WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over the past several months, the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) has been quite busy. Since most of the activity has been behind the scenes, a report is being provided.
Following direction that will come from the next JPIC Directorate meeting as it sets the stage for HNP activity, I hope to spend more time with Provincial ministries over the next few months. My goal is to help animate the goals and directions set by the Province’s Chapter 2008 and its Vision and Strategic Plan for HNP.
A snapshot of what the JPIC office has done in the past two months:
- Visit to the University of Georgia Campus Ministry in Athens.
- National Religious Campaign Against Torture Board Meeting in Atlanta.
- Interfaith Immigration Reform Summit in Columbus, Ohio.
- Faith, Values and International Peacemaking Symposium presentation at Lewis University near Chicago.
- Advocacy Training Program at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Raleigh, N.C.
- Participation in the English-speaking Conference JPIC animators meeting at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, Calif.
- Continuing to work with the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) in its format to help make HNP and the whole U.S. Franciscan family more effective at advocacy
In addition, the JPIC Office has been busy preparing for upcoming events:
- Working with Jud Weiksnar, OFM, and Jacek Orzechowski, OFM, to form the new JPIC Directorate and prepare for the first meeting on Nov. 8 at Siena College.
- Continuing to chair the Ecumenical Advocacy Days planning committee for the March 13 to 16, 2009, events that will work on climate change legislation. Register at www.advocacydays.org.
- Working on the planning team with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for a spring 2009 campaign for Catholics to take action on climate change using St. Francis of Assisi as a spiritual foundation for the process.
- Working with FAN to develop a five-session training process on Franciscan care for creation.
- Working with the ESC-JPIC and FAN to prepare a DVD about Franciscan perspectives on immigration.
— Russell Testa is director of the Province’s JPIC Office.