Pacem in terris
April 11 marked the 40th anniversary of Pacem in terries (Peace on Earth), the encyclical published by John XXIII shortly before his death. It was a ground breaking document that opened a number of paths for the Church at the close of the Second Vatican Council. On the occasion of this 40th anniversary, John Paul II issued a letter this year for the celebration of the World Day of Peace (January 1, 2003). In it he underlines four pillars of peace: truth, justice, love and freedom. We might do well to consider these pillars in reflecting on our work of peace-building in CCODP.
The truth we speak of here is not doctrinal. It is respect for the truth of human dignity, of our relationships as one human family, of the aspirations of all peoples for justice, of the power of love and the mystery of freedom. To live in truth is to live in respect for all these dimensions of the project of life.
At a time when truth has suffered enormously in the hands of the official propaganda machines, we do well to root ourselves once again in our commitment to live in truth, justice, love and freedom. There is here a whole program for life, for faith and for CCODP.
Speaking of John XXIII, Pope John-Paul II says that he “was convinced that, in spite of the dramatic situation, the world was becoming increasingly conscious of certain spiritual values, and increasingly open to the meaning of these pillars of peace.”
Pacem in terris was also a call for order in human life: an order of truth, justice, love and freedom between citizens and the State, and in the international forum. It was a call to Catholics everywhere to get involved in the political process of bringing respect for human dignity into government and international affairs. CCODP was born in this context.
CCODP and Peace-building
CCODP has been involved in peace-building for a long time with our overseas partners. The work in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, in Guatemala and Colombia are witnesses. In some cases this work has been extraordinarily important: the support of peace communities in Colombia, the rebuilding of civil society in Rwanda and Congo and, in particular, the monitoring of the democratic process in the Congo.
In more recent months we have been active all across the country in the effort to avoid a war in Iraq. Letters were written to the Prime Minister, petitions signed, press releases and press conferences organized and, of course, many of us took to the streets with our fellow citizens to press our case.
That there was a war is no sign that we did not succeed in making a difference. At least we kept our Federal Government out of it. I was impressed that, during the Quebec election, all of the major candidates wore the white ribbon. Our voice was being heard!
Continuing the work
More over the work is not over. There is much to do. We need to encourage the Federal Government to take an active role in rebuilding the strength of the United Nations. This could also be a good time to strengthen the movement for serious changes to the structure of the Security Council. The U.N. Secretary General needs to be reminded that he failed in his responsibility to call a session of the General Assembly to deal with the war in Iraq as the UN Charter provides. We need to monitor the Federal Government on its role in rebuilding Iraq; press for an active but very carefully framed involvement.
The Federal Government has indicated it would be willing to consider sending personnel to help train Iraqi police forces. We have experience in doing that in Haiti. Unfortunately, while good work was done, the long-term results were practically nil. The government needs to weigh carefully its involvement in this area to make sure that there are positive indicators for real long-term improvements.
One of the significant experiences of CCODP in these months has been its participation with other local groups and NGO’s in the anti-war movement. We can build positively on this foundation. The anti-war movement was very divided and weak a year ago. Not much was happening at all and there was little support except among the “usual suspects”. Obviously something has been gained in these months and we cannot let it slip away from us. CCODP today has much strong ties internationally with Caritas in particular, and also with Pax Christi. Our experience during these months has helped. You will know of other more local or regional examples.
The anti-war movement itself was obviously able to mobilize on the foundations of the anti-globalization movement that had shown its strength over the last two or three years in Seattle, Quebec and Genoa. Here again, we need to learn the lessons from our involvement in the struggle against the FTAA. There are lessons about building strength, organizing, networking, lobbying and reaching the broad public that we should not lose.
One of the debates that took place during this period was over strategies of violence and non-violence particularly with the “Black Block.” In the end I think we found that debate extremely useful. All sides, I think learned a great deal. The fact that the war in Iraq went forward in face of overwhelming world opinion against it, is no argument that non-violence failed. However, in our organizing efforts, in our strategizing, in our dialogues with other sectors of the anti-globalization and anti-war movements, we will need to continue to make our case clearly.
I want, briefly, to touch on one dimension of peace-building where perhaps CCODP can make an important contribution.
The Spiritual Dimension
War is rooted in fear, said Thomas Merton in 1961 in an article reprinted recently in the National Catholic Reporter (April 4, 2003). War, therefore, has its roots in deeply embedded attitudes we carry within us. Peace, too, grows from within. We need to pay careful attention to this dimension of peace building. It is a question of facing fear and finding internal strength, what Len Desroches calls “force,” (another name for power)
Biblical and Church Roots of Peace-building
Biblical peace (shalom) is closely related to Righteousness (Justice) and to Freedom. These are basic terms for Catholic theology and we have not always managed them well.
First of all, there is a dialectic movement between the inner and the outer, between the personal and the social.
Jesus’ favourite biblical references were to Isaiah and to Jeremiah. Both prophets were concerned about the exile, about the infidelity of the people and God’s fidelity. Jesus drew on this to talk about the call to discipleship. In some ways, our situation is not unlike that of the time of Jesus and also of the first faith communities.
Mark 3, 27
A controversy when the leaders sent from Jerusalem who accuse Jesus of being under the influence of Beelzebub (being mad!). Jesus replies that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Then he offers a fascinating little parable: No one can ransack the house of a strong man unless he first binds the strong man. Only if the strong man is bound can one then ransack the house.
To understand this text we have to look at the conditions of the Galilean people of that time. They lived under the military occupation of the Romans, assisted by a Jewish leadership that had made accommodations with the Romans to maintain their power. The result was heavy taxation of the people by the Romans; the taxes were collected by a Jewish system that handed over the funds while adding on a second level of taxation. This double level of taxation was keeping the ordinary agricultural society of Galilee deep in poverty. Both the Romans and the Jerusalem hierarchy were hated and there was a history of Galilean uprisings, often armed and violent, against the system.
When Mark decided to write his Gospel, the system continued and the small faith community was being strongly pressured to join in the armed uprising of their day. Mark wrote, not a biography of Jesus, but rather a text that attempts to help the community find its way through this temptation and to remember the kind of discipleship Jesus had indicated to them: to be faithful to his Way. (Early Christians were in fact known as followers of the Way.)
The fidelity of the faith community is in following the Way of Jesus: option of solidarity with those who suffer most, approach in respect to them and action to “raise them up,” “put them on their feet.” This is indeed the Way of Development and Peace as well, is it not?
Jesus fidelity to the truth of the dignity of the poor led him to his death at the hands of the authorities. The moment when the Empire believes it has finally “dealt with” Jesus, his death on the cross, is, however, in Mark’s eyes, the very moment at which the power of the Empire ceases to have any power over Jesus or the disciples: the temple curtain, symbol of the religious rule, is torn in two, and the sun, symbol of Imperial rule, ceases to shine.
We need to face our fears, live in truth our option for the poor, and accept the consequences in deep faith in the power of truth, justice, love and freedom.
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