https://www.franciscanaction.org/rss/newsitems.xmlen-ushttps://www.franciscanaction.org/rss/rssImg/rss_news.gifhttps://www.franciscanaction.org/rss/newsitems.xml1616https://www.franciscanaction.org/news/exec/frmNewsDetails.aspx?sankhya=MTQ2For a downloadable version of this press release, click here.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 27, 2011Washington, D.C. - On Monday, May 23, 2011, the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) and Franciscans International (FI) co-sponsored a workshop on the United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a UN human rights mechanism under the Human Rights Council. The UPR is a process to review the human rights record of all 192 UN member States. When the United States was reviewed in 2010, immigration, torture and human trafficking were key human rights concerns. Morse Flores, from FI’s Geneva office, introduced workshop participants to the UPR process and how various stakeholders can follow up on recommendations from the U.S. UPR Report. Participants from several Franciscan Communities joined representatives from other faith-based groups for discussions and interactive sessions to strengthen collaborative efforts to improve U.S. policy. Morse led the group in discussions on what is the UPR process, how the Franciscans participated in the review and formulating the recommendations, and what steps Franciscans and Franciscan-hearted folks can take to ensure that the U.S. government implements the UPR recommendations. Margaret Magee, OSF, Associate Director of the Franciscan Federation, shared, “The morning presentation by Morse was a great instruction on the organizational structure and workings of the United Nations. This presentation laid the foundation for his continued afternoon session focused on the UPR process and especially on the United States report. Workshop participants spoke of their understanding that the U.S. recommendations from the UPR can be an excellent tool for organizing and energizing groups to meet with local and national government leaders to work for change. The continued work and collaboration of Franciscan Action Network, Franciscans International and the Franciscan Federation is a visible witness of our being sisters and brothers embracing and living our Gospel call to justice, peace and integrity of creation.”According to Father Russel Murray, OFM, who is beginning a new position at the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy (FCSA) at Siena College: “Morse’s presentation was excellent in giving us a strong background in the UPR process combined with actions that we as a group can undertake in order to make certain that the recommendations are implemented. The collaboration between Franciscan Action Network and Franciscans International is exciting and a great way to bring together Franciscan communities in the U.S. and around the world on issues of social justice. It is easy to see how FCSA can become an integral partner in their collaborative efforts. I look forward to developing just such a relationship with them.”The workshop was just the beginning of a number of ways that FAN and FI plan to collaborate in the future. For more information about the United Nations UPR process or links to the UPR report, Franciscans International’s response and the accepted recommendations, please visit the Franciscan Action Network website at www.franciscanaction.org.pcarolan@franciscanaction.orgThursday, 26 May 2011Thursday, 26 May 2011https://www.franciscanaction.org/news/exec/frmNewsDetails.aspx?sankhya=MTQ5On Jan. 18, the President accepted the State Department’s recommendation to reject the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta, Canada to refineries in Texas. Congress had given the Administration a 60-day window to make a decision, which the State Department found insufficient to consider potential costs and impacts.FAN members actively opposed the pipeline proposal.The following resources provide further information about the tar sands: - Four-page fact sheet - January 2009 pastoral letter from Bishop Luc Bouchard of the St. Paul Diocese, located in the tar sands area - Fr. Jacek Orzechowski, OFM and Fr. Erick Lopez, OFM explain why they were willing to risk arrest in peaceful opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline -View photos from a meeting of Fr. Jacek Orzechowski, OFM (Holy Name Province) and FAN partners with Assistant Secretary of State Dr. Kerri-Ann Jones -Read Fr. Jacek's statement at the public hearing -Watch Fr. Jacek's statement at the public hearing (Note: Please skip to the 01:45:05 mark to see his testimony) -Read a blog post and view photos from FAN's witness at the White House - Read blog posts about the Keystone XL Pipeline from Catholic News Service and from Cap Corps Co-Director Shelly Roder and Capuchin Provinice of St. Joseph Provincial Minister Fr. John Celichowski, OFM Cap. elliott@franciscanaction.orgThursday, 19 Jan 2012Thursday, 19 Jan 2012https://www.franciscanaction.org/news/exec/frmNewsDetails.aspx?sankhya=MTQ4For a downloadable version of this press release, click here.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 6, 2011Washington, D.C. and Highland Park, N.J. — The Franciscan Action Network (FAN), a collective Franciscan voice seeking to transform U.S. public policy related to peacemaking, care for creation, poverty, and human rights, and GreenFaith, a leading national interfaith environmental organization, announced a collaboration to support the growth of religiously-based environmental leadership through the FAN community.Specifically, FAN and GreenFaith will enroll Franciscan parishes and parishes associated with FAN in the GreenFaith Certification Program, and enroll lay, religious, and ordained leaders in the GreenFaith Fellowship Program. To launch the collaboration, GreenFaith and FAN announced that five FAN-affiliated parishes and three FAN-affiliated leaders will receive 50 percent tuition scholarships over the coming three years to participate in GreenFaith’s Certification and Fellowship Programs respectively.“In our celebration of Pentecost this Sunday, June 12, we pray through Psalm 104 that God will renew the face of the earth,” noted FAN Creation Action Fellow Christy Elliott. “Deepening our collaboration is a timely and effective way for FAN and GreenFaith to participate in this renewal of creation.”Designed to help houses of worship from diverse traditions become strong religious-environmental leaders, the GreenFaith Certification Program is the world’s first comprehensive, interfaith, environmental certification program. Over two years, participating institutions carry out a range of initiatives to integrate environmental themes into their worship, religious education, facility maintenance, and social outreach. Through a combination of required and elective activities, these institutions earn certification as a GreenFaith Sanctuary. To learn more about the GreenFaith Certification Program, visit www.greenfaith.org/programs/certification.The GreenFaith Fellowship Program is the first comprehensive interfaith environmental education and training program in the U.S. The 18-month program consists of three 3-day residential sessions, monthly webinars, an e-mail list serve, networking both within the program and at each Fellows’ local/regional level, and reading/writing assignments before and after each retreat. Fellows write a personal eco-theological statement, implement their own religious-environmental leadership project, join the Fellowship’s alumni network, and mentor other emerging religious environmental leaders. To learn more about the GreenFaith Fellowship Program, visit www.greenfaith.org/programs/fellowship.Free Webinars to Orient the FAN CommunityGreenFaith will offer free webinars so that interested members of the FAN community can learn more about the opportunities provided through this collaboration. The hour-long webinars will be on: • Monday, June 20, 8:30-9:30 p.m. ET• Monday, Sept. 12, 8:30-9:30 p.m. ETTo register for a webinar, contact Stacey Kennealy, Director of the Certification Program, at skennealy@greenfaith.org. Recordings of the webinars will be available online.“FAN and the wider Franciscan community have a deep commitment to the environment,” said the Rev. Fletcher Harper, GreenFaith’s Executive Director. “GreenFaith is thrilled about this collaboration.” GreenFaith is also working with the Episcopal Church, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Conservative Jewish Movement, the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, and the Unitarian Universalist Association, enrolling a number of their leaders in the Certification and Fellowship Programs.FAN consists of 47 institutional members across the Franciscan Family in the U.S., as well as more than 4,000 religious and lay Franciscans, and Franciscan-hearted personal members. Through its members, FAN educates and advocates on issues related to justice, peace, and care for creation. FAN’s care for creation resources include scriptural reflections, webinars, and the C4C: Franciscan Care for Creation program. GreenFaith will incorporate C4C into its Programs for Franciscan participants.elliott@franciscanaction.orgSunday, 5 Jun 2011Sunday, 5 Jun 2011