“… unless the Christian message of love and justice shows its effectiveness through action in the cause of justice in the world, it will only with difficulty gain credibility with the men of our times.”
The above quote comes from the 1971 Synod on Ministerial Priesthood and World Justice, and was a central topic discussed at Maryknoll. It signifies a shift in the missioner’s mindset to addressing the larger issues that plague the world. Even now this quote resonates as we prepare to observe the Jubilee celebration for the World of Justice.
For the last 50 years, Maryknoll has focused on educating and advocating for justice issues around the world. One avenue of awareness was Maryknoll’s NewsNotes, a bi-monthly newsletter sent to Maryknollers, Affiliates, and interested subscribers across the globe. Join me as we dive into the history of this newsletter, and the issues it is still discussing nowadays.
50 Years of NewsNotes
The first publication of NewsNotes was in December 1975, created by the Society’s Office of Justice and Peace. Initially this newsletter was only to keep fellow Maryknollers up-to-date on the works of the Office. Over the next 5 years, the content changed from featuring the activities of the office to showcasing international justice and peace issues.
With an expanding scope, Maryknollers began asking for extra copies to give to interested affiliates and parishioners. Seeing an expanding desire for NewsNotes, the Office began opening up subscriptions for anyone interested. Over the next few decades the newsletter was distributed bi-monthly, mailed to locations around the world.
In 1997, the Office of Justice and Peace evolved into a collaborative effort, forming the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns (MOGC). This change had little effect on NewsNotes, as MOGC immediately took up publication of the newsletters. The letterhead doesn’t actually change until 1999 to reflect the creation of this new office. NewsNotes is still published today, featuring current justice and peace issues affecting the people of the world.
Currently, NewsNotes is published digitally on the MOGC site, with its archive going back to 2012. The newsletter still keeps its readers updated on the most current of issues, from immigration, to war, to crises. Check out the selection of articles below from the last several years, on a variety of issues and countries.
