming a victim of a horrible act of cyber-harassment and humiliation while at college.

Alana Chen struggled for many years to keep secret her same-sex attraction, according to her family, and tried to follow the church's teachings. But repressing her sexuality led to serious mental health problems that caused her to eventually die by suicide.

These and countless other stories put a human face on the consequences of cruelty, ridicule, and rejection faced by millions of LGBTQ youth suffering in silence in their schools, colleges, teams, workplaces, or faith communities.
Just how wide is the scope of this problem? To answer that, the Trevor Project Survey was conducted in 2021. Thirty-four thousand LGBTQ youth were interviewed across the USA. The data also tracks a recent CDC report in 2021.

The results are sobering, if not frightening. 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in 2021, and 14% attempted suicide. For Trans and non-binary youth, attempted suicides were at 20%. Moreover, the numbers are trending upward: 40% in 2019, and 42% in 2020.

Besides the bullying, ridicule, and rejection, the suicide rate seems linked to stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and a conservative political climate hostile to LGBTQ youth, particularly trans and non-binary. The rates of suicide attempts among black, indigenous, and Middle-Eastern LGBTQ youth are even higher, as they are often affected more by anti-LGBTQ legislation.

The combination of the political climate and the aversion to LGBTQ people by many have had significant effects on LGBTQ youth, particularly transgender and non-binary. The Trevor Project found that 93% of trans and non-binary youth worry about accessing gender-affirming health care, 91% worry about leaving the house and not finding safe, reliable bathroom access, 83% worry about the ability to participate on sports teams, and 85% said that the legislative attacks and negative attitudes leave them sad, angry, stressed…and scared.

If there is any doubt that this is a serious public health problem, let’s consider the demographics of LGBTQ. About 7% – 8% of the total US population is openly LGBTQ, and this proportion rises to 10.5% among Millenials and 20.8% among Generation Z individuals. And this does not include the oncoming Generation Alpha, those youth ten years old or younger.
As one way to address this growing problem, St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry and the Parish Council agree that a statement similar to the one by the U.S. Bishops should be adopted. This statement is being drafted and will be available soon.

We hope that the statement will be valuable in sending a message to our parish that we are actively engaged in outreach to the marginalized, and our Catholic LGBTQ sisters and brothers, both youth and adults, and to their families, that we are aware of their struggles and concerned for their welfare.


We pray that we may extend comfort and relief to at-risk LGBTQ youth who feel they have no place to turn.
How Are You Caring For The Poor?
Bishop Barron

Click here to hear Bishop Barron's sermon, "How are you caring for the poor."

Poor Struggling - Life Ratings Reach Record High

The percentage of Americans who evaluate their lives poorly enough to be considered "suffering" on Gallup's Life Evaluation Index was 5.6% in July, the highest since the index's inception in 2008.

This exceeds the previous high of 4.8% measured in April and is statistically higher than all prior estimates in the COVID-19 era. Across extensive measurement since January 2008, the suffering percentage has reached 4.5% or higher on a handful of occasions.

Economic conditions are likely a major contributing factor to these worsening scores. Despite the addition of 528,000 new jobs in July, persistently high inflation is creating a drag on the Gallup Economic Confidence Index, which is now at its lowest point since the Great Recession in 2009.

And even though the Consumer Price Index eased to 8.5% in July -- triggering relief among many investors -- inflation remains near a 40-year high and is the problem Americans cite most often today in an open-ended question.

The practical consequences of inflation, too, are substantial, with an estimated 98 million Americans cutting spending on healthcare or routine household expenses as a result of rising healthcare costs.

Dovetailing with economic headwinds is a rising discontentment with U.S. moral values, which has reached a record high, with 50% of Americans reporting the state of moral values is "poor" and 37% "only fair," a sentiment that could be negatively influencing life ratings generally.

Court Watch Project

Donna Walmsley
St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry
October has traditionally been observed as Respect Life month in the Catholic Church. One way to respect the dignity and humanity of persons accused of a capital crime is to support the defense and observe any breach of fairness during the trial that could prevent the defendant from receiving due process.

The Peace and Justice ministry recently began involvement with this court watch project. One of our members completed the online training to quietly monitor capital murder trials to document notable interactions among judges, jury, state and defense attorneys, police, and media and the language used in these interactions. The training was provided free of charge by the National Lawyers’ Guild and the Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Concerned citizens have the right to monitor court proceedings.

The capital murder trial of Richard Emery, which began on September 20 in the St. Charles County Courthouse, was the first opportunity to provide this service to the community. As I write this, Court Observers are attending parts of the trial to document and report on the fairness of court proceedings during both the guilt and sentencing phases of Mr. Emery’s trial.

The state of Missouri is one of five or six actively-executing states in the United States. However, the good news is that death sentences and executions are decreasing in Missouri and other executing states. The bad news is that the Missouri Supreme Court has scheduled the execution of Kevin Johnson on November 29 in Bonne Terre. Mr. Johnson, a Black man who was 19 years old, was sentenced to death for killing a white police officer in Meacham Park in Kirkwood in 2005. His case has been plagued with unfair court rulings, grossly ineffective counsel, and racist prosecutorial policies. His case, along with many others, has prompted the development of the court watch program in Missouri.

Pope Francis has made it very clear that the death penalty is always inadmissible because it does not respect the life and dignity of the human person and has called for worldwide abolition of its use as punishment. This issue was, in fact, his September prayer intention for the worldwide church.

If you want more information about the court watch program, please email donnawalmsley@sbcglobal.net. You can access an online clemency petition to commute the death sentence of Kevin Johnson to a life sentence without the possibility of parole at www.madpmo.org.
A recent St. Cletus STOP collection netted a total of $1,090.00 to help support Welcome Neighbor STL. 

Homeless Ministry Update

Faces Of The Homeless
 
This client, like most St. Cletus homeless clients, had numerous medical issues. His apartment off Elm Street was flooded by the recent extreme rainfall. He was trapped in his car and had to be rescued by the fire department. In addition, he was to start a new job within days.

The client lived in his car when he called the St. Cletus St. Vincent de Paul hotline. The St. Cletus homeless team placed the client in a hotel for a week. This allowed him to shower and provided a more stable environment as he started work. 

Hopefully, his income and repairs to his apartment will allow him to return to his previous situation in the near future. 

Shortage of Starter Homes

It can now take more than a decade for a typical U.S. first-time buyer to afford the down payment on a modest house, ravaging American middle-class basics that have been in place for 75 years.

The U.S. has a deepening housing crisis, including an acute shortage of small, no-frills homes that would give a family new to the country or a young couple with student debt a foothold to build equity,

By the numbers: By the end of this year, it'll take 11.3 years for a first-time homebuyer with median income to save for a 10% down payment, S&P Global wrote in a July report, "The American Dream May No Longer Be In Reach" 

  • It would take that would-be homeowner 22.6 years to save for a 20% down payment.
  • Both are more than twice their pre-pandemic rates — 5 years for 10% down, 10.6 years for 20% down.
  • 60% of U.S. households could be priced out of the housing market by 2025, S&P estimates.
Souce: Axios

St. Charles Homeless Shelter Update

The City of St. Charles Council supported a bill that would allow the City of St. Charles to write a grant in the amount of $10M - $12M of State ARPA funds supporting the acquisition and renovation of a homeless shelter location.  This is to support the goals and outcomes that the Short/Long Term Housing Task Force has been working on for the past 3 years.

The resolution was passed by a vote of 7 in favor with 1 abstention.
St. Charles, Lincoln, and Warren County Continuum of Care
Priority Unmet Needs 2022

Trends
Twenty-three percent increase in literally homeless households 2021-22.

Rehousing rate dropped from 62 percent to 30 percent.

There have been a large increase in physically and medically fragile persons without housing.

Coordinated Entry assessed 30 percent more households in 2021.

A Practical Way to Help the Homeless Find Work and Safety

When Richard J. Berry, the mayor of Albuquerque, saw a man on a street corner holding a cardboard sign that read "Want a job," he decided to take him (and others in his situation) up on it. He and his staff started a citywide initiative to help the homeless by giving them day jobs and a place to sleep -- and the results were incredible. Click HERE to watch this video. 

El Salvador Mission Trip


The El Salvador mission trip is set for December 31 - January 7, 2023. Andy and Patti Stoltman are the organizers this year. If you want more information on this year's trip, contact: Patti (singmoma3@gmail.com) or Andy (andy.stoltman@hussman.com).

It's Your Choice

To follow Christ is an option, a choice, a call, a vocation, and we are totally free to say yes or no or maybe. You do not have to do this to make God love you. That is already taken care of. You do it to love God back and to love what God loves and how God loves!

from the book Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi by Richard Rohr, OFM
Shirley Mergenmeier - St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry
President/CEO and volunteer Fred Domke announces that Bridge Bread has had some recent changes to their staff.

Earlier this year, they hired Rachel Hensold, MSW, as their new Program
Director. She is working hard to get the bakers all the necessary services and is especially focused on housing.

Sharon Domke (Fred’s wife) has been volunteering essentially full-time for the last few years and has retired from that. Mike Heeley has been hired as Distribution Manager to take on her duties in a much more sustainable manner.

He and Rachel now form the nucleus of Bridge Bread administration. Along with Fred, they will all work on what needs to be done but have clear areas of responsibility. Mike will be in charge of production and customer-facing activities (mostly Bridge Bread as a business) and Rachel will be in charge of their partnerships with churches and other social service agencies as well as acting in her professional role as an MSW social worker (Bridge Bread as a charity). Rachel is also handling vendor/supplier activities.

As Bridge Bread sales continue to increase, the need for growth in staff makes perfect sense. Fred, Rachel and Mike are eager to participate in events telling the story of ‘Hope in the Baking’.
Your purchase of Bridge Bread once a month can make a difference! One of the Bridge Bread bakers is moving out of the shelter and into transitional housing after experiencing one year of homelessness! This is a huge accomplishment! 
Help support Bridge Bread bakers who are emerging from being unhoused through working at Bridge Bread. A $20 order provides about 1 hour of work for our bakers!
Did you know that Bridge Bread is sold at the Schnucks Lindell, Arsenal, Hampton Village, Richmond Heights, Webster, Kirkwood, Des Peres, Twin Oaks, and Ballwin stores?
Help Support Bridge Bread at St. Cletus

Purchase a bakery item or make a donation during our monthly sales event.

Volunteer to staff the Bridge Bread sales table.

For more information on Bridge Bread at St. Cletus,
contact Shirley Mergenmeier at: wsmerg@gmail.com
John Feldt, Pam Brown - St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry
There have been six extreme rainfall events that exceeded a 1000-year recurrence interval, -- just this summer. 

A warmer world supercharges the water cycle, leading to heavier precipitation. To start, a warmer atmosphere creates more evaporation — for every 1°F of warming, the saturation level is increased by about four percent. With more water evaporating into the atmosphere, more is available to condense into precipitation, resulting in bigger downpours. The national map shows where this change has been the most dramatic, indicating that the precipitation in the heaviest one percent of rainfall days is getting heavier.

What are PFAS, or Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances?
Pam Brown - St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry
 
PFAS are known as ‘Forever Chemicals' as they do not break down in the environment and can move through the soil leading to contaminated drinking water. PFAS are global pollutants.

PFAS have been used for a long time in various products such as nonstick pans, waterproof gear, firefighting foam, cosmetics, takeout containers, and food packaging.

A growing body of scientific research has found links between PFAS exposure and health problems. These health problems include weaker immune systems, cancer, increased cholesterol levels, liver disease, reduced fertility, and increased risks of thyroid disease.

How Can You Reduce Your Exposure?

Work for legislative policies and market actions to replace PFAS with safer substitutes. Let your government policymakers, favorite retailers, and brands know you want the PFAS band.

Avoid clothing, furniture, bedding, and other household items marketed as stain and water- resistant. Choose washable items.

Stay away from packaging for greasy or oily foods, ie. Some fast food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags. The grease repellant coating often contains PFAS.

Avoid Teflon or nonstick cookware. Be aware of non-stick pans that claim to be Teflon-free. They may not use the brand-name Teflon, but they may still use a PTFE non-stick coating.
So What’s The Solution?

We can not avoid this problem just by how we shop, and we shouldn’t have to. When you shop, you should be able to trust that the products are safe. The only way to protect everyone from toxic chemicals like PFAS is to change policies at the governmental and corporate levels. Fight for yourself and your family's health.

Information from Toxic-Free FUTURE and Leaf Score
Join Us
We Would Love To Meet You!


The St. Cletus Peace and Justice Ministry meet on the third Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Center. We would love to have you join us. 

For more information contact: Jim LaVictoire at:  jimlavictoire@gmail.com

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The St. Cletus Parish Peace & Justice Ministry (St. Charles MO) was formed in 2005 to explore Catholic Social Teaching and promote its tenets to better serve our parish, our community, and beyond. We strive to address and heal social injustices, and to provide experiences for our members, and the wider parish, to be Christ’s hands and feet and His voice in ministry to the under-served and under-represented. Our current focus is on outreach to youth, racial justice, Care for Creation, LGBTQ equality, and parish education and communication.
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