September 17, 2015 will be Social Justice Vigil Recognition Day in Kingston. Here’s the proclamation which was passed unanimously by Kingston City Council in mid-July.
WHEREAS The Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul have been ministering to Kingston’s poorest, most vulnerable people for 154 years
And WHEREAS The Sisters of Providence have been holding a weekly silent vigil for social justice in front of City Hall since 1995, urging that the wealth of our rich country be shared more equally
And WHEREAS The Silent Vigil for Social Justice is based on the belief that “The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life”
And WHEREAS According to Kingston’s 2014 Poverty Reduction Initiative “Eliminating poverty remains one of the most potent and persistent
challenges we face in our community”
And WHEREAS Addressing inequality and precarious employment are central to poverty elimination
And WHEREAS The Sisters of Providence will mark their final silent vigil for social justice in September, 2015
THEREFORE I, Bryan Paterson, do hereby proclaim Thursday, September 17 as “Social Justice Vigil Recognition Day” and urge all residents of Kingston to join the Sisters of Providence in observance of the special silent vigil that will mark the end of this historic twenty-year effort to bring fairness to our community and our country
