Decision No. 8 of the last General Chapter recommends that each Province should organize the School of Justice and Peace. the International JPIC Commission is trying to explain: How to organize it, to whom, and for what purpose.
The program of JPIC (justice, peace, integrity of creation)School.
(Proposal by the JPIC Commission)
The basic goal of JPIC school is to bring to our consciousness the cases of injustice, the lack of peace, and the lack of respect for nature . There are many things that we still do not know or even that we are conscious of or our understanding comes only from the media. The goal of the school of JPIC is to teach us to think according to the Gospel, with courage, and without any prejudice and to confront our opinions with the teaching of the Church.
The participant in the JPIC School can be any adult person, who wants to be live and share catholic faith.
The program of the JPIC school is not only limited to theoretical courses . If it is limited only to theory, it will become only ideology. So the most important part of preparation will be a practical involvement. As a practical implementation , we are suggesting, prayer for a peace of any conflict, pro ecological actions, concrete aid for the poor.
It is very important for those who will lead this school of JPIC. Those who will have to know about this program, which individuals they will invite to this school and what other organization or movements are already involved in JPIC and to collaborate with them. The school has to show a Catholic vision about the needs and problems of the modern world and has to give a concrete response to these problems. The school has to lead the students to a practical involvement of the extension of Jesus’ mission.
The social teaching of the Church should be divided in to at least four major presentations. It is not a question of completing the entire program at once, but you have to be careful not treat these matters superficially. In this program there should be a place for each individuals study, a place for discussion, and working in common.
The practical involvement should take at least three of these different actions ,prayer, reflection on the Word of God, protection of God’s creation , touching the reality of poverty, then giving aid to the poor.
The school should be organized in a weekly, monthly, or yearly cycle. The school is not just simply a series of conferences about JPIC. Each student should know from the beginning what the program is and what it will evolve. The school should end with certificates for each one, but the purpose is to create an attitude of JPIC. It is hoped that the students will continue to meet and share their ongoing experiences.
The items covered in the School will most likely vary from Province to Province, because each country has its own pressing issues. However, as an international Congregation we may also want to be particularly sensitive to those issues that affect people across national boundaries, like human trafficking, the migration of peoples and environmental damage that has a wide-ranging impact.