OJP Mission:

The Office of Justice and Peace (OJP) helps the diocese, parishes, schools and campus ministries share, apply, and act on the social teaching of the Church. The office promotes the ART of Justice and Peace. The A-R-T process enables persons of faith to work for God's reign through social transformation.

OJP Programs:

Diocesan Offices affiliated with OJP:

Appalachian Office of Justice and Peace
Catholic Charities
Disabilities Ministry
Migrant Ministry
Prison Ministry
Refugee and Immigration Services

Independent Catholic Organizations with whom OJP works:

Catholic Charities of Eastern Virginia
Commonwealth Catholic Charities
Virginia Catholic Conference

Diocesan Office in Richmond
Appalachian Office of Justice and Peace
Other Local Field Staff

Diocesan Office in Richmond

	Mr. Michael Stone Director E-mail	Responsibilities include: Respect Life Parish Social Ministry JustFaith Program Liaison to Virginia Catholic Conference Diocesan Director of Catholic Charities Just News & web site
	Ms. Patrice Schwermer  Associate Director for Haiti and International Issues E-mail	Responsibilities include: Diocesan Haiti Twinning Program Catholic Relief  Services
	Ms. Colleen Barranger Associate Director for Domestic Issues E-mail	Responsibilities include: Catholic Campaign for Human Development Women's Commission AIDS Task Force Domestic Violence Task Force Justice & Peace Education
	Ms. Rosie Flax Administrative Assistant E-mail	Staff support
	Ms. Martha Mainous Administrative Assistant E-mail	Staff support

Appalachian Office of Justice & Peace

 

	Sr. Jackie Hanrahan, CND  Appalachian Office Director  E-mail	Responsibilities include: Service to Region 10 parishes in southwestern Virginia Liaison to Catholic Committee of Appalachia Local community development & economic justice Focus on ecology & rural life
	Ms. Ann Taylor Appalachian Office Administrative Assistant E-mail	Staff support
	Ms.  Susan Hedge Appalachian Office Field Staff  E-mail	Responsibilities include: Education on ecology & Catholic Social Teaching Sowers of Justice Ecological Network

Other Local Field Staff

 

	Ms. Teresa Stanley Tidewater Field Staff E-mail	Responsibilities include: Services to parishes in Hampton Roads  (i.e., Regions 1, 2, 3, & 4) Liaison to Tidewater Sowers of Justice

OJP Programs Include: 

The diocese encourages its people to promote human dignity and to protect creation by shaping public policy.  The Virginia Catholic Conference mobilizes advocates to contact public officials at critical times in the legislative process. Church-sponsored legislative advocacy is a non-partisan, issue-oriented effort based on Catholic social teaching. To join the VCC Action Alert Network, click here.

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)  is the domestic anti-poverty, social justice program of the U.S. Catholic Bishops. CCHD provides grants to low-income organizations to fight the root causes of poverty in their communities. These grants help the poor to help themselves. A national CCHD  collection is taken up in all parishes in November on the weekend before Thanksgiving.

The Respect Life Program of the U.S. Bishops seeks to defend and promote human life and dignity through church involvement in three areas -- (1) education on the sanctity of life, (2) pastoral services to those struggling with pregnancy or the aftermath of abortion, and (3) public policy advocacy seeking legal protection for human life from it's begining to natural end.

January is Respect Life month in the Diocese of Richmond.  Parishes promote a diocesan Respect Life Collection on the weekend prior to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion (January 22).  Proceeds from this collection provide support local, state and national programs that protect and promote human life.  Parishes receive national Respect Life educational materials each year.

 
The diocesan TARGET program provides free educational materials to parishes on Catholic social teaching related to domestic poverty, Respect Life issues, and global poverty and underdevelopment. In exchange parishes agree to promote the CCHD collection,  Respect Life collection, and/or Operaton Rice Bowl.  Call OJP at (804) 359-5661 for details.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official overseas aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in the United States. CRS is active in about 70 nations throughout the world. It provides emergency assistance is times of disaster and long-term development assistance to address crushing poverty. 

Operation Rice Bowl (ORB) is a Lenten program of prayer, fasting and almsgiving sponsored by CRS. 75% of ORB contributions go to support CRS' overseas development efforts; 25% goes to diocesan anti-hunger efforts.