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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 2015)
Page 8 New Prices Effective May 1, 2014 Martin Cleaning Service October 7, 2015 O PINION Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 $VPDOOGLVWDQFHWUDYHO charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more(DFK$UHD 3UH6SUD\7UDI¿F$UHDV (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 ,QFOXGHV3UH6SUD\7UDI¿F$UHD (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) Area/Oriental Rugs $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool) $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING 6RID /RYHVHDW 6HFWLRQDO &KDLURU5HFOLQHU $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning $XWR%RDW59&OHDQLQJ • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 Pope Francis’ Message for the Common Good Mercy, compassion and service by Marc H. Morial Like “power,” com- passion comes great responsibility. So much more than a feeling, the person with compassion is compelled to trans- form their compassion into intent, and most importantly, action. To be compassionate is to see, to feel and to do something. The recent arrival of Pope Fran- cis on our shores has rekindled our national conversation over how we will protect and care for our marginalized, provide access to our disenfranchised communities and promote justice for all. Francis, the spiritual leader of more than one billion Catholics the world over, has placed the poor and the treatment of the poor at the center of his papacy. But, his message of mercy, compas- sion and service as the engines of much-needed change is not solely limited to the Catholic faithful. It is a message that can transcend boundaries of faith, gender, po- litical cultures or borders. It is a message that can transform the HQWLUHZRUOGIRUWKHEHQH¿WRIWKH common good. While calls for societal change precede the pope, his papacy and his status as a respected global leader, gives added voice to the voiceless and the oppressed, and encourages the men and women who have decided they would no longer ob- serve (or suffer) injustice from the sidelines -- in- stead they would advocate, and when necessary, agitate for a more just society for the excluded and marginal- ized among us. From Moses to the man reg- istering students to vote, or the ZRPDQ ¿JKWLQJ IRU HQYLURQPHQ- tal justice in an impoverished community today, for as long as inequality has plagued society, people have always appeared in the pages of history to carry the heavy and unavoidable banner of change. For Francis, this call to action is motivated by God’s presence, ZKLFK KH VDLG LQ KLV ¿QDO KRPLO\ LQ&XED³QHYHUOHDYHVXVWUDQTXLO it always pushes to do something. When God comes, He always calls us out of our house. We are visit- ed so that we can visit others; we are encountered so as to encounter others; we receive love in order to give love.” For more than 100 years, the National Urban League has dedi- cated itself to loving, visiting and encountering people and commu- nities in their times of need. Our mission -- like the mis- sion of so many people of faith dedicated to changing lives and reforming the structures that com- promise the quality of life of the most vulnerable -- is to establish mechanisms and policies aimed at economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. This cross-section of compassion and social justice has been, and continues to be, a GH¿QLQJHOHPHQWRIRXUH[LVWHQFH and struggle across a range of so- cial justice movements. The pope visited the Unit- ed States at a pivotal time in our history, when justice and equal- ity is facing challenges on many fronts. We face challenges in the constitutional right of citizens to vote; we are experiencing a rash of deaths of black men at the KDQGV RI SROLFH RI¿FHUV ZKR DUH rarely held accountable; equity in funding and resources for public school education remains a dis- tant reality; and the economic gap that exist between the rich and the poor only continues to widen. The National Urban League continues to tackle these ever present issues with programs and policy recommendations that not RQO\EHQH¿WFRPPXQLWLHVRIFRORU but our nation as a whole. Our education programs, like Project Ready, support academic achievement, civic involvement and the physical and emotional development of our young people. But it doesn’t end there, we also challenge our states and federal government to develop formulas to distribute resources to schools in a fair manner that does not dis- criminate based on what commu- nity you live in. Our workforce development programs delivers jobs and valuable employment services to the people who need it the most and encourage econom- LF VHOIVXI¿FLHQF\ :H KDYH DQG FRQWLQXH WR ¿JKW RQ WKH IURQWOLQH of the battles to rid our nation of pervasive criminal justice abuses. The gospel of compassion has guided many into service beyond their own lives and self-interests. 7KHJRVSHORIFRPSDVVLRQWRVHH to feel and to do something, is a driver of change that pays no re- gard to differences in gender, col- or, community or faith. It is a call to minister and serve those who ¿QGWKHPVHOYHVRQWKHPDUJLQVRI any given society. We may all come from differ- ent traditions and cultures, but we should all be able to agree on our broader duty to provide access to a decent standard of living, pro- tect the poor and promote justice. It is the message of Pope Francis and his Church, and I hope that it is a message that will continue to reach many more ears -- and hearts. Marc H. Morial is president DQG FKLHI H[HFXWLYH RI¿FHU RI WKH National Urban League.