Living Christian Justice

Living Christian Justice

Pages 258 to 262

What was Douglas Roche's main message?

Who said that we must change our attitude and be grateful for what we have?

What is not just about the Chernobyl accident?

Anti- Nuclear Nun

Almighty God,

you created us in your image to carry out your will,

Help us to seek justice in our every day lives,

May we be forgiving to others and remember that vengeance is not justice,

Forgiveness places us on the path to healing,

Help us to strive to demonstrate Christian justice in through our words and actions,

and allow us to always place our trust in you to ensure that justice is served.

Amen.

- After the Bhopal disaster in 1984, Bertell directed the International Medical Commission investigating the effects of the Union Carbide chemical spill that contributed to some 15000 deaths

- After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986 resulted in 31 dead and forced the evacuation of 135000, Bertell helped convene a tribunal to fight for the rights of those victims

-1990, Bertell took on Ontario Hydro when it published "Slick" booklets outlining a 25 year plan with no mention of potential health problems

- Bertell says "Once your eyes are open, you can't close them again"

Dr. Rosalie Bertell

Anti- nuclear nun

Mary Jo Leddy

Refugees

- Dr. Rosalie, a grey nun for 50 years

- an expert in the field of radiation

- wrote books about radiation and its effect on the health of humanity and Planet Earth, "No Immediate Danger: Prognosis for a Radioactive Earth"

- Bertell is an activist and a self-confessed whistle blower

- She has written reports on everything from radiation- related health problems, experienced by the Rongelap people after bomb testing in the Marshall Islands to the effects of the Pickering nuclear plant on the health of local children

- Capitalism promises happiness that it cannot and will not deliver

- This dissatisfaction that states "I do not have enough" turns into "I am not enough" or "I am not good enough"- this leaves us feeling a sense of powerlessness in modern society

- A change in attitude calls for a "transformation in spirit"- This begins in simple acts of gratitude.

- "I have enough, I am enough, I am good enough" are all statements of gratitude and faith

-This allows us to say, "I don't need to be more, in order to act. I don't need to speak better, in order to speak out. Just as I am, here and now, I can make a difference in this world."

- "Happy are those who know that the spirit matters"

Mary Jo Leddy

Refugees

Douglas Roche

- Founder and Director of Romeo House for Refugees in Toronto

-Author of "At the Border Called Hope and Gratitude"

- Speaks out against capitalist greed and materialism

- She speaks of our human need for happiness- The media tells us that we can achieve this through materialism. This is the idea that "if we get more, we will be happy"

"Our first reaction to the horrible terrorist attacks in New York and Washington must be grief and prayers for the victims, their families and friends. An outflow of love and support for those so affected ought to guide our future actions."

"The perpetrators of such evil acts must be brought to justice. But this must be done in a way that does not compound the violence."

"revenge as an end itself is unproductive and not worthy of the solemn obligation we have to ensure justice in the world. Rather, we must be motivated by a determination to end violence by getting at the root causes of violence."

"The New York attacks were attacks against humanity. They require a humanity-centered response."

Douglas Roche

On September 11, 2001, terrorists, using hijacked aircraft as weapons, destroyed the World Trade Center, a wing of the Pentagon, and also crashed flight 93 into a field, killing 3000 civilians and changing the world and changing the world forever

Living Christian Justice

Senator Douglas Roche made the following statement on the terrorist attacks in the United States...

Douglas Roche, Mary Jo Leddy, and Rosalie Bertell model for us what it means to be motivated by a sense of Christian justice.

They share with us their own words that they understand to be a concrete expression of Christian justice.