JPIC

SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES OF EDUCATION
FOR PEACE AND NONVIOLENCE
At the Spanish/Portuguese JPIC Promoters Meeting,participants focused on two carefully planned educational experiences that promote nonviolence and peace education to school children. For the first presentation, Sr. Rosa Ramos, from the “Company of Mary,” shared about education for peace in one of the Colleges of her Congregation, in La Coruña, Andalusia, Spain. In the school, they prepared a special day on January 30, joined to the campaign of “United Hands“ (“Manos Unidas”) for the fight against hunger, through a solidarity “rice dish.” The motto was “with our arms we build a world in peace.” There were many objectives of this experience: to educate for harmony, universal love, nonviolence, and peace. The whole school participated with its teachers and students. The event included a march to the town square and there with dance and music the celebration was concluded. Sister Rosa Maria presented an interesting video about all the educational activities for peace and nonviolence held at the school. The second experience, presented by Sr. Maria Martinez Bècares of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Gerona, ctivity, was an activity at the elementary school of the Sisters in Porcuna, Andalucia, Spain. Her founder, Sr. Maria Gaitivi, was called the “Sower of Peace.” The theme of the activity was: “Project: School Space of Peace,” which starts with a diagnosis of the situation surrounding the school of “Santa Teresa,” always following the motto of the foundress Mother Maria Gay Tibau “SOWING PEACE IN THE HEARTS.” They propose to train people in peace and in ways to improve coexistence, mutual respect, and thus promote the Culture of Peace.
—Contributor: Juan Carrasquilla Ossa, SDS, International JPIC Coordinator
THE DICASTERY FOR PROMOTING INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENTDicastery HUm develop
Since the publication of Motu proprio and its statues in 2016, women and men religious have had a strong desire to better understand its message. In a session on May 8, as part of the interactive dialogue arranged by the JPIC Secretariat, Dott. Flaminia Giovanelli (Undersecretary of the Dicastery) stated that, “the establishment of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development is indicative of the continuous commitment of the Church towards the poor.” Her
statement highlights the relevance of this document for the mission of JPIC and its partners. In the last two centuries, encyclicals such as Rerum Novarum, Popolorum Progressio, and Pastor Bonus, as well as the establishment of the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace, have contributed to the Church’s concern for the sick, the hungry, and the poor. The Dicastery is not only inspired by these efforts, but is rooted in Vatican Council II, which strove to “arouse the Catholic community to promote the progress of areas which are in want, and foster social justice between nations.” (GS 90)
Pope Francis created the Dicastery to facilitate the combination of four Pontifical Councils: Justice and Peace, Cor Unum, Pastoral Care for Migrants and Itinerant People, and Health Care Workers. Cardinal Peter Turkson, who formerly headed the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, has been nominated the Prefect of the Dicastery and the section for the care of refugees and migrants (Statute 1.4) which is directly under the guidance of the Pope himself. The JPIC session began with a blessing prayer for the Dicastery written by Sr. Joanne Bednar, SCC and was followed by a summary of the Dicastery’s main points by Dott. Giovanelli. The Dicastery develops the Social Teachings of the Church, promotes the spirit of the Gospel within social, economic and political relations, and evaluates information gathered from social issues, such as work with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also updates Episcopal Conferences by appropriate assistance to churches that care for needy populations and by coordinating initiatives of Catholic Institutions to address urgent needs and provide disaster relief services. While still in the making, the Dicastery is large with 60 staff to date.
Contributor: Vincent Anesthasiar cmf.
Dicastery PowerPoint available in English and Spanish at www.jpicroma.org.
Holy See Note on 2030 Agenda for SDGs: English and Spanish.
On the Picture - Sr. Maria Martinez Bècares, SJG Juan Carrasquilla Ossa, SDS and Dott. Flaminia Giovanelli.

NON VIOLENCE AND CARE OF OUR  COMMON HOME
The theme of the February meeting of the Spanish and Portuguese JPIC Promoters was “Nonviolence and Care of Our Common Home. “
Carmen Elisa Bandeo, SSpS and Filomena Mecabo,  CIC integrated the experience of prayer and reflection as they fochony luisa JPICcused on the inter-relationship between creation and the human person. Through Scripture, Sr. Filomena invited the participants to be aware of how our Creator endows humanity with his eternal love by 200 W solar panel on the house above with a bulb. gifting us with the Earth. “Care of the Earth, our common home, is based on the presupposition of the care of the human person and our relationships. It comes from the depths of our being. It is here that the force of transformation begins, placing us in the process of contemplation, care, tenderness, compassion,” she said.
Both presenters shared their reflections. Sr. Carmen’s reflection was based on the speech given by the President of Uruguay Jose’Mujica during the Conference of the Partners (COP) 20 in Rio De Janeiro 2012 on sustainable development and globalization. The center of his attention was on how our current model of market  economy brings the human race to destroy nature and thus destroy ourselves. President Mujica called world leaders to their responsibility to change this political economy.
The second reflection given by Sr. Filomena concerned the relationship indigenous Yanomami people have with nature, which is basically that of communion.  Living in solidarity, these people use what is necessary without monopolizing land, forest, waters or anything else. Their relationship with nature is extremely important and they treasure and value their connection with it. We can say that the relationship of the human being with nature today has a special importance; abuse of nature is violence to this interrelationship.
Rich table discussion focused on two questions: What brings us pain today? And what brings us pain as consecrated.

ƒƒ Solidarity is another name for care for our common home, which is part of our religious vow of poverty; it hurts when we continue to say mere
words which don’t touch our daily lifestyle. ƒƒ Lack of profound commitment to change our real life; we continue to be involved with consumerism—
having a lot but not really happy/satisfied. ƒƒ Lack of authentic compassion with the poor, marginalized, those who are victims of unjust structures;
lack of dedication to people to whom we are consecrated.
ƒƒ The political corruption hurts; multinationals advancing exploitation of the poor also hurts; violence and wars create an interminable chain of
suffering to vulnerable people. ƒƒ The domestication of religious life also hurts when consecrated people fail to live out what Jesus calls
them to live—by lukewarm life; ƒƒ We need prophetic voice and mystical vision.
Resources: YouTube video—https://youtu.be/jgn2Dvm4nV4.

Pcture: Ascension Redondo, Maria Luisa Garcia both Claretian Missionary Sisters and Maria Yaneth Moreno, SDS.
The day was also sponsored by Caritas Internationalis and Jesuit Refugee Services. For more information and a video of the dayhttp://voicesoffaith.org/event/program/.
For updates on the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, go to https://nonviolencejustpeace.net/.

4 April—Mine Action Day calls for continued efforts by States with the assistance of the UN and relevant organizations to ensure that landmines and explosive hazards in war torn countries are found and destroyed. Mines pose a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of citizens in those areas.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action  (A/RES/60/97)

6 April—Sport for Development and Peace signifies the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace  (A/RES/67/296)

7 April—World Health Day will focus on establishing and scaling up mental Health Services. World Health Day  [WHO]  (WHA/A.2/Res.35)

9 April Way of the Cross on Palm Sunday organized by the JPIC Commission secretariat beginning with Eucharistic celebration at the Divine Word Missionaries ViadeiVerbiti 1 at 9:00. Please bring your Palms and it will be in Italian English Spanish and Portuguese.Route Piazza dei Partiggiani – Piramide –Testaccio – PortaPortese – San Francesco a Ripa – San Calisto – S. Maria in Trastevere – S. Egidio – S. Maria della Luce – Fatebene Fratelli Hospital – S. Bartolomeo Tiber Island. For copies of the booklet in English, Spanish and Portuguese go to http://www.jpicroma.org/

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