Welcome to our website on Catholic Social Doctrine and Alinskyian Community Organizing.  The purpose of this website is to fight the encroachment of the Industrial Areas Foundation (in the form of the Oklahoma Sponsoring Committee) into the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and throughout the United States and the World.  We believe their goals (and those of all Alinskyian community organizers) are antithetical to the teachings of the Catholic Church, and that their actions will in the long run harm the very people that the IAF purports to help. 

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"The world would have peace if only men of politics would follow the Gospels."

 - Saint Bridget of Sweden (1303 - 1373), Memorial day July 23

El mundo tendría paz si los hombres de política siguieran el Evangelio.

- Santa Brígida de Suecia (1303 - 1373), Día conmemorativo: 23 de julio

“It is the duty of pastors to listen carefully and with an open heart to laymen and repeatedly to engage in a living dialogue with them. For each and every layman has been given his own gifts and charisms, and more often than not has greater experience than the clergy in daily life in the world.”  Leon-Joseph Cardinal Suenens, Belgen Prelate, Vatican 2 Council.

What's New!

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VOICE

Well, they finally got around to renaming the Oklahoma Sponsoring Committee.  It is now called VOICE (Voices Organized In Civic Engagement). Their coming out party will be Sunday, February 12 at 3:00 PM at First Christian Church of Oklahoma.

"A Durham group touts itself as nonpartisan and non-ideological, but a review of its activities, and its affiliation with national "social justice" groups, casts doubt on that contention."

gives a flavor of the article.  It is wide ranging, and covers IAF activities around the country.

Mindszenty Report - Blowin’ in the Wind: Just/Faith and the Socialist Indoctrination of the Church - Here is an interesting report on JustFaith by a group called the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation. 

The video of Stephanie Block's presentation about Alinskyian Community Organizing is finally available on YouTube!  

Stephanie Block Presentation on Alinskyian Community Organizing

She spoke at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond on Saturday, October 10, 2009.  Still valid today, it's some of the best information we have seen on the subject.  Approximately 225 people attended.  The DVD is available upon request.

"It may well require that we put away half-measures. We cannot hope to renew society if society cannot detect a difference in the way Catholics marry, raise their families, conduct their businesses or serve in government. In other words, we can never hope to renew society unless we ourselves are committed to renewal in our own lives. And we can never hope to renew society as long as we find ways to accommodate social values that are fundamentally opposed to the values of the Gospel."

 Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus

In a nutshell, Community Organizing is a method for people to join together to gain power for the attainment of mutual goals in their neighborhood, city, etc. This sounds like a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, most community organizers hold to a political ideology that is considerably “left of center.” Some unfortunately define “social justice” as those who own Hummers or Cadillacs and live in nice homes as NOT tithing generously enough and therefore not being good Catholics. They mistakenly judge others, and forget the true reason Jesus came to earth—to save us from our sins—not to fill our bellies. Of course we are required as Christians to give what we can, in our time, talent and treasure, to help others. How we give, or how much we give, has always been and should always be, between us and God. If we sin, it is our personal sin. If, as many would require, we are forced through “redistribution of income” to share a greater portion of our goods, then we would be robbed of our gift-giving ability.

The failure of our leaders to uphold laws of commonsense and respect, freedom and democracy have led to the decline of our nation in many ways. We feel that the American leaders of the Catholic Church (bishops, cardinals, and priests) have been assaulted (and in some cases co-opted) by politicians and secularists, and have compromised on many issues that have negatively affected our Church and our Country. When Catholic institutions, or politicians who claim to be Catholic, openly embrace positions contrary to the Church’s teachings millions are left confused as to what the truth is. The Catholic Church must hold to the Truth. The Truth must be found and told. We will strive to attain the Truth to our dying breath. We will be supportive of our Church and Her hierarchy, and we will pray for Her, for God’s guidance to those on both sides of this issue, and for our country. Please join us in prayer and in taking a stand on this issue.

We believe it is not only our right to bring up our concerns, but also our duty per the Code of Canon Law.

Can. 212 §1. Conscious of their own responsibility, the Christian faithful are bound to follow with Christian obedience those things which the sacred pastors, inasmuch as they represent Christ, declare as teachers of the faith or establish as rulers of the Church.

§2. The Christian faithful are free to make known to the pastors of the Church their needs, especially spiritual ones, and their desires.

§3. According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons. http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__PU.HTM

Ricky & Jo Joyce

 

 

 

We are members of the Catholic Media Coalition.

 

Last Updated: Monday, January 16, 2012 10:28 PM -0600

"I condemn no other man's conscience: their conscience may save them, and mine must save me. We should remember, in all the controversies in which we engage, to treat our opponents as if they were acting in good faith, even if they seem to us to be acting out of spite or self-interest." Saint John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, martyr, Memorial Day June 22

No condeno la conciencia de ningún hombre: su conciencia puede salvarlo, y la mía debe salvarme. Debemos recordar, en todas las controversias en que nos encontremos, el tratar a nuestros adversarios como si fueran de buena fe, incluso si nos parecen estar actuando por despecho o por interés propio. - San Juan Fisher (1469-1535) Obispo, mártir, Día de Fiesta: 22 de junio

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Left to Tell has NOTHING to do with community organizing.  We are just trying to help spread the word on something that we hope we can all share in, no matter our disagreements in other areas.

Blessed Virgin Mary, Pray for Us.

We hope and pray that those on both sides of this issue will pray for each other and, despite high emotions, maintain Christian charity towards each other.  None of us knows what is in the others' hearts.  We believe that all the people we know personally, on the other side of the issue from us, are among the best Christians and best human beings we know.  We especially hope and pray that all of us on either side will pray for our priests and the Archbishop, and although we may disagree or be disappointed in their actions or decisions, treat them with love and respect.

We encourage everyone to attend mass often and to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many soldiers with you for me to deliver Midian into their power, lest Israel vaunt itself against me and say, ‘My own power brought me the victory.’

3 Now proclaim to all the soldiers, ‘If anyone is afraid or fearful, let him leave.’” When Gideon put them to this test on the mountain, twenty-two thousand of the soldiers left, but ten thousand remained.

4 The LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many soldiers. Lead them down to the water and I will test them for you there. If I tell you that a certain man is to go with you, he must go with you. But no one is to go if I tell you he must not.”

5 † When Gideon led the soldiers down to the water, the LORD said to him, “You shall set to one side everyone who laps up the water as a dog does with its tongue; to the other, everyone who kneels down to drink.”

6 Those who lapped up the water raised to their mouths by hand numbered three hundred, but all the rest of the soldiers knelt down to drink the water.

7 The LORD said to Gideon, “By means of the three hundred who lapped up the water I will save you and will deliver Midian into your power. So let all the other soldiers go home.”

8 Their horns, and such supplies as the soldiers had with them, were taken up, and Gideon ordered the rest of the Israelites to their tents, but kept the three hundred men. Now the camp of Midian was beneath him in the valley.

9 That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Go, descend on the camp, for I have delivered it up to you.

Judges 7:2-9

As Gideon was told by God that he did not need so many soldiers, we will trust in the Lord, not in "power" or numbers.

© 2009 F.t.P. & Co.