By Mary Jo Kochly and Meg Bowerman
Special to The Voice

What responsibility do Catholics have for those who are less fortunate? How do we become a people who really care for and act on behalf of the poor and the vulnerable? Many parishioners in the Oakland Diocese have found these questions inspiring and challenging as they participated in an intensive 30-week faith and justice ministry training program called JustFaith.

Intro workshop Aug. 5 Jack Jezreel, executive director and founder of JustFaith, will speak at a JustFaith introductory workshop Wednesday, August 5, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Raymond Church, 11555 Shannon Ave., Dublin. He will talk about social justice and how parishes can get more involved with Catholic Social Teaching. A potluck from 4 to 6 p.m. is offered for JustFaith grads to meet with Jezreel and hear of updates on new programs, including Engaging Spirituality.

JustFaith enables people of faith to develop a passion for justice, to express this passion in concrete acts of social ministry, and to expand the work of social ministry in their faith communities. The more than 350 graduates in the Oakland Diocese have branched out into a variety of areas of service: they educate their fellow parishioners about microfinance and fair trade; they promote and work for fair housing and immigrant rights; they raise awareness and funds to provide clean drinking water to the third world; they demonstrate for peace; they run winter shelters.

Some are still trying to find a ministry that uses skills learned in the program. But 12 months after completion, over 80 percent of participants have responded positively in evaluations when asked about actions taken since completing the course.

Currently, seven parishes (and over 100 parishioners) in the diocese are participating in a JustFaith program — either the 30-week course or a shorter curriculaum on a particular topic called JustMatters: St. Agnes and St. Bonaventure in Concord, Christ the King in Pleasant Hill, St. John Vianney in Walnut Creek, St. Raymond in Dublin, St. Charles Borremeo in Livermore and Holy Spirit/Newman in Berkeley.

JustFaith began in 1989 as a local ministry in Louisville, Kentucky, founded by Jack Jezreel. Soon, the word of its success spread to other states and currently over 18,000 Catholics (and Christians in an ecumenical form) in over 800 parishes have completed the adult faith formation series.

During the course, participants meet weekly, read 10-12 books, watch videos, hear guest speakers, attend two retreats, and participate in three “border crossings” to experience the lives of folks living on the margins. This results in a transformation: eyes, minds, and hearts opened to the needs of the poor and marginalized in our country and around the world.

JustFaith Ministries emphasize the Gospel message of peace and justice, Church social teaching and the intersection of spirituality and action.

To encourage and sustain graduates in their continuing work and to connect graduates with each other, JustFaith encourages gatherings of JustFaith graduates three to four times a year. With an emphasis on continuing spirituality/faith formation, sharing, and putting faith into action, these gatherings help graduates to continue to respond to the needs of their community and the world.

For more information about JustFaith, contact Meg Bowerman at lmjtbow@pacbell.net, (510) 531-7139, or visit the website: www.justfaith.org

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