Queen of Apostles Catholic Parish

Building on 100 years of sharing and caring.

Solidarity with the Suffering

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Many issues relating to peace and justice confront our world and dominate our news stories and social media feeds. It can be important to look at human suffering through the lens of our Catholic faith as we discern how God is calling each of us to be in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who suffer in our city and around the world.  Through our Prayers of the Faithful at Mass and our daily devotions, we pray for God’s help for our hurting world.  We can learn about the causes of this hurt, should amplify the voices of the victims and be advocates on their behalf to bring about greater justice, and may share our time and treasure through service or charity to try to alleviate what suffering we can.

Street Violence in the City of Chicago

Chicago’s biggest criminal justice issues are violent crimes: homicide, armed robbery, gang violence, and aggravated battery.  Chicago is one of the most gang-infested cities in the nation, with retaliation and gang warfare common.  On Saturday, August 7, two police officers were shot during a traffic stop in Englewood, resulting in the death of Ella French, the first female CPD officer shot and killed in the line of duty since Irma Ruiz in 1988.  That weekend of August 7-8 saw a total of 73 shootings with 11 deaths.  The following weekend, August 14-15 brought 52 shootings with 5 deaths, notably the death of a 7-year-old girl Serenity Broughton and the hospitalization of her 6-year-old sister after they were shot while sitting in a car in the Belmont-Central neighborhood.

Taliban Coup in Afghanistan

On Sunday, August 15, the Taliban effectively overthrew the government of Afghanistan by capturing the capital of Kabul.  This completes an offensive that has gained ground in more rural areas of the country as U.S. troops have been withdrawing from Afghanistan over the past 18 months. The airport flooded with foreign nationals as well as Afghan citizens who aided the U.S. military and may be targeted by the Taliban.  The world watches to see whether Afghan women will continue to enjoy freedoms and human rights or if they will be returned to the violence and cruel conditions endured under Taliban rule in the 1990s.  In the coming weeks, local organizations will help resettle those who may be granted visas or asylum after fleeing Afghanistan.

Earthquake and Tropical Storm in Haiti

On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake and multiple strong aftershocks struck the Tiburon Peninsula in Haiti, affecting 1.2 million people in the affected zone.  At least 1,941 people have died, more than 6,900 have been injured, and more are still being pulled from collapsed buildings.  Torrential rain from Tropical Storm Grace in the following days complicated relief efforts with flooding and mudslides. Hospitals are overwhelmed and rescue and relief efforts are slowed by blocked roads. Pope Francis prayed that the “solidarity of all alleviate the consequences of the tragedy” in Haiti.

Native American Boarding Schools

Native American boarding schools, also known as Indian Residential Schools, were established in the United States and Canada during the early 19th and mid 20th centuries with a primary objective of “civilizing” or assimilating Native American children and youth into Euro-American culture. In the process, these schools stifled the Native American culture and made children give up language and cultural practice.  The Catholic Church showed a sinful disrespect of Human Dignity against our Native/Indigenous brothers and sisters by participating in the mandatory institutionalization of children into residential schools.

Is there another current issue related to peace and justice that you would like to see spotlighted on this page?   Please contact parish@queenofangelschicago.org with your suggestion.  This page is intended to be dynamic, and different issues may be featured as current events shift in focus and different resources and articles become available.  

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