About:
History Continued
During the first few years, there were almost monthly meetings of priests, religious and laity who had any connection with the problems of the cities. From those meetings came detailed descriptions of the depth of the problems, and suggestions for response. A dozen priests were sent to Cuernavaca, Mexico to learn Spanish. Profiles of the inner city parishes were developed in hopes of attracting volunteers. Various sources of funding were explored, and training programs were initiated. Cooperative Parish Sharing was envisioned as a way to bring inner-city and suburban parishes together to respond to poverty and injustice. The hope was that people would work together in ways that included but were not confined to the sharing of financial resources. At first, progress was slow, but from the start, there was a sense of unity.
Father Meehan also became instrumental in establishing the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, a national program designed to help poor people help themselves. Its mission, still active today, is to address the root causes of poverty in America through promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education. The budding Office of Urban Affairs was tasked with local coordination of that effort for the Archdiocese of Hartford.
The Mission Becomes Clear
Father Meehan was successful as the Coordinator of the Office for Urban Affairs for four years, so successful in fact that he was given permission to spend two years traveling all over the United States to bring this new Connecticut model to dioceses throughout the country. He was followed in this role by Jack Middleton, who became the first official Executive Director. Under Jack’s leadership the office continued to respond to its mandate: to identify the needs and challenges confronting people in the changing inner-cities, to communicate those needs both to the larger church and to the society in general, and to support pastoral responses by the Servant Church, through the fullness of its ministries. As a result of a Board of Directors' evaluation in 1975-76, the OUA was charged with giving new emphasis to its mission to educate for social justice and advocate specific proposals for improvement of the society, especially for the poor. Its traditional work of serving as an enablement or support center for ministry to the poor and for community organizations of poor and disenfranchised people was to remain top priority and be strengthened.
In 1976 the leadership reins were passed once again, this time to Frederick Perella. As the 10th anniversary of the Office approached, the funding and technical assistance that had become hallmarks of the office were strengthened and reached new levels of effectiveness. The programs for advocacy and education for social justice were redesigned and more fully staffed. Social services were expanded and reached more people in need. All of the work was done with a renewed and deepening conviction of being rooted in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In June, 1979, Archbishop John F. Whealon appointed Bishop Peter Rosazza as his official representative to the OUA Board of Directors.
Formalizing a Plan for the Future
In 1984-1985, OUA undertook for the first time the task of developing a five-year strategic plan. Approved by the Archbishop for implementation beginning in 1986, the plan proposed a new emphasis on empowering parish leaders to organize social mission by the parish community. It also called for the integration of existing elderly services programs into the core operation. As a result of the plan, the Office also established new and improved administrative structures and procedures.
Also in 1984, the OUA introduced the Most Rev. Jospeh F. Donnelly Award to recognize exceptional contributions to the work of social justice . This award, presented yearly to an individual and an organization at the Annual Dinner gathering, was named in honor of the Auxiliary Bishop Donnelly, first Chairman of the OUA Board of Directors and tireless justice advocate. A complete listing of the award recipients over the years can be found here.
Fred continued as Executive Director through 1990. Significant developments during those years included:
While still concerned with problems particular to urban areas, the Office recognized with growing awareness that the systemic nature of many problems, and the resulting pastoral needs, called for increasing attention to suburban, rural, statewide, national, and in some cases, global issues. Special areas of concern in the late 70s and throughout the 80s were: joblessness, distribution of income, crime and the criminal justice system, education, family life, housing, and not least of all, a widespread need to appreciate the ultimate dignity of human life, and to know the saving love of God.
Assessment and New Goals
In 1989, with the current strategic plan reaching its conclusion, the office began a consultative needs assessment among representatives of the poor, elderly, parish social ministries, urban ministries and community organizations, as well as with colleagues in church and government, to prepare for a new strategic planning process in 1990, leading to a new plan for 1991-1995. Permanent affordable housing again found its way to the top of the list of concerns. Other concerns included the coping skills of single parent and marginal families, education for youth and children from the neediest families, and access to good jobs for young adults, especially in the Black and Hispanic communities.
In 1990, Joseph Smyth, former Associate Director of OUA, moved into the position of Executive Director. Following the directives of the new strategic plan, the staff was reorganized to address the areas of need targeted for the 1991-1995 period:
CenterEdge Project
Beginning in 1997, the Office of Urban Affairs began preparation for a new education effort in Connecticut, timed to follow logically upon the 2000 Jubilee Justice Pledge Campaign and the Archdiocesan Stewardship Initiative. This effort, called the CenterEdge Project, was a major effort to change the way most suburban and rural people in Connecticut viewed themselves and their own self-interest in relation to urban poor people. It also challenged urban poor people to look at the need to work in new ways with people outside of the city. It provided a chance to consider how best to work together for the common good, faced with a changing population. a changing economy and sprawling development. Work on the CenterEdge Project would engage the energies of the OUA through the Jubilee and beyond.
In 1998, the Office of Urban Affairs celebrated its 30th Anniversary. In the Executive Director’s Message in that year’s Annual Report, Joe listed a summary of notable accomplishments over those 30 years of service:
Highlights of Thirty Years
The growth of OUA’s services, projects, and programs over the first thirty years was nothing short of a blessing. Bishops, priests, deacons, religious, lay men and lay women all contributed, through OUA to bring the social teachings of the Church to concrete realization. Assistance to parishes, help for immigrants, housing, work, fuel banks, coalitions with other community-based charities and service agencies, work for the environment, education programs, work for prisoners, advocacy on public policy, and help with neighborhood struggles were only some of the endeavors that impacted the lives of communities and individuals throughout the Archdiocese.
In 1999 the Office for Urban Affairs was honored to receive the National Pastoral Life Center's Monsignor John J. Egan Award for Parish Social Ministry. This prestigious national award recognized the outstanding work OUA was doing in"...training parishes for social ministry and community organizing; for breaking down barriers between people of different races and economic status; and as public policy advocate for housing, the homeless, low income families, education and the elderly. By your teaching and action you help others to understand the Gospel call to justice and put it into practice."
A New Millenium
Efforts continued into the new millennium to engage and empower parish leaders and others to understand and implement the four dimensions of parish social ministry – direct service, advocacy, justice education and empowerment. Deanery workshops and regional conferences explored Catholic social teaching values, and increased the knowledge and skills of parish social ministry leaders across the Archdiocese.
Responding to the 1999 National Conference of Catholic Bishops' document, "Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium," the office implemented a new focus on outreach to the Hispanic Catholic community, making the Archdiocese of Hartford one of the first to act on this growing need. To accomplish this goal, OUA created a PSM Coordinator position with service to the Hispanic community, including education in Catholic social teaching and parish social ministry, as one of its mandates.
By 2002 the CenterEdge Project had become a significant focus of staff attention and office resources. OUA provided leadership not only within the Church, but also throughout Connecticut and the northeast in identifying the changing characteristics of the problems of poverty and racism, an effort consistent with the social justice tradition within the Church. In 2003 OUA was proud to publish the report, Connecticut Metropatterns: A Regional Agenda for Community and Prosperity. During the same period, the Connecticut Catholic Conference issued the Connecticut Catholic Bishops’ pastoral statement, Common Ground, Common Good: Toward Greater Social, Economic and Environmental Justice in Connecticut.
Implementing the CenterEdge Project involved OUA in several educational initiatives. The efforts included working with a coalition of organizations with similar social justice objectives to develop ways of sharing demographic information not previously available and using it to advocate for needed reforms. The Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association unanimously endorsed OUA's CenterEdge Coalition for its 2005 Special Chapter Award, presented at the New England Conference in Newport, Rl on November 10, 2005.
Also in 2005, the office brought the nationally-recognized JustFaith program to the Archdiocese of Hartford. This transformational social Justice program was developed to empower and energize participants for the work of social ministry. Since that time the JustFaith program has involved groups of parishioners from 26 parishes in an in-depth exploration of Christ’s call to care for the poor and vulnerable in a lively, challenging, multifaceted process. Over 200 individuals have graduated from this program of study and reflection.
In 2006, OUA worked collaboratively with the Connecticut Catholic Conference to establish a statewide Catholic legislative network called the Connecticut Catholic Advocacy Network. Kicking off with over 13,000 members, the new Network provided a means by which the Catholic community could effectively advocate on state-wide and national issues like welfare and wages, foreign aid and arms, human life and human rights, and for a safe and healthy environment for all. This effort replaced and expanded the Action for Justice Network formerly managed by OUA staff.
Changing Mission and a New Name
In 2008, leadership of the Office of Urban Affairs shifted once again as Joseph Smyth announced his retirement and Cori Thibodeau became the new Executive Director. At the request of Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, OUA assumed responsibility for coordination, education and implementation of the annual Catholic Relief Services (CRS) collection in the Archdiocese. CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Community in the United States, providing assistance to people in need in communities throughout the world.
OUA’s initial mission was to serve urban parishes with support from suburban parishes, through programs such as Cooperative Parish Sharing and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. While these vital works continued, new programs had developed over the years to address the many stubborn inequities that confronted Connecticut and the world. It had become increasingly evident that the Office needed to work to expand the capacity of parishes to respond to these new challenges through the development of effective parish social ministry.
In a year of high energy, the Board of Directors, staff and other stakeholders engaged in a strategic planning process in 2009 that redefined the office mission, renamed the office and set ambitious priorities for the future. Over the years, the name Office for Urban Affairs had become less representative of the breadth of the actual work of the office. In 2009, with the endorsement of Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, the Board of Directors announced the office’s new name: The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry (OCSJM).
In conjunction with its new name, OCSJM also shared a new mission statement:
The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hartford advances Catholic social teaching
by educating and preparing parishes to work for social justice.
A primary strategy for the office over the next three years (2010-2012) would be the development of Social Ministry Leadership Teams to increase the capacity of the office to assist parishes in their social justice efforts, with a focus on leadership development. In addition to these planning efforts, the Office developed and successfully launched a new five-week program, Parishes in Action, to help parishes organize their social ministry efforts. To keep in touch with a growing constituency, OCSJM expanded its communication efforts by launching a new website (2010) and initiating a monthly social justice email newsletter (2011).
Staff capacity was also strengthened with the renewal of a full-time Parish Social Ministry Coordinator position focused primarily on service to the growing number of Hispanic communities in the Archdiocese. With this position, the Office began a systematic outreach to parishes with significant Hispanic membership, identifying leaders and working to encourage the development of parish social ministry. In 2011 this effort resulted in the mobilization of both young people and adults to advocate for In-State Tuition eligibility for undocumented students living in Connecticut at state colleges and universities . The successful passage of HB# 6390 was the product of this work, and empowered the voices of many young people who had previously been denied access to higher education due to prohibitive tuition costs.
Among the new initiatives launched under Cori’s leadership was the annual Social Justice Conference, named in honor of Bishop Peter Rosazza, Auxiliary Bishop, Archbishop's Representative to the Board, and long-time advocate for social justice. With over 200 people in attendance, the first conference in 2010 gathered enthusiastic social justice leaders and volunteers from parishes across the Archdiocese for a day of education, inspiration and networking around current issues and social justice themes. Rev. J. Bryan Hehir was the first Keynote Speaker.
Renewed focus on leadership development and spiritual enrichment also led to the introduction of yearly Parish Social Ministry Retreats, a Leadership Development Workshop series, and several hosted speakers. In addition, the Global Solidarity Leadership Team organized mission immersion trips to Mexico (2010 and 2011) and to Haiti (2012).
Collaboration and Engagement
Lynn Campbell, a former Parish Social Ministry Coordinator, was named Executive Director in 2012. Under Lynn's leadership the three-year Strategic Plan adopted in 2010 was reviewed and updated for implementation in 2013. The new plan included a renewed focus on leadership development, increased efforts to collaborate with other archdiocesan offices and agencies, and engagement of more youth and young adults in our mission.
In 2011 and 2012, OCSJM worked with the CT Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and parishes across the Archdiocese to bring attention to the death penalty in the state of Connecticut and to work for its repeal. The effort was ultimately successful, and SB#280 was passed in April, 2012, making Connecticut the 17 state to reject the death penalty.
In 2013, our continuing work with Hispanic parishes came to fruition with the creation of a Hispanic Ministry Leadership Team, focused on educational and advocacy efforts to support just immigration reform and local justice initiatives. The efforts of team members and other parish leaders led to the advancement and passage of a bill to allow undocumented immigrants to receive drivers' licenses, a change that will become effective in January, 2015.
Also in 2013, an additional Ministry Team was developed to strategize and implement ways to work more effectively with the youth and young adult audience. Among the strategies adopted was an increased attention to social media tools, including Facebook, Pinterest and a re-designed web presence. Short videos were also developed to present snapshots of OCSJM projects and initiatives, and to profile parish social ministry leaders.
Father Meehan also became instrumental in establishing the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, a national program designed to help poor people help themselves. Its mission, still active today, is to address the root causes of poverty in America through promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education. The budding Office of Urban Affairs was tasked with local coordination of that effort for the Archdiocese of Hartford.
The Mission Becomes Clear
Father Meehan was successful as the Coordinator of the Office for Urban Affairs for four years, so successful in fact that he was given permission to spend two years traveling all over the United States to bring this new Connecticut model to dioceses throughout the country. He was followed in this role by Jack Middleton, who became the first official Executive Director. Under Jack’s leadership the office continued to respond to its mandate: to identify the needs and challenges confronting people in the changing inner-cities, to communicate those needs both to the larger church and to the society in general, and to support pastoral responses by the Servant Church, through the fullness of its ministries. As a result of a Board of Directors' evaluation in 1975-76, the OUA was charged with giving new emphasis to its mission to educate for social justice and advocate specific proposals for improvement of the society, especially for the poor. Its traditional work of serving as an enablement or support center for ministry to the poor and for community organizations of poor and disenfranchised people was to remain top priority and be strengthened.
In 1976 the leadership reins were passed once again, this time to Frederick Perella. As the 10th anniversary of the Office approached, the funding and technical assistance that had become hallmarks of the office were strengthened and reached new levels of effectiveness. The programs for advocacy and education for social justice were redesigned and more fully staffed. Social services were expanded and reached more people in need. All of the work was done with a renewed and deepening conviction of being rooted in the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In June, 1979, Archbishop John F. Whealon appointed Bishop Peter Rosazza as his official representative to the OUA Board of Directors.
Formalizing a Plan for the Future
In 1984-1985, OUA undertook for the first time the task of developing a five-year strategic plan. Approved by the Archbishop for implementation beginning in 1986, the plan proposed a new emphasis on empowering parish leaders to organize social mission by the parish community. It also called for the integration of existing elderly services programs into the core operation. As a result of the plan, the Office also established new and improved administrative structures and procedures.
Also in 1984, the OUA introduced the Most Rev. Jospeh F. Donnelly Award to recognize exceptional contributions to the work of social justice . This award, presented yearly to an individual and an organization at the Annual Dinner gathering, was named in honor of the Auxiliary Bishop Donnelly, first Chairman of the OUA Board of Directors and tireless justice advocate. A complete listing of the award recipients over the years can be found here.
Fred continued as Executive Director through 1990. Significant developments during those years included:
- The creation of community organizing networks in the cities of the Archdiocese: United Connecticut Action for Neighborhoods (UCAN), Naugatuck Valley Project (NVP) and Elm City Congregations Organized (ECCO).
- The expansion of parish social ministry in parishes throughout the Archdiocese, with training, spirituality development, and the convening of the social justice community.
While still concerned with problems particular to urban areas, the Office recognized with growing awareness that the systemic nature of many problems, and the resulting pastoral needs, called for increasing attention to suburban, rural, statewide, national, and in some cases, global issues. Special areas of concern in the late 70s and throughout the 80s were: joblessness, distribution of income, crime and the criminal justice system, education, family life, housing, and not least of all, a widespread need to appreciate the ultimate dignity of human life, and to know the saving love of God.
Assessment and New Goals
In 1989, with the current strategic plan reaching its conclusion, the office began a consultative needs assessment among representatives of the poor, elderly, parish social ministries, urban ministries and community organizations, as well as with colleagues in church and government, to prepare for a new strategic planning process in 1990, leading to a new plan for 1991-1995. Permanent affordable housing again found its way to the top of the list of concerns. Other concerns included the coping skills of single parent and marginal families, education for youth and children from the neediest families, and access to good jobs for young adults, especially in the Black and Hispanic communities.
In 1990, Joseph Smyth, former Associate Director of OUA, moved into the position of Executive Director. Following the directives of the new strategic plan, the staff was reorganized to address the areas of need targeted for the 1991-1995 period:
- Development of affordable housing
- Family-oriented strategies to assist low-income students to succeed in early elementary grades
- Support for organizational and leadership skills among parish social ministry leaders
- Nutrition and health care for the elderly.
CenterEdge Project
Beginning in 1997, the Office of Urban Affairs began preparation for a new education effort in Connecticut, timed to follow logically upon the 2000 Jubilee Justice Pledge Campaign and the Archdiocesan Stewardship Initiative. This effort, called the CenterEdge Project, was a major effort to change the way most suburban and rural people in Connecticut viewed themselves and their own self-interest in relation to urban poor people. It also challenged urban poor people to look at the need to work in new ways with people outside of the city. It provided a chance to consider how best to work together for the common good, faced with a changing population. a changing economy and sprawling development. Work on the CenterEdge Project would engage the energies of the OUA through the Jubilee and beyond.
In 1998, the Office of Urban Affairs celebrated its 30th Anniversary. In the Executive Director’s Message in that year’s Annual Report, Joe listed a summary of notable accomplishments over those 30 years of service:
Highlights of Thirty Years
- Established Cooperative Parish Sharing Program: over $6 million raised and distributed as grants to ministries among the poor
- Raised over $7.4 million for poor peoples' self-help social change organizations through the Campaign for Human Development
- Helped establish Connecticut Interfaith Housing: over 2800 units of housing for seniors and low-income families built,1968-1988
- Developed inner-city parish subsidy program of the Archdiocese
- Developed the United States Conference of Bishops' Bicentennial Program "Peace and Justice for All" in the Archdiocese of Hartford
- Assisted in the creation of participative prisoner-guard grievance committees.
- Obtained passage of many first-in-the-nation state programs: Limited Equity Housing Cooperative/Mutual Housing Program; Land Bank/Land Trust Program; Pre-Development Program; Transitional Housing Program; and the first statute defining Community Housing Land Trusts; obtained passage of legislation funding construction and operation of housing for homeless persons with AIDS and funding for the Connecticut AIDS Residence Coalition
- Initiated the Parish Social Ministry Program; Convened and resourced social ministry leaders in over 100 parishes, 1968-1993
- Co-founded first emergency fuel bank in Connecticut (New Haven, 1977)
- Co-founded Children's Community School (formerly Berkeley Community School) in Waterbury
- Managed the South Central Connecticut Elderly Nutrition Project and Meals on Wheels, providing an average of 500,000 meals annually to senior citizens from 1975-1992
- Co-sponsored successful United Farm Workers' boycotts against lettuce, grapes, Gallo Wine, Red Coach lettuce; and against Farrah clothing and J.P. Stevens in defense of worker rights
- First funding for El Hogar del Futuro (Hartford), Comunidad en Accion (New Britain), Council of Concern Housing Corporation (Meriden) - building over I00 units of family owned cooperative housing
- Co-founded Connecticut Housing Coalition, the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, and the Connecticut Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
- Co-founded Naugatuck Valley Project which has saved 600 jobs in the Valley through worker buyout and participatory action, built over 100 units of cooperative housing, and created jobs through Valley Community Care, Inc.
- Implemented a Housing Discussion Circle educational process to help organize ecumenical affordable housing groups; Cheshire Interfaith Housing (CIH) and North Haven Opportunity for Affordable Housing (NHOAH) emerged from two of these Circles.
- Collaborated with two New Haven inner-city parishes to establish the first 10:10 Projects with the goal of assisting low income children at risk of not mastering basic skills in the early primary grades through education support programming afterschool, on weekends, and in the summer, and through work to assist and empower the children's families.
- Assisted faith communities in Fair Haven to establish Fair Haven Housing Initiative, Inc., to develop a neighborhood revitalization plan and obtain Archdiocesan grant/loan support for its first project
- Adapted a parish-planning model form the Archdiocese of Chicago for use with New Haven parishes in a citywide planning process
- Co-sponsored “Building World Community,” an interfaith conference and celebration attended by more than 400 people (1977)
- Sponsored and participated in a prayer vigil, “Speak to Budget Justice” at the Capitol with the CT Interfaith Budget Watch, and signed on to Hartford Courant letter, “Raising a Moral Voice”
- Supported the annual HomeFront Day program, in which an average of 25 parishes and 100 individuals participated annually on the first Saturday in May, refurbishing the homes of low-income families (1995-1998)
- Developed an educational program about the religious, moral and ethical nature of environmental problems and about how people of faith can act upon them (1997-1998)
- Co-sponsored with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development a two-day regional convening attended by 250 leaders and staff of community organizing and community development groups in New England to improve understanding of economic forces at work in the region and explore ways to increase collaboration (1996).
The growth of OUA’s services, projects, and programs over the first thirty years was nothing short of a blessing. Bishops, priests, deacons, religious, lay men and lay women all contributed, through OUA to bring the social teachings of the Church to concrete realization. Assistance to parishes, help for immigrants, housing, work, fuel banks, coalitions with other community-based charities and service agencies, work for the environment, education programs, work for prisoners, advocacy on public policy, and help with neighborhood struggles were only some of the endeavors that impacted the lives of communities and individuals throughout the Archdiocese.
In 1999 the Office for Urban Affairs was honored to receive the National Pastoral Life Center's Monsignor John J. Egan Award for Parish Social Ministry. This prestigious national award recognized the outstanding work OUA was doing in"...training parishes for social ministry and community organizing; for breaking down barriers between people of different races and economic status; and as public policy advocate for housing, the homeless, low income families, education and the elderly. By your teaching and action you help others to understand the Gospel call to justice and put it into practice."
A New Millenium
Efforts continued into the new millennium to engage and empower parish leaders and others to understand and implement the four dimensions of parish social ministry – direct service, advocacy, justice education and empowerment. Deanery workshops and regional conferences explored Catholic social teaching values, and increased the knowledge and skills of parish social ministry leaders across the Archdiocese.
Responding to the 1999 National Conference of Catholic Bishops' document, "Hispanic Ministry at the Turn of the New Millennium," the office implemented a new focus on outreach to the Hispanic Catholic community, making the Archdiocese of Hartford one of the first to act on this growing need. To accomplish this goal, OUA created a PSM Coordinator position with service to the Hispanic community, including education in Catholic social teaching and parish social ministry, as one of its mandates.
By 2002 the CenterEdge Project had become a significant focus of staff attention and office resources. OUA provided leadership not only within the Church, but also throughout Connecticut and the northeast in identifying the changing characteristics of the problems of poverty and racism, an effort consistent with the social justice tradition within the Church. In 2003 OUA was proud to publish the report, Connecticut Metropatterns: A Regional Agenda for Community and Prosperity. During the same period, the Connecticut Catholic Conference issued the Connecticut Catholic Bishops’ pastoral statement, Common Ground, Common Good: Toward Greater Social, Economic and Environmental Justice in Connecticut.
Implementing the CenterEdge Project involved OUA in several educational initiatives. The efforts included working with a coalition of organizations with similar social justice objectives to develop ways of sharing demographic information not previously available and using it to advocate for needed reforms. The Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association unanimously endorsed OUA's CenterEdge Coalition for its 2005 Special Chapter Award, presented at the New England Conference in Newport, Rl on November 10, 2005.
Also in 2005, the office brought the nationally-recognized JustFaith program to the Archdiocese of Hartford. This transformational social Justice program was developed to empower and energize participants for the work of social ministry. Since that time the JustFaith program has involved groups of parishioners from 26 parishes in an in-depth exploration of Christ’s call to care for the poor and vulnerable in a lively, challenging, multifaceted process. Over 200 individuals have graduated from this program of study and reflection.
In 2006, OUA worked collaboratively with the Connecticut Catholic Conference to establish a statewide Catholic legislative network called the Connecticut Catholic Advocacy Network. Kicking off with over 13,000 members, the new Network provided a means by which the Catholic community could effectively advocate on state-wide and national issues like welfare and wages, foreign aid and arms, human life and human rights, and for a safe and healthy environment for all. This effort replaced and expanded the Action for Justice Network formerly managed by OUA staff.
Changing Mission and a New Name
In 2008, leadership of the Office of Urban Affairs shifted once again as Joseph Smyth announced his retirement and Cori Thibodeau became the new Executive Director. At the request of Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, OUA assumed responsibility for coordination, education and implementation of the annual Catholic Relief Services (CRS) collection in the Archdiocese. CRS is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic Community in the United States, providing assistance to people in need in communities throughout the world.
OUA’s initial mission was to serve urban parishes with support from suburban parishes, through programs such as Cooperative Parish Sharing and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. While these vital works continued, new programs had developed over the years to address the many stubborn inequities that confronted Connecticut and the world. It had become increasingly evident that the Office needed to work to expand the capacity of parishes to respond to these new challenges through the development of effective parish social ministry.
In a year of high energy, the Board of Directors, staff and other stakeholders engaged in a strategic planning process in 2009 that redefined the office mission, renamed the office and set ambitious priorities for the future. Over the years, the name Office for Urban Affairs had become less representative of the breadth of the actual work of the office. In 2009, with the endorsement of Archbishop Henry J. Mansell, the Board of Directors announced the office’s new name: The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry (OCSJM).
In conjunction with its new name, OCSJM also shared a new mission statement:
The Office for Catholic Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of Hartford advances Catholic social teaching
by educating and preparing parishes to work for social justice.
A primary strategy for the office over the next three years (2010-2012) would be the development of Social Ministry Leadership Teams to increase the capacity of the office to assist parishes in their social justice efforts, with a focus on leadership development. In addition to these planning efforts, the Office developed and successfully launched a new five-week program, Parishes in Action, to help parishes organize their social ministry efforts. To keep in touch with a growing constituency, OCSJM expanded its communication efforts by launching a new website (2010) and initiating a monthly social justice email newsletter (2011).
Staff capacity was also strengthened with the renewal of a full-time Parish Social Ministry Coordinator position focused primarily on service to the growing number of Hispanic communities in the Archdiocese. With this position, the Office began a systematic outreach to parishes with significant Hispanic membership, identifying leaders and working to encourage the development of parish social ministry. In 2011 this effort resulted in the mobilization of both young people and adults to advocate for In-State Tuition eligibility for undocumented students living in Connecticut at state colleges and universities . The successful passage of HB# 6390 was the product of this work, and empowered the voices of many young people who had previously been denied access to higher education due to prohibitive tuition costs.
Among the new initiatives launched under Cori’s leadership was the annual Social Justice Conference, named in honor of Bishop Peter Rosazza, Auxiliary Bishop, Archbishop's Representative to the Board, and long-time advocate for social justice. With over 200 people in attendance, the first conference in 2010 gathered enthusiastic social justice leaders and volunteers from parishes across the Archdiocese for a day of education, inspiration and networking around current issues and social justice themes. Rev. J. Bryan Hehir was the first Keynote Speaker.
Renewed focus on leadership development and spiritual enrichment also led to the introduction of yearly Parish Social Ministry Retreats, a Leadership Development Workshop series, and several hosted speakers. In addition, the Global Solidarity Leadership Team organized mission immersion trips to Mexico (2010 and 2011) and to Haiti (2012).
Collaboration and Engagement
Lynn Campbell, a former Parish Social Ministry Coordinator, was named Executive Director in 2012. Under Lynn's leadership the three-year Strategic Plan adopted in 2010 was reviewed and updated for implementation in 2013. The new plan included a renewed focus on leadership development, increased efforts to collaborate with other archdiocesan offices and agencies, and engagement of more youth and young adults in our mission.
In 2011 and 2012, OCSJM worked with the CT Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty and parishes across the Archdiocese to bring attention to the death penalty in the state of Connecticut and to work for its repeal. The effort was ultimately successful, and SB#280 was passed in April, 2012, making Connecticut the 17 state to reject the death penalty.
In 2013, our continuing work with Hispanic parishes came to fruition with the creation of a Hispanic Ministry Leadership Team, focused on educational and advocacy efforts to support just immigration reform and local justice initiatives. The efforts of team members and other parish leaders led to the advancement and passage of a bill to allow undocumented immigrants to receive drivers' licenses, a change that will become effective in January, 2015.
Also in 2013, an additional Ministry Team was developed to strategize and implement ways to work more effectively with the youth and young adult audience. Among the strategies adopted was an increased attention to social media tools, including Facebook, Pinterest and a re-designed web presence. Short videos were also developed to present snapshots of OCSJM projects and initiatives, and to profile parish social ministry leaders.