Communities & Relatives of Illinois Incarcerated Children to Receive Kinship Award from Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation

Apr 12, 2017

CHICAGO – Communities & Relatives of Illinois Incarcerated Children (CRIIC) is the recipient of the 2017 Kinship Award from the Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation (PBMR). The Kinship Award recognizes community contributions and social justice efforts that have strengthened PBMR’s mission of providing hope, healing, and hospitality to at-risk youth, and the families of those who have lost loved ones through violence or incarceration. CRIIC will receive the Kinship Award on Wednesday, April 26, at PBMR’s annual gala at Chez (247 E. Ontario, Chicago) from 6:00PM–9:00PM.
Begun in 2012, CRIIC is a community-based support group for those who have loved ones serving life without parole or extreme sentences imposed on them before their 18th birthday. The group is organized by Julie Anderson, whose son was sentenced to life in prison in 1995 at the age of 15. Through monthly meetings, CRIIC keeps track of current legislative efforts and litigation as well as offers support and encouragement. In a world where families with incarcerated loved ones often feel ashamed, guilty, and judged, the CRIIC monthly meetings provide members with a forum to share and offer each other comfort.
CRIIC has organized nearly a half dozen trips to Menard Correctional Center in southern Illinois, approximately 370 miles from Chicago. Anderson notes that it is often difficult for families to make a visit on their own and she recalls that on one of the first trips, a grandmother went along to see her grandson whom she had not seen in eight years. “Menard is a maximum security prison and there are not many happy moments when someone you love is locked up,” Anderson said. “The visits bring an air of happiness to family and to those incarcerated.”
CRIIC is also involved in Criminal Justice Reform, focusing on conditions of confinement and bringing back second chances for children in Illinois, which would allow those sentenced before their 21st birthday to a review after serving 20 years. Illinois currently does not have any type of review. CRIIC is also working with Illinois State Representative Justin Slaughter (D-27th District) to develop a Prison Family Bill of Rights that would give family members the right to in-person visits with their loved ones, which is currently subject to the discretion of the prison’s warden.
“Through Julie Anderson’s indefatigable leadership, CRIIC offers radical hospitality and accompaniment for families with incarcerated loved ones,” said Father David Kelly, PBMR executive director and a Missionary of the Precious Blood, a Roman Catholic religious congregation.
For more information on the Kinship Award or to purchase tickets to PBMR’s annual gala on April 26, visit www.pbmr.org or contact Sister Donna Liette at 773-653-5467. First given out in 2014, previous recipients of the Kinship Award include Sheil Catholic Center (Evanston), Home Depot (4555 S. Western Blvd., Chicago), Anthony Suarez-Abraham (director of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Peace and Justice), and St. John of the Cross Parish (Western Springs).

Are We Called to Retaliate?

Apr 12, 2017

by Gabino Zavala, Director of Justice and Peace Ministry
The images coming out of Syria were horrific: an unconscionable attack by the Syrian government on their most vulnerable citizens. Children and infants being carried by their parents and stripped and watered down as they struggled to breath after the chemical bombs exploded around them. A grieving father burying his infants who died in the attack.
Motivated by this war crime our government retaliated almost immediately launching 59 cruise missiles at an air base in Syria for this use of chemical weapons on its own people. Most Americans and many others throughout the world supported the response of the United States to this vicious chemical attack.
We mourn for all those that died in both of these incidents. Should we not also denounce the use of violence that only exacerbates the violence of war? This violent conflict in Syria has already killed 300,00 people and led to almost 5 million refugees and 7 million internally displaced persons. These are the same people trying to escape this violence that this administration’s policies doesn’t want to allow to enter our country as refugees.
As Christians we are challenged to reflect on the example of Jesus who courageously resisted injustice even at the cost of his own life. He responded with compassion and merciful justice that is beyond our imagination. He met violence with nonviolence even at the moment of his death on the cross. As Pope Francis stated in his annual message for the World Day for Peace (Nonviolence: A Style of Politics for Peace, Jan.1, 2017), “countering violence with violence leads at best to forced migrations and enormous suffering, because vast amounts of resources are diverted to military ends and away from the everyday needs of young people, families experiencing hardship, the elderly, the infirm and the great majority of people in our world. At worst it can lead to the death, physical and spiritual, of many people, if not all”. The Pope calls on all people, especially government officials to use the Sermon on the Mount as the manual for peacemaking and to apply the Beatitudes in the exercise of their responsibilities.
Fr. John Pavlik, OFM. Cap., the Executive Director of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM), says, “Our hearts were broken as we learned of the suffering inflicted upon Syrian families and children with chemical weapons. And our hearts were wounded a second time in our violent response with cruise missiles bombing, destroying, and killing yet more. The US response manifested strong military power but showed nothing of a united will to lift, rescue, and save suffering people from the ravages of war. The U.S. can be much better than this.”
A recent CMSM statement said, ” The issue we must face is not simply chemical weapons, but war itself along with the habits and structures of violence that enable it.” Let us commit ourselves to Pope Francis’ call to make ”every effort to build peace through active and creative nonviolence” (Nonviolence: Style of Politics for Peace).