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June 5—World Environment DayThe theme for World Environment Day 2021 is “Reimagine, Recreate, and Restore” with a focus on stabilizing the earth’s eco-systems.  Human activity and climate change are devastating Earth.  Every 3 seconds, a soccer field-sized patch of forest is lost.  Half of the world’s wetlands have been destroyed over the last century.  We have already lost over 50% of Earth’s coral reefs and the teaming diversity of life that they support. It is predicted that by 2050, over 90% of the coral reefs will be gone.  Ecosystem restoration means preventing, halting, and reversing this damage – to go from [...]

May 1—International Workers’ Day International Workers’ Day is a special day to honor laborers around the world for their struggle for justice.  The struggles over the years have included demands for an 8-hour working day, with the right to overtime pay for work beyond that, safe working conditions, and end to child labor, the right to organize and form unions, the right to share their concerns with management and employers and the right to job security and sick leave.  Many of these accomplishments in securing modern labor rights were earned after much struggle and determination, often at the risk of [...]

April 4—International Day of Landmine Awareness & Assistance in Mine ActionThis day is a special day to raise awareness of the dangers posed by landmines and other unexploded munitions.  This is also a day to call on all nations to eliminate the use of landmines.  It is estimated that 15,000-20,000 people are injured or killed each year in areas where war and armed conflict has officially ceased, but where landmines remain an unseen daily danger.  These explosives endanger the lives of farmers planting fields, women walking to fetch water or firewood, and even children at play.  Landmines also make the [...]

Stop Gun Violence The Wheaton Franciscans condemn the violence in the United States that continues to take innocent lives. In a week that numbs the soul, we recognize that the shooting in Boulder, Colorado, was the seventh mass shooting in seven days resulting in a total of 40 deaths in one week. Gun violence in total takes 40,000 lives per year in the United States.We pray for all of the victims and the families of this senseless violence, yet prayers are not enough. We also implore lawmakers to act courageously and immediately to pass meaningful legislation to control access to [...]

March 8—International Women’s DayInternational Women's Day (IWD) on March 8 is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality. Recognizing that challenge is necessary in bringing about change, the theme for IWD 2021 is #ChooseToChallenge—a challenged world is an alert world!  We are all called to be aware of our gender bias and inequality wherever and whenever we encounter it.  On this day we also seek out and celebrate the achievements of women over the world.  We recognize that women’s contributions to society are [...]