Catholic Social Ministry Gathering 2019
 
2019 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
 
Let Justice Flow (cf. Amos 5:24): A Call to Restore and Reconcile
 
February 2 - 5, 2019, Washington D.C.
 Omni Shoreham Hotel

The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is the central gathering of Catholic social ministry leaders in the United States. It equips leaders and emerging leaders with the knowledge, relationships, and skills to build communities where all can thrive. The theme of the 2019 gathering is rooted in our commitment as disciples to cultivate God's justice, at home and around the world, to heal the brokenness our communities reflected in racism, incivility, and poverty. This year, more than 500 Catholic leaders will gather to engage issues of justice, peace, and the common good, and conclude the meeting by lifting their voices to Congress during a visit to the U.S. Capitol.

“When we live out a spirituality drawing nearer to others and seeking their welfare, our hearts are opened wide to the Lord's greatest and most beautiful gifts."
-Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel, §272


The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is organized by the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development in collaboration with 7 other USCCB departments and 15 national Catholic organizations. For the past 30 years, the annual gathering of Catholic social ministry leaders has brought together hundreds of participants whose faith inspires them to pray, connect, learn, and act on pressing current domestic and global challenges affecting our most vulnerable brothers and sisters at home and around the world.

This Gathering is an expression of the Gospel in action as participants engage intellectual, spiritual, and professional formation in the vision of Jesus' invitation to bring Good News to the poor (Luke 4:18). Participants also connect, dialogue, and share ideas in order to identify, build and sharpen skills for social ministry. These experiences culminate in the opportunity to advocate on Capitol Hill for policies that protect those suffering poverty and injustice. Participants bring home new inspiration and tools to help transform their communities around the country.

Don't miss this transformative annual gathering for leaders in Catholic social ministry and advocacy! Register today to participate in a dynamic and thought-provoking program including plenary presentations that will feature the following guests.

Dr. Elizabeth Hinton, author of award-winning book, From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America and currently the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department History and the Department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. Hinton’s research focuses on the persistence of poverty and racial inequality in the 20th century United States.

Bishop Shelton J. Fabre of Houma-Thibodaux, Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. Bishop Fabre will facilitate a panel discussion with diverse leaders on the bishops’ Pastoral Letter Against Racism (November 2018) and its implications for Church and society.

Justice Janine P. Geske served as a Distinguished Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School and Director of the Law School's Restorative Justice Initiative. A graduate of Marquette University Law School, she has been active in numerous civic and community activities. She frequently teaches at judicial, legal and community conferences on mediation, restorative justice, sentencing, evidence, the courts, and spirituality and work.
 

Fr. Maurice Henry Sands is the Executive Director for the Black and Indian Mission Office in Washington, DC. Fr. Sands is a full-blooded Native American and member of the Ojibway, Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes, who are known together as Anishnaabe. Frs. Sands is passionate about addressing the issue of racism including as a Consultant to the USCCB Subcommittee on Native American Affairs and the USCCB AD Hoc Committee Against Racism.

Tony Stieritz, Chief Operating Officer at Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Tony is a long-time former CCHD diocesan director who is committed to working to welcome and protect migrants and refugees. He will share best practices for engagement and ways to empower immigrant refugees in parishes and communities.

Daniel Philpott is a professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame. Philpott specializes in religion and global politics, with emphases on reconciliation, religious freedom, and theories of religious actors' political behavior. He has also participated in faith-inspired reconciliation efforts in some of the world’s worst conflict zones, including Kashmir and the Great Lakes region of Africa.




         
Dear CSMG participants,

We want to alert you to a scam related to hotel reservations that has affected a number of major conferences recently. If you receive a phone call or message asking you to call someone back related to CSMG and are then asked to provide credit card information to reserve your hotel room, do not do so. This is a scam. All reservations must instead be made by contacting the hotel directly, as described here [Book online now]. Please note the Omni and or any hotel would not be contacting participants about their hotel reservation, unless originally initiated by that person.

We are aware of a few CSMG participants receiving the fraudulent message so far. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to your participation at CSMG.

Sincerely,

The CSMG Planning Team