|
Historical note
The Pontifical Council:
|
| The Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace was set up following the Motu Proprio of Paul VI, Catholicam Christi Ecclesiam, 6 January 1967. Its structure was reviewed and its functions redefined in the 1976 Motu Proprio Iustitiam et Pacem of the same Supreme Pontiff. Towards the implementation of the Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus, of His Holiness John Paul II, 1988, the dicastery was reaffirmed and renamed the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. Its functions were to be principally research and the publication of texts in promotion of justice and peace. |
| The Commission for Justice and Peace USG/UISG. |
| Following the Synod on Justice, 1971, the USG and the UISG each established a Justice and Peace Commission. They worked in collaboration with each other, helping generalates to understand better the aims and objectives of the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace so as to assist it more effectively in the implementing of its programmes. |
| In 1974 the two Unions structured their collaboration by forming a Joint Working Group. Special formation programmes were set up to help those who had been deputed by their Institutes to be liaison persons with the Pontifical Commission. At the time of the publication of Justiciam et Pacem the structural relationship between the Pontifical Commission and the Joint Working Group no longer seemed an appropriate one. The Joint Working Group saw its service to the generalates primarily in terms of animation while the Pontifical Commission came to understand its mandate to be primarily one of research, the preparing of texts and popularising the social doctrine of the Church. |
| The Joint Working group became more formalised as the Justice and Peace Commission of the USG/UISG in 1982. Since that time the Pontifical Commission, now the Pontifical Council, has continued to offer its services through the presence of a member on the JPIC Commission (USG/UISG) and by providing documentation and the contributions of specialists. The title of the Commission was later extended to Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission of the USG/UISG |
| Origin of the Secretariat for the JPIC Commission. |
| As the calls on the commitment of the Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation became more pressing in the period from 1980 it became apparent that a permanent and ongoing structure was needed to coordinate activities of the generalates with regard to the justice, peace and environment issues. In 1993 after consultation with the Executive Councils of the USG the UISG and with the generalates, a formal request was made for a full-time executive secretary. Approval was given for an experimental period. This arrangement became permanent eventually. The secretariat serves the joint Commission on Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation of the Union of Superiors General (Institutes of men) and the International Union of Superiors General (Institutes of women). |
| Origin and Purpose of the JPIC Commission, USG/UISG |
| The Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity is a joint organism of the Union of Superiors General (USG) and of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). |
| In a world marked by poverty, injustice, dominative structures and absolute ideologies, the purpose of the Commission is to serve the UISG and the USG, both as Unions and in their individual member generalates according to their own charisms, to a greater awareness, clearer analysis and more effective action in the area of justice and peace. The Commission makes its preferential option for the poor, affirms the values of collaboration and sharing, participation and communication, and commits itself to continual learning through observing, reflecting, acting. |
