Catholic institutions around the world announce they are divesting from fossil fuel extraction, marking the largest faith-based divestment announcement

Catholic institutions around the world announce they are divesting from fossil fuel extraction, marking the largest faith-based divestment announcement

GLOBAL -- Today, on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Catholic institutions and communities from all over the world celebrated the culmination of the month-long Season of Creation with the largest joint announcement of their decision to divest from fossil fuels.

The Catholic communities committing to switch the management of their finances away from fossil fuel extraction include: The Jesuits in English Canada; the Federation of Christian Organisations for the International Voluntary Service (FOCSIV) in Italy; the Presentation Society of Australia and Papua New Guinea; SSM Health in the United States; the Diocese of the Holy Spirit of Umuarama in the Brazilian state of Paraná; the Missionary Society of St. Columban, based in Hong Kong and with a global presence in 14 countries; and the Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco – Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in Milan and Naples (Italy).

Commitments range from divesting from coal, as is the case of the US healthcare institution SSM, to redirecting the divested funds into clean, renewable energy investments, as FOCSIV has announced. As for the Brazilian Diocese of Umuarama, it is both the first diocese and the first Latin American institution to commit to divest from fossil fuels; the Diocese is taking steps to become low-carbon and is part of COESUS, a coalition fighting fracking in Latin America.

The fossil fuel divestment movement was acknowledged during the presentation of Pope Francis’s message on the World Day of Prayer for Creation by Cardinal Peter Turkson, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, when he pointed out that Pope Francis suggests that “social pressure—including from boycotting certain products—can force businesses to consider their environmental footprint and patterns of production. The same logic animates the fossil fuel divestment movement.”

Major Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and Anglican organizations came together betweenSeptember 1st (World Day of Prayer for Creation) and October 4th to observe the Season of Creation, calling on the 2.2 billion Christians worldwide to pray and take action to care for the Earth.

The urgent need to stop all new fossil fuel infrastructure was highlighted by a recent report which found that the potential carbon emissions from the oil, gas and coal in the world’s currently operating fields and mines would increase our planet’s temperature beyond 2°C by the end of this century, and even with no coal, the reserves in oil and gas fields alone would cause warming beyond 1.5ºC.

The campaign to divest from fossil fuels is the fastest growing divestment campaign in history, according to a report by the University of Oxford. Up to date, nearly 600 institutions worth over $3.4 trillion globally have announced divestment commitments.

This is the latest in a row of recent announcements involving faith communities and climate change. Earlier this month, it was announced that over 3,000 UK churches had switched or planned to move to green energy in 2016; Morocco, where COP22 will gather this December, will give 600 mosques agreen makeover by March 2019:  in September, the Indian government asked ashrams to invest in solar power; and just last week the Anglican Church of Southern Africa passed a motion during its provincial Synod to divest from fossil fuels.

NEW BEDFORD MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND WAGE THEFT FOR FORCED LABOR, THREATS AGAINST COUPLE

NEW BEDFORD MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND WAGE THEFT FOR FORCED LABOR, THREATS AGAINST COUPLE

Also Faces Larceny and Assault Charges; Couple Worked for Defendant’s Cleaning Company in Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod

            NEW BEDFORD – A New Bedford man has been charged with human trafficking, larceny, assault, and wage theft in connection with forcing a couple to work for his cleaning company and threatening them, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Donny Sousa, age 38, was indicted last week by a Bristol County Grand Jury on the charges of Trafficking of Person for Forced Service (2 counts), Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (2 counts), Possession of a Firearm, Motor Vehicle Insurance Fraud, Larceny over $250, Non-Payment of Wages (2 counts), Failure to Provide a Suitable Paystub (2 counts), Employer Failure to Pay Minimum Wage (2 counts), and Untimely Payment of Wages (2 counts). Sousa will be arraigned in Bristol Superior Court at a later date.

“This defendant allegedly forced this couple to work for him for more than a hundred hours each week without paying them legal wages,” said AG Healey. “Human trafficking and wage theft are crimes that our office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute to protect residents from unfair and abusive conduct.”

The AG’s Human Trafficking and Fair Labor Divisions began an investigation into this matter after a referral from Greater Boston Legal Services. The investigation was conducted as part of a collaborative cross-bureau effort on labor trafficking cases.

            The investigation revealed that Sousa allegedly recruited a couple from Brazil to travel to the United States with their young son to work for his cleaning company, DMS Cleaning Services, based out of New Bedford. Sousa allegedly promised the victims $3,000 each a month to work for him.

            The couple arrived in the United States in December 2014 and Sousa had them begin work within hours of stepping off the plane. The AG’s Office alleges that the couple worked 12 to 15 hour shifts, seven days a week, cleaning between seven and 12 commercial properties each night. The businesses included banks, car dealerships, stores, and restaurants in locations such as Bridgewater, Fall River, Bourne, Hyannis, Dennis and Marshfield.

From the time they arrived in December 2014 to when they fled in March 2015, the victims were only paid $3,600 in total and they only had three days off during that time period. The AG’s Office alleges that Sousa still owes the couple more than $10,000 each in unpaid wages.

After the couple repeatedly asked for the rest of their wages, Sousa allegedly produced and threatened them with a handgun and refused to pay them the wages they were owed. Subsequent investigation revealed Sousa does not have a license to carry a firearm or an FID card.

Sousa also allegedly made a number of other illegal wage and hour deductions from their pay including deductions for equipment, meals, and a cell phone. 

The AG’s Office further alleges that while returning home from a cleaning job, the couple got in a car accident while driving Sousa’s vehicle. Sousa allegedly deducted $1,400 from the wages owed to them for damage to the leased vehicle and also filed a false insurance claim listing himself as the driver at the time of the accident.

After the victims fled, they applied for and were granted a one year restraining order against Sousa in New Bedford District Court. 

This is another example of AG Healey’s work on behalf of vulnerable populations. Most recently in May, a couple from Qatar paid $3,000 to resolve allegations that they failed to properly pay a live-in employee for childcare services in violation of the state’s wage and hour and domestic worker laws.

The AG’s Human Trafficking Division focuses on policy, prevention and prosecution and includes a team of specialized prosecutors, victim advocates and Massachusetts State Police troopers who handle high impact, multi-jurisdictional human trafficking investigations and prosecutions across the state. Through the Human Trafficking Division, the AG’s Office has charged more than 25 individuals in connection with human trafficking since the law was passed.

The AG’s Fair Labor Division enforces the laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage, and overtime laws. Workers who believe that their rights have been violated are encouraged to call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or visit the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights website www.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Snook of AG Healey’s Human Trafficking Division and Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Cotter and Inspector Jennifer Pak of the AG’s Fair Labor Division and with assistance from Victim Witness Advocate Rebecca Auld of the AG’s Victim Witness Services Division.

波士頓華埠一路燈突然倒塌

波士頓華埠巡邏隊員謝中之報告，星期一， 10/03， 下午八點半左右，在唐人街興盛糕點店舖前面的一條燈柱，不知是何原因，突然向店舖方向倒下，架在牆上，僥幸不是倒在玻璃上，沒有傷人，消防員接報，把燈柱移下，放在路旁，警方亦派出警車在旁守望，等待市政府前來處理。

波士頓公佈十名駐市藝術家 無華裔

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES TEN ARTISTS SELECTED FOR BOSTON ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM

BOSTON - Monday, October 3, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh, the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, and Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) today announced the ten artists selected for the City of Boston's second year of artists-­in-­residence program, Boston AIR. This second year of the Boston AIR program helps fulfill a commitment made in Boston Creates, the city'scultural plan, and expands the size of the artist cohort, increases the length of the residencies, and grounds each residency at BCYF through their community centers and core citywide initiatives, such as the BCYF Streetworker Program, youth summer programs, and leadership development for young women. "Arts and culture form the building blocks that make our city thrive. They encourage us to engage with each other and connect to the larger community," said Mayor Walsh. "Boston AIR brings this creative practice into the work of our city departments. I am excited to announce the new Boston Artists in Residence and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will have on BCYF." Recognizing and supporting artists' essential contribution in creating and maintaining a thriving, healthy and innovative city is a stated goal in the Boston Creates plan launched earlier this summer. Boston AIR is one initiative as part of the plan that will integrate creative thinking into the work of municipal departments and planning efforts. Through Boston AIR, artists are supported as agents of reflection, collaboration, and activism, whether through process-oriented practice, direct community engagement, or as leaders of system-wide change projects at BCYF and other City agencies. The ten selected artists are invited to study and expand their own civic and social practice, alongside a parallel cohort from 10 BCYF community centers and other City employees who will explore methods to incorporate artistic social practice into government and community work. Both the artist and City cohorts will share examples of their work, attend master workshops and lectures by guest artists, and have opportunities to exchange ideas and co-design proposals.   The ten selected artists, each with firsthand knowledge of the cultures and communities of Boston, were chosen by a selection committee consisting of current Boston AIR participants, local arts professionals, BCYF leadership, and City staff. The artists are: Salvador Jimenez-Flores, an interdisciplinary artist born and raised in Jalisco, México. Jiménez­-Flores is currently participating in a two year-­long artist residency at the Harvard Ceramics Program, Office of the Arts at Harvard University. He is also a Resident Teaching Artist at Urbano Project and instructor at both Wheelock College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Harvard Ceramics Program, Office of the Arts at Harvard University. Maria Molteni, a multimedia artist, educator, and organizer who has lived and worked in Boston for the past 15 years. From fiber to found-object sculpture, puppetry to pedagogy, movement to publication, she employs tactile and tactical processes to encourage participation over spectatorship. Lina Giraldo, a Colombia-born, Boston-based artist, she explores the questions of being Latino in the US. This is why for over 15 years her work has been focused on creating messages where she depicts the fragility of our environment, immigration concerns, and community equality. Jennifer De Leon has worked as a teacher in Boston Public Schools, a public speaker, a college access counselor in Roxbury, a GrubStreet Creative Writing instructor, and most recently, as the Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer­-in-­Residence. She currently teaches at Emerson and Berklee and is working on two novels and an essay collection. Marjorie Saintil­-Belizaire is a Haitian-­American mixed media artist who lives and creates in Mattapan. Her work is driven by her fascination of color and the physicality of texture. With art degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston University, she believes the making of art is an ongoing experiment in an ongoing process. Cornell Coley, M.Ed. is an experienced drummer, dancer, teacher, and public performance artist whose influences include the traditions of West and Central Africa, the Caribbean, and Brazil. Also a trained HealthRHYTHMS facilitator and certified by the Drum Circle Facilitators Guild, he works in community-building, education, and therapy. Charles Coe is an author and poet. His poetry and prose has appeared in a number of literary reviews and anthologies and has published two books of poetry. He is in the second year of a three-year term as an Artist Fellow for the St. Botolph Club, an organization that supports arts and the humanities in Greater Boston. Ann Hirsch is a public artist, sculptor and educator creates site-specific works that integrate historical and contemporary practices. Ann gained wide recognition with a sculpture on the plaza of Boston City Hall dedicated to the legacy of human rights activist and basketball champion Bill Russell. She teaches at Rhode Island School of Design. John A. Walsh tells stories with and pictures. John is the co-author and illustrator of the graphic novel The Bad Times, a story of love and friendship set during the Irish Famine. His graphic narratives often explore the intersection of racism, religious bigotry, and immigration.  Rashin Fahandej is a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker whose projects include feature documentaries, video-sound installations, photo, sculpture, and painting. Fahandej is currently a research fellow at the MIT Open Documentary Lab where she is researching new forms of documentary filmmaking and developing a transmedia project based on the narratives and stories in the city of Boston. Each artist will be awarded a $22,500 stipend for a nine-month-long residency to develop and test ways that creative approaches can meaningfully impact the work of the public sector and society at large. Each artist will be paired with one of ten designated BCYF community centers and provided a studio space at that center. "When we began the Boston Artists in Residence program, we hoped that by embedding the artists in City Departments  it would bring creative thought to municipal problem solving and project implementation," said Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. "The work of our first three Artists in Residence exceeded our expectations. This time, we hope to have the same impact on the work being done by Boston Centers for Youth & Families." The mission of Boston Centers for Youth & Families is to enhance the quality of life of Boston's residents by partnering with various organizations to offer a wide range of comprehensive programs and activities according to neighborhood needs and interests. BCYF's ACES programming framework (arts, civic  and community engagement, education, and sports and fitness) is designed to provide access to these programs at every BCYF center. Through Boston AIR, BCYF hopes to expand their arts and civic engagement programs. The residencies will be grounded in the following community centers: BCYF Roslindale Community Center, Roslindale BCYF Blackstone Community Center, South End BCYF Perkins Community Center, Dorchester BCYF Mattahunt Community Center, Mattapan BCYF Quincy Community Center, Chinatown BCYF Curley Community Center, South Boston BCYF Tobin Community Center, Mission Hill BCYF Vine Street Community Center, Roxbury BCYF Curtis Hall Community Center, Jamaica Plain BCYF Hyde Park Community Center, Hyde Park "There are so many benefits to being exposed to art at a young age," said William Morales, Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families. "We are honored to host these talented people in our community centers and look forward to seeing how their projects will help enhance the work that we do here at BCYF." Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture (MOAC) The Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture's mission is to support artists, the cultural sector, and to promote access to the arts for all. The office houses the Boston Cultural Council, the Boston Art Commission, the Mayor's Mural Crew,and the Poet Laureate program. Responsibilities include leading the City's cultural plan, Boston Creates; managing the Boston Artist-in-Residence program; curating exhibitions in City Hall; and operating the historic Strand Theater in Dorchester. For more information, please visit here. About the Boston Creates Cultural Plan The cultural plan was created out of a year-long community engagement effort designed to help local government identify cultural needs, opportunities, and resources and to prioritize, coordinate, and align public and private resources to strengthen cultural vitality over the long term.  The full cultural plan can be found online on the website. Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) The mission of Boston Centers for Youth & Families is to enhance the quality of life of Boston's residents by partnering with various organizations to offer a wide range of comprehensive programs and activities according to neighborhood needs and interests. BCYF operates 36 community centers which offer affordable programs ranging from after school, teen and girls-only programs to youth employment, violence prevention and intervention, senior activities, and recreation. For more information, please visit here.

Baker-Polito Administration Highlights Progress on Regulatory Reform Initiative

Baker-Polito Administration Highlights Progress on Regulatory Reform Initiative

Quarantine time aligned with national recommendations to improve lives for shelter animals, increase space

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore joined the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) today to highlight significant changes in state regulations as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s extensive regulatory review process, including improving the lives of shelter animals and increasing space and flexibility for animal shelters.

“When we first began this review, our commitment was to providing exceptional service and making the Commonwealth a more efficient, competitive and safer place to live, work and raise our families,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The streamlining of regulations to improve accountability to our citizens, municipalities, businesses, non-profits, healthcare providers and educational institutions was an extensive process. We are pleased to work with stakeholders like the Animal Rescue League to allow them to more efficiently do their job, serving more animals in need, and allowing them to recover humanely.”

Consistent with national recommendations, the changes reduced quarantine periods for unvaccinated dogs and cats possibly exposed to rabies from six months to four months, allowing The Animal Rescue League and other animal shelters across the state to save and find homes for more animals in need. The changes were made as part of the Baker-Polito Administration’s extensive regulatory reform review announced by Executive Order shortly after taking office, involving over 131 listening sessions and 1,000 stakeholder comments on roughly 1,700 Executive Branch regulations, the vast majority of which have been created since 1970.

“This administration has devoted itself to better serving our Commonwealth’s cities and towns,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, “This comprehensive review of over 1,700 regulations, in addition to municipal reform legislation enacted earlier this year, will ease restrictions and make it easier for them to do their jobs and serve their constituents.”

Executive Branch agencies collaborated across Secretariats and with outside stakeholders to review each regulation, with the goals of easing regulatory burden through simplification or consolidation, rescinding outdated and unnecessary regulations, aligning with federal requirements when appropriate and establishing a regulatory code the speaks using one voice. During the review process, agencies were required to identify when each regulation would be reviewed again and establish a process to avoid the duplication of regulations in the future.

“The Baker-Polito Administration has made making Massachusetts a better place to live a key goal since taking office,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore. “This thorough review of our onerous regulatory environment will dramatically improve the business climate of Massachusetts as well as improve the quality of life for non-profits that do great work like the Animal Rescue League.”

Like many animal shelters in the Commonwealth, The Animal Rescue League of Boston, has limited quarantine space, and physical capacity limits require difficult decisions to made about the euthanizing of animals suspected to have rabies. Earlier this year, the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians issued new recommendations in the 2016 Compendium of Animal Rabies Prevention advising reducing quarantine periods to four months due to evidence animals in isolation for an extended period of six months can become stressed and depressed, even with regular human socialization.

"I'm very pleased that Secretary Beaton and the Department of Agricultural Resources were able to work with Administration and Finance to make our Massachusetts regulations consistent with the most​ up to date veterinary science," said Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner John Lebeaux.  "Pet owners and their animals now will be able to resume normal activity significantly sooner with no adverse effect on public health."

"We applaud Governor Baker and his team for taking swift action ensuring the humane treatment of animals and providing greater access to shelter space for more animals in need,” said Mary Nee, President of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. These newly revised regulations prove that Massachusetts takes animal welfare standards seriously and is willing to lead the country in adopting the National Association of Veterinary and Public Health recommendations.”

“Our shelter staff and veterinarians are eager to comply with these new common sense regulations.  While rabies is a serious public health concern, science proves that excessive quarantine for animals is not necessary and is potentially harmful to otherwise healthy animals,” said Dr. Edward Schettino, Vice President of Animal Welfare and Veterinary Services. “With these new changes, we look forward to getting our current feline, Mischief, off quarantine and into a new home soon.”

Governor Baker’s Executive Order 562, signed March 31, 2015, initiated the first extensive top-to-bottom review of all state regulations enforced by the Executive Department since the Weld-Cellucci administration in 1996 when Governor Baker was the Secretary of Administration and Finance.

The government agencies that conducted the review had to demonstrate that: there is a clearly identified need for governmental intervention that is best addressed by the agency and not another agency or governmental body; the costs of the regulation do not exceed the benefits; the regulation does not exceed federal requirements or duplicate local requirements; there are not any less intrusive or restrictive alternatives; the regulation does not unduly and adversely affect Massachusetts citizens and customers of the Commonwealth, or the competitive environment in Massachusetts; there is a formal process in place for measuring the effectiveness of the regulation; and, the regulation is time-limited or provides for regular review. To assist in this process, A&F created a database to collect information on every regulation.

廣教學校10/16 邀陳玉律示範教學

AN EXCITED GOOD NEWS !

令人興奮的好消息  !

為了要恢復二十年前榮獲極高讚譽的廣教中文學校舞蹈班，廣教訂於十月十六日(周日)上午11:30AM在本校大禮堂舉辦廣教中文學校舞蹈班示範教學，特邀在大波士頓地區最受歡迎的中華藝術協會傳統中國舞蹈團示範演出，由該舞團的執行藝術總監陳玉律( Jade Lin )主持。

陳玉律 (Jade Lin)畢業於台灣國立師範大家音樂系，主修鋼琴。學習中國舞蹈與古典芭蕾十七年，從事舞蹈與鋼琴教學五十餘年，桃李滿天下，在演出、編導、教學及宣揚文化上獲獎無數，是大波士頓地區最居盛名的舞蹈家。

此次舉辦廣教中文學校舞蹈班示範教學對外開放，歡迎在校學生、家長及親朋好友前來觀賞指教，不要錯過這精彩的示範演出。廣教希望能藉這次示範教學，家長能鼓勵學生踴躍參加舞蹈班，在學校及校外的節慶中演出，逐步恢復早前廣教中文學校舞蹈班的盛況，代表廣教對外負起宣揚我中華文化的使命。

Jade Lin (陳玉律) is the Executive Artistic Director of the Traditional Chinese Dance Troupe of the American Chinese Art Society.  She received her B.A. degree in music from the National Taiwan Normal University and studied traditional Chinese classical and folk dance and ballet for seventeen years in Taiwan.  Jade Lin received many National Cultural Awards in Taiwan.  

Jade Lin has long been recognized in the Greater Boston area for her exceptional contributions to traditional Chinese dance and received a lot of Awards in the Greater Boston area to recognize her excellence in the arts and outstanding contributions to advancing the artistic heritage and promoting culture in Chinese communities. (廣教學校提供)

 

波士頓地區民俗文化種子教師結訓

波士頓地區民俗文化種子教師 在地研習課程圓滿結束

波士頓華僑文教中心主任歐宏偉(中)，教育組組長黃薳玉(前右三)和參加培訓學員合影。(僑教中心提供)

波士頓地區第3場「民俗文化種子教師在地研習班」於10月1日圓滿結束。3場培訓課程包括民族舞蹈、節慶文化、民俗藝術、懷舊美食、傳統工藝、民俗勞作等12堂課程。菁英班老師們秉持者「學習．分享．傳承」的精神把他們的所學傳授給當地老師，民俗文化種子已在波士頓播下發芽。

僑教中心主任歐宏偉項菁英教師們豎起大拇指稱讚。(僑教中心提供)

僑教中心主任歐宏偉在結訓時頒發「105年海外華語文教師文化教學培訓‧美加菁英班」培訓結業證書，給波士頓地區12位菁英班老師。並鼓勵全體老師繼續在海外推展我國多元優質文化。

菁英班老師們將帶他們製作的台灣獅一起參加今年的雙十國慶遊行。