World Day of Peace of Peace Message: Pray, Reflect, and Act - International Union Superiors General

World Day of Peace of Peace Message—Pray, Reflect, and Act

On January 1st Pope Francis issued the 50th World Day of Peace Message, Nonviolence: A Style of Politics for Peace. As violence continues to wrack our world, the Holy Father’s message of gospel nonviolence and his call to us all to be artisans of peace has never been more critical.
Over the course of the next few weeks and months, we encourage you to pray and reflect on the Holy Father’s words and to act on behalf of nonviolence and just peace.

Reflect on Pope Francis’ message of active nonviolence. Walk with him as he explores the Good News of the nonviolence of Jesus.
· What is Jesus’ new nonviolent order? How do we “love our enemies”? How do we “offer no violent resistance to one who does evil”?
· What does it mean for each of us personally and for our global church that Jesus “embodied nonviolence” and “actively resisted evil”?
· What can we do to affirm the centrality of active nonviolence in the message of Jesus for the life of the Catholic Church?
· How can we be part of the healing and reconciling of both people and Earth? How can we become “artisans of peace”?

Pray for conversion to active nonviolence.

Blessed are the peacemakers, you said, O Lord, for they shall be called children of God.

We ask you, Lord, to forgive us for the times we’ve caused division or misunderstanding in our communities.

We know that communion is not achieved through violence, but through constant conversion.

We ask the grace to not speak ill, to not criticize, to not be sowers of strife, so that peace can reign in our hearts.

From this conversion of the heart, Lord, lead us to a conversion in actions. First in our hearts and then in our world, incarnate the power of gospel nonviolence.

Give us the imagination to overcome all forms of violence with creative nonviolence.

Revive in our church’s theology of peace the nonviolent message of Jesus,

That once again our churches may be centers of learning for nonviolence and just peace, centers of conversion from violence to peace, and from loneliness to joy.
Amen

Act for nonviolence and just peace.

· Circle the City with Love–Sunday, January 15, 2017, 3:00-3:30 p.m. ET at locations across the nation—view existing groups HERE. Learn more at www.circlecitywithlove.com.
· Take or renew the Vow of Nonviolence.
· Organize an interfaith or ecumenical prayer service on peace.
· Study and consider signing An Appeal to the Catholic Church to re-commit to the centrality of Gospel nonviolence.
Resources for reflection, prayer, and action are available from:
· LCWR—Resolutions to Action, “Called to Nonviolence” by Marie Dennis.
· Catholic Nonviolence Initiative—Affirming the vision and practice of active nonviolence at the heart of the Catholic Church
· USCCB
o Use the World Day of Peace Handout (en español) to reflect on how you can model and teach nonviolence in your family, faith community, school, or workplace.
o Read To Go Forth—
§ Eli McCarthy’s reflection on nonviolence and just peace.
§ Marie Dennis’s reflection on Gospel nonviolence.
Catholic Sisters’ Ministries on Behalf of Nonviolence and Just Peace
In May of 2016 LCWR’s Global Concerns Committee (GCC) endorsed the “Appeal to the Catholic Church to Re-commit to the Centrality of Gospel Nonviolence” and pledged to support action that will move the church to continue to more fully embrace the nonviolence of Jesus. Over the course of the next few months the GCC will offer stories that highlight the work of women religious on behalf of nonviolence and just peace.

The first in the series features the work of Annette St-Amour, IHM, (Monroe) to bring hope and empowerment to victims of violence in South Sudan. Sister Annette ministered for 28 years in South Africa and is in her fourth year as member of the pastoral team serving with Solidarity with South Sudan, a group of 27 religious women and men from 19 congregations and 15 countries.

The South Sudanese people have suffered from 25 years of war. Recognizing that a majority in the country are affected by trauma, members of the Solidarity Pastoral Team made a commitment to respond to that need by making available programs of healing from trauma. One focus is a program of popular education known as Capacitar, developed to assist grassroots people learn what they can do for themselves to live well in the midst of challenges and especially to help individuals and communities heal from the traumatic events of war. The methods used are from healing practices of various cultures, mainly, Tai Chi, Pal Dan Gum, Yoga from the East as well as more recently developed holistic wellness practices from the west.

Following training, pastoral ministers are sent in teams to offer workshops in various parts of the country. Sr. Annette has helped facilitate two-day workshops at UN Protection of Civilian sites in South Sudan to which people fled at times of attack. These sites have a population of between 20,000 and 100,000. Five to ten members from various churches in the camps are invited for the workshops. At the beginning participants express pain, frustration, and anxiety. As they begin to relax with simple movements and exercises in a trusting environment, a glimmer of hope dawns on their faces. Specific plans are made to continue the empowering practices so that healing continues to happen within individuals and their communities.