alleluia Haendel

Stephen Bede Scharper: Green Christianity

http://www.youtube.com/v/BKDiPmN6RoY?version=3&autohide=1&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=CWcEVoeywJtxnuGvRQsHRQ&showinfo=1&feature=share

USG-UISG JPIC September Newsletter

Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation

USG/UISG Secretariat

JPIC Rome Office – www.jpicformation.wikispaces.com

NEWSBRIEF 

JPIC COMMISSION OFFICE

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 -   Vol. 7/ No, 8 & 9

FROM ROME

Hearty Welcome: Felix Mushobozi CPPS, the new executive co-secretary for the Commission! Benvenuto! Felix has finished his term as General Councilor for his Congregation, the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Felix formally begins work at the Secretariat on September 9, 2013.  May you find the JPIC ministry fruitful and life-giving! Felix, the JPIC Commission looks forward to working with you in the coming years!

Donal Dorr presents “A Spirituality of Human Rights” on Wednesday, September 18 at 10.00 – 12.00 at the UISG ^2nd floor in PowerPoint with printed notes. This will serve as the monthly meeting of the JPIC Promoters - English speaking group - which starts at 900 on this day. The plan is to use this hour to have an Opening Prayer, a preview of the tasks for JPIC Promoters planning meeting on Oct 7, announcements, etc.

Pope Francis led Prayer for Syria on September 7, 2013, where 100,000 supporters and advocates joined in praying the Rosary with adoration of the Eucharist for peace and listened to his message. To read his message on ‘War is Always a Defeat for Humanity’, go to http://www.vis.va/vissolr/index.php?vi=all&dl=90e796f0-78a5-125b-84f3-522b8038bc5b&dl_t=text/xml&dl_a=y&ul=1&ev=1

JPIC Training Workshop 2013:  takes place from DECEMBER 7 – 10, 2013. Application Forms are available in English and Spanish at http://jpicformation.wikispaces.com/EN_JPIC_institute  For more information, contact Teresa at jpic.cosec@lasalle.org. Please send your application forms for early reservation.

Update on MINING:  The Integrity of Creation Working Group (ICWG) continues to collaborate with the Pontifical  Council for Justice and Peace (PCJP) on the mining issue. A statement on the reflection day with the           leadership of the mining companies is being prepared by the Pontifical Council for a report later. The data from the mining survey continue to be used in a confidential manner with groups requesting specific information. ICWG welcomed Dr. Anthony Hodge to their meeting in September. Dr. Hodge is President of the International Council of Metals and Mining (ICMM), composed of 22 mining companies that gather metals and minerals.  For more, go to www.icmm.com.    There was also a discussion of what/how together we could develop constructive relationships among us for the integrity of creation.  ICWG would like to inform the JPIC promoters that we are in the process of preparing a See/Judge/Act consciousness-raising reflection booklet on the extractive industries.  Also look at an article on ‘Why are the world’s top miners at the Vatican?’ Reflection on Mining Industry: on environmental and social issues. Go to, http://omiusajpic.org/2013/09/11/vatican-hosts-mining-ceos-in-a-day-of-reflection/ 

Celebration of the 50th anniversary of Pacem et Terris, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, October 2,3,4, 2013 will include a Conference of the Pontifical University and Catholics in the World; Perspectives on the “International Organization and the Universal Common Good: the

      Realization of the Message of Pacem In Terris” and the “New Challenges to Peace”.  

From AEFJN: A seminar is being organizes for 25th Anniversary Seminar: “Living Faith through Justice” on November 15th, 2013. Keynote Speaker: Fr. Agbonkhianmeghe E. Orobator, SJ, Provincial of Eastern Africa; Responders:  Sr. Nzenzili Lucie Mboma, FMM, SEDOS Executive Director and Fr. Damian Weber, Mariannhill General Superior. Registration from 8:30, Seminar: 9:00 – 12:30 at Casa Generalizia Fratelli delle Scuole Cristiane, Aula Magna, Via Aurelia 476, Roma. Simultaneous translation in English, French, and Spanish. (AGM for Congregational Members follows in the afternoon.) For more information contact: roxanneschares@yahoo.com.

OUTSIDE ROME

Updates on the Bangladesh Tragedy: “Clothe your Neighbor as Yourself: A Catholic Campaign for Clothing with a Conscience” A Follow-up Advocacy on the Bangladesh Tragedy: Fr. Michael Crosby OFM Cap, submitted a proposal to launch a campaign to ‘clothe your neighbor as yourself’ to “enlist Catholic groups and their constituents to ensure the Golden Rule is applied to our brother and sisters in the apparel industry whose jobs and lives depend on the consumer choices we make.” To give support, to collaborate and to find more information, go to:  MikeCrosby@aol.com

Invitation to sign on to the attached letter that will be sent to companies urging them to join the Accord for Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, a follow-up on the campaign to bring pressure on the garment industry in the USA, from Seamus Finn, OMI-JPIC Washington Director. Link to the survey with the list of companies: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QSNJTKF.  We ask you to fill this out if you have not done so.  For more information, write to Mary Vaccari at ICCR mvaccari@iccr.org

  

Non-violent responses to SYRIA: Pax Christi response to the crisis in Syria: On September 9, several folks visited the offices of every member of the U.S. Congress and hand-delivered a letter from Marie Dennis, co-president of Pax Christi International. If you are on Twitter, go to http://thndr.it/17Rw2k1 which is promoting the following tweet: Create #zones of_peace #nonviolent_answers_exist. Dont attack Syria http://thndr.it/14yLjtc; Office for Global Concerns on Syria: On Non-violent Answers Exist: ‘People of faith respond to threats of military strike on Syria’ go to, ogc@maryknoll.org; From the Diocese of Davenport, using Social Teaching of the Church, go to  www.catholic messenger.net/2013/09/the-catholic-case-against-attaching-Syria/;

Adolfo Esquivel’s letter to President Obama, go to http://www.alainet.org/active/67010 (in Spanish) to stop the impending war in Syria and for Peace.  For the original letter in Spanish, go to proconcil@proconcil.org – ‘Carta al presidente de los Estados Unidos’ de Esquivel.

 Update on Planning for the International Year of Family Farming, 2014: 

‘How stronger land use rights can curb global hunger’ article on the issue of land in Africa, go to www.ruralforum.net; for more information on the planning for the International  Year for Family Farming (IYFF),  go to   www.familyfarmingcampaign.net;  Small-Scale Farmers’ Engagement with Private Enterprises: Towards Farmer-Owned or Farmer-Led Sustainable and Inclusive Arrangements, AFA Issue Paper, Vol. 5, No. 1, June 2013. For more information, go to ebulletin@asianfarmers.org

Report on Trafficking of Persons (TIP):  includes 188 countries and territories - victims’ stories, country narratives, Trafficking Victims Protection Act: minimum standards for the elimination of Trafficking in Persons, etc.  which are  important in combating this form of modern slavery;  a valuable source of information for all people working to prevent TIP, as well as those involved in protection and education initiatives.  Examining the state of human trafficking both in the United States and abroad, the report reflects the deep concern of the President, members of Congress, and the public over the serious human rights, health, and security implications of human trafficking around the world.  To read the report: ‘Trafficking in Persons Report’, June 2013, go to http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2013/index.htm

Note: Please send a brief outline of information you think JPIC Promoters might find useful for future publications to the JPIC Commission Office at the emails below.  Please confirm if you do not wish your email to be published.

Teresa Dagdag MM and Felix Mushobozi CPPS Via Aurelia 476, CP 9099 Aurelio, 00165 Roma, Italy.

Tel: (39).06.6622929 (direct); Tel: 06.665231 (reception); Mobile: (39)3475570806/3314348103

Email: jpic.cosec@lasalle.org/ jpicusguisg@lasalle.org

Felix Mushobozi is Executive Secretary of JPIC commission of the USG - UISG

Having served on the CPPS General Curia for six years as General councilor and secretary General, Felix has moved to a new ministry. He will be serving as Executive secretary of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation for the Commission of the Union of Superior Generals (USG) and the Union of International Superior Generals (UISG).

 

The JPIC Commission is a joint Commission of the Union of Superiors General (USG) and the International Union of Superiors General (UISG) of men and women’s Religious Institutes of the Catholic Church. There are over 2000 member Institutes.  It was established to promote and support the integration of JPIC in the life and mission of Religious Institutes, members of the USG/UISG, in coordination with the Superiors General, their leadership teams and JPIC International Promoters. The Commission has four objectives – Information, Sharing, Formation and Action. It is composed of 8 Superiors General, 8 International JPIC Promoters, the Executive Secretaries of the USG and UISG, Director of SEDOS, a representative of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Executive Secretaries of JPIC. The Commission, which meets twice a year, normally works through the Executive Secretaries and International JPIC Promoters to take animation initiatives. Much of the animation work is carried out through working groups, established to respond to a variety of needs, manifested by Religious Institutes and the people whom they serve.

 

Felix will continue to give useful information regarding JPIC and assist wherever possible the new General councilor who will be assigned to promote Justice Peace and Integrity of creation within the CPPS.

 

Let us keep focused on the cry of the blood in our world and try to give room to Jesus to respond to it through our commitment.

 

Felix Mushobozi, cpps

World day of social Justice

Dear friend, welcome to our CPPS JPIC bulletin. The aim of this page is to create a little room for conversation regarding the relevance of issues of Justice, peace and Integrity of creation (JPIC) to our CPPS charism in particular and the missionary vocation of the church in general.

The former moderator General Barry Fisher used to remind us: “Yet, as missionary communities we are called to live as a pilgrim people, to travel light, to always have the mental disposition of "letting go" and to travel on whenever God calls us or whenever the signs of the times beckon a response from us.  The Blood of Jesus calls us to witness to his presence, to be living arks, reminding the outcasts and the downtrodden that God's love is unfailing and that they are never alone.  God journeys with them.  Our Pilgrim God wishes to be with the suffering, with those pushed out to the fringes of society and with those whose lives are threatened showing his love and concern to them, through our missionary presence.  We walk with the people to show them that their pilgrimage isn't just a wandering without a destiny, but a road which others have already walked.  We will be a Sign for them.  We are members of the new alliance, sealed in the Blood of the Lamb!”.  (Fr. Barry Fischer, C.PP.S., Along the Road Marked by Blood, C.PP.S. Resource Book # 9, The Messenger Press, Carthagena, Ohio, 1992, pp. 11-17).

The International day of social justice was launched by the United Nation in 2007 and its objective was to invite civil societies and states to reflect on the whole range of issues of justice such as poverty eradication, promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social wellbeing, etc. As people of faith these are issues that call for answer from the perspective of evangelization. World society today live in difficult times, and more so are people who live at the margins of society of whose blood cry out for liberation. During the remaining days of this month and as we begin the lent season consider organizing some activities or prayer service so that people around your area may be sensitive to social justice. “Let us be concerned for each other, let us be responsible for our brothers and sisters”. Cf. Benedict XVI, Massage for lent 2012.

October 2 is the UN International Day of Nonviolence which has been set to coincide with the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. Nonviolence is the concept which culturally must have emerged in oriental religions such as Hinduism, Taoism and Buddhism. An attitude cultivated in the hearts of men eliminating all desire to harm the other. The spirit of nonviolence in these cultures extend beyond the realm of human life to include all living things and indeed nature. Mahatma Gandhi exhorted all to not resist to evil so that we can be able to build a world of tolerance and peace. Aldo Capitini, the founder of the nonviolence movement in Italy was the first person to write the word Nonviolence without separation of violence and its’ negation (Nonviolence instead of “non violence” or “non-violence”), to underline the fact that nonviolence was an independent value and not a negation of violence. Nonviolence is not a sign of weakness but a virtue of a man who could have used aggression to his adversaries but chose not to do so because he/she feels so strongly armed with love and peace. Jesus is a great teacher of nonviolence and his words are so clear: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," Jesus recalls. "But I say to you, Do not [violently] resist one who does evil. If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other as well. If a person takes you to law and would have your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone orders you to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to anyone who asks, and if anyone wants to borrow, do not turn away" (Mt.5:38-42). But we need to be careful not to turn our nonviolence into passive acceptance of violence or active complicity in violence. We may well follow the wise advices of Fr. John Dear’s Theology of nonviolence: “Instead of passively accepting the oppressive and humiliating violence which lands on us like the back of a right hand slap across one's face, we are to turn the cheek, look our oppressors in the eye, accept violence without retaliating and all the while show our oppressors that we too are human, so that their hearts and eyes may be opened, the violence stopped and together we are reconciled” . Motivated by the Blood of Christ shed on the cross let us pray and work for a world free of violence. Jesus goes to his death rejecting violence, loving enemies, calling all who come to him to forgive their enemies, returning good for evil. The Eucharist is the sacrament of nonviolence and Christ offering his body and blood for our nourishment is the one who can show how we can build a society without shedding of blood.

For the International Day of non violence (October 2nd) such a message may be good to reflect upon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IvPIWzQcUY&feature=player_embedded