Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns: The Lenten Reflection Guide for 2021 from the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns is available as a free download. The theme for this year's guide is Pope Francis' new encyclical, Fratelli Tutti ("Brothers and Sisters All"), which includes dialogue, solidarity, reconciliation, and peace. Click here to download the Lenten Reflection Guide 2021: Brothers and Sisters All. For Spanish Lenten Guide: Haga clic aquí

CRS Rice Bowl: Journey around the world while growing in the traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. CRS Rice Bowl can help make your Lenten journey a fruitful and faith-filled experience. https://www.crsricebowl.org/resources

Loyola Press: Living Lent Daily - The Living Lent Daily e-mail series for 2021 will be filled with lessons of hope and courage. Featured authors include Cardinal Dolan, Pope Francis, Vinita Hampton Wright, and Becky Eldredge.

We don't want to lose you! All AUSCP members were asked to renew in the month of January for the calendar year. The 341 who have renewed have made us jump for joy! Thank you! If you haven't already renewed, please do so now.

Membership dues for Priest-members and Associates are $60 per year. Friends may still join with or without a donation.

Priest-Members must pay dues to continue recognition of their status as AUSCP “Members”. Priests who decline to pay dues will continue to be welcomed and retained as “AUSCP-Friends”.

All AUSCP Priest members, Associates, and Friends are invited to join us for the 2021 Annual Assembly in Minneapolis June 21-24! It will be held at Doubletree by Hilton. We will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of AUSCP. See below for further details of speakers. Registrations are being accepted now, online or by check. Until March 31, registration is $480 online or by check. After March 31, cost is $500. Scholarships available: Scholarships are available for those in need of assistance to attend the Assembly.

AUSCP will be present at the L.A. Religious Ed Congress this year...virtually, February 18-21. This popular conference draws thousands of people each year. This year all will be virtual. The registration fee is $35 which gives you access to many worthwhile presentations and workshops. Two of the major speakers are Bishop McElroy and Sr. Carol Zinn, SSJ. AUSCP will have a booth which you can visit online. You can register at:

The AUSCP Leadership Team is forming an ad hoc committee to address "Mutual Support" for priests who have been credibly accused but exonerated, or have unresolved cases. If you are willing to serve on this committee, please send your name and contact information by February 22nd to: office@auscp.org.

The National Association of Lay Ministry (NALM) is inviting anyone who would be interested in doing a 45 minute Virtual Workshop for the NALM conference, June 9-11, to submit a proposal. It can be in English or Spanish. If you are interested, please click on the link below that explains their theme etc. The deadline for proposals is February 16th.

100 Immigration Sermons Project by SoJourners: Sojourners is building a resource to help pastors and lay leaders guide their congregations on the topic of immigration. If you have ever preached on how our views on immigration need to be informed by the reality that every person bears the image of God, regardless of their immigration status, or shared with your congregation the ways in which our current immigration system fails to address the needs of immigrant families, you are invited to submit your sermon by February 25th to: 100 Immigration Sermons Project

Annual Appeal Progress

Although the matching grant is over, the Appeal continues. Our goal is to reach $150,000 from 500 donors. We are now at 473 donors giving a total of $100,578. Thank you for whatever support you are able to offer! We are counting on your generosity to help us move forward.

Click on the MLK photo to donate online!

AUSCP Upcoming Webinars

Please register for the webinars that are of interest to you and we will send you the Zoom link. All webinars are free at the present time. The next webinars are listed below. You can register for any of the webinars by clicking HERE.

Webinar topics - If you have suggestions for future webinar topics, please send them to Fr. Bob Bonnot: auscpbonnot@gmail.com

************

Wednesdays, 4:00 pm ET, February 3,10,17,24 - Evolution of Catholic Social Teaching at the Deep Level of Civilization

Over time, civilization has given rise to various social dimensions -- economy, culture, myths, religion, etc. In the last 130 years Catholic Social Teaching, from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Francis has greatly evolved into today’s Regenerative Postmodern Global Ecological Civilization. Dr. Holland will help us understand where we are and where we are headed thru a 4 session webinar series. Six (6) days prior to each session you will receive an email with a brief description of the session as well as suggested readings, with 2 additional reminders and the Zoom log-in credentials.

Presenter: Joe Holland, Ph.D. in Theology, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy & Religion. St Thomas University, Miami Gardens, FL, author of several books

***********

Tuesday, Feb. 23, 3-4 PM ET - Ben Salmon and the End of the 'Christian' Just War Theory. Mark Scibilia-Carver, member of the AUSCP Gospel Nonviolent Working Group and AUSCP Friend, will lead the webinar. Standing alone against the dominant culture—both civil and religious—Ben Salmon chose to give witness to Gospel Nonviolence by not participating in World War I. Since then, despite advances in Catholic doctrine related to peace, the Christian Just War Theory (CJWT) still pervades the outlook of most US Catholics, including the majority of bishops. This webinar explores the prophetic witness of Ben Salmon and his challenge to abandon the ethically questionable theory of CJWT by reclaiming the earlier Gospel vision and practice of non-violence.

************

Other Webinars/discussions that might be of interest to you:

Thursday, February 25 @ 7:00 – 8:30 pm - The Great Land of Appalachia: AUSCP LT member Andy Switzer's parish of St. Agnes, Shepherdstown,WV is sponsoring a presentation featuring Bishop John Stowe and Fr. Marc Bentley (Diocese of Lexington) Rooted in the Appalachian pastoral letters, Bishop Stowe and Fr. Bentley will speak to the complex history of the Appalachian region, the lives and spirituality of the people, and the work that still is needed to counter discrimination and outside cultural assumptions about the people of this region. You can register at:

https://stagnesshepherdstown.org/the-great-land-of-appalachia/

************

Mondays 7:00 - 8:15 PM, February 15, 22; March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; April 5 – Fratelli Tutti Discussion Series led by Sr. Edna Michel, osf, Director of St. Francis Spirituality Center, Tiffin, OH.

Registration: email peace@franciscanretreats.org

Indicate that you are registering for the 8 week discussion series on Fratelli Tutti. Request an electronic copy of the Franciscan study guide (provided without charge).

************

The following past webinars are available for viewing:

Choosing Peace: Vision and Practice

Caring for People and Our Planet: Living Laudato Si - Ecological Justice and Ecologically sinful Footprints, Part 2

Race Superiority and Fascism: Is Fascism a Threat in and to the U.S.? Is the current U.S. struggle with racism and white superiority laying the ground for a Fascist future?

SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD

Celebrating Dorothy Day’s 40^th Anniversary

God's Own Vintage - Dr. Marc DelMonico - January 11, 2021

Ban the Nukes, Feed the Hungry

All 7 Caste discussion videos are posted on Vimeo:

https://vimeo.com/user130704160

Mark your calendar for our "In-Person" Assembly!

The 10th ANNUAL AUSCP ASSEMBLY

Minneapolis, MN: JUNE 21-24, 2021

Where do we go from here?

2021 Retreat Day will be led by Jan Michael Joncas.

Speakers include: Michael Sean Winters, Dr. Shannen Dee Williams, and Bishop William Wack

Contemplative Reflector: Sr. Margie Klein, SSND

Assembly Registration: $480 if received by March 31, 2021 (Online or by check); $500 after March 31.

Click HERE to register!

For room reservations, use the Hilton Link on the AUSCP website, or contact the DoubleTree by Hilton directly at 952-835-7800. Rooms are $119 per night (Standard Room, single or double occupancy) if booked by May 20^th. Limited availability; rate available three days before and after the Assembly.

For links to articles of interest on various topics, visit the AUSCP Facebook page

For more information and photos, visit the AUSCP website at: AUSCP - HOME