Beyond The Boundaries

Reflecting Our Faith through Awareness, Collaboration, and Advocacy to Achieve Justice

Beyond the Boundaries raises awareness, collaborates, and promotes advocacy to achieve justice. Our work is based on the principles of our faith, Catholic Social Teaching. The primary focus for Beyond the Boundaries is promoting just plans and policies for quality, affordable housing in mixed-income neighborhoods. The lack of quality affordable housing is an urgent issue surfacing in all parts of the Archdiocese.

Under the guidance of Most Reverend Denis Madden, Neumann Vicar and Program Director for Beyond the Boundaries, the strategy is to raise awareness and build a foundation of support to work for equitable housing policies so all people have fair access to resources and opportunities. Quality, affordable housing dispersed in opportunity-rich, mixed-income neighborhoods, creates access to good schools, employment, social networks, and necessary public services. To achieve this, we need Inclusive Housing policies.

A basic challenge we face in promoting just housing initiatives is to raise awareness of our role as faith-filled people to address moral issues and the need to work toward eliminating economic segregation. Our faith calls us to active citizenship. As citizens, we can help shape a world more committed to promoting justice and peace.

Beyond the Boundaries is establishing County Beyond the Boundaries Committees in each jurisdiction to develop a network of constituent support. Parish leaders will inform and engage other parishioners; form a team to assess their local community situation; monitor and promote just housing initiatives in their jurisdiction. Each jurisdiction will have a Region Coordinator to facilitate advocacy specific to their area, bringing together Parish Leaders and teams to meet with elected officials or city/county officials to influence fair housing plans and policies. We welcome your assistance with this worthy endeavor.

Beyond the Boundaries offers a Discussion Series to strengthen our personal conversion process, deepen our communion and lead us to solidarity with others in our community and region. This series, sponsored by parishes, provides a solid spiritual foundation to reflect Catholic Social Teaching in our actions, moving beyond our own boundaries to work for just policies.

The Beyond the Boundaries Steering Committee, led by Bishop Madden, provides direction for this initiative.