News Archives » Peace
Join “Campaign Nonviolence”. May 19th, 2014
Pax Christi USA, of which OMI JPIC is a member, has endorsed Campaign Nonviolence, a movement to promote non-violence that is being circulated through Pace e Bene.
This campaign works to connect the dots between poverty, militarism, racism and the environment, and is promoting study groups around the country as well as direct action to serve as a public witness. Campaign Nonviolence will take action September 21-27 in cities across the United States as part of the long-term struggle to abolish war, end poverty, reverse climate change, and to build a culture of peace.
Please visit the Pace e Bene website where you will find a wealth of information and suggestions for concrete actions to support the Campaign.
Philippine-MILF Peace Treaty Signed April 3rd, 2014
President Benigno Aquino meets with rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders before the signing of a peace agreement in Manila on Thursday (photo by Ryan Lim/Malacañang Photo Bureau)
The Philippine government and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front signed a peace agreement on March 27th that aims to formally end four decades of war in the southern Philippines region of Mindanao. The conflict killed more than 100,000 people.
The result of 17 years of negotiations, the “Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro” has been described by government peace negotiators as a “partnership” based on “shared aspirations to heal the wounds of conflict, enable meaningful autonomy for the Bangsamoro, and nurture peace and development in Muslim Mindanao.”
The peace agreement foresees the creation of an autonomous region for the Muslim population to be located in the southern Mindanao region. It will have a power-sharing agreement with the central government, allowing its own leadership to control most of its own natural resources and revenues. Elections are to be held there by mid-2016.
Oblate Auxiliary Bishop in Crimea Calls for Peace March 4th, 2014
The following is an official statement from Bishop Jacek Pyl, omi, the auxiliary bishop of Odessa-Sinferopol of the Crimea region of Ukraine. Let us pray for peace!
STATEMENT OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP IN CRIMEA
Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Odesa-Simferopol, Bishop Jacek Pyl, OMI
Since many weeks now the Roman Catholic Church with her prayers accompany whole of Ukraine praying for the peaceful solution of the problems, which the country is struggling with. In our prayers we ask God for his mercy for all Ukrainian people and we also offer voluntary fasting on bread and water in the same intention. Today when the unrest has encompassed the Crimean territory we want to pray especially for our peninsula. With our prayer we reach out to all the people without concern for their religion, political views or ethnic background. We pray that the people, who for tens of years live in peace – do not start fighting today and that the bloodshed of the kind we have seen in Kiev Maidan may be avoided here.
I am calling on all the people both faithful and the others that in the name of the solidarity with the heritage of our Fathers, who cared for the development of our Autonomous Republic of Crimea, to stay away from extremisms and in this hard time do not let the brotherhood among Crimean people to be broken. In ARoC we have Ukrainians, Russians, Crimean Tartars, Armenians, Poles, Germans, Czechs and many others living peacefully together. For many centuries we had the Orthodox, Muslims, Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Caraims, people of other denominations together with atheists living in Crimea. We cannot let our ethnical background nor our religion to divide us now. We are children of the same God; the only God, who is our common Father. The motto of the Republic of Crimea which is inscribed into our coat of arms is „Процветание в единстве” (Blooming in unity) and may this words be our motto for the difficult time now.
I would like to reach out with my words to the faithful of all denominations that they keep praying for peace, and those who has decided so keep voluntarily fasting. May the Good God free our hearts from all evil temptations and may he bless our good intentions.
+ Jacek Pyl, OMI Auxiliary Bishop of Odessa-Simferopol Diocese
We would like to thank Fr. Warren Brown, OMI and Fr. Charles Hurkes, OMI for sharing this information with the JPIC Office.
10th Anniversary of Archbishop Denis Hurley Noted in South Africa January 22nd, 2014
The 10th Anniversary of the death of Archbishop Denis Hurley will be marked by a series of events focused on peacemaking and reconciliation arranged by organizations closely linked with the Archbishop. Learn more here…
The Denis Hurley Centre, currently under construction next to Emmanuel Cathedral in Durban, has been designed as a multi-purpose community facility to promote “extensive outreach and training for the homeless, unemployed and refugees…” It will also “provide primary health care, as well as community building programmes in one of the most diverse and challenging neighborhoods of downtown Durban.” Learn more about the center at: www.denishurleycentre.org
VIVAT International Newsletter Available January 6th, 2014
Contents include:
- World Food Day
- 2014 Year of Family Farming
- Land Grabbing and Mining
- Executives at the Vatican
- Voices in Brazil
- Right to Water
- Typhoon Haiyan
- Rights of Dalits
- VIVAT Workshop West Africa
- Longing for Peace
