By Sister Chilee Okoko
The 2022 Life, Dignity and Justice (LDJ) Conference brought the goal of promoting justice and peace in the world to the forefront. The conference’s theme was “Building a culture of Justice, Peace and Respect for the Dignity of the Human Person.” It featured three keynote addresses and two Zoom sessions which touched on the issues of racial and social inequalities and how they lead to discrimination, hatred, violence, indifference and conflict.
The day started with opening remarks by Bishop Alberto Rojas, who welcomed everyone and expressed the need to promote and raise awareness of those values that help bring peace, justice and harmony to the world. He emphasized how every human being deserves to be loved, respected and treated with dignity.
The first keynote speaker, Dr. Amanda Alexander, used historical and biblical facts to portray the uniqueness of our individual differences while showing the beauty of harmony and unity in diversity. Dr. Alexander is the Director of the Diocesan Department of Ministry Formation Institute.
Father Anthony Dao, PhD, Pastor of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Temecula, presented on migration/immigration, advocating for people of all nations, especially refugees and migrants, to be treated with love, compassion and empathy. Fr. Dao introduced a quote from Pope Francis on the dignity of migrants: “Unnecessary immigration should be avoided – all citizens have the right to live worthily at the place they were born and grew up, but they must be treated with the immigrant/refugee human values at the new land” (Fratelli Tutti, Chapter 4).
Acclaimed author and historian Dr. Daniel Walker gave the second keynote on the topic of racism. Dr. Walker shared the historical sequence of events preceding the quest for power, wealth and control by certain nations leading to enslavement and subjugation of other nations. He spoke about the impact of racism, discrimination and maltreatment of some groups, especially people of color, while also bringing up the Church’s involvement in this historic sin of racism.
Dr. Matthew Petrusek of Loyola Marymount University presented on the Church’s teaching about the sanctity and dignity of human life, a topic especially relevant given the recent leak of the draft opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court sigaling that Roe vs. Wade could be overturned.
The day was beautifully wrapped up by Rabbi Hillel Cohn who presented the closing keynote address, titled “A Call to Act with Justice, to Love Mercy, and to Walk Humbly with God.”
“I can think of no more appropriate theme for today’s conference than ‘Building a Culture of Peace, Justice, and Respect for the Dignity of the Human Person,’” said Rabbi Cohn. “That ought to be seen as the mission of every faith community. Our faiths, though they may differ theologically, share a mandate to help bring about peace, justice, and respect for every human person.”
“There are many words of guidance that flow out of our faiths. But perhaps the words of the prophet Micah say it best: “What is it that the Divine, that God, requires of you? Only to do justly, to love kindness or mercy, and to walk humbly through life and, thus, walk humbly with God,” said Rabbi Cohn.
Attendees such as the Diocese’s Vice Chancellor Maria Echeverria, praised the conference. “The LDJ Conference was excellent, with speakers that not only gave us food for thought but nourished our hope and zeal for God’s work as well. Thank you for your efforts to help us along the journey to continue to be messengers of God’s love to those we serve,” she said.
Sister Sara Kane, CSJ, also found the conference enlightening and expressed her gratitude to the Department of Life, Dignity and Justice for putting on the conference. “So much to pray about and I am so very grateful. All the speakers were wonderful,” she said.
The next Life, Dignity and Justice conference will take place on May 15, 2024.
Sister Chilee Okoko, DMMM is the Director of the Department of Life, Dignity and Justice.