JPIC Animation Committee Special: the committee met in Berlin April 23-26, 2001. the following are some of the ideas and commitments undertaken.

 

1.     Environment: To date there has been no ecological issue to unite Franciscans in a common cause internationally since a commitment was made to Environmental Justice in Korea in 1995. Global warming may be just such a cause. The July meeting on climate change in Bonn offers an opportunity around which to organize and to work with others interested in the question. Furthermore, ecology and, more specifically, climate change, provide a framework in which many other issues of interest can be raised (debt, rainforest degradation, ethical investment, free trade, refugees, etc.). Given its importance, the committee elaborated six tasks that need to be performed to animate friars in this area:

 

-       preparation of a letter to all friars about the urgency of this topic.

-       organization of a one-day informational and strategic meeting in Rome on June 25 for JPIC coordinators and General Council members. John Brinkman, Maryknoll, will animate the session.

-       Presence of religious and some Franciscans at some of the UNFCCC COP6 in Bonn 18-27 July. The Franciscan Family of Germany will be asked to have a presence.

-       invitation to Franciscan Study Centres to become involved in the topic by producing studies on a Franciscan approach to the question of global warming and the environment, or preparing academic courses on the topic.

-       Agostinho Diekman ofm of FI will work on the manner in which Franciscans International in New York can focus on the issue

 

2.     Franciscans International: Agostinho Diekman spoke on the present situation of Franciscans International, beginning with a presentation of its history and continuing with the situation of the organization today. Agostinho reported that he and the directors of the two offices (New York and Geneva), along with the president of the Board of Directors, have had very constructive initial meetings, and are working at understanding how they can work together. It was noted that JPIC values are integral to the work of the Franciscan family at Franciscans International, and that it is part of the work of our OFM JPIC structures to promote the establishment of JPIC structures throughout the Franciscan family. In his reflection on the United Nations and on the relationship FI/UN, Agostinho underlined the necessity of understanding formal UN structures and at the same time of reaching out beyond them to the grassroots and to the NGO community, which are essential in any definition of Ònation.Ó FI also works in conjunction with various partners like the Dominicans, Caritas International, Maryknoll, Franciscans Network and Missionszentrale der Franziskaner (MZF).

 

Discussion then centered about how our OFM JPIC work might coordinate with that of FI. We already collaborate integrally with the Human Rights work of the Geneva office, and the topic of climate change that we have chosen as central for our OFM JPIC work will dovetail well with the work of the New York office. Some things to look at:

 

-       consider annual OFM contribution to FI.

-       ask wealthier provinces to pay specific expenses of FI offices.

-       look to coordinating efforts of FI and Franciscan Washington office.

-       need to formalize a formation project for Franciscans interested in working with the issues that are taken up at FI.

-       some effort to organize on local and regional levels, realizing that some regions are already organized on the level of the Franciscan family, some on the level of FI itself, and some are not organized at all, and that much of the work is done through JPIC structures.

-       invitation made to Agostinho to participate in Animation Committee meetings once a year, and to participate in International JPIC Council every two years.

 

3.     International JPIC Council recommendations: There were 21 recommendations in all. Seven were examined by the General Government. Their reflections have been sent to the members of the International Council. The following are some of the reflections made by the animation committee on the resolutions:

 

-       ties between Formation/Studies and JPIC, including cooperation on all levels of the Order; encouragement of JPIC courses at the Antonianum that deal with priorities of JPIC and its methodology; encouragement of Franciscan philosophers and theologians to study JPIC issues. Concrete follow-up in this area will focus on: 1) formal meeting with Jose Rodriguez Carballo to discuss practical ways of cooperation; and 2) joint letter of Formation/JPIC to be sent to formation (initial and ongoing) personnel and to JPIC coordinators. Conflict resolution and non-violence, and work on formation of friars to be specialists in these areas will be included in the conversation with Jose Carballo.

-       Refugee issue: what is possible for us to do in this area? Much discussion revolved around a proposal to develop a project in one place (Pakistan? Colombia?) that could later serve as a model to other interested friars. It seemed that this type of project would present demands that are beyond our capabilities at this point. Another suggestion was that Francisco go to the meeting of inserted friars to be held in Salerno in June of this year to discuss the possibilities of an inserted fraternity working exclusively with asylum seekers in Europe. Another suggestion was that we be in touch with the Franciscan Mission Service (FMS Washington): is there a possibility to include other friars in the FMS community to help with formation of lay people and/or friars who might work with refugees? As an immediate response to the refugee question, the Animation Committee will look into the possibility of arranging a packet of information on services available to refugees and those who work with refugees.

-       Urgent Action Network: it depends on additional human resources for the Rome office. There is a need for further assistance at the office if projects related to the Urgent Action, refugees and others are to be undertaken seriously. A proposal to hire someone for the office could be a proposal for next yearÕs budget.

-       Holy Land recommendations. The Animation Committee felt that it could take no action on this. No response has been received to the letter sent to the Holy Land from Vossenack, nor has there been any other communication with the office. The issue of the Holy Land can be taken up at a future International JPIC Council meeting, if the members so desire.

-       Òpeace presenceÓ the possibility of inviting and training friars to serve along the lines of Peace Brigades in places like Colombia. The idea was seen as good, but there was a recognition that it would demand more than we can provide in terms of infrastructure. The committee will investigate possibilities before the next meeting.

 

4.     Ethical investment: The Committee asked Professor Johannes Hoffman, a moral theologian and economist, and Friar Helmut Schlegel, provincial of Thuringia province to animate the theme.

 

The project is based on The Frankfurt-Hohenheim Guidelines (FHG), which include the dimensions of cultural, natural and social sustainability (Professor Hoffman spoke about how special attention is being paid to the issue of cultural sustainability; all, including large companies, must pay attention to this or will be destroying their own long-term sustainability). In response to the question how to help those who want to invest money ethically, Professor Hoffman pointed out three things: provide general criteria; encourage religious Orders to invest in local markets; look to rating of the country itself. Professor HoffmanÕs research project has shown that companies that take criteria other than just financial into account have a better rate of return (better management? Use of better criteria?). Project participants are very happy to see the willingness of capitalist structures to adapt to ethical criteria.

Joe Rozansky gave a short presentation on the practices of the provinces in the United States in regard to ethical investment. He spoke of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, which is a resource for religious groups in regard to ethical investment. US provinces in general accept the concept of such investing and most have some sort of screens in place regarding issues like arms production and sales, abortion, tobacco, contraceptives, and alcohol. Most provinces work with money managers and finance committees that deal with socially responsible investment. Some provinces also participate in alternative investments that deal more directly with community-based support projects.

 

Helmut ofm related the reaction of friars of his province to attempts at ethical investing. There was some negative reaction and fears that the province would be losing money. Once it was demonstrated that the project was serious and worked, especially when it was shown that the return on ethical investment was as good as other forms of investment, the friars were satisfied with the process.

The committee then shared a number of steps to be taken in order to prepare the groundwork for possible guidelines for the Provinces and local fraternities.

 

                                          Practical steps for the animation committee:

 

a)     Report on Berlin meeting: for meeting with General Economo on ethical investment, to be followed up by discussion by the General Definitory.

b)    Study Guide (for JPIC commissions, Economos, House Chapters); include: what is investment, what is ethical investment, why should we be interested as, what are we doing/can we do in this area, where is our money/implications

c)     Guidelines Ð Information on Ethical Investment internationally: who is doing what? Elaborate for general and local levels. Where would we use these guidelines? 1) ESC EconomosÕ meeting; 2) theme for conferences of provincials; 3) JPIC conference commission meetings; 4) General Chapter.

 

5.     The JPIC Manual. It has now been translated into seven languages: Portuguese, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Croatian, and working on Chinese, along with articles in Korean, Japanese and Indonesian. It is now on the web in English and is being worked on in Spanish. All other language groups have been asked to make their translations available for the web. The site can be accessed through: http://www.wtu.edu/franciscan/packs/handbook/ We will ask Jose Carballo ofm to co-sign a letter to directors of ongoing formation concerning use of the Manual in ongoing formation. This might be helpful to directors as they try to use the Manual. Distribution of individual articles to the friars from the Manual and from Vossenack either periodically or regularly could be a good method of making the material known. An idea of putting the JPIC Manual onto a CD ROM, along with the documents referred to in the manual (documents of the Order, Franciscan sources, Scripture, Franciscan correspondence course, and social teaching of the Church) was raised without reaching a commitment yet.

6.     Vossenack Material the JPIC office is putting together a Spanish and English language version of the presentations made in Vossenack. The material is a good resource for initial and ongoing formation and will supplement the Handbook. The San Pablo province of Colombia is putting together a study guide, and if it is good we will see how it can be distributed. Files of the material will be sent to the Conferences leaving the decision with regard to publication and distribution to Conferences.

7.    Next meetings: Washington: 15-21 September, 2001/ Rome: February 1-7, 2002.

 

Gear—id Francisco î Conaire, OFM

OFM JPIC Office

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00165 Rome, ITALY

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