8th Day Center for Justice

8th Day Center for Justice is a non-profit organization with staff offices in Chicago, Illinois, named after the Christian belief that all of life is on the 8th day of creation, bringing all to full justice.

8th Day was founded in 1974 by six Catholic religious congregations of women and men.  Today, over 35 sponsoring congregations and other partners support 8th Day’s commitment to act as a critical alternative voice to oppressive systems and work actively to change those systems.

8th Day envisions a world of right relationships in which all creation is seen as sacred and interconnected.  Its mission is guided by the principles of non-violence, cooperation, and mutuality with Earth and among all people regardless of ethnicity, religion, cultural background, gender, socio-economic class, or sexual orientation.

8th Day lives out its mission through efforts of education, advocacy, organizing, and non-violent direct actions. The Center upholds the right of conscience to dissent against oppressive structures in society and actively responds to emerging critical needs of our times.

8th Day Center’s internal organizing structure operates in a circular decision-making model. As such, all roles and responsibilities are distributed in a non-hierarchical manner among the full-time staff.

Mission

Impelled by the belief that all creation is sacred and interrelated, imbued with the principles of nonviolence, mutuality, and cooperation, the 8th Day Center for Justice, a coalition founded by Catholic religious congregations, acts as a critical alternative voice to oppressive systems and works to change those systems.

Our Work

The 8th Day Center for Justice is a progressive Catholic social justice organization that works to dismantle exploitative systems of power such as racism, sexism, capitalism, militarism, and borderism through education, advocacy, grassroots organizing, and direct action with others who are committed to a just and peaceful world.

We aim at providing our community with useful legal resources and forms so that they can prepare any required documentation. The forms are categorized by topic, and you can search for a specific form by name or number below.

Maryland PDF Forms

If you need to fill out a form for Maryland state government purposes, you are encouraged to check the documents below. They are easy to complete, so you won’t have to worry about incorrect or illegible handwriting. For example, you can use a healthcare credentialing application to verify your institution’s qualification to provide medical services or a new hire form to report details about your new employees. Whether you are starting a new business or just moving to Maryland, you will need to know which forms to fill out. Failing to submit accurate information on the selected form can result in penalties and fines. So, remember to read all the instructions and check the laws carefully.

Massachusetts PDF Forms

If you live in Massachusetts, you’ll be glad to know that the state offers legal forms that you can use for various purposes. For instance, a physician certification and attestation form is used by employers to report information about health insurance coverage. There is also a separate application form for a person with a disability to obtain a parking plate. This form has a specific section where the person’s healthcare provider must fill out the relevant details to verify the disability status. Note that some of these forms can be complicated, and it’s vital to ensure that all of the necessary information is included. Usually, the corresponding state departments offer guidance on their websites.

Michigan PDF Forms

In the state of Michigan, there are a variety of legal forms that business owners and professionals must file in order to comply with government regulations. For example, you will have to fill out Form TR-205 to verify your vehicle ownership if the title is lost or destroyed. Minors who’re looking for employment will need to obtain a work permit and age certificate (Form CA-7) to apply for a job. Other Michigan state forms are available below.

Minnesota PDF Forms

Minnesota has several forms that are required for various reasons. This section will provide you with some of the most common documents. They include an accident report (to notify the appropriate authorities about a vehicle accident), a new hire reporting form (used by employers to notify a specific state agency about their new employees), and a tax return payment form (to file income tax returns). Whether you’re a Minnesota resident or just need to complete a form for work, knowing which form to fill out is crucial to succeeding in your field.

Missouri PDF Forms

In Missouri, you may need to fill out PDF forms for various reasons. Whether you are filing your income taxes or requesting a correction on a vehicle title, the following forms can be of assistance. If you want to sell a vehicle in Missouri, one of the documents you will need to prepare is a vehicle examination certificate (Form 551). It will certify that your vehicle is exactly what you say it is, confirming the vehicle’s identity and registration. You will find more useful templates below.

CA Superior Court PDF Forms

There are 58 superior courts in California, one for each county. They are considered courts of general jurisdiction. There are specific forms provided by the court that must be filled out in compliance with its requirements. We’ve collected some of the essential documents here, including Notice of Change of Address or Other Contact Information (Form MC-040), Substitution of Attorney (Form MC-050), or Petition for Withdrawal of Funds from Blocked Account (MC-357). Do not forget to specify your county before completing and submitting the form.

Medical PDF Forms

In this section, you will find basic health care forms used to track your medical history and current health status, as well as to collect information about any treatments or medications you may be taking. Understanding the different types of medical forms and what they are used for can help you ensure the information on them is accurate and up-to-date. It can also help you keep better records of your own health. Check the following templates and complete them according to your needs.

PDF Forms for Motor Vehicles

To operate a motor vehicle in the United States, you must complete and submit various forms to the appropriate government agency. This can include acquiring a driver’s license, registration, or proof of insurance. The specific forms you will need to fill out vary depending on your state and type of vehicle. We have compiled a comprehensive list of the necessary forms you may use, including an affidavit of ownership, a notice of vehicle repossession, and an application for a driver’s license.

PDF Request Forms

A request form is a document used to formally ask something from a person or organization. Request forms can be used for any purpose but are often helpful in business contexts to make requests for goods or services. A well-crafted form can help ensure that your request is clear and concise and includes all necessary information. This section includes various college transcript requests students use to get an official copy of the educational transcript. You will also find a medical consultation request to receive the medical advice or prescriptions and a military training request used by military and civilian personnel to request the training.

PDF Worksheets

Worksheets are beneficial documents helping a person track their expenses, progress related to a particular matter, or damage to the property (if any). Every person should take advantage of a monthly budget worksheet. This document assists in building a monthly budget and efficiently controlling the expenses. If you are an independent contractor, you may benefit from an independent contractor worksheet. It will help you figure out the tax and reporting implications, record your business’s revenue and expenses, as well as your expected tax payments. Use a mortgage pre-qualification worksheet to understand how much mortgage you can afford and whether you are eligible for the one.

PDF Applications

Application forms are an essential part of every person’s life. People use these documents almost everywhere, from obtaining a passport to finding a job. Rental, employment, and college applications—you will find the samples of everything here. No matter the purpose, before you start filling out the form, make sure you read the instructions thoroughly and have all of the necessary information. For example, when applying for a university or job, candidates usually must include extensive information about their objectives and motives for obtaining a graduate degree or a particular job position.

Other PDF Forms

This section includes numerous legal templates that may be of use in different life situations. Here, you will find the documents provided by official authorities or specific companies and organizations. For example, you can request the change of beneficiary or name using the form of Modern Woodmen financial services organization. There are also general forms, like a move-out notice to a landlord, medicare secondary payer screening form, and meeting room rental agreement. Look through the templates below to find the one that will fit your needs and wishes.

What We Do

The 8th Day carries out its work for systemic change in coalition with many partner organizations that focus on various peace and social justice issues. We join these groups to plan faith-based justice gatherings, conferences, educational opportunities, protests and vigils, and workshops. Our main instruments are as follows:

  1. Analysis. Our tool for deepening awareness and understanding.
  2. Advocacy. Our tool for translating our knowledge into doing.
  3. Education. Our tool for creating spaces for social change through sharing knowledge.
  4. Action. Our tool for creating radical spaces of dialogue with systems of power.

Internally, we engage a nonhierarchical ‘flat’ organizational model in an attempt to live into the world we envision–one where power dynamics and top-down relationships cease to exist. Our model is rooted in consensus decision-making; everyone comes to the table as an equal partner with an equal voice in each decision.

Resources

Stay connected with your friends on 8th Day by signing up to receive our electronic newsletter on each month’s “8th Day”. The e-newsletter will provide you with up-to-date information on the work of 8th Day, including actions, events, and reflections.

Centerings

Centerings was an alternative magazine published by the 8th Day Center for Justice. Centerings explored the social issues of the day by connecting with individuals and coalitions that are the most impacted in the struggle. Centerings provided a creative space for the analysis needed to help imagine a more just world. Below, we have archived past issues of Centerings.

Creating Just Language

Creating Just Language is a consciousness-raising tool that suggests alternatives to the dominating and often exclusionary language used in both church and society today. It offers helpful examples and exercises for its readers to continue the effort in creating just language. Creating Just Language covers topics such as sexist, militaristic, racist, homophobic, and exclusionary language. It promotes the language and thought of a “new” cosmology that reclaims and promotes the interdependence and interconnectedness of all life.

We invite you to purchase our Creating Just Language booklet for classes, parish councils, campus ministries, libraries, and individuals struggling to build a world of right relationships.

Feminist Platform

In April 2016, 8th Day debuted the Feminist Platform, a collection of policy recommendations on the justice issues that 8th Day deems most crucial at this time. The document is attached here; we hope you will read it, share it with your circles, and use it for discussion leading up to and beyond the elections this November.

During the Fall of 2015, 8th Day’s Women in Church & Society Committee mused about how 8th Day could lift our voice during the chaotic political climate. We found ourselves frustrated–not only by the hostile, polarizing rhetoric on issues but also because many issues important to 8th Day are not even being discussed. We asked ourselves, “If 8th Day were running for President, what would our platform look like?” During this conversation, the seed of 8th Day’s Feminist Platform began to sprout.

Drawing inspiration from Nordic countries that put together a similar document, we decided to hone in on ten issues that we see as vital to creating a more inclusive, holistic, thriving nation and global community. We called on several people throughout the country who we consider experts in their field to write their policy recommendations. Each contribution is woven together into the vibrant tapestry of our Feminist Platform.

In speaking about feminism, Angela Davis says, “Feminism has helped us to recognize a range of connections among discourses and institutions and identities and ideologies that we often tend to consider separately… Feminist methodologies impel us to explore connections that are not always apparent.” This is one reason why we chose to label our platform as feminist–because we want to provide policy recommendations and explore the interconnections among the issues.

We hope that this document will live beyond this campaign year and provide fodder for discourse on these issues–and beyond–for years to come.

As the conclusion of the platform reads, “This Feminist Platform means to be an antidote, a nourishing source that feeds hope and imagination so that we continue to struggle for what is right and just for the common good of all, including Earth itself. If we don’t enter into this struggle, who will?”

Ongoing Events

Along with the various justice events that emerge from the “signs of the times” that we plan with partner coalitions, 8th Day has sponsored the following events each year:

Tuesday Morning Peace Vigil. Since September 11, 2001, the 8th Day staff has gathered each Tuesday morning to call on the United States to use nonviolent means to address international conflict. The group gathers at Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago at 8 am each Tuesday.

Lunch & Learn. Monthly discussions at the 8th Day office feature speakers engaged in various issues of peace and justice. Past speakers include Bill Ayers, Kathy Kelly, Prexy Nesbitt, and Malalai Joya.

The Conscience Monologues. A play written by 8th Day staff about women’s conscience experiences in the Catholic Church.

Good Friday Walk for Justice in Chicago. A modern-day Way of the Cross that links the traditional stations with current issues of injustice in our communities, country, and world.

Revel in the Revolution. Our annual celebration of 8th Day’s work, partners, and supporters.