What is JPIC?
Justice, Peace and Integrity of
Creation
JPIC Promoters’ Training Workshop 24 November 2010
JPIC is …
• JPIC is the conscious prayer and action to
transform the world in the spirit of the Gospel
through lives of justice, peace and care for the
integrity of creation.
JPIC—Promote and Nurture the Reign
of God
Prayer/Contemplation
Action
• Being the Presence of God
• Transformation through our
prayers
• Seeing the love of God in all
creation
• Creating a more just and
peaceful world for all of
creation
• Attending consciously to
the Presence of Christ in
others
• Honoring God in all creation
Mysticism
Prophecy
How JPIC arose in Church
• Scripture Values
• Vatican Council II
– Pontifical Commission on Justice and Peace
• Catholic Social Teaching
Scripture Values
• Mission of Jesus (Lk 4)
– Preach good news poor,
set captives free, sight to
blind,…
• Judgment Scene (Mt 25)
– Give drink to the thirsty,
feed hungry, clothe naked,
visit sick in those in prison
• Jesus Washes Disciples
Feet (Jn 13)
Vatican II: Church in the Modern World
• Solidarity of the Church
with the whole human
family
1. The joy and hope, the
grief and anguish of all
in our time, especially
the poor or afflicted in
any way,
Paul VI—Pontifical Commission for
Justice and Peace
• “You represent for us the
realization of the last vote
of the Council (GS 90).
Today, as in the past, once
the construction of a
Church or bell tower is
finished, a rooster is
placed on the top as a
symbol of vigilance, for
the faith and for the
entire program of
Christian life.
Paul VI—Pontifical Commission for
Justice and Peace
• “In similar fashion the Committee has been placed on
top of the spiritual building of the Council, and its
mission is none other than that of keeping the eyes of
the Church open, its heart sensitive and its hand
prepared for the work of charity which it is called
upon to realize in the world…”
• “The Council will promote justice and peace in the
world, in the light of the Gospel and of the social
teaching of the Church (Constitution art. 142).
• Later addition of ecology by Pope John Paul II
Mission to the Church
Sensitive
Heart
Church
Eyes
Open
Hands
for
Charity
Eyes Open
• We are called to be attentive to what is
happening around us, to hear the cries of the
world in which we live and to see life with the
eyes of God.
A Sensitive Heart
• The work of seeing, becoming acquainted with
and getting to know the reality of the poor, it
must have an effect on us, it must reach down
to the depths of our being, to the heart, and
move us to compassion.
Hand ready for work of charity
• Charity is the love of God which we are called
to make present in the world. Charity has
different dimensions depending on the
relationships:
• Interpersonal
• “political charity” expresses itself in social,
structural or political relationships
Political Charity
• JPIC has a special calling to promote political
charity, which seeks to eliminate the causes of
poverty and violence. Its ready hand should
foster the integral development of those
sectors of society that are weakest and most
marginalized, and work to transform the
existing “structures of sin” which impoverish
the lives of so many people.
Catholic Social Teaching
• Catholic Social Teaching
has highlighted the
dignity of people as the
basis for promotion and
defense of their human
rights, solidarity and
care for creation.
Franciscans
• Mission
• Through living the gospel as it is discovered in prayer and in
community, we Franciscans witness God's love for all people and
for the whole of creation, promoting peace, standing in solidarity
with the poor, effecting reconciliation and bringing hope to all.
• Vision
• Through our loving presence and service, we foster personal and
community growth as we respond to the needs of the Church and
of our contemporary time.
• Franciscan Values
• Four Franciscan values permeate all that we do in Justice, Peace
and Integrity of Creation: conversion, contemplation, poverty and
minority.
Franciscan Third Order Regular Rule Chapter IX:
Apostolic Life
• 29. The brothers and sisters are to love the Lord with their whole
heart, their whole soul and mind and with all their strength, and to
love their neighbor as themselves. Let them glorify the Lord in all
they do. For He has sent them into the world so that they might
give witness by word and work to His voice and to make known to
all that the Lord alone is God. (cf. Mk 12:30, Mt.22: 30)
• 30. As they announce peace with their lips, let them be careful to
have it even more within their own hearts. No one should be
roused to wrath or insult on their account, rather all should be
moved to peace, goodwill and mercy because of their gentleness.
The sisters and brothers are called to heal the wounded, to bind up
those who are bruised, and to reclaim the erring.
• However, by the way, no kind of loving works
should be excluded from their love, which God
gives occasion.
FC 1 M. Clara Pfänder
Constitutions of Franciscan Sisters Daughters of the
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
• 8. According to the words of our foundress, love is the bond within
community which reveals itself in mutual support, in apostolic
activity and in openness toward all people. It will make us
instruments of peace in the spirit of St. Francis; thus we can
become a sign of hope in the world.
• 10. Through our Gospel way of life, which we live in contemporary
manner, we become pilgrims and strangers, witnesses to the
kingdom of God, free for service in the Church and contributors to
the realization of peace, justice and unity. This demands a
continual conversion of heart through which we collaborate in the
renewal of the Church and of society.
• 22. We treat with reverence all things created by God; they urge
us, as they did Francis, to praise of the Creator. We value all things
created by humans for thee development and welfare of persons,
Actions
See (Eyes), Judge (Heart) and Act
(Work)
Justice, Peace and Care of Creation
Local/
Global
Work
Social
Justice
Economy
Develop
ment
Poverty and the Distribution of
Resources
• We are challenged to consider
specific changes in the way
we use resources.
• We look at the root causes of
poverty, and work with other
organizations which promote
basic human rights -- the need
for food, clothing, housing,
education and employment.
• We support those
corporations which promote
progress, and consider social
issues in addition to profit.
Justice, Peace and Integrity of
Creation
Weapons
War
Personal
Peace
Terrorism
Global
Security
Peace
•
•
•
•
•
Personal Peace
Questions related to war
Disarmament and the arms trade
International security
Violence in its various and ever-changing
forms
Peace Building
• As followers of St. Francis, promoting peace is at
the center of all that we do.
• Globally, we protest military conflicts and the
development and use of nuclear weapons.
• We have worked in conflict situations.
• Locally, we know the value of witness as peaceful
people. Simply by our presence, we bring peace
and compassion to all we meet.
• We have developed a nonviolence educational
program used for personal growth and shared in
our ministries and sponsored services.
Suffering and violence degrade human lives
OLA Nonviolent Zone
Membership Card
Sign after commitment to Peace
Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
Impact on
Environment
Ecology
Responsible
Use of
Resources
Ecology
• Impact on the environment
• Responsible use of Earth’s resources
Care of Creation
• Integrity for Creation requires a commitment to an
equal share in the use of natural resources, the
promotion of sustainable practices, and the
development of renewable energy.
• Our Sisters and Associates have been involved in a
number of educational opportunities on climate
change, bio-diversity and Franciscan thinking as ecocitizens.
• We recycle and encourage the care of national parks
and other places of natural beauty. We provided
educational opportunities to learn about agriculture,
keeping the environment clean and planting trees.
Advocacy Care for Creation
• Our advocacy includes the care of all creation
and considers both the common good and the
careful use of resources.
• We draw attention to destruction in our land
and water sources and propose a more
sustainable and respectful use of resources
now and in the future.
Care for Creation
JPIC Permeates
Religious Congregations
Global Awareness
How does our family upbringing
affect how we view JPIC in our
congregations?
Mission patterned on the Pontifical
Council which seeks:
• To enlighten the People of God, as well as the
members of the Congregation, about issues
• To raise awareness among members of the
Congregation of the need to rethink their style
of life and mission in a world characterized by
great injustice, violence and poverty, in order
to make their actions consistent with their
beliefs.
Congregations seek:
• To foster commitment on the part of religious,
Christians, and all citizens in the area of sociopolitical and civic activities
• To promote actions in favor of justice, peace
and human rights, that would concretize the
contribution of the Congregation in these
areas.
Pastoral Cycle
How are you
inserted in the
situation?
Concrete Plans
The analysis that
you have done and
continue to do
Your
vision/spirituality
Building the Reign of God
• Task demands evangelical discernment of the
social reality
• Identification of systems and structures of
injustices
• Determination of the root causes of the
problems affecting the world
• Assimilation of teachings of scriptures and
social teachings of the church
JPIC Integration
Other
Ministries
Identity
Structures
Process of
Integration
JPIC Identity
• Dimension of a congregation’s charism, a way
of life and mission
• History of the congregation
• General constitutions
• Other congregational statements
JPIC Coordinators give life.
Coordinate
Form
Animate
Collaborate
Communicate
Coordinators Animate life:
•
•
•
•
Coordination
Communication
Collaboration
Formation
Suggest: reflection and integration
• JPIC is an attempt to live out the charism and
identity of the congregation
– Reflection life of founder/spirituality of order
• Needs to be integrated into the life of the
congregation
– Highlight ways already involved in ministry
Suggest: Analysis and common areas
• Do social analysis both within and outside
the congregation
– How living, practicing within community,
ministries, advocacy
• Consider characteristics common to all the
areas of the congregation
– Find ways to ask questions for information looking
to find—similarities and ways to develop and build
upon what is already happening
Congregational JPIC Team Assessment
Member Country
Wksp
Involve
ment
Hopes
for the
Team
Expecta- Areas of
tions for Interest
Rome
wksp
Contribution
Bulletin
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
JPIC Team members. We are very grateful to these Sisters and Associate for their
willingness to serve the congregation in this way.
Sr. Stefanie Müllenborn has worked with Caritas for 22 years in Germany focusing
on the concerns of immigrants and refugees.
•
She counsels families and networks for their needs of education, food, and
housing.
•
Sr. Stefanie constantly advocates with government officials for a better quality of
life for the immigrants and the victims of trafficking.
•
•
Her work is well publicized and she has received awards for her efforts.
Bulletin summarizes JPIC Focus
• Experience and Advocacy Efforts
•
• With our lives centered in prayer, we seek to bring the presence of
Christ into our world.
• Throughout our Franciscan history, the members of our
congregation have addressed very difficult situations and serious
injustices.
•
• The Congregational JPIC Team described seven areas where the
Congregation is involved in social concerns. Our experience and
advocacy efforts promote justice, peace and the integrity of
creation.
•
Migration: Immigration, Refugees and
Trafficking
• Advocacy: We recognize
an international effort is
necessary to address the
dire consequences.
• We promote legislation
that is comprehensive and
addresses the numerous
interrelated services
needed by immigrant
peoples
Suggest: strategies and collaborate
• Important to make sure strategies move with the
grassroots and have the support of authority
– Work of the chapter—proposal Team
– Finance Commission—recommendation finance
workshop
• Collaborate with other ministries
– How works with housing, healthcare, education
Communicate and be Selective
• Communicate clearly and frequently
– Share practices: Form questions to gain needed
information
• Choose a small number of areas in which you
will work
– Areas small, inclusive and integrative
Healthcare and HIV/AIDS
•
Through our sponsored healthcare systems, hospitals and clinics,
we are providing quality medical services around the world. We
emphasis respect for all the stages of life from “womb to tomb.”
We share our hospital supplies and equipment with developing
countries.
• A common focus for our Congregation is the HIV/AIDS crisis which
affects the quality of life of many countries. Access to HIV/AIDS
medication and services are essential for the well being of persons
with HIV/AIDS and their families.
• Advocacy: We advocate for essential healthcare treatment for all
persons. This includes encouraging pharmaceutical companies to
share medicines with developing countries.
Healthcare
Suggest: education and resources
• Consider both theoretical and practical
education in effort to appeal to everyone at
all levels
– Principles to practice, spiritual values, prayer
• Become aware of human and material
resources already available
– Ask what sources are available
Suggest: what is common, achievable
and concrete
• Use language and practices common to the
majority
– Find this out, support and move forward
• Begin with achievable expectations
– Something you can do
• Promote proposals with small concrete steps
– This what we can do: affirm, challenge, provide
resources and then follow-up
Care of Creation
JPIC is …
• JPIC is the conscious prayer and action to
transform the world in the spirit of the Gospel
through lives of justice, peace and care for the
integrity of creation.
Resources
• Manual for Promoters of Justice, Peace and
Integrity of Creation , JPIC Promoters Rome 1997
• Guide Us in Your Justice: A Formation Itinerary
for a Prophetic Religious Life, JPIC Commission
USG, UISG, Rome 2010
• Guidelines for the Animation of Justice, Peace
and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), OFM Roma 2008
• Reflection Sr. Sheila Kinsey, FCJM, 2010