Organizing Committee Meeting Summary
Office of Faith, Justice, and Humanitarian Efforts (OFJHE)
Date: April 24, 2026
Location: Digital Conference
Presiding: Padre Ricardo Romero, Director, OFJHE
I. Attendance and Opening
- Members Present: Bishop Greer, OSFoc; Bishop Ben Williams, OSFoc; Bishop-Elect David Castro, SSI; Mr. Tony Herrera; Rev. Father Nasir Gill.
- Absences: Bishop Juan Carlos.
- Call to Order: Padre Ricardo opened the session with a prayer and a formal welcome to Father Nasir Gill, a refugee from Pakistan now based in British Columbia.
- Chaplain’s Report: Bishop Ben Williams provided an encouraging progress report on the Committee’s recent activities.
II. Strategic Initiative: Digital Infrastructure & Preparation Campaign
The Committee reviewed a proposed four-hub ecosystem designed to modernize the OFJHE’s humanitarian and advocacy efforts.
The Four-Hub Infrastructure:
1. Informational Hub: For sharing critical news and updates.
2. Organizational Hub: For coordinating resources and deployment.
3. Training Center: Focused on grassroots organizing and praxis.
4. Messaging Hub: To proactively counter misinformation.
Implementation Strategy:
- Phase 1 ("Tree-Shaking"): A three-week outreach campaign to identify potential leaders via social media and personal engagement.
- Phase 2: Recruitment of "Second-Tier" leaders and clergy for active praxis.
- Committee Decision: The outreach campaign received 100% approval to proceed immediately.
III. Regional and Social Justice Reports
- Latino Coalition Updates: Tony Herrera reported on a newly formed coalition of Latino organizations focused on strategic community engagement and legislative advocacy.
- Latin America Report: Bishop-Elect Castro discussed the 50th anniversary of the Argentine dictatorship and highlighted critical issues including human trafficking, medical neglect, and religious persecution in Mexico and Colombia.
- Refugee Advocacy: Father Nasir shared his experiences as a Christian refugee, noting the systemic differences in support structures for various refugee populations.
IV. Media and Liturgical Projects
- Convergent Streams Magazine: The June edition will be redesigned as a fully bilingual (English/Spanish) publication. The submission deadline is June 1.
- "Together with Immigrants": Bishop Greer is launching a new devotional and liturgical series featuring daily community action challenges.
- Encyclical Announcement: Bishop Greer announced his first encyclical in 11 years, focusing on the historical mission of Old Catholicism to aid the marginalized.
V. Action Items & Assignments
|
Lead |
Assignment |
|
Bishop Greer |
Distribute devotional guides; post the new Encyclical to OCCI Signal; establish the closed Facebook group for the project. |
|
Tony Herrera |
Execute Phase 1 outreach; coordinate with leadership on marketing messaging. |
|
Father Nasir |
Submit an article on the Christian refugee perspective for Convergent Streams. |
|
Bishop-Elect Castro |
Submit an article on religious intolerance in Latin America. |
|
Padre Ricardo |
Finalize digital meeting platforms and ensure technical accessibility for all members. |
|
All Members |
Submit articles by June 1; promote the Spring edition of Convergent Streams across social networks. |
VI. Closing
- Next Meeting: May 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM PST.
- Adjournment: Bishop Ben Williams closed the meeting with a blessing and prayer.
Respectfully Submitted, Padre Ricardo Romero, OsF+oc Director, OFJHE