Ecumenical effort pursues social justice

It started nearly eight years ago after a parishioner was arrested outside his church in Schenectady in a manner that friends and neighbors deemed inappropriate.

Since then, the Schenectady Committee for Social Justice has worked to improve police-community relations in the city and raise awareness of numerous issues regarding law enforcement by voicing their concerns to city and county government leaders.

The SCSJ is comprised of about 20 clergy members and laypeople, mostly from Schenectady's Hamilton Hill and Vale neighborhoods, who meet each month to discuss ways to increase oversight of the police department and establish accountability within the force. In addition, the group examines incidents of alleged police misconduct and speaks with individuals who claim to have been mistreated by police.

Ecumenical effort

Sponsored by Schenectady Inner City Ministry, an ecumenical partnership of 55 congregations in the greater Schenectady area, the SCSJ was formed about eight years ago following the arrest of a parishioner of Refreshing Spring Pentecostal Church outside the church.

Neighborhood residents alleged police mistreated the man during his arrest, according to Rev. Phillip Grigsby, SICM director and a member of the SCSJ. Several clergy members in Schenectady soon met with police officials, and the SCSJ began taking shape.

Over the years, the SCSJ has addressed such issues as transferring administration of the Schenectady County Jail from the sheriff's department to the county government; strengthening the Police Objective Review Committee, a seven-member group that reviews civilian complaints against police and provides oversight of the department; and improving surveillance and supervision for the holding cells at the city lockup, where several suicides have been reported.

Religious tone

Although the SCSJ deals primarily with criminal justice and legal issues, there is a religious component to the group's work, Rev. Grigsby pointed out.

"To do justice means looking out for those who have the least power in society," he said. "The work of justice, the work of reconciliation, is a spiritual work."

Rev. Michael Hogan, pastor of Sacred Heart/St. Columba's Church in the Hamilton Hill area of Schenectady, is a member of the SCSJ and has served as its spokesperson before the county legislature on issues surrounding the county jail, including allegations of brutality and harassment, and the proposed transfer of its administration to the county government.

Working together

There is a great deal of camaraderie among SCSJ members, who have come to know and trust each other through their involvement.

"We came to realize early on that a common voice was our salvation," Father Hogan said.

Meetings rotate among the churches that take part in the SCSJ, and each pastor gets an opportunity to serve as a spokesperson when the meeting is held at his or her church.

In addition, such events as last year's multicultural festival at Sacred Heart/St. Columba, featuring a joint liturgy in which ministers from all Hamilton Hill parishes participated, help to foster a sense of community among the clergy on Hamilton Hill, he pointed out.

Prayer and spirituality play an important role in the SCSJ's work. The group occasionally gets together for Saturday morning breakfast and prayer, and ecumenical services also are celebrated.

As both a pastor and SCSJ member, Father Hogan tries to promote unity on Hamilton Hill and to represent effectively its residents when problems of criminal justice arise.

"I see my role as uniting the Hill, as well as being a voice, in conjunction with the other ministers, for the poorest of the poor," he said.

(02-05-98) [[In-content Ad]]