Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation

2024

For previous years, see JPIC menu above

2023:     Christmas and Wonder     |     Climate blogs     |     Catastrophe in the Middle East     |     Trees and Sacred Sites     |     Tuvalu's climate asylum     |     Eucharistic life and service     |     Education for Hispanic Immigrants     |     Marist Mission Studies     |     Laudate Deum     |     Buddhist Vipassana     |     Science and Indigenous Cosmologies     |    Mary and the new creation     |     Instruments of Communion     |     The Way to Communion     |     Called to Communion     |     'Voice' gathering     |     Let Justice and Peace flow     |     A peek at AI     |     Mary, heaven and earth     |     Reducing agricultural methane     |     JPICC's 'Voice' Project     |     The Cost of Debt     |     Peoples Aid     |     The Synodal Way     |     Divesting from Fossil Fuels     |     Ecological Freedom     |     Sport and Disability     |     Rise with courage     |     Sharing the Journey     |     Suffering and Hope     |     Climate and debt in the Pacific     |     Cohesive Societies     |     Wholemakers     |     Meditation     |     Easter fish     |     Overshoot?     |     Africa's Ecology     |     Laudato Si' and Marist Oceania     |     Marist Mission to the Deaf     |     No-Dig Gardening, ctd     |      No-Dig Gardening     |     Become an animator     |     Anei's witness     |     Care for our Oceans     |     Interculturality     |     Our common home     |     Youth and Technology     |     Sacrifice Zones and Green Lies     |     Protecting biodiversity     |     Benedict XVI: social teachings     |     Child labour: now and then     |     In darkness, a light 

 JPIC Committee annual reports

2023   |   2022   |   2020-21   |   2019

Recommended web links

Marist JPIC International Blog     |     Marist European JP blog     |     ACRATH - Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans     |    Edmund Rice - Pacific Calling Partnership      |    Wilai Foundation

Click for:

 'Caring for our planet' 

Sustainability Covenant

Seedlings for life

This week’s JPIC Blog is another Easter story of generating and sharing life at Marist Centre, Tutu, Fiji. The newly-opened nursery will provide 60,000 seedlings a year for the farmers of Taveuni. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Apr 15] 

Domestic violence and JPIC

At its Apr 06 meeting the Marist Family JPIC Committee continued planning for a gathering later this year to address issues of domestic violence. At the event, scheduled for Sep 08 at the parish hall, Hunters Hill, it is hoped to distribute a simple resource with key information inspired by that of Broken Bay diocese.                              [Apr 08] 

Consolation at Bambili

This week’s JPIC Blog is a Marist Easter story from Bambili, Cameroon, Africa, where Our Lady of Consolation Center offers new life to disadvantaged children and their families. Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Apr 08]

Easter: Eucharistic People

For our JPIC Blog this week we have an Easter poem from Bernadette Murray, Middlesbrough, UK, who works with the Marists, and lives her life with Mary’s spirit: she a teacher, a spiritual director, and involved in the music ministry and food-bank in her parish.

Go to the Blog: click here.                                [Apr 02]

Beloved Victims

This week’s JPIC Blog, The Beloved, is the work of Mary Burkett, who brings to life and light many children who have been victims of violence, war and slavery: a needed gift for the world in which we currently live. Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Mar 19]

Against Human Trafficking

This week’s JPIC Blog reminds us again of Pope Francis’ urging all to join the fight against the scourge of trafficking in women and girls saying it is violence: 'It is a deep and open wound in the body of Christ and in the body of all humanity, which affects each one of us'. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Mar 12]

JPIC 2023 report

The annual report of the Marist District of Australia's Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee summarises the activity of the group throughout another year.

The JPICC, established in 2009, notes in its latest report the increasing emphasis given to collaboration with Marist Family branch members. 

To download the summary report, click here. For earlier reports, see above.                             [Mar 05]

Inherently Marist

This week's JPIC Blog is an Invitation to sign up to a free online course Toward a Constitutively Synodal Church.  The Marist Constitutions are inherently synodal, and the next annual meeting of major superiors in May will engage in a synodal process, as will the Marist General Chapter in 2025. 

The course seeks to train pastoral workers, religious men and women, and bishops in light of the Synod on Synodality.  Its sessions are in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German and Polish and are recorded to be utilized at any time.

Go to the Blog click here.                                 [Mar 04]

Ecological Transformation: Testimony and Invitation

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Nik Rodewald, theology teacher and campus minister at Marist School, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.  Go to the Blog: click here                              [Feb 26].

A Circular Economy

This week’s JPIC Blog is the third and final part on 'Economic Justice as a Priority for the Global South', a presentation given by Br Alberto Parise MCCJ, in Rome on Jan 23 during a webinar attended by over 300 JPIC promoters in religious congregations worldwide.  Go to the Blog: click here.                                [Feb 19]. 

Marist Family JPICC meets

All branches of the Marist Family were represented at a meeting of the Marist Family Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee  at Hunters Hill on Feb 10. The Committee reviewed its mandate to alert and advise constituent groups on current JPIC issues and began planning for a 2024 event on the topic of domestic violence.

Pictured below, from left: Fr Kevin Stewart SM, Br Lawrie McCane FMS, Fr Jim Carty SM (chair), Cathy Larkin (MLA), Sr Grace Ellul SM and Sr Margaret Tisch SMSM. Not pictured: Fr Ron Nissen SM.                                 [Feb 14]

Economic Justice-II

This week’s JPIC Blog is the second of three parts on 'Economic Justice as a Priority for the Global South', a presentation given by Br Alberto Parise MCCJ, in Rome on Jan 23 during a webinar attended by over 300 JPIC promoters in religious congregations worldwide. Go to the Blog: click here.                                    [Feb 12]

Against Human Trafficking

To help focus on the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking 2024 a pastoral guide is available for use on Feb 08, feast of St Josephine Bakhita. To download the guide, click here.                                 [Feb 07]

Economic Justice-I

This week’s JPIC Blog is the first of three parts on 'Economic Justice as a Priority for the Global South', a presentation given by Br Alberto Parise MCCJ, in Rome on Jan 23 during a webinar attended by over 300 JPIC promoters in religious congregations worldwide. Go to the Blog: click here.                                    [Feb 05]

Fossil Fuels Treaty

In this week’s JPIC Blog Fr Peter Healy SM focuses on our opportunity, as individuals, communities, and organizations, to sign the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Go to the Blog: click here.                                   [Jan 30]

Mary and New Beginnings

In this week's JPIC Blog Fr Bernard Thomasset SM reflects on the place of Mary in the first moments of the Gospel, fitting as a contemplative core at the heart of our mission of justice as we begin a new year. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Jan 22]

A World on Fire

This week's JPIC Blog draws on observations from Fr Richard Rohr OFM and Brian McLaren in facing key environmental issues for engagement in 2024. Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Jan 15]

The Search for Peace

This week's JPIC Blog is the recent reflection of Superior-General, Fr John Larsen, on the Epiphany: gifts given and received, peace in a violent world, inter-faith encounter which leads to returning if a different way, living simply among the poor:  Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Jan 08]

Christmas and Wonder

In this week's JPIC Blog Fr Ben McKenna SM reflects on the awe and wonder of Christmas. For his PowerPoint reflection on the Seven Wonders of the World, click here. To go to the Blog, click here.                                  [Dec 29]

Climate blogs

Two weekly JPIC Blogs are included here. From the USA, Fr Ted Keating SM outlines how the world’s poor are most affected by the climate crisis. Go to the Blog: click here

Secondly, as COP 28 ends, this Blog focusses on the commitment of faith leaders of all persuasions to provide a future for our Common Home.  Go to the Blog: click here                              [Dec 19]

Catastrophe in the Middle East

In this week's JPIC Blog, Marist Associate, Ross Flint, reflects on the current disastrous situation in the Middle East. Go to the Blog:: click here.                             [Dec 06]

Trees and Sacred Sites

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Kiwi Marist, Fr Peter Healy SM.  As we prepare for Advent we remember that trees stand at the beginning of Scripture, the middle, and end  reminding us that we are in creation and creation is in us. We are part of God’s ongoing creative mission: Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Nov 30]

Tuvalu's climate asylum

This week's JPIC Blog follows a report from Fr François Grossin SM, New Caledonia, on the Australia-Tuvalu Climate Asylum Treaty signed on Nov 10.     Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Nov 21]

Eucharistic life and service 

Our JPIC Blog this week comes from Fr Tony Corcoran SM, District Superior of Marists in Australia. It links our life of contemplation, centered in the Eucharist, with our bearing fruit in service within the Church and beyond [cf. 2017 Declaration on Mission. n.4]  Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Nov 14]

Education for Hispanic Immigrants

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Dr Leticia Valencia, Director of Centro Hispano Marista, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on the GED [Secondary Qualification] Program they conduct for Hispanic Immigrants. Go to the Blog: click here.                                   [Nov 09]

Marist Mission Studies

This week's JPIC Blog is a report from Fr Larry Sabud SM on the recent program of Marist Mission Studies held in Thailand for young Marists. Go to the Blog:  click here.                              [Oct 30]

Laudate Deum

This week’s JPIC Blog offers a summary of the Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum, in which Pope Francis is calling for clear global goals at COP 28, which can be penalized if not met and a mechanism to implement them, for the sake of our common home  Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Oct 23]

Buddhist Vipassana

In this week's JPIC Blog, Fr Frank Bird SM shares his experience of the Buddhist Vipassana retreat and its contrast with traditional Christian spirituality.  Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Oct 16]

Science and Indigenous Cosmologies

This week's JPIC Blog concludes the series of five articles from Fr Samu Tukidia SM, Fiji, linking Laudato Si with Marist Spirituality and with a focus on science and indigenous cosmologies.  Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Oct 09]

Mary and the new creation

In the Season of Creation, Fr Samu Tukidia SM presents 'Mary and the new creation', the fourth of five articles on Laudato Si and Marist Spirituality. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Oct 01]

Instruments of Communion

This week's JPIC Blog, 'The Instruments of Communion: Sacramentality and Marist Spirituality', is the third in a series from the reflections of Fr Samu Tukidia SM on Laudato Si and Marist Spirituality. Go to the blog: click here.                              [Sep 25] 

The Way to Communion

This week's JPIC Blog, 'The Way to Communion: A Deep Christology Broadening Marist Mission', is the second in a series from the reflections of Fr Samu Tukidia SM on Laudato Si and Marist Spirituality. Go to the blog: click here.                              [Sep 18] 

Called to Communion

In this week's JPIC Blog Fr Samu Tukidia presents the first of five articles on Laudato Si and Marist Spirituality: Called to Communion. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Sep 11]

'Voice' gathering

In an event at Hunters Hill on Sep 03 Marist Laity Australia and the Marist Family Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee collaborated to invite veteran journalist, TV social affairs commentator and presenter, Kerry O'Brien, to speak on the forthcoming 'Indigenous Voice to Parliament' referendum issues.  

One hundred persons, young and old, gathered in the Holy Name of Mary parish hall in Q&A style session chaired by MLA co-leader, Cathy Larkin.

Scenes from the 90-minute session are pictured below.                             [Sep 07] 

Let Justice and Peace flow

In this week's JPIC Blog and as we enter this first week of the Season of Creation we share news from our Marist FMS Brothers and the 2023 theme of 'Let Justice and Peace flow'. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Sep 05] 

A peek at AI

This week's JPIC Blog from Marist Associate, Ross Flint, reflects on Daniel Schmachtenberger's interview on the emerging influence of Artificial Intelligence today.  Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Aug 28]

Mary, heaven and earth

This week's JPIC Blog connects Pope Francis’ teaching on Mary in Laudato Si, with God’s way of caring for creation.  Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Aug 21]

Reducing agricultural methane

This week's JPIC Blog reports on commitments from the Global Methane Hub meeting recvently in Chile. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Aug 14]

JPICC's 'Voice' Project

Marist Laity Australia and the Marist Family Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Committee are collaborating to host an event focussing on the forthcoming  'Voice' referendum. In a 'Q&A' style session at Hunters Hill on Sep 03 social affairs commentator, Kerry O'Brien, will respond to issues raised by participants.

Planning for the event was the main agenda item for the JPIC committee's hybrid meeting on Aug 05. For further details (registration required), click here.                             [Aug 09] 

The Cost of Debt

For this week's JPIC Blog, from Rome Fr Ben McKenna writes: 'Given the fact that our youngest Marist Units, who have the most vocations, are in countries most affected by Global Debt, I would like to present this article for our awareness. The Marist Constitutions remind us: 'Marists strive, therefore to remedy injustices in economic and social relationships' [C.111]. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Aug 07] 

Peoples Aid

In this week's JPIC Blog Fr Jean-Yves Denize SM recounts his experience of volunteering, hidden and unknown, in Paris.  Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Jul 31]

The Synodal Way

In this week's JPIC Blog, Fr Paul Walsh SM presents parallels between the Church's present teachings on the synodal way inspired by Pope Francis and those of Jean-Claude Colin. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Jul 26]

Divesting from Fossil Fuels

This week's JPIC Blog is drawn from a presentation in May to our Ecology Commission by Laudato Si coordinators, Drs Lucia Sorrentino [Italy] and Joseph D'halluin [France]. Given that the World Meteorological Organization tells us that the preliminary data shows we have just had the hottest week on record, this is timely.  Go to the Blog: click here.                       [Jul 17]

Ecological Freedom

This week's JPIC Blog is the work of Fr John Guo Wang SM, a summary of his recent thesis 'Consideration of Ecological Freedom to Human Development'.  Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Jul 10]

Sport and Disability

This week's JPIC Blog features Lyon youth celebrating a national day of sport and disability. Go to the Blog: click here                                [Jul 04]

Rise with courage

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Mary Betz on the aftermath and lessons of climate disaster. 

Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Jun 27]

Sharing the Journey

This week's JPIC Blog shows Atlanta students engaging with refugees and migrants. Go to the Blog: click here.                           [Jun 20]

Suffering and Hope

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Sr Gladys Enanoria SMSM, a Filipina working in Peru, reporting on the response to cyclone Yaku. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Jun 12]

Climate and debt in the Pacific

This week’s JPIC Blog from Cardinal Mafi of Tonga, focuses on the two-fold crises facing Pacific nations: Climate and Debt. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Jun 05]

Cohesive Societies 

This week's JPIC Blog reports on the presence of Marists, Frs Hermes (Larry) Sabud and Kevin Medilo, at the Singapore conference on Cohesive Societies. Go to the Blog:  click here.                                [May 29]

Wholemakers

Catholic Climate Covenant has initiated a program where young people can make a difference to mother earth. Supported by the Marist Family Laudato Si group, Wholemakers is an integral ecology curriculum for young adults available for free download and use.

The ten-session curriculum has been created by young adults for young adults, weaving the latest in climate science with insights from Catholic tradition and equiping participants to be, as Pope Francis describes, faithful protagonists of transformation the world so urgently needs.

For Wholemakers, click here. For Catholic Climate Covenant, click here.                                [May 24]

Meditation

The feasts of Ascension and Pentecost recall the gift of the Holy Spirit, the giver of breath and life to all creation. This week's JPIC Blog is the work of Duane Bowers, in a presentation to the SM USA Province in March on 'Meditation - physical & emotional impacts'. Go to the Blog: click here.                                      [May 23]

Easter fish

This week's JPIC comes from Fr Luigi Savoldelli SM and the agricultural program inn Cameroon, a fine example of sustainable development in the spirit of Laudato Si'.  Go to the Blog: click here.                                  [May 15]

Overshoot?

This week's JPIC Blog is a commentary from Marist Associate, Ross Flint, on Prof Bill Rees' dire assessment of depletion of earth's resources. Go to the Blog: click here.                                [May 08]

Africa's Ecology

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Marist seminarian, Simon Pierre Akono, Yaoundé, Cameroon, calling fellow Africans to right relationships, including with our common home.  

Go to the Blog: click here.                       [May 01]

Laudato Si' and Marist Oceania

This week's JPIC Blog is from Fijian Marist, Fr Samuele Tukidia SM, on Laudato Si' and its applications and implications for the Marists of Oceania. 

Go to the Blog: click here                              [Apr 24]

Marist Mission to the Deaf

This week’s JPIC blog was submitted by Fr Michael O’Connor SM on the Marist project in the Solomon Islands of a school for the deaf. Go to the Blog: click here.                               [Apr 17]

No-Dig Gardening, ctd 

This week's JPIC Blog continues No-Dig Gardening, appropriate for Holy Week since life began in the Garden of Eden, and the resolution of our destiny was determined in the Garden of Olives. We recall also Pope St John Paul II's quote, 'God did not put us on earth to guard a museum, but to tend a beautiful garden.'   Go to the Blog: click here.                         [Apr 03] 

No-Dig Gardening 

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Marist Associate, Ross Flint, Tasmania, Australia, with tips on soil care in a healthy environment. Go to the Blog, click here.                            [Mar 27]

Become an animator

This week’s JPIC Blog offers an opportunity for formation as a Laudato Si animator. This was recommended by the Society of Mary's Superior-General and Council in 2022 as a concrete way to support a major call of Pope Francis in our day. Go to the Blog: click here.                          [Mar 20]

Anei's witness

This week's JPIC Blog has been submitted by Br Ivan Vodopivec SM at the request of Anei, a South-Sudanese refugee, who made it to England. Anei asked to have his story told. Go to the Blog: click here.                            [Mar 13]

Care for our Oceans

This week's JPIC Blog is week is the work of Fr Donato Kivi SM in his presentation to the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences of Oceania in their recent gathering in Suva. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Mar 06]

Interculturality

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Cameroonian Marist seminarian, Philippe Essomba, experiencing 'interculturality' at close quarters. Go to the Blog (French & English): click here.                             [Feb 27] 

Our common home

This week's JPIC Blog is a resource recommended by Fr Petero Matairatu SM, Director of Marist Training Centre, Tutu, Fiji.

The fruit of a common endeavor between the Vatican Dicastery of Integral Human Development and the Stockholm Environment Institute, it is useful for groups, parishes, schools in addressing current issues in ‘Our Common Home’.

To download the resource in English, click here.  For multiple languages of the resource on the website of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development  click here. To go to the Blog (English and French), click here.                               [Feb 20]

Youth and Technology

This week's JPIC Blog is written by a Marist seminarian, Didier Binidi, from St Peter Chanel Formation House, Yaoundé, Cameroon. It has been published in the community's journal and typifies the interest of young Marists in JPIC issues. Go to the Blog: click here.                       [Feb 13]

Sacrifice Zones and Green Lies

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Fr Peter Healy SM, a sobering commentary on contemporary movements in ecology. Go to the Blog: click here.                             [Jan 30] 

Protecting biodiversity

This week's JPIC Blog features the recent COP 15 Landmark Biodiversity Agreement on protecting biodiversity. Go to the Blog: click here.                              [Jan 24]

Benedict XVI: social teachings

This week's JPIC Blog is a PowerPoint prepared by Fr Vincent Anes CMF on the social teaching of Pope Benedict XVI. He comments: 'We thank God for the gift of this Pope to the Church. Along with his significant life and mission, he has made distinctive contributions to the social teachings of the Church'.  A summary of his encyclicals Deus Caritas Est and Caritas in Veritate, the PowerPoint is also available in French, Italian and Spanish.  To download English version, click here.                                  [Jan 16]

Child labour: now and then

This week's JPIC Blog comes from Fr Jim Carty SM, a sober reflection on modern links with an age-old crime. Go to the Blog: click here.                         [Jan 09]

In darkness, a light

The Marist International JPIC Blog is coordinated weekly by Fr Ben McKenna with French translations by Fr Jean-Bernard Jolly. In their Christmas-New Year message, they say 'The light comes upon us, as we see war, injustice, and violence against the humble all over this world. Blessings on you, your family, and your community for the Christmas time and the approaching New Year.'

Their greeting includes a prayer and image from New Zealand and Australian Marists, Frs Peter Healy and Jim Carty:  click here..                               [Jan 02, 2023]