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Catholic Peacebuilding Network News Brief
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Enhancing the study and practice of Catholic peacebuilding
June 29, 2022
Network Updates
"Catholic Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis: Hope for a Wounded World"

From June 20-23, the Catholic Peacebuilding Network held an international virtual conference, "Catholic Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis: Hope for a Wounded World." CPN partnered with over two dozen collaborators, and the event drew 1000 registrants and included over 80 speakers from over 30 countries. Plenary sessions included "Hope for a Wounded World" with Cardinal Charles Bo and R. Scott Appleby; "Ethics of Nonviolence, Peacebuilding, and War: Future Challenges," with Lisa Sowle Cahill, Pat Gaffney, Robert Latiff, A. Rashied Omar, and Pavlo Smytsnyuk; "Catholic Church and Peace Processes," with Susan Page, Josefina Echavarría Álvarez, Msgr. Hector Fabio Henao, Paolo Impagliazzo, Myla Leguro, and Bishop Jean-Bertin Nadonye Ndongo; and "Climate, Development, and Peace," with Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, Laurie JohnstonKatherine Marshall, Erin Lothes, Aloysius John, and Joseph Muyango.

Recordings of all sessions, plenaries and breakouts, are available on CPN's YouTube channel. This includes a special presentation message from Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See Mission to the UN.
Global Developments
COLOMBIA: Truth Commission releases its final report

The Colombian Truth Commission released its final report on June 28. The Commission was established as part of the country's 2016 national peace agreement and was led by Francisco de Roux, SJ. Video of the launch event is available, as well as the accompanying press conference. The report is titled "Hay futuro si hay verdad" ("There Is a Future if There Is Truth"). The report includes three components: the main declaration, "Convocatoria a la PAZ GRANDE" ("Call for Big Peace"); Hallazgos y recomendaciones de la Comisión de la Verdad de Colombia (Findings and Recommendations of the Colombian Truth Commission); and "Cuando los pájaros no cantaban: historias del conflicto armado en Colombia" ("When the Birds Did Not Sing: Stories of the Armed Conflict in Colombia"). For additional information and resources, visit the Truth Commission website.
UNITED NATIONS: Caritas Internationalis leads side event at International Migration Review Forum

On May 17-20, the UN held its first International Migration Review Forum. Caritas Internationalis and co-sponsors Mercy International Association, ACT Alliance, and the NGO Committee on Migration held an official side event on climate and migration. Specifically, the event focused on accelerating Objectives 2 and 5 of the Global Compact on Migration.
PHILIPPINES: Initiative for the Study of Asian Catholics (ISAC) hosts forum on the Catholic Church and Philippine elections

This online roundtable discussed the 2022 presidential election in the Philippines and its significance for the Catholic Church. From the ISAC event description: "While the Catholic hierarchy had clearly endorsed presidential candidate Leni Robredo*, the country elected Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., son of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, as president, and Sara Duterte, daughter of outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte, as vice president. What does this tell us about Catholicism in the Philippines, in terms of its influence, current transformation, and internal divisions? What does it say about the youth and the poor of the country and their relations to the Catholic Church? How will this result impact Catholic communities and social services in the years to come?"

*The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines did not take an official position in the election. This claim is based on public support expressed by individual Catholic leaders.
AFRICA: SECAM calls for biodiversity protection ahead of COP 15

Bishop Sithembele Sipuka, vice-president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), issued a statement on behalf of SECAM affirming the African bishops' support for biodiversity protection. The statement cited Laudato Si' in noting "we have no such right" to destroy biodiversity, and outlined three related issues of concern: land grabbing, illegal logging, and conflict. The statement claims: "Nature and biodiversity are declining faster than at any other time in history, and successive major scientific reports have highlighted the massive scale of nature loss. We also know that climate and biodiversity are inextricably connected with the future of all life on Earth. Furthermore, the science is clear: an extractive, unsustainable economy is causing the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis, which is destroying God’s creation and harming the most vulnerable among us, those who have done little to cause the crisis, the poor and the Earth."
SOUTH SUDAN: South Sudan Council of Churches recognizes International Day for Elimination of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

The eighth International Day for Elimination of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence was on June 19. The South Sudan Council of Churches marked the day with a statement encouraging its members to include messages condemning conflict-related sexual violence and offering support for its victims in their religious services. The statement went on to acknowledge the ongoing problem of sexual violence in the country's conflicts and exhort leaders in government, civil society, and churches to prioritize the issue in their efforts for peace.
Resources and Announcements
Online Ecumenical School for Dialogue

The Institute of Ecumenical Studies of the Ukrainian Catholic University will run its second Ecumenical School for Dialogue (ESD) with the theme, "Truth-telling and reconciliation in the context of religious, national and geopolitical conflicts." It will take place online from July 4-15, 2022. The school is designed for those interested in theology, philosophy, humanities, politics, history, and reconciliation. ESD will consist of online lectures, discussions, seminars, and video-presentations. The working language will be English. Contact Rev. Roman Fihas for information. 
"Ukraine: Separating Just Defence from Dangerous False Narratives"

"Ukraine: Separating Just Defence from Dangerous False Narratives" is a new article by Jackie Turvey Tait. According to Tait, "It should be uncontroversial that the Ukrainians have a right to defend their people and their land. However, some have argued that Pope Francis is spearheading a rejection of the just war tradition, replacing it with a thoroughgoing pacifism that would in principle deny this right to the Ukrainian defenders. As an analysis of the Pope’s position, I think this is mistaken."
Elections, Violence and Transitional Justice in Africa

Elections in Africa are competitive in nature and can be manipulated by incumbents to extend and entrench their rule through changes to constitutions, intimidation of opponents, excess use of police force and, in some cases, assassinations of dissident voices. Ethnic cleavages are also exploited by contestants to incite and mobilize unsuspecting masses to pursue their electoral ambitions which can lead to political instability. In many African countries, violence before, during and after elections has become a regrettable norm rather than the exception. The function of transitional justice is to address the legacy of human rights atrocities, political violence and societal harm resulting from prior misrule or violent conflicts, with a view to establishing fair, democratic and inclusive societies. This new book edited by Elias O. Opongo and Tim Murithi interrogates the potential intersection between transitional justice and electoral processes. 
New book on community-level peaecbuilding in Colombia

Witnessing Peace: Becoming Agents Under Duress in Colombia, by Janna Hunter-Bowman, is rooted in the disciplines of theology and peace studies, and reflects with and on war-affected communities in Colombia about transitioning from violence to peace. It argues that much that is significant for peacebuilding in situations of war escapes the notice of governments, human rights organizations, and academics because it is accomplished through a kind of agency they do not recognize. This book names that agency as constructive agency under duress and demonstrates its significance for peacebuilding by reflecting on a form that the author has seen operating in Colombia over nearly two decades.
Please send information on Catholic peacebuilding to cpn@nd.edu.  
 
The Catholic Peacebuilding Network (CPN) is a voluntary network of practitioners, academics, clergy and laity from around the world which seeks to enhance the study and practice of Catholic peacebuilding, especially at the local level.  CPN aims to deepen bonds of solidarity among Catholic peacebuilders, share and analyze “best practices,” expand the peacebuilding capacity of the Church in areas of conflict, and encourage the further development of a theology of a just peace.  While it is a Catholic network, CPN believes that authentic and effective Catholic peacebuilding involves dialogue and collaboration with those of other religious traditions and all those committed to building a more just and peaceful world.
Secretariat Staff:
Gerard Powers, Coordinator
Caesar Montevecchio, Assistant Director
Rev. William Headley, CSSp, Adjunct Faculty
Veronica Vos, Program Associate

 
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The mailing address of our Secretariat is:
University of Notre Dame
1110 Jenkins Nanovic Halls
Notre Dame, IN 46556

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