During the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), Pope John XXIII and the bishops from all around the world decided that the Church needed to be more involved in the world. For that, they established a Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace and decided that each Bishops’ Conference should establish a Justice and Peace commission and that all bishops work towards establishing Justice and Peace commissions in their Dioceses. The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) was one of the first Bishops’ Conferences in the world to establish a Justice and Peace department in 1967.
The department effectively became the SACBC’s anti-apartheid mobilisation and campaigning arm throughout the apartheid era. During the political transition period, the department focused mostly on the negotiation process, election support, and (subsequently) the TRC process. Over the past decade in the post-apartheid era, the department established dedicated programmes in gender, environmental justice, economic justice, land reform, democracy, reconciliation, training, social renewal, trade justice, and international solidarity and peace-building.
The purpose of J&P is to promote justice and peace action in the light of Catholic Social Teachings as an integral part of the evangelising mission of the Catholic Church in Southern Africa, within the 29 Dioceses. The J&P’s mandate is set out by the SACBC and covers:
- Helping the church community to be aware of the suffering, injustice, divisions, and violence in the territories served by the Conference and to be committed to transforming society.
- Raising awareness among people about the causes of suffering and poverty and helping them recognize the social implications of faith for all areas of human life as well as for the environment.
- Working for a more just society where the basic human rights of all people are respected; especially those of the poor, of women, and others who are marginalised.
- Having a special concern within the Church for preaching and promoting action for justice and peace in support of the poor, disadvantaged, and oppressed and to act as an advisory body on justice issues.
- Promoting awareness of the integrity of creation and encouraging the church community to work for environmental justice.
- Being a contact point for women’s groups and assisting these groups to raise women’s concerns in the Conference especially those dealing with issues of justice relating to women in society, the role of women in the Church and their participation in its life.
- Address injustice within the Church itself so that it can be a more credible witness to its gospel message.
As the Justice and Peace, we continue the mission of Christ in our societies by promoting human dignity, justice, peace and the integrity of creation both within the Church and in the broader society, drawing on gospel values and the social teachings of the Church. Our work is informed by a preferential option for the poor and marginalised, a fundamental commitment to social justice, and the eradication of poverty. We thus want to help all levels of the Church in our region to realise that work for justice and peace is an integral and indispensable part of our Christian faith.
We aim to realise our vision by:
- Harnessing the vast expertise that exists within and without the Church in all sectors of society to deepen the understanding and analysis at all levels of the Church of issues that require our response and advocacy for a more just and peaceful society, leading to effective action.
- We do this in a spirit of community service, ecumenism, and partnership with other role players.
JUSTICE IS PRESENT:
- When the dignity of all people and all of Creation is respected;
- When they are thus given all that is due to them in every dimension of life;
- When civil life is directed towards the Common Good.
PEACE IS PRESENT:
- Not only when there is absence of war, but when all violence is ended;
- When I/we experience the fullness of life;
- As the fruit of my/our experience of justice and love;
- When I am reconciled to God, myself and to all others.
SO, WHAT IS JUSTICE AND PEACE SPIRITUALITY?
He has sent me:
- To bring good news to the poor,
- To proclaim freedom to captives,
- And to the blind new sight,
- To set the oppressed free,
- To proclaim the Lord’s year of favour (Luke 4:18).
THIS GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS CAME TO BRING (EVANGELISATION) IS:
- Economic Justice for the poor;
- Political Justice for the oppressed;
- Healing for those afflicted;
- Forgiveness and mercy for offenders.
SO, WHAT IS JUSTICE AND PEACE MINISTRY?
Justice and Peace is a movement to remind the Church of its primary mission to remove the contradiction between faith and life and to restore God’s Kingdom of love, justice, and peace.
WHAT JUSTICE AND PEACE IS ABOUT:
- Changing unjust structures
through
- Training
- Advocacy
- Lobbying
- Action.