| Posted: May 17 2005,05:51 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
YES!
In January 2000 in response to the United Nations Declaration of The
International Year for the Culture of Peace, the Secular Franciscan
Order (SFO) in Canada (www.ofsnational.ca) set up its National
Commission on Justice and Peace. That Commission defined, with specific
objectives for each, the following goals:
1 - Affirm and
challenge the Secular brothers and sisters in their efforts to
re-explore and re-think the basics of the Rule from the perspective of
peace and justice.
2 - Help with the ongoing identification of
systems which deny human dignity and freedom, and adopt focused and
non-violent confrontation of those systems as an aspect of Secular
Franciscan ministry at the national, provincial, regional and local
levels.
3 - Encourage the Secular brothers and sisters to
collaborate fully in the peace and justice work and mission plan of the
local church.
4 - Integrate and coordinate the peace and justice
efforts of the Secular Franciscan Order with the other branches of the
Franciscan Family in North America.
5 - Affirm and challenge the
Secular brothers and sisters to recognize, understand and embrace peace
and justice ministry as an essential element of their Franciscan
evangelical vocation, through the processes of initial and ongoing formation.
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- Assure that the brothers and sisters are informed of the ways the
Franciscan Vision of peace and justice is being specifically,
prophetically, enfleshed by friars, sisters, seculars, and others who
are not formally joined to the Franciscan Family, in Canada and around
the world.
Peace is as much a never-ending ongoing process as a
goal or a concept; and this is particularly true in the case of Secular
Franciscans who are called to constantly strive to be at peace within
oneself as well as in harmony with all of the Creation, animate or
inanimate as they endeavour to live charitably, dynamically hoping for
the best, in faith in Divine mercy and grace through the examples of
Jesus Christ, Francis and Clare of Assisi.
At this stage,
though without quantifying indicators, we can confidently say that
there is progress in the advancement of a culture of peace to the
extent that the brethren and sisters across the country have been more
than ever sensitised about the quest for peace and the conscious
concerted global movement for a culture of peace, from the signing of
the Manifesto 2000 for the Culture of Peace, to the ensuing UN
Declaration and Program of Action of the International Decade for a
Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the children of the World,
2001-2010. Also we can, undeniably, say that over the first half of the
Decade not many would not have had their relative peace jolted by vivid
media reporting of unprecedented acts of violence in one form or
another on one individual or many, by an individual, an organisation or
a state. Most of us would have had ample opportunity to fathom what
peace and non-violence really means to us.
In Canada we
welcome the recent launch of the Canadian Culture of Peace Program
(www.peace.ca/canadiancultureofpeaceprogram.htm), under the honorary
chairmanship of Douglas Roche O.C. (www.douglasroche.ca) renowned peace
and disarmament advocate, past Canadian ambassador, parliamentarian,
senator and author of several books, including ‘The Human Right to
Peace’. We are hopeful that the formation of the CCOPP bodes well for
the advancement of the culture of peace in Canada, and the world, as it
develops a network stakeholders for effective concerted action and new
synergies. We look forward to be active within the CCOPP.
Note
that the SFO rule calls secular Franciscans individually and as a group
to “be in the forefront in promoting justice”, and by extension peace,
“by the testimony of their human lives and their courageous
initiatives.” Even the Franciscan greeting “Peace and all good!”
(In Italian “Pace e bene!”), demonstrates intrinsically this prayerful
desire of Franciscans to be channel, even instruments, of peace of the
Lord. Often that greeting is extended as “Peace and joy!” reflecting
the desire to be joyful at all times in discerning perfecting gratitude
for all and everything.
It is inspiring and motivating that we
the peoples are taking stock of progress of the culture of peace, at
this mid-point of the International Decade, in this unprecedented way
through the civil society world report being coordinated by Frederico
Mayor and David Adams, both lead proponents of the Culture of Peace
once at UNESCO. May, by the grace of God, this exercise lead to
concrete measures and actions by the international community as well as
nations, governments, corporations, organizations, local communities
and individuals for the sincere and true advancement of a culture of
peace and non-violence.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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There are over 8000 professed members of the Secular Franciscan Order in 73 fraternities across Canada.
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Lack of resources, or even
insufficient mobilization of resources, for concerted systematic
action, follow-up and gauging of progress. Generally so far, actions
have been left mostly to the discretion of individual members and local
fraternities.
- Need for a better
defined and coordinated SFO national plan of action for the culture of
peace which nonetheless empowers the different levels of the Order,
from the individual member, to the local fraternity, region and
national levels, both in the English and French sectors; to the extent
possible encouraging more joint actions and activities.
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Until the launch of the Canadian Culture of
Peace Program, there was a lack of an overall national program of
action and networking structure.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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Fraternities have been encouraged to
nominate a member responsible for the ministry of Justice, Peace and
Integrity of Creation (JPIC). These JPIC representatives are part of a
regional and national JPIC network and through them the members’
attention is drawn to related issues.
- Some regions and local fraternities have newsletters. There is also a French magazine.
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It is expected that members of the Secular
Franciscan Order live their Franciscan Christian Charisma simply,
charitably, in faith doing their best while hoping for the best,
mindful of the Divine seed in all. This they are expected to do in the
world, hence the term secular, in their families, place of work and
communities. Many are also involved in other organisations showing love
and care for the poor, the sick, the mentally ill, the homeless,
refugees and new immigrants, as well as in organisations such as
Amnesty International, and Development and Peace (www.devp.org) which
seeks to develop awareness and active solidarity among Canadians, as
well about and for other peoples, in order to guarantee a more just,
peaceful and sustainable future for all. The SFO is in liaison with
Franciscans International (www.franciscansinternational.org) which has
general consultative status at the United Nations. More recently there
has been noteworthy implication of SFO in developing the Canadian
Culture of Peace Program.
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
The
Secular Franciscan Order in Canada prayerfully hopes that with Divine
grace the Secretary General will consider carefully the world civil
society report being compiled by the Culture of Peace Foundation for
his benefit, as well as other inputs, and subsequently make all
appropriate recommendations to the General Assembly to secure sure
commitment of all member states to foster effectively the culture of
peace and non-violence, mindful of the Divine seed in each person in
their own respective societies as well as globally.
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
The
Secular Franciscan Order in Canada has over 8000 professed members in
Canada distributed in 73 local fraternities across the country.
Communication is ongoing with the Inter-community Franciscan Animation
Service in Montreal to study ways of consolidating that service so as
to ensure a more effective coordination equally in the anglophone and
francophone sectors as presently the focus is mostly within the latter.
SFO is also active in the Canadian Culture of Peace Program
network of stakeholders actively working to advance the culture of
peace.
Through the International Council of the Franciscan
Order, of the Catholic Church, SFO Canada is part of a vast
international network of SFO fraternities and Christians all over the
world.
All Franciscans being de facto members of Franciscans
International (FI), which has Consultative Status at the United
Nations, SFO Canada endeavours to act locally in liaison with FI on the
global stage.
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
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While mindful of the specificities of
the Secular Franciscan Order, its place in the Catholic Church, be
active in the Canadian Culture of Peace Program at all levels, and
promote cooperation to share the Canadian experience in fostering the
Culture of Peace.
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Endeavour to have a more effective network of Justice, Peace and
Integrity of Creation (JPIC) representatives in the SFO across Canada.
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Consolidate to the extent possible
joint coordination, francophone and anglophone sectors, within the
whole Franciscan Family to ensure unity of purpose, and effectiveness
of actions with regards to JPIC.
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Coordinate active participation, in particular fostering interreligious
dialogue, of members of the Franciscan family, in Canada and from other
countries, in the World Peace Forum 2006, to be hosted by the City of
Vancouver, B.C., Canada from 23rd to 28th June 2006.
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Postal address of organization
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c/o David Bouchard, sfo
National JPIC Coordinator
Secular Franciscan Order
107 McLevin Cres.
Red Deer,
Alberta, T4R 1S8
Canada
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E-mail address of organization
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information@ofsnational.ca
(Mid-decade Report coordinator, Tex Albert: tex@ekoviraz.com)
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Website address of organization
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www.ofsnational.ca
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Understanding, tolerance, solidarity
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Sustainable development
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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Canada
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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International
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