Photo from CRS
ENDING GENOCIDE IN DARFUR, SUDAN
THE SITUATION IN DARFUR:
As of September 2006 an estimated, 6,000 people are dying in Darfur each month. According to Dan Griffin, of Catholic Relief Service (which has over 300 staff in Sudan), without increased international efforts, and especially U.S. leadership, the situation could get much worse very soon: nearly 3 million are at risk in Darfur. The U.N. has declared it to be today's worst humanitarian crisis. The U.S. government has declared this to be an ongoing genocide. The U.S. Bishops are actively lobbying our government to take additional action.
TAKE INDIVIDUAL ACTION:
The political situation can change rapidly so check the Darfur section (Click Here) of the Collaborative forum for the most current advocacy action. As of September 2006, the following actions are appropriate. Call your Congressman and Senators to:
- Urge the President to appoint a presidential envoy on Darfur
- Approve funding for peacekeeping efforts and food relief
- Speed the strongest version possible of the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act through the House/Senate Conference Committee. Same letters are available in the Parish Advocacy Tools
ENGAGE YOUR PARISH:
Locally, in 2006, representatives from 26 parishes selected this issue to focus on throughout this year. This effort was renewed by an even larger parish network for 2007. This group is in turn part of a growing local interfaith (Catholic, Jewish, Muslim) and secular (including the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center) coalition on Darfur. To date, we have mobilized a great deal of advocacy with our Congressional representatives and President Bush as well as helped organize an historic rally for Cincinnati against the genocide in Darfur.
You can add your parish to this effort, an effort primarily focusing on prayer, raising awareness and conducting parish letter writing campaigns, by contacting either this office or Sherrie Heyse at 474-1514, chair of the Parish Collaborative Darfur Coordinating Team. The following tools will help you make a plan for your parish. Please call for additional resources or information.
Parish Advocacy Tools on Darfur available to download here:
- Parish Action Plan for Darfur (Adobe Acrobat PDF file) This can be used to develop a plan.
- Resource Guide for Implementing this plan (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer) Note: this file will be continually updated as new resources become available Last updated: 4/10/06
Prayer Aids (see also the Resource Guide above):
- Sample Intercessory Prayers for Weekend Masses
- Sample Interfaith Prayer Service
- A Prayer for Darfur -- Prayer Card
- Darfur Reflection
Legislative/Political Advocacy Resources (see also the Resource Guide above):
- Sample letters to Federal Representatives (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer) The legislative situation can change rapidly so check the Darfur section (Click Here) of the Collaborative forum for the most current advocacy action.
- Sample Bulletin Announcements (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer)
- One-page Bulletin Insert on Darfur (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer)
- Two-page Bulletin Insert on Darfur (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer)
Display Board for Parish vestibules and meeting places can be made by downloading the following files containing complete instructions, photos, and text
- Instructions (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
- Darfur Title (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
- Facts on Sudan (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer)
- Map (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
- Photos with Captions (Adobe Acrobat PDF file)
Catholic Leader Quotes
Quotes from Catholic Leaders (Microsoft Word file -- save this file to computer)
Also visit:
- Catholic Relief Services' informative Web page
- U.S. Bishops' statements
- Save Darfur, a coalition of which the U.S. Bishops are members