Carmelite Family JPIC Congress, Fatima, 2017 (5)
The Carmelite Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation is organizing a Carmelite Family JPIC Congress scheduled for 22-28 July 2017 at Casa Sao Nuno, Fatima, Portugal. July 22, 2017 will be the day of arrival and participants depart on July 29, 2017.
The Congress is being organized for Friars and Sisters involved in the promotion of JPIC activities. These may include Province or Congregational Justice and Peace coordinators/ animators or brothers and sisters who are considering to minister in the area of justice, peace and integrity of creation.
Analysis of Survey Response Carmelite Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation July 2016
Written by- It is with heartfelt gratitude and appreciation that the General Commission for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) writes to announce the results of the recent 2015 questionnaire project.
- After receiving and analyzing the responses from a broad representation of the Carmelite Family, common themes emerged with regard to JPIC work. There is a clear motivation on the part of individuals and communities to participate in social and environmental ministries and a concrete desire to raise awareness of and to respond to the social and environment issues of our time.
- On a practical level many Carmelite communities and individual report preservation and sustainability of our common home to be fundamental dimensions of their ministries in education, communication, advocacy, liturgy and prayer. Common projects relate to recycling, simplicity of life, and financial support.
- Respondents find that the sources of their motivation for our participation in social and environmental ministries are Sacred Scripture, Carmelite Spirituality, Social Teachings of the Church, our concerns for human needs and the care for creation.
- The three pillars of our Carmelite charism – prayer, community, service – bear the fruits of contemplation, a unifying force that inspires our prophetic stance in response to contemporary social and environmental concerns.
- The majority of respondents acknowledge the existence of the Carmelite NGOs both local and international, showing various levels of involvement.
- While there is a high level of participation in social and environmental ministries within the Carmelite Family, a clear desire was expressed to learn and do more, specifically in the areas of ongoing formation, education through multiple platforms, networking, advocacy, growing in corporate discernment and witness.
- The respondents express desire to enrich those already doing this work, as well as introduce those who are beginning, by a series of activities which would involve animation, formation, coordination, communication, and collaboration.
- Based on this analysis, the JPIC Commission will develop a working document which will serve as the basis for the all Carmelite Family JPIC Congress in Fatima, Portugal on July 22 – 29, 2017.
Conference Theme:
CARMEL ENGAGES WITH LAUDATO SI’:
Hearing both the cry of the Poor and of the Earth (cf. LS 49)
CARMELITE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON JPIC
22-29 JULY 2017
EL COMPROMISO DEL CARMELO CON LAUDATO SI’:
Escuchando el clamor del pobre y de la tierra (cf. LS 49)
CONFERENCIA INTERNACIONAL CARMELITA EN JPIC
22-29 de Julio de 2017
L’IMPEGNO DEL CARMELO CON LAUDATO SI’:
Ascoltando tanto il grido dei poveri e della terra (cf. LS 49)
CONVEGNO INTERNAZIONALE CARMELITANO IN GPIC
22-20 luglio 2017
Rationale Statement of the Carmelite Commission For Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation
Written byWe, the members drawn from the various branches of the Carmelite Family to constitute the Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Carmelite Order, met for our inaugural meeting at the Curia Generalizia, Roma, from 11-15 September 2014.
Our deliberations, sharing and dialogue from our diverse and rich contextual experiences were frank and sincere. We committed ourselves for the duration of this sessennium (2013-2019), to focus on helping Carmelite brothers and sisters in sensitizing, animating and participating in the promotion of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation throughout the Carmelite Family. We drew up our strategic plan which is an instrument for us to help our communities and especially those working in the ministry of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation to deepen their reflection, promote advocacy of pertinent issues and motivate each other to appropriate context-based action.
We recognize that action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world is a constitutive dimension of preaching the Gospel.[1] The whole ministry of Jesus and his return to the Father can be seen as geared towards the building up of the Kingdom of God - through proclamation, attitude and action - which is essentially a reign of justice and truth, holiness and peace, grace, unity and love. Pope Francis has stressed that, ‘Each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully a part of society’ and that ‘all of us, as Christians, are called to watch over and protect the fragile world in which we live, and all its peoples’[2]
We note that, we, Carmelites from our inception, inspired by Mary in her welcome and contemplative attitude towards the Word, and the Prophet Elijah in his zeal for and living in the presence of the Lord, as people of prayer and community are also people sensitive to the needs of those around us true to our Mendicant roots. In the post-Vatican II era, we recognize that a lot of reflection took place at such fora as the Council of Provinces and General Congregation and General Chapters. One of the most significant development has been an openness to justice and peace issues. For example, the Order has reflected on issues of poverty and our need to identify with the poor: In the Midst of the People[3], A Return to the Sources[4], Called to Account by the Poor[5]. We recognize that our world has become more complex and grave challenges have arisen that threaten the very existence of creation. Some of those challenges include loss of biodiversity, which is currently a thousand times higher than natural extinction rate[6]; energy depletion, which means that we are consuming more than we need and the current possibility for the earth to recover[7]; climate change, which is currently affecting millions of people worldwide through extended droughts in some areas and sea level rise and floods in other areas[8]; and global population growth with a distinctive pattern of unequal affluence, deeply interconnected with the previous issues[9]. We propose that we Carmelites, rooted in our 800 year-old tradition of brotherhood, of intimacy with the Lord God under the contemplative example of Mary and the zealous drive of the Prophet Elijah, renew, rekindle and promote the life-giving values of the Kingdom of God through deeds, advocacy and action.
There are many laudable causes for us to promote but these seem to us to be pressing in the context of our world situation of spiritual apathy, globalization of inequality, injustice, materialist consumerism and growing religious fundamentalism and intolerance. We commit ourselves to promoting, advocating for, and working to change for the better in our localities, the lives of real people in the following areas: human rights from conception to the tomb; community building, understanding and tolerance; promotion of Kingdom values and Carmelite spirituality with special emphasis on right relationship with others and the environment; awareness of environmental change through advocacy and helping communities to respond positively to this.
To help us to have an impression of the work Carmelites are doing in the area of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation, we wish to send a questionnaire to all our Provinces, Commissariats and Delegations. The questionnaire is a tool to help us plan for the production of the Carmelite Order’s Handbook on the animation of Justice, Peace and Integrity on Creation. The Carmelite Order has a strong history of meaningful adaptation to changing circumstances so as to be an effective player and contributor to issues. In the face of our contemporary world challenges, may we rise to offer our modest assistance to the world from the Carmelite tradition of respecting all in community, of fostering intimacy with God to be expressed in reaching out in service of the Church and the world. As the 2013 General Chapter Final Statement says: ‘People will be drawn to Christ when they notice our gospel based lives of simplicity, solidarity with the marginalized, celebration of unity in diversity, and the creation of safe environments for the children, teens and adults to whom we minister’[10]. The world needs our faith-based approach to ministry as one avenue of establishing right relationships with God, other human beings and all creation!
- The Carmelite Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (2013-2019)
[1] Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World, 1971.
[2] Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, Apostolic Exhortation on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s World, Roma: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, nos. 187, 216.
[3] Third Council of Provinces, In the Midst of the People: Small Religious Commuinities and Basic-Communities, Dublin, 1975, in Kevin Mark, O.Carm., ed. Towards Prophetic Brotherhood: Documents of the Carmelite Ordr 1972-1982, Melbourne: The Carmelite Centre, 1984, pp. 43-55
[4] Fifth Council of Provinces, A Return to the Sources: An Examination of the Biblical Significance of Mary and Elijah, 1979, in Kevin Mark, Ibid., pp. 68-81
[5] Order of Carmelites General Congregation, Called to Account by the Poor, 1980, in K.Mark, Ibid.,pp. 81-96
[6] United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Cf. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Global Biodiversity Outlook 3, Montreal (2010). (http://www.iucn.org).
[7] Cf. World Watch Institute, Green Economy Program, (http://www.worldwatch.org/programs/golbal_economy)
[8] Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), Fifth Assessment Report 2013. (http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1).
[9] Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). (http://www.fao.org)
[10] ‘A Word of Hope and Salvation (Const. 24)’, in Consilium Generale O.Carm., Global Plan of the General Council 2013-2019, Roma: Edizioni Carmelitane, 20014, pp.8-12, no. 4f.
Convocation Letter of the Carmelite Family JPIC Congress, Fatima, 2017
Written byRe: Carmelite Family JPIC Congress, Fatima, 2017
Dear Fr Provincial/ Commissary Provincial/ Delegate,
Dear Mother General/ Sr Coordinator/ JPIC Promoter
I write to inform you that the Carmelite Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation is organizing a Carmelite Family JPIC Congress scheduled for 22-28 July 2017 at Casa Sao Nuno, Fatima, Portugal. July 22, 2017 will be the day of arrival and participants depart on July 29, 2017.
The Congress is being organized for Friars and Sisters involved in the promotion of JPIC activities. These may include Province or Congregational Justice and Peace coordinators/ animators or brothers and sisters who are considering to minister in the area of justice, peace and integrity of creation.
We thank those communities and individual members of the Carmelite Family who responded to our invitation to answer the JPIC Questionnaire of September 2015-May 2016. During our last Commission meeting in July 2016 we observed that many Carmelites from various branches of the family are involved in ministries connected with issues of promoting justice and peace in their personal, community and professional lives. By offering this Congress, we are aiming to:
- to bring together and allow for sharing among Carmelite JPIC coordinators or animators;
- understanding JPIC
- share on best practices in promoting the ministries of JPIC
- equip promoters with skills of animation, coordination, collaboration and communication;
- engage with Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si and its relation to Carmelites.
The theme of the Congress is: Carmel engages with Laudato Si: Hearing both the cry of the poor and of the earth (cf. LS. 49).
The estimated cost per participant depends on whether one chooses to share a room with another or not. We have made a provisional booking at Casa Sao Nuno Hotel for 20 single rooms per participant with an expected cost of accommodation and food of Euro 820.00 and 18 rooms for participants sharing at Euro 550.00. This means that we would be expecting around 76 participants if all rooms are taken up according to our calculations. Furthermore participants are responsible for their own travel costs.
The closing date for registration is May 1, 2017. If the numbers of participants are not good enough to cover the costs we will cancel the meeting. It is therefore important that information be spread as quickly as possible so that prospective participants may prepare in good time.
The administration at Casa Sao Nuno pointed out that they would like to deal with the Carmelite General Bursar. Participants are therefore advised to pay their Congress fees to the Carmelite General Curia Account. The Account details are as follows:
Name of Bank: BANCA POPOLARE di SONDRIO Ag. 11
Via Carlo Alberto n.6/a
00185 Roma, Italia
Name of Account: CURIA GENERALIZIA DEI CARMELITANI
Via Giovanni Lanza, 138
00184 Roma, Italia
Numero del Conto (Check No) 3147X53
IBAN CODICE: IT58 R056 9603 2000 0000 3147 X53 (International)
BIC-SWIFT: POSOIT22 (Codice della Banca/ Bank Code)
We encourage all Carmelite Family entities to send representatives from your branch of the Order, male or female.
Those who require invitation letters to get to Fatima, please write for a letter of invitation to facilitate visa applications to the General Commissary, Fr Ricardo dos Reis Rainho at this email address: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
God bless you and may Our Lady of Mt Carmel and the Prophet Elijah inspire us to put into practice the words of our Lord Jesus Christ of bringing glad tidings to the poor and proclaiming liberty to captives (cf. Lk 4:18).
Yours fraternally in Carmel,
Conrad Mutizamhepo, O.Carm
Preside CCJPIC
