There is a time for action in the field where imagination, efficiency, tenacity, a sense of struggle, alliances with men and women of good will are in the forefront. But there is also a time to live the same reality in a different manner and this is what we call "translations". In this case we use the word "translation" because we are called to step back from the situation (not necessarily after the fact, for it could be while the action is being implemented), and translate (through words, relationships, celebrations) the lived experienced so that it becomes accessible to all persons, whether they be believers or not, whether they be members of the Order or just "ordinary" Christians.
We have identified three types of translations. There might be moments when all three are at work at the same time, and in other instances there could be only one that is operational. These translations are:
- creation of a milieu
- theological reflection
- practical applications
It is most often at the translation phase that our Dominican identity is the most called upon and strengthened. This is the stage where we step back and look at the situation from the communal, faith, theological, spiritual and liturgical dimensions of our life, in order to evaluate the experience of solidarity that was lived or is in the process of being lived. It is a very important part of the action because it removes us from the danger of activism and allows the true depth of the Justice and Peace experience to shine through.
The actual fact of living a project, or more simply, of living a religious life that is focused on the needs of the poor, the excluded and the victims can be quite demanding, in the sense that it is filled with emotion, fatigue and sharing. In practical terms, action for Justice and Peace means the living out of the project of compassion and mercy that is at the core of the Dominican experience.
Action for the advancement of Justice and Peace, or a religious life focused on the needs of the poor can be verified by comparing it with other lifestyles and other ways of doing things. We do not live in a vacuum, we are not starting with a blank page, we are part of a very complex and often conflictual social reality, where the option for the poor and the marginalized is neither popular nor sought after by the majority. This social reality is both the context in which we find ourselves and the object of our desired transformation or at least evolution.
Differences
The work of Justice and Peace (project and/or religious life) is based on the concept of differentiation, where we simultaneously oppose the status quo and propose alternatives.
Differentiation with regards to the common social
practices :
This consists in going against practices that are not respectful of human
rights but have been accepted as the norm, against indifference, lack of
analysis and reflection... It is our duty to speak out in protest but also
to propose alternatives and new values via a project or a particular lifestyle.
We will have to both challenge and propose alternatives. Naturally, it
is often easier to denounce than announce. Our actions will always be somewhat
modest, fragile and incomplete and will always need to be recognized and
respected, even if no one can say that what he/she is doing is the true
fulfillment of the gospel. Proposing alternatives means proposing counter-values
that are in keeping with the gospel, values that are an integral part of
the life of the community.
Differentiation with regards to the powers in place:
Society needs institutional powers in place in order to function well.
It needs rules in order to manage our living together in social sub-groups
(sometimes ethnic). The codes of law are the expressions of power as well
as the elements that provide objectivity to our life together as a society.
These legal prescriptions as much expressions of power as they are a guarantee
against arbitrariness or violence. The law is a fundamental component
to include in our reflection on Justice and Peace.
There exists an international law for human rights that covers many issues; why not use these elements to formulate alternative proposals when we see the rules not being respected (see the appendices for more details about this law). We should follow the unfolding of those cases where we know the law is being violated in a specific country and become advocates for the defense of human rights, ensuring that the law is either respected or changed.
For example, the brothers working in Brazil are working with the peasants helping them with their land claims. One of the brothers is a lawyer who actively defends the cause of the peasants. The "Fray Francisco de Vitoria Center" in Mexico does the same type of work (the methodology they use is outlined in the Appendix). Many of our brothers and sisters in Africa are actively involved in the defense of the rights of prisoners...
Differentiation also occurs in those areas where we fight to defend the rights of the people to participate in the fashioning of their future, by demanding greater participation in the politics of their country, particularly at the local level, by forming unions and demanding democratic governance.
The Casa Campesino in Cuzco is one example where Dominican brothers and sisters provide hospitality for the Peruvian campesinos who come to the city. This house not only provides them with a place to stay at a good price, but also gives them access to tools they can use for their own formation (audiovisual) and lawyers who can answer their questions about their rights (mostly questions pertaining to land rights) and defend them in court. There is even a data base of the official government legislation at the Center.
Differentiation with regards to certain church behavior:
The implementation of the recommendation made by John Paul II, to give
priority to the service of the poor is not always well received
by certain members of the Church or even of our communities. If we take
these pontifical teachings and gospel invitations seriously, we may be
entering into contradiction with certain members of the hierarchy which
may result in serious conflicts, difficult to manage.
A life founded on the promotion of Justice and Peace might also require having to speak out against certain practices of the Church where the rights of individuals and groups are not always respected, even within its own confines. The human side of the Church sometimes leads it astray and it may have to be challenged if God's plan of making the Church the "beautiful bride" of Christ is to be achieved.
One of the areas which causes pain for several brothers and sisters is the issue of the status of women in the Church. There is also the lack of transparency in the decision-making process in matters affecting the life of the communities and at times an exclusive collaboration with members of the dominating classes... The members may also react when they see that the Church is running the risk of losing credibility in the eyes of the world or deviating from its fundamental mission of proclaiming the good news of salvation.
Similarities
The action for Justice and Peace (whether it be in the form of a project or a coherent lifestyle) is articulated and perceived by the similarities it has with other actions, other networks. It is not a phenomenon to be lived in isolation but rather as an encounter of commonalities that are called to become part of the covenanting process.
Similarities with groups with the same sensitivities
The Dominicans are not the only ones to have chosen Justice and Peace as
the focal point of their apostolic witness. Other religious families
have decided to take up the challenge and are demonstrating a great deal
of enthusiasm and creativity in their response. Do you know of any such
initiatives? Have we invited the leaders to our meetings? Could we work
together on specific projects and therefore have an even greater impact
on society? Do we keep them informed them about what we are doing?
In many countries and dioceses there exist Justice and Peace Commissions, Solidarity Committees... Are we aware of them? Do we work with them? What kind of information do they have? What type of complementarity can we offer one another? Do we participate in National Commissions? Do we communicate the information we receive from these commissions to the other members of the Order? What is our specific contribution to this area of Church life?
There are more and more Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), humanitarian groups and local development groups coming onto the scene. Do we know who they are? What type of actions could we undertake together? Some of the NGOs have a Christian identity; have we approached them? What can we do together? What type of theological or spiritual reflection could we propose? Are there brothers and sisters who could accompany these groups?
Three Adrian Dominican sisters participated in the Women's Conference in Beijing in 1995. It was their way to confront their practices of solidarity with that of other organizations and associations at the international level. Through the various situations and commitments they realized how strong the movement for the advancement of women had become, and was now better understood and respected.
They perceived their participation as a way of living in conformity with the charism of the Order made of compassion, study and analysis. It gave them the opportunity to create new relationships and allowed, though modestly, the face of the Church to be present at this international gathering where delegates were not always in agreement with the positions of the Church.
Similarities with socio-political partners
In all of the countries there exist political groups (more
or less organized) that have as their goal a more just social order, associations
(more or less formal) that defend human rights and democracy, unions (more
or less authorized) that are seeking to promote better economic and social
conditions... Do we know any such groups? Who are their leaders? Are there
activities that we might be able to carry out together?
Working with these groups can be rather complex at times, because it means associating our religious family with a partisan position. Such associations are very welcome by the members at times but there are other times when the brothers and sisters might have very different opinions and do not wish to collaborate with such groups. A great deal of discussion is required to overcome such situations...; but sometimes it is necessary if we want to be true to our faith in a Gospel that implies community.
Dominican brothers and sisters have been working for many years in the Chiapas region of Mexico where Bartolomeo de Las Casas was the first bishop, a very poor region where there is great inequality. In the beginning of 1994, an insurrection broke out that lead to an armed conflict between the Zapatista National Liberation Movement (composed of indigenous people) and the Mexican army. The insurgents demanded justice, a democratic regime and an agrarian reform.
The brothers and sisters were accused of consorting with the leaders of the Zapatista army and received death threats from local government officials and the wealthy people of the region, because of the work they did with the native people and because they defended them in their claim for justice and for the respect of their local culture and values. The brothers and sisters head up the Center for Human Rights of the diocese and know well the problems of the region.
Dom Ruiz, the bishop of Chiapas, was appointed by the Zapatistas to be the mediator between themselves and the government. He was chosen because of this commitment to the poor and because of his integrity. Dom Ruiz carried out his task in the midst of severe difficulties (violence, threats ...) and was able to successfully set up a peace process.
During this time, the people guarded his house at night, held special prayer vigils, organized processions... The brothers and sisters participated in all of these actions with the other pastoral agents of the diocese and many assisted the bishop in the theological and pastoral reflection process.
Collaboration with the State and administrators raises the same problems as identified in the preceding section. It is not always desirable, but can be very helpful in some instances and allow greater effectiveness. To be placed under the tutelage of the State could become dangerous in the long run. Collaboration with the State to obtain grants, the permission to intervene, protection, or certain advantages must be thought out thoroughly through analysis and debate before making any commitments.
Similarities at the International level
We have already talked about the networks within the Order for brothers
and sisters working in areas and dealing with issues where justice and
peace is not respected (Workbook #1) can share information. There exist
many international networks throughout the world, of either Christian or
secular origin. Participation in such networks is a good thing and should
be encouraged.
Participation in such networks
gives us access to information about problems that the network must deal
with and provides elements of solutions. These networks allow for the expression
of different viewpoints and open the participants to the broader picture.
They help local initiatives with by bringing to them synergistic energy
and the credibility of a more widespread. They also offer an opportunity
to present the creativity of our religious family and the power that comes
from Scripture.
Sisters and brothers are involved in many such networks ; The International Forum of Religious for Global Solidarity, Chrétiens-Sida (AIDS), SOS-Torture... The following are two examples among others:
- The Coalicion contra el trafico de Mujeres network brings together (under different names) all of those groups working against prostitution, sex tourism, the traffic of persons for prostitution, pornography and sexual exploitation. This network has been most effective in defending the victims of this type of violence and for advancing legislation against this form of slavery. (Suite 406, Victoria Plaza, 4a Annapolis, Greenhills, Metro Manila, Philippines; or Urb. Montalban Res. Ustar E-2, Apto 12, Final calle 12 C/2d Avenida, Caracas, Venezuela).
- The Réseau Eglise et Paix is a European network. It is ecumenical and is composed of Churches, communities and associations...that believe that the testimony of peace is one of the essential elements of the Church of Jesus Christ. It exchanges information and promotes actions in favor of the civil service (non-military), and helps in the training of mediators for conflict resolution and the pedagogy of peace...(16 rue Simonis, 67100 Strasbourg).
If you belong to or know of any international networks that you believe would help to mobilize the brothers and sisters of the Order, please send us the information so we can pass it on.
Affiliations
Our concerns for Justice and Peace are rooted in our Dominican tradition (see Workbook #1), but they extend further than that, they reach out to all men and women of good will, to thinkers as well as to practitioners. We acknowledge our work together over time; we recognize our affiliations with them. Our commitment to Justice and Peace can be approached from both the diachronic and the traditional perspectives. We have already identified our spiritual affiliations within the tradition of our Order (Workbook #1) whereby we are invited to do the work of Justice and Peace as one of the fundamental axes of our religious life. We have numerous affiliations within the Church (Workbook #2): the Fathers from the fourth to the sixth century, the Church's Social Doctrine... This reference to the past helps us to situate our action for Justice and Peace within the Dominican tradition: preaching a Good News that liberates. Our spiritual affiliations do not have to be limited to the Order, they can open us up to new and expanded horizons such as love for all of creation, belief in life... Within this perspective rests a whole ecumenical debate that must be promoted not only with the Christian churches but with the different spiritualities such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam... and some of the newer ones that are part of the New Age Movement. The ecumenical debate on the theme of "Justice, Peace and Creation" is particularly important and some headway has already been made in this area, especially at the Seoul Conference in 1990, and within the regional conferences. We must confront our commitment to Justice and Peace with what is happening in the other churches. The Chapter of Caleruega says: "We ask those Dominicans working with other religions to work together with them to develop common projects in the area of human rights and the fight against poverty." (recommendations 14, II).
We also have intellectual affiliations that invite us to enter into the broader social movement. Every country has its tradition of people militating in favor of Justice and Peace who are prepared to do all in their power to protect creation and uphold equality of the sexes. It is important as Dominicans that our actions dovetail with that of these men and women of conviction. What are the common concerns we share with them in Justice and Peace? What are the differences? What kind of collaboration can we have together? How can the ideas of these men and women enrich our theological concepts? Looking at some well known figures might help us ; St. Martin, M. K. Ghandi, M. Luther King, Rigoberta Menchu, Henri Dunant, Dag Hammerskjold, Oscar Romeo... We all know many more, especially those from our own country and culture (see Appendices). It is important that we be open to non-Dominican experiences, so that we can re-situate our contribution among those made by the many men and women of good will in this world. It would be beneficial to present these models during the process of initial and ongoing formation, as a means to focus on the areas of convergence and differences between our commitment and theirs.
| A useful tool : the Justice and Peace Newsletter In many of the countries and Congregations the brothers and sisters publish Justice and Peace newsletters for the purpose of informing and training the members. These newsletters constitute the networks and serve as a link for those who act. One example would be the " Newsletter of Justice and Peace promoters of Australia, POB 385, Wahroonga, NSW, Australia 2076. |
| Example of an action: The Latin American Agenda This agenda has been published in several languages (French, English, Spanish, Portuguese) since 1992, and everyday presents us with the special anniversaries that celebrate human rights, special people who fought to defend human rights in Latin America, and give spiritual and political texts. The agenda also presents different movements, new pedagogical tools ... We might want to purchase it (Comité Chrétien pour les droits humains en Amérique Latine, Montreal H2P 1S6, Quebec) or make an adapted version for you own milieu. |
Taking a Stand
When a person truly decides to live a process of Justice and Peace it is certain that a time will come when he/she will have to take sides against some and in favor of others. This often places the person in the media spotlight particularly with the press where the reporters are always looking for new conflicts and inter-church rivalries. These tensions (at times despite ourselves) can sometimes lead us to become part of the trends happening in civil society that place us in a difficult position vis-à-vis the political authorities.
Our stands not only affect those brothers and sisters
committed to the cause, but has a bearing on the life of the entire congregation.
A good example of this is the famous preaching of Montesinos in 1511, on
the soul of the Indians, which the whole community made its own as did
the brothers who were involved in a more academic manner in Salamanca.
This requires that there be excellent communication within the Order, beginning with our congregations and provinces, for we are all interdependent. The regional promoters (cf. list in appendices to Workbook #1) have an important role to play in coordinating this effort.
In many ways American politics at this time contribute to favoring either injustices or else their solutions. That is why it is so important to appeal to public opinion and to American politicians. Several congregations of Dominican sisters in the U.S. have attempted to adopt a common position and when possible to take a corporate stand on the hot issues of our times, such as immigration, the Third World debt, the arms industry, social protection...
Once the theme is chosen the entire Congregation gets to work finding documentation and information on the subject. If necessary they call on experts to help them. This leads to an internal debate, the objective of which is to come to a sufficiently broad consensus so that the Congregation can publicly express its position in a corporate stand. This practice helps the community grow in its awareness of certain challenges and often opens the eyes of certain personalities and social groups. The sisters have their representatives within various pressure groups (lobbies) and seek to influence the government officials and have them pass laws that are more in keeping with their public position. There are sisters who sit on the governing boards of large corporations where they have funds invested. They make every effort to influence these businesses and ensure that they respect the moral code of ethics.
The problem of taking a corporate stand, signing petitions, making public statements on issues of Justice and Peace is always a very delicate matter, for it involves the whole Order and not just the signatories. This interdependence can irritate some of the members who do not necessarily share the same opinion. This problem is dealt with in LCO 139 of the Constitutions of the brothers and in the Ratio Generalis (appendix III). Taking a corporate stance requires serious debate at the congregational and provincial levels.
| An important personality: Dominique Pire. Dominique Pire was born in Belgium in 1910 and became a Dominican in 1928. After having done some of the more classic ministries and having been a professor, he discovered the plight of the displaced people and refugees of Eastern Europe, as a result of the Second World War. These are the words he used to describe his discovery. "It was not the refugees who came to me, nor did I seek them out. I was a Dominican with no spokesperson for my theology circle. That is how it all began. I was looking for a spokesperson. A points man came forward. Who sent him? Then he went away. He had not asked us to resolve the problem, but we all felt it would be impossible for us to remain indifferent." He began by founding a movement that spread across Europe, in aid of the people in the refugee camps and those displaced as a result of the war. The movement started with sending packages, delivering letters and making visits. D. Pire did not want to limit his actions to Christians or to a specific sector of the population; his desire was to help all of those who were considered lost, useless, good for nothing. He abundantly used the media to keep the Europeans aware of a situation they would have preferred to forget. He was very successful and moved the people to want to give generously and to help, thus allowing him to go further in his action. D. Pire opened several centers to provide a place to stay for those who had nowhere to turn to, those who were sick or too elderly to go to another country. Later on, he would create what is called, "The European Villages" where refugees and their families were treated with dignity and where the surroundings were conducive to integrating them into society. This action lead to the reconciliation of enemies as more and more people accepted to help. D. Pire had a dream, he wanted to create a "Europe with a Heart." In 1958 he received the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition for all of his efforts. These are the words he used to explain his commitment to the refugees: "Every human is of infinite value and deserves to be treated with respect and love, first of all because he/she is human, secondly because he/she has been labeled as useless and finally because he/she is unhappy." In 1960, D. Pire founded the " University of Peace" in Belgium. The goal of this school was to train young people from all over the world in the techniques of dialogue and conflict resolution. By dealing with the cause of the refugee problem, the University complemented the work of solidarity with the displaced persons and the victims of conflict. D. Pire was convinced of the power of dialogue and the mutual transformation that was the result of true, meaningful encounters with one another. This, he believed, was one of the fundamental dimension in order to build peace. In 1962, D. Pire continued his work in a more extensive manner when he founded in Pakistan the first "Island of Peace", with a second one soon to follow in India in 1967. In these so called "islands", the inhabitants received help for a period (5 or 6 years); they learned how to take care of their own needs and how to take initiatives. The idea was to work with the people, not to do things for them or to talk down at them. D. Pire worked out of the strong conviction that, "the best way to live peace, to respect one another, to love one another was to remember our common denominator which carries a magnificent name: our 'humanness'. We must learn to give all humans their true value, their infinite value." In the name of these convictions D. Pire took a public stand on the war in Vietnam, Biafra, the Middle East... He organized a solidarity movement with those who fled Czechoslovakia after the invasion of Prague. D. Pire died on January 30, 1969. He had lived his greatest ambition to be "the voice of the voiceless". |
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