JUSTICE, PEACE AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION: AN APPEAL TO THE HEART OF THE MISSION
"Take off your sandals because this land is sacred" (Ex 3.5). Dimension Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation brings us so humble in the sacred land of impoverished and marginalized.
From the beginning of the Congregation, the 19th century, justice and peace are at the heart of the Mission of the Little Sisters of the Assumption.
Etienne Pernet and Antoinette Fage, our Founders, heard the human suffering of the poorest of their time, working-class family. They saw the evil that caused his poverty.
Causes: the workers were seen as appendages of machines to which they were chained.
Consequences: A population poorly housed, malnourished, ravaged by tuberculosis and cholera epidemics.
Poverty that took several names: economic despair, social, cultural, psychological identity. Poverty that reached human relationships and the family disintegrated.
It was time to maturation of the encyclical RerumNovarum (1891 - Pope Leo XIII) in which
Church denounces:
inhuman conditions of work. Workers were paid unfairly. They were not the owners of the means of production.
Church announced the need to:
promote associations of workers, fair wages and worker participation in ownership, management and distribution of income.
encourage the state to protect the rights, especially workers' rights and family, and commit what the poor have livelihoods.
Was the time of the birth of liberal Catholicism and social unionism and the early labor movement, socialism, Marxism, the collapse of the popular anti-clericalism.
Works, institutions sprang up to meet the mission of protecting the faith of the workers and remake society.
"I saw there - in the working-class family - the troubles that I barely knew the name" AA Etienne Pernet
"The pain of others makes me sick ... "" Jesus, show me the poor, and I run toward them a heart truly fraternal "Antoinette Fage
WHAT TO DO BEFORE THIS MISERY?
Stephen and Antoinette knew the currents of their time.
They were sensitive
• the special role of the family in society and in God's plan,
• the similarity of individuals, families, fraternities.
Their originality was to give an evangelical response from the everyday life of working-class family.
LIVING AS A RESULT OF JESUS ​​...
who came to dwell among us, lived in poverty, worked with his hands, announced the Good News, through the simplest of realities: bread, water, light, patient care, life and death.
(Rule of Life of the Little Sisters of the Assumption No.18)
Originally the Vocation of the Little Sisters of the Assumption there lies the call
to witness God's love among the poor, workers and their families through a caring presence, through simple acts of service.
to rebuild the fabric of family relationships.
to rebuild a people of God groups of fraternities are a link in the network that connects people to each other to experience more of friendship, trust, solidarity, justice and peace, to overcome the inequalities and oppressions of all kinds .
TODAY we continue to proclaim Jesus Christ the Servant and Savior among working families, the impoverished, the excluded,
for they know God's children and they rekindle their hope as members of the global community.
As in the past, we notice to show solidarity with men and women in their reality, in 21 countries.
We try to interpret them and with them the daily life in the light of social history, political, economic, cultural and religious identity of their countries. With them and they we're trying to move forward on alternative paths of justice, peace and integrity of creation.
1975 Given the increasing injustices done to impoverished in General Chapter we have opted
• continue our path of incarnation and proximity, • to deepen our commitment to justice and peace.
It was the time of the encyclical "EvangeliiNuntiandi" of Pope Paul VI. The Church announced the need to: • ensure social justice through a preferential option for the poor. • Support each country in its own development. • Check policies and practices of multinational companies.
1981
In the new wording of the Rule of Life we ​​stated:
"Living among the poor of various nations, we find the weight of domination and dependence each other, social inequality, economic. We measure the consequences of hunger, unemployment, violence, emigration ... We denounce these situations. Together with them and we seek to build or rebuild relationships between people, families and groups ... With them, we look for ways of justice and peace (RV 146 and 147).
It was the time of the encyclical "LaboremExercens" of Pope John Paul II
The Church announced the need to:
• give priority to labor over capital, • affirm the right of workers to promote associations to represent their interests, • stimulate owners to exercise their social responsibility to promote employment and just salary, • consider the value of immigrant labor as equal to that of other workers.
1987
• GENERAL CHAPTER took as orientation "choose life" and priority "Peace, the fruit of justice."
• decided to establish the Secretariat for Justice and Peace.
This mission was entrusted to Sr. Rose Mary Chain. Each Province / Region was invited to create a Justice and Peace Commission, according to local realities. The Secretariat for Justice and Peace, through Sr. Rose Mary Chain, to awaken in the Congregation sensitivity about global issues and their impact in the lives of impoverished peoples, like the great question of external debt .
It was the time of the encyclical SollicitudoReiSocialis (1987) and CentesimusAnnus (1991) of Pope John Paul II
The Church announced the need to: • Reaffirm the right of all and all to live with dignity and justice. • Promote the political mechanisms for the good just be common to all humanity. • Reduce, even eliminate the external debt. • Develop institutions for the control of arms production, reduction of trade and conflict resolution. • Plan development project in order to respect the resources of nature. • Develop institutions to guide the global economy to the common good.
1993
THE GENERAL CHAPTER
• expressed the urgent mission to "go further in the commitment to justice and solidarity."
• presented to provincial and regional delegates the responsibility to integrate justice and peace in the animation of the mission in the province / region.
At the request of the General Chapter, the Secretariat for Justice and Peace is an international dimension with the participation of Sr. Susanne Lachapelle (USA), Sr. Maria del Carmen Cubilla (Argentina), and Sr. Paula Duchateau (Belgium) with the coordination of Sr. Rose-Marie chain.
From 1992 to 1998, the International Secretariat for Justice and Peace has conducted two meetings of delegates from the Provincial Commissions JP.
THE 1999 GENERAL CHAPTER
Affirms the commitment of Justice and Peace is part of our mission because it is the consequence of our following Jesus Christ.
Precise mission of the International Secretariat and its structure.
Entrusted to the International Secretariat is responsible to connect the congregation to an NGO recognized by the UN at the end of the excluded to be heard where the major issues that impact on the future of the world and impoverished peoples, are analyzed.
In 2000, the General Council appoints Irene Bailey Sr. Coordinator of International Justice and Peace Secretariat. Sr. Marie Gervasi (USA), Sr Hilda Coronado (Colombia) and Sr. MaguyBossaert (France) integrate the team. Sr. Micaela de Wilde is the reference person of the General Council.
Next, Sr. M. Victoria Valles (Spain) takes over from Sr. MaguyBossaert.
December 2001
result of research undertaken by the International Justice and Peace, the General Council decides to join the NGO of the Order of S. Augustine recognized the CIO of the UN.
We participate with them in the campaign to eradicate hunger and poverty in the context of the Millennium Development Goals.
2005
THE GENERAL CHAPTER
Sets the Integrity of Creation and the Culture of Peace and Nonviolence is one of the orientations of the Congregation for the coming years.
• Decides to include the name of International Justice and Peace Secretariat the term "integrity of creation", JPIC.
• open to congregations of the Assumption Family participation in the International Secretariat
• Reaffirms the importance of continuing the path with the NGOs of the Order of S. Augustine to the UN.
• integrates new accents the action with immigrants, displaced, undocumented migrants, refugees and victims of human trafficking. • solidarity action network with other organizations.• exchanging initiatives and experiences between communities.
Congregation offers: • deepen our understanding theological, biblical and spiritual Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. • create a culture of Peace and Nonviolence to contribute to the welfare of humanity and creation. • develop the gender dimension of tenderness, attention to life and reconciliation in relations between us, with others and with our "Mother Earth".
July 2006
• The General Council is organizing an International Session, with the participation of the Congregations of the Family of the Assumption, on the theme: "Integrity of Creation and the Culture of Non-Violence"
• The Religious of the Assumption in General Chapter decided to be part of the International Secretariat JPIC.
September 2006
the General Council called Franca Sessa, coordinator of the Secretariat. Sr. Marie Gervasi, Sr. Hilda Coronado, Sr. M. Victoria Valles are part of the team. Sr. Irene Bailey is the reference person of the General Council.
The International Secretariat for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation is based in Via dellaPinetaSacchetti, 55 - Rome.
June 2007
The International Secretariat for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Council of this congregation a pedagogical proposal, through a training plan. In this plan will involve people with whom we are attuned to build itineraries of Peace.
The Council of the Congregation decides that
• Culture of Vocation and the Culture of Peace is a process of revitalization for all Communities. • A member of the International Secretariat for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation and a member of the International Commission on Youth Ministry and Vocations developing, using as a gateway to the Culture of Vocation, a training program for helping to integrate dimensions "Culture of Peace and Culture of Vocation."
The Mission of the International Secretariat JPIC
Strengthen, in coordination with the General Council, the Justice and Peace, by sisters lived in their reality of integration, in solidarity with individuals, families, in their reality of integration, and with organizations seeking to rise to a society according to God's plan.
Propose to the Congregation of the joint positions, when life is threatened.
Be in permanent contact with the provincial to receive and analyze the issues, to circulate information.
Promote understanding of social, political and economic systems, their impact on the life of the planet, and their impoverished families.
Stimulate the integration of aspects in our lives biblical, theological, spiritual and social teaching of the Church, behind the size of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.
Encourage consistency in our lives: personally live in community and congregation, we want justice for all.
Search in solidarity with other religious congregations, associations and networks of alternatives to neo-liberal policies, "another world is possible".
Organize a two General Chapters International Session for members of the JPIC commissions.
Fields of Action
In reality insertion:
We share daily life, the hopes and suffering of individuals and families in neighborhoods and marginalized in their difficult reality of the unemployed, immigrants, displaced, undocumented migrants and refugees.
We participate in their search for better living, more human spaces, relations of solidarity and sharing of faith.
With networks, NGOs, groups, collectives
We are looking for alternatives to address the causes of hunger, the mobility of people, of human trafficking.
We support sustainable development policies, food sovereignty, trade manager. and just laws for economic agreements.
The Organization
The Community Apostolic Church is the privileged place where we live dimension Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation. We recognize that the major axis, from Chapter 1987, is now part of our way to express the charism today. In other words, it is part of our vocation as we comprennons today.
A sister named in the community, in collaboration with the Provincial Commissions, is careful to point out that the JPIC dimension is at the heart of the Gospel call.
Its role is to promote. Replay times to discover the size quotidenne JPIC in the mission. • be responsive to communications coming from the International Secretariat and the Provincial Commission and awaken the interest of the sisters to them. • to motivate the community to read the Bulletin JPIC and the Bread of Chez Nous (yellow pages) by offering their content in various ways. • motivate sisters in solidarity and participation in events at a broader level, in congregation or other individuals or groups. • to generate moments of community prayer around the JPIC dimension.• to trace the experiences of the community to the Provincial JPIC.
The provincial JPIC commissions, in dialogue with the International Secretariat are to support the channel • and articulate the mission communities, • to convey a proper analysis of events in the world • to interact with other organizations and networks JPIC in regional, national and international levels.
The support of the provincial Commissions JPIC is done by members of the International Secretariat, according to the criterion of geographical area or language, for six-monthly evaluations and exchanges via the Internet. In several countries, and lay members of congregations of the Assumption Family are taking part JPIC commissions.
The International Secretariat meets twice a year for 10 days. Information exchanges and discussions are carried over the Internet.
COMMUNICATION few communication channels that exist our bread, once a month,
JPIC newsletter once a year
Web page
CHALLENGES ... SIGNS OF HOPE
• To deepen the spiritual dimension that supports the JPIC in the context of the culture of Vocation and Culture of Peace.
• Encourage and increase participation in networks.
DEEPENING SPIRITUALITY
"Choose life, cultivate peace ... the culture of vocation in the Culture of Peace ..."
• Each call is directly related to the history of mankind. He became a project: it contains in itself the options and behavior, a way of life. The call is intended to Life.
• Option for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, is a response to our vocation as we understand it today, in light of the recent general chapters.
• There is an inextricable link for us between the culture of vocation, that makes us always choose life as a gift from God every day, and the Culture of Peace is one of the ways in which our choice a reality of life for ourselves and those around us.
We are constantly asked to move the culture of vocation, as a source, culture of peace, as one of the fruits of this source, a gift from God.
JPIC TRAINING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS
• Mainstreaming JPIC in the initial and ongoing training on an ongoing basis • Update training for members of the International Secretariat and the Commissions JPIC
Some aspects to consider: * link between faith and life: JPIC dimension is inherent in the option of the evangelical faith. * Introduction to the culture of vocation and culture of peace, active non-violence. * Knowledge of the social teaching of the Church. * Introduction to leadership by an appropriate methodology to the mission JPIC - openness to networking.
Build networks PARTNERSHIP
We are an international congregation. There is between us and the potential energy to build the network JPIC.
The Secretariat's role is to stimulate the International JPIC commissions to motivate communities to build relationships with each other in the province, between provinces, and Inter-Assumption intercongregational.
Partnership networks where we are present:
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM
• The World Social Forum is a pressure force independent institutional organizations. He was born in Brazil in January 2001. FSM 2007 - Nairobi • Its existence is a message sent to the World Economic Forum in Davos. It is a cry to the world that a new social order is urgent and possible. The world is not only neo-liberal imperialism ...
• The voice of the voiceless is now heard throughout the growing movement of national meetings, international and intercontinental. These meetings bring together women, indigenous people, small farmers, peasants, workers, immigrants, religious and cultural groups held a forum to hear their experiences, learn from each other, screaming their pain and analyze the causes, convey alternatives, feed hope.
Which finds its voice in the WSF is the globalization of resistance that arises at the base. "A different world is possible! "
In countries where it exists, the participation of our communities to groups linked to the WSF should be encouraged.
AEFJN - AFRICA-EUROPE FAITH AND JUSTICE NETWORK Africa Faith and Justice Network-Europe
AEFJN is an international faith-based, mandated by 44 religious institutes and Catholic missionaries working in Africa and Europe. Since 1988 he works to promote equitable economic relations between Africa and Europe.
AEFJN is led by an Executive Committee, based in Rome, elected by the members of institutes of the Network. An International Secretariat based in Brussels, coordinates the activities of the Network and is advocacy with European institutions in favor of more equitable relations between the EU and African countries.
Religious groups (his) and lay people of different countries in Africa and Europe, form the antennas AEFJN. They represent the concerns of AEFJN nationally.
Representatives from each member Institute include objectives in the dimension Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation and its Institutes are at the General Assembly of AEFJN.
Mission AEFJN
As Christians (NES) and missionaries, motivated (es) by our faith and the social doctrine of the Church, we present (s) where political decisions are taken regarding economic relations between Africa and Europe.
As citizens (nes), we plead with our national policy makers and to the European institutions to positively influence the decisions of the European Union that could Nouiri African peoples.
As a network, We disseminate information among our members on issues of structural injustice rooted in European policies that affect Africa. Through the networks of our communities and our personal relationships, we join other church groups and the national and international civil society to advance a common cause: to build a world based on the respect, love and justice.