News

Each month information on a topic related to Holy Union Sisters' commitment to justice and peace will be posted on this page.

How Safe Are Your Medicines?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – the government agency which guarantees the safety of your medications - receives $400,000,000. directly from drug companies every year. The money comes in the form of so-called “user fees” – payments made by drug companies to encourage the quick review of their drugs. In the past decade, the FDA has approved a record number of unsafe drugs that it later had to pull from the shelves. In fact, one in every five new drugs is found to have a significant safety problem AFTER it has been approved. And nearly two-thirds of drugs prescribed for children have not been studied and labeled for pediatric use!
Yet, the big pharmaceutical companies fund one-fifth (20%) of the FDA’s budget! Something has to be done and only Congress has the power to do so. Isn’t it about time to talk to your members of Congress about the FDA and its drug approval procedures?
Learn more by contacting Public Citizen a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts.

ELECTION YEAR RESOURCES

Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility

Continuing a practice begun years ago the United States Catholic Bishops have issued their quadrennial statement, Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility. Read more at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops website

Voting the Common Good - Election 2008

The Center of Concern for over thirty years has explored and analyzed global issues and social structures from an ethical perspective based on Catholic Social Teaching. In this election year they have a new initiative: Voting the Common Good – Election 2008. Click on this link for a list of available resources to assist in analyzing several of the campaign issues.

Prayer for Pentecost

Come Holy Spirit and Show Us What Is True

In a world of great wealth
where many go hungry
and fortunes are won and lost
by trading in money,
Come, Holy Spirit, and show us what is true.

In a world of great knowledge
where many die in ignorance
and every piece of information
has a price in the market-place,
Come, Holy Spirit, and show us what is true.

In a world of easy communication,
where words leap between continents
and we expect to see a picture
to illustrate each item of the news,
Come, Holy Spirit, and show us what is true.

In a Church which speaks a thousand accents,
divided over doctrine, creed, and ministry,
more anxious for itself than for the Gospel,
Come, Holy Spirit, and show us what is true.

In a Church touched by the flame of Pentecost,
moved to generous sacrifice and costly love,
interpreting the will of God with new insight
Come, Holy Spirit, and show us what is true.

from the Education for Justice website.

UNANIMA International launches Stop the Demand Campaign

On March 13, UNANIMA International launched a new campaign designed to address the root cause of trafficking."The buying and selling of human persons, especially women and children for sexual exploitation, is today's most common form of slavery. This practice is driven by the demand of those who buy sex."

Holy Union Sisters are one of 16 congregations of women religious who are members of UNANIMA International, a Non-Governmental Organization at the United Nations (NGO).

How can you participate in Stop the Demand? You can start by educating yourself about the exploitation of women and children that is going on all around us. Click below to explore some of the materials from the Stop the Demand Campaign.

Vision Statement (pdf) FAQs (pdf)

Backgrounder 1 (pdf) Backgrounder 2 (pdf)

Action Grid (pdf)

Visit the UNANIMA International website for further information about our activities.

Contacting Your Lawmakers:

By Phone: Call the House Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 and ask for your Congressperson's office. For information on how to email your representative and senator use these web sites:

Congress.org With your 5 digit zip code you can get all the necessary contact information for all your elected federal officials. With a 9 digit zip (or street address) you can find your state and local representatives as well.

Thomas In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, who established the Library of Congress from his personal collection, this site gives legislative information.