JPIC commission meeting 2016

JPIC commission meeting 2016

The annual meeting of the International Commission of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin was held from 18 - 20 April, 2016 at the Capuchin General Curia in Rome.

Br. Benedict Ayodi, Director of the Commission, Br. Jim Donegan, Br. Henryk Cisowski, Br. Jacob Kani, Br. Darwin Orozco and Br. John Sulle attended the meeting. Br. John Celichowski, the President of the Commission, participated from the USA by Skype.

The meeting evaluated the Commission’s work in 2015, which included the JPIC meeting in Cebu, Philippines, the meeting for formators in Lusaka, the refugee crisis meeting in Frascati, PCO VIII, the COP21 report, the manual on Laudato Si’, and the refugee programs in Malta and Lebanon.

The Commission discussed its proposed activities and programs for 2016. They include the finalization and presentation of the JPIC Handbook to the General Council, various JPIC training programs and other important meetings to be held in India, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, WSF-Canada, and Europe, and planning a JPIC International Summit.

A highlight of the meeting was the visit of Mrs. Victoria Alvarado, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy to the Holy See.  She spoke to the Commission on the Church-State relationship and the US government’s global commitment to the value of religious freedom. “Freedom of religion is not the same as freedom from religion,” she said. She also emphasized the correlations between freedom of religion and prosperity and community development.

The JPIC Commission expressed solidarity the migrants, refugees, and the victims of the earthquake in Peru. It concluded with the firm decision to work relentlessly for the issues of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, following the teaching and example of Pope Francis, and according to the decisions of PCO VIII.

br. Benedict Ayodi

photo - br. Paweł Teperski

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