Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
USG/UISG Secretariat
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
