January is designated as National Poverty Awareness Month and National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To bring light to work that goes on addressing poverty and violence,  the Interfaith Communities in Action is fortunate to host a talk Martha Hennessy, granddaughter of Blessed Dorothy Day on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at 7:00 pm at Church of the Holy Cross in Hilo. Martha Hennessy will share with us  life and work in community, Catholic Social Teaching, and peacemaking efforts in the tradition of the Catholic Worker Movement.

The Catholic Worker Movement began on May 1, 1933,  when journalist Dorothy Day and philosopher Peter Maurin teamed up to publish and distribute a newspaper called The Catholic Worker, promoting the biblical promise of justice and mercy.

Grounded in a firm belief in the God-given dignity of every human person, their movement was committed to nonviolence, voluntary poverty, and the Works of Mercy as a way of life. It wasn’t long before Dorothy and Peter were putting their beliefs into action, opening a “house of hospitality” where the homeless, the hungry, and the forsaken would always be welcome. Over many decades the movement has established communal farms, and protested injustice, war, and violence of all forms.

Today there are some 228 Catholic Worker communities in the United States and in countries around the world.  And Dorothy Day is designed as Blessed by the Catholic church on a path toward Sainthood.

​For more information email Rev. Eric Anderson at esanderson.ucc@gmail.com.

Photo by Susan Ruggles from Milwaukee, USA - 0002, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101323198.
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The Interfaith Pilgrimage will raise funds for Hale Ka Po'e Keiki (Homes for Children), ICIA's signature annual fund to end family homelessness on Hawai'i Island. Participants will respond to the challenge to walk, cycle, or otherwise cover the distance between participating congregations. At this point we anticipate the total to amount to over 35 miles. We do not expect people to follow the route "on the ground," as there are a lot of miles along busy roads, but we do want to share more about our faith community with them as they support the houseless families of this island.

We encourage your congregation to sign up as a participating church or temple. Complete the online form and plan to be at the Kick-Off Event on Wednesday, March 1, at 7:00 PM at Church of the Holy Apostles, 1407 Kapiolani St., Hilo. Bring a table display and be prepared to share a few words about your faith community.