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Oblate Missionaries at the United Nations: Advocating for Justice, Peace and Human Dignity January 8th, 2025
By Br. Benoît DOSQUET, OMI
The Missionary Oblates advocate for the human rights and well-being of the most vulnerable through collaborations with organizations such as VIVAT International and the Coalition of Religious for Justice. In this article, Benedict reflects on the work of the Missionary Oblates at the UN and their commitment to the most vulnerable, justice and peace.
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The journey of the Oblate Missionaries at the UN and with VIVAT International
In 2004, the Superior General sent Father Daniel LeBlanc on a mission to the UN, where the Missionary Oblates were incorporated as an NGO. Initially, Father Daniel worked with the organization “Franciscan International”, whose mission was to advocate at the United Nations for respect for human dignity and for environmental justice, using a human rights-based approach.
Very quickly, the Missionary Oblates joined the NGO VIVAT International, founded in November 2000. The name of the organization, derived from the Latin word “VIVERE” (meaning “TO LIVE”), symbolizes a commitment to life for all. VIVAT International will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2025. Today, two Missionary Oblates work directly with VIVAT: Father Daniel LeBlanc, who speaks at the UN on behalf of VIVAT and the Missionary Oblates, and Father Daquin Iyo, who represents the organization in Nairobi, where the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is located.
VIVAT International: A global commitment to human rights and justice
VIVAT International now has over 17,000 members from 12 Catholic religious congregations and works in 121 countries to promote human rights through both international and local advocacy. In 2017, the Missionary Oblates, along with 22 other NGOs, formed the Coalition of Religious for Justice (JCoR), strengthening the capacity of Catholic religious congregations on the ground and their representatives at the United Nations.
Religious NGOs are recognized at the UN for their moral presence, adopting a preferential option in favor of poor and marginalized people. They address the root causes of poverty, injustice, discrimination, violence and unsustainable development in the world.
READ THE FULL STORY AT OMIWORLD.COM
August 9 – Honoring Indigenous People for their Unique Contribution to Cultural Diversity August 9th, 2024
 (Image by Marcelo Trujillo, Pixabay) |
 (Image by Kiran Hania, Pixabay) |
2024 Laudato Si Action Platform: Building a Future Together July 31st, 2024
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP) is an action-oriented 7- year ecological conversion journey in the spirit of integral ecology intended to support and empower families, communities and institutions to achieve total sustainability.
In PART I of OMI JPIC’s Laudato Si Action Platform we view this as a fresh opportunity for each of us to commit to sustainability in the spirit of Laudato Si. In this resource we promote works from Oblates and allies as a step toward integral ecology.
In PART II of OMI JPIC’s Laudato Si Action Platform, we revisit the commitments we have taken on and ponder what other action steps we might add to our list.
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FEATURED PARTNER – Sisters of the Holy Cross Pope Francis reminds us, “All Christian communities have an important role to play in ecological education” (LS 214) and “Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue” (LS 217). We are continually motivated by the urgency of these global crises and the call for communities like our own to act and journey toward integral ecology. |
Laudato Si Action Platform – Partner Resources
Visit VIVAT’s website: www.vivatinternational.org
Watch this video about the one billion bamboo project of VIVAT members in the Philippines.
VIDEO: https://bit.ly/3A53fBb
This is an example of how the local communities address the impact of climate change (i.e., typhoons and floods in the Philippines) by planting one billion bamboo by 2030. This effort is for climate change mitigation and adaptation through a nature-based solution.
Additional Resources:
- Oblate Ecological Ministry (Godfrey, IL)
- Looking Ahead: OMI Commitments to Laudato Si (August 2023)
- Oblates Partner with Three Part Harmony Farm (Washington, DC)
- OMI JPIC Laudato Si Action Platform – PART I (August 2022)
- OMI JPIC Laudato Si Action Plan – Part II (July 2023)
- Laudato Si in Action at Oblate Parish (August 2020)
- Laudato Si themes to integrate in Justice & Peace work (May 2020)
2023 Laudato Si Action Platform: Building a Future Together July 6th, 2023
The Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP) is an action-oriented 7- year ecological conversion journey in the spirit of integral ecology intended to support and empower families, communities and institutions to achieve total sustainability.
In part II of OMI JPIC’s Laudato Si Action Platform, we revisit the commitments we have taken on and ponder what other action steps we might add to our list.
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2023 Laudato Si Action Platform
In this publication we are taking advantage of work that has been prepared by VIVAT International, “Eco LIFE and Action” and the various steps for action they have suggested. The Missionary Oblates are associate members of VIVAT and participate actively in a number of their common projects.
- Visit VIVAT’s website: www.vivatinternational.org
- Watch this video about the one billion bamboo project of VIVAT members in the Philippines (https://vimeo.com/719325606/b80359ecde).
- This is an example of how the local communities address the impact of climate change (i.e., typhoons and floods in the Philippines) by planting one billion bamboo by 2030. This effort is for climate change mitigation and adaptation through a nature-based solution.
Additional Resources:
- Oblate Ecological Ministry (Godfrey, IL)
- Oblates Partner with Three Part Harmony Farm (Washington, DC)
- OMI JPIC Laudato Si Action Platform – PART I (August 2022)
- Laudato Si in Action at Oblate Parish (August 2020)
- Laudato Si themes to integrate in Justice & Peace work (May 2020)
DOWNLOAD
2023 Laudato Si Action Platform
The goal of this initiative is to introduce a VIVAT spirituality of creation, provide concrete proposals for ecological conversion, and connect VIVAT members at the international level to promote the integrity of creation through awareness raising and advocacy.
Missionary Oblates and Vivat International Co-sponsor Women’s Event @ UN March 10th, 2017
Photo courtesy of Sr. Nathaniel Lee, LSHF
Missionary Oblates and Vivat International, along with the NGO Committee on Social Development, the NGO Committee on Financing for Development (chaired by Fr. Daniel LeBlanc, OMI) and a host of supporting organizations, including the Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund, are hosting an event on March 13, 2017 at the UN Conference on the Status of Women (CSW).
The goal of this event is to generate substantive discussions around the topic of financial inclusion as a tool for women’s empowerment and poverty eradication.
