Hungry to Address Food Justice? Spiritan Campus Ministry Examines the Issues

As America moves toward the food-celebratory holiday season, the Division of Mission and Identity is sponsoring a three-part series looking at how each of us connects to the systemic issues of food security and labor.

“Students, faculty and staff have this first-time opportunity to examine personal responses to issues of food security as a people of faith, as part of our Catholic and Spiritan identity,” said the Rev. Ray French, C.S.Sp., vice president for Mission and Identity.

Participants will explore food security and fair wages in the industry at the local and national levels, as well as working conditions at the global level.

“The series is a faith-based approach to looking at justice and forming responsible action to injustice that we see in the lives of marginalized people,” said Kate Lecci, Spiritan campus minister.

The events are:

Fair Trade and Hunger Candy Bar Simulation

Friday, Oct. 31, noon to 1 p.m., Spiritan Campus Ministry Center, Towers
This global event for students includes lunch; fair trade chocolate is sponsored by partner Ten Thousand Villages. Professors planning to bring classes and students planning to attend are asked to RSVP to Lecci. 

Fair Trade Week

Monday, Dec. 1, to Friday, Dec. 5

Fair Trade Marketplace

Monday, Dec. 1, to Friday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Union Atrium

Annual Fair Food Dinner

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 6 p.m., Power Center

Offered to the first 100 people who make reservations, this event will include speakers Gerardo Reyes Chávez, of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who is featured prominently in the new documentary Food Chains, and Joe Parker of the Student Farmworker Alliance. The coalition also will offer availability for classroom presentations for those interested classes unable to attend the dinner.

Fair Trade Week Lunch and Learn

Wednesday, Dec. 3, noon to 1 p.m., Africa Room, Union

Fishes and Loaves Day of Service

Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at 10 a.m., St. Stephen’s Church, Hazelwood
Student and faculty training will be provided by parishioners Tom and Janet Berna for all participating in this service project. Students and faculty, five or six at a time, can then choose to participate in a day of distribution in Hazelwood, as a faith-in-action component and will have opportunity to discuss Hazelwood’s struggle as a food desert. Faculty are asked to contact Lecci to facilitate classes.