CRS Coffee Project: A Harvest for Justice

Catholic Relief Services and Equal Exchange invite you to visit a new website, www.crsfairtrade.org , where you will find information about the CRS Coffee Project, a parish-based initiative that offers people in the United States a way to live their faith in solidarity with farming communities around the world, simply by buying and drinking fair trade coffee, tea and cocoa.  The Catholic community has always been vital to Equal Exchange's success in building fair trade for small-scale farmers and their families. Numerous religious orders are lenders and investors with the company and over 300 Catholic parishes, schools and organizations have ordered coffee, tea, and cocoa through Equal Exchange. Through the CRS Coffee Project, Catholics and others of good will in the United States can express their faith and values by making conscious consumer choices, ones that place people and the environment ahead of profits, and by amplifying the voices of coffee farmers around the world.  

Prayer, Study and Action Resources

A Prayer for Children

Jesus,
Out of love for us you came to Earth in the form of a child. In your lifetime you welcomed and embraced children. You brought the synagogue leader’s daughter back to life. You healed the royal official’s son, the centurion’s servant, the widow’s son, the little boy who had seizures. You restored Jairus’ daughter to life and gave her back to her parents. You said that anyone who welcomes a child in your name welcomes you, and that only those with childlike hearts can share in your heavenly reign.

We pray for all children especially those whose innocence is stolen away by neglect, poverty, war, abuse, harmful work and social wrongs.

May your grace, working through the hearts and hands of compassionate women and men everywhere, enable children to experience love, healing and the joy of life.

Amen.

 

Action Suggestions:
1. Elevate children in personal, communal and church prayers--children in our midst and those suffering around the world.
2. Cultivate a home life where children develop a sense of well-being, wholeness and respect for others; help promote such a culture in your school, neighborhood and parish.
3. Start a “child advocacy” committee in your church or a community organization in which you are involved. Educate yourself and others on one issue that affects children – see links below for materials and advocacy components.
4. Teach your children that violence is a choice not inevitable, and help identify alternatives; promote teaching modules on non-violence for school, community and parish groups; organize children’s peace groups (i.e., “Little Friends for Peace”). Do not let your children have toys that encourage violence, racism, and sexism.
5. Encourage cooperative play.
6. Seek peaceful solutions to conflict and help your children experience forgiveness. Model peaceful communications: listening to feelings, calm and quiet resolution to differences, etc.
7. Avoid entertainment glorifying violence. Watch TV with your children, talk to them about violence, stereotypes and how different people are treated.
8. De-emphasize possessions; teach your child the value of living simply.
9. Integrate peace activities into family life: have an abundance of peace materials in the home; cultivate friendships with other peacemakers; provide international experiences, including inviting guests from other countries into your home; engage your children in projects that promote peace and solidarity (i.e., assembling “care packets” for children in Iraq).
10. Use resources from Pax Christi USA geared to children. For families with children of all ages, consider using Called to be Peace at Home: Rituals and Resources for Peacemaking in Family Life, which includes a reflection booklet with rituals for use throughout the year. Teachers, youth ministers and religious educators could use If Only Today You Knew...The Things that Make for Peace (which includes peacemaking activities in response to violence, war and terrorism; available in two versions, K-8 and High School) or our Peacemaker Pamphlet series, which features short booklets about Gandhi, Merton, Day and others.