Social Concern Notes

Hotline Asia -- Social Concern Notes

Parish Social Concern Groups - Church's Social Teachings
~ Approaches: Networking ~
Lesson 17

Question & Answer || Church Teaching || Thinking About Justice || Facilitators' Notes

Introduction

Lavender fell in love with Morgan at a company picnic. He was quiet and a good listener. However, after they had held hands for over a year, she noticed a change in Morgan. Finally Morgan admitted that he had been gambling and he owed HK$100,275.00 to the loan sharks. He grew increasingly despondent and committed suicide. All Lavender's dreams of marrying and having a family with Morgan were shattered like broken dishes. Lavender asked: "What can I do so that something like this doesn't happen to others? I want to do something! But where do I start?"

Question & Answer

Question:		Can you give Lavender five concrete ideas of where to begin networking?

Answer:		__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

Social Teachings of the Church

"With common heart and mind, let all the sons [and daughters] of the Church strive immediately and most energetically to use the instruments of social communication effectively in the many fields of the apostolate, as the circumstances and the times require." "Decree on the Instruments of Social Communications", Chapter 11: #13, Walter M. Abbott (Editor), The Documents of the Vatican II, (New York: America Press, 1966) p. 326.

Thinking About Justice

Explain the difference between collaboration and net-working.
Choose an evil in today's news, list possibilities for net-working (include non-Christians).
Explain the differences between networking, solidarity and collaboration.

Facilitators' Notes

Too often the problems seem so great and our limitations seem so great that we retreat into passivity. However once we discover that we have many resources both in our country and in other parts of the world, we gather courage, energy and information. We then enter into some communication with the people involved. We may take advantage of their information and services. We may share our resources with them. We may join in their activities. Or they may join in our activities. We avoid duplication. We discover the vacuums. We may collaborate with them on ad hoc projects.

Net-working involves some form of communication. It has fell under the category of collaboration and solidarity. However, net-working is broader than collaboration. We may not collaborate with someone in our net-work but we may, for example, keep each other be informed of our activities. Solidarity can take many forms: prayer, wearing a yellow arm band or active collaboration on an issue. But a network requires some communication linkage.

In our story, Lavender might have made a list like this:

CONSTRUCTING POSSIBILITIES FOR NET-WORKING

LEADS	RELEVANCE	COMMENTS
Mr. Baskin	See neighbor Mr. Baskin whose son died in similar circumtances
Ms. Brenda Fung	Teaches sociology at Baptist College
Police Information Center	Ask questions about what can be done about loan sharking
Samaritans	Telephone counseling voluntary
Fr. Ralph Louie	Might be able to convene a meeting of those concerend
Librarian at Cheung Chau Public Library	May have suggestion for resources
Fred, Bill. George	Morgan's friends who might want to help; they might be willing to gather with me for a meeting
Mary Ann Chan, Form V, Computer Whiz.	Ask her to show me how to use internet and find world groups up work with gamblers
Alcoholics Annonymous	Could be helpful in starting a "Gamblers Annonyhous" program

"With common heart and mind, let all [members of the Church] strive immediately and most energetically to use the instruments of social communication effectively. In the many fields of the apostolate, as the circumstances and the times require."

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