ROME — Joseph Rozansky, OFM, director of the JPIC Office of the General Curia, has spoken at and facilitated several events around the world.
He recently was a featured speaker at a one-day seminar of friars and Franciscans throughout Ireland.
The December issue of the Contact newsletter of the Office of Justice, Peace and Integrit of Creation in Rome reported on the meeting, held at the Franciscan Friary at Merchants’ Quay, Dublin. Joe outlined the developing vision of JPIC in the Order, specifically how JPIC is essentially a set of values rooted in Scripture, Franciscan spirituality, and in human interaction.
JPIC values “pass through every dimension of our life and ministry as Franciscans,” according to Joe. A JPIC animator, he said, needs to witness to JPIC values in his own life, be fraternal and possess good communication skills in order to animate these values among the friars. “We can deepen our understanding of JPIC by using the various JPIC resources — especially Pilgrims and Strangers in This World, and the Guidelines for the Animation of JPIC — available online,” Also, speaking at this seminar was Fr. Francis Cotter, OFM, communications director of the Irish province.
In other JPIC news from Rome:
• The OFM International Animation Committee for JPIC met at the General Curia Oct. 24 to 29. Among other issues, the committee updated the six-year plan for JPIC, studied the Tarata document from the last meeting of the International Council for JPIC, and discussed the upcoming Americas Continental meeting that will consider the Amazon project. The committee also discussed promoting collaboration between the services of evangelization, formation and JPIC. The next meeting will take place in April 2011.
• The 2011 JPIC course will take place at the Antonianum in Rome, May 3 to 13. It will be offered in the three official languages of the Order. Mornings are reserved for JPIC animators to help them reflect on the practical aspects of their work. Afternoon sessions are open to all friars and others interested in the course. The full program will be distributed shortly. For further information, contact pax@ofm.org.
• Friars in the Diocese of Hyderabad are deeply involved in helping the people affected by the floods in Pakistan. Some displaced persons, with help from the Custody of St. John the Baptist in Pakistan, are slowly returning to their homes. The custody plans to promote a long-term rehabilitation project. In the three months since the flooding, the custody has provided people with basic necessities such as food, mosquito nets, medicines and items of daily use. The custody wants to build housing/living quarters, provide daily work, emergency medical assistance and more.
• The Ukrainian province of St. Michael Archangel held a conference last fall to introduce friars to the role of a JPIC animator. The program was conducted by Joe and by Br. Samuel Ceglowski, JPIC coordinator for the North Slav conference. They spoke about the commitment of St. Francis to justice and peace issues that are still relevant today as well as discussed JPIC themes present in Catholic social teaching and documents of the Order.
— Compiled by Wendy Healy