The Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Service
The Justice and Peace Commission was established in December 2002 in accordance with the provisions slated in the Provincial Pastoral Plan. It was first established as a Commission, and functioned as such for 4 years, and was later reorganized as an Archdiocesan Service in the year 2006 with the technical competence to organize and train justice and peace workers in the field and other groups of persons to assemble and evaluate information and results of research on justice and peace concerning the development of peoples and the violation of human rights.
The Apostolic Constitution, Pastor Bonus, of 28th June 1988, in its Articles 142 (1), (2), (3), and, 143, defines the objectives and mandate for the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which is broken down by the Provincial Pastoral Plan in a simplified manner. According to this Plan, the aim of this service is to help in the building up of a just and peaceful society by promoting all that enhances the dignity of the human person, by combating all that violates the dignity of the human person, by combating and denouncing all that degrades and destroys the human person. Its aim is:
- To teach and encourage Christians to use Gospel values of justice, fair play, tolerance, and fraternity in all dimensions of their lives.
- To form consciences of people according to the Social Teaching of the Church.
- To educate citizens on their rights and privileges as well as their duties and obligations.
- To identify human rights violations and address them collectively.
- To mediate and help conflicting parties to take the right course of action.
- To ensure that justice and peace are reflected in all structures of evangelization.
- To sensitize members of the Church to be ready and willing to die in defense of the poor and oppressed in cases of grave and blatant injustice.
- To ensure that Seminaries, Novitiates, Catholic Institutes, Small Christian Communities and Families promote, spread and apply the knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching on justice and peace.
- To ensure that agents of evangelization should be properly educated on possible Christian responses to unjust socio-economic and political situations that challenge the society.
- To ensure solidarity action on issues of justice and peace in the form of cooperation and mutual help within the Church and other churches and with people of good will.
The activities of the Service are generally based on Papal and Episcopal Social Teaching of the Church, International, and Regional Instruments (Treaties and Conventions), as well as National and local legislation through trainings, workshops, conferences, debates, symposia, interactive radio programmes, publication of educative material, and research and studies on relevant and important topics and events, all contributing to the development of persons, structures and systems. Activities of this reporting period were classified under 3 thematic areas: the promotion and protection of human rights, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction, and the promotion of good governance.
As a result of the activities carried out over the years, the Service has achieved outstanding successes in various areas: conflicts have generally reduced, and this brings to light its active non-violent strategies in building peace and trust amongst families and communities. Its work to end modern day slavery (Trafficking in Persons) was recognized at international level and the service head earned an award from the United States Department of State as a 2013 Trafficking in Persons Hero.
Challenges encountered during this reporting period are related to forming committed Christians in the parishes to work for justice and peace. The upsurge of religious sects is another challenging area where rights of vulnerable people are abused in the name of a certain religious obedience. The Service intends to multiply our efforts in training and building up capacities of Christians and people of good will in the values of justice and peace so that we can collectively build the kingdom of justice and peace.
English