By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Fifty parish outreach workers from throughout the state gathered for two days on Oahu to try out what the director of the Office for Social Ministry called, “the other foot of social ministry” — public policy.
The annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Jan. 30-31, at St. Stephen Diocesan Center, brought those from the frontlines of parish food pantries and thrift shops to the frontlines of the state legislature.
“Our faith calls us to be better citizens,” said Office for Social Ministry director Carol Ignacio. “It requires us to look at the policies that affect people.”
The workshop, subtitled “A Place at the Table,” was sponsored by the Office for Social Ministry, parish social ministry section.
On day one, the participants heard from Dr. Sylvia Yuen, director of the University of Hawaii’s Center on the Family, and researcher Theresa Bill of the University of Hawaii and a member of the Hawaii Self-Sufficiency Standard advisory committee, which calculates how much money a family needs to survive in Hawaii.
They also listened to sessions on affordable housing, health care for the poor, and how to talk to your legislators, from Maryknoll Sister Earnest Chung of Catholic Charities and Rep. Michael Magaoay, District 46 (D).