Justice and Peace Sunday fell on 17 September and the department’s fieldworkers went to various parishes in the Archdiocese to present the department’s objectives.
Tebogo Masunyane addressed the faithful at St Francis Xavier, Evaton where Mass was said by parish priest, Fr Sergio Lorenzini.
“Found and rooted in scripture and the social teachings of the church, the Justice and Peace ministry is one of the evangelisation tools in the church,” explained Tebogo.
She gave a brief background on how the ministry came about, saying: “After the Vatican II Council, the Bishops of the world spoke about the grave injustices that were prevalent and which prevented people from living full human lives.”
For Christians to remain silent and unmoved in the face of the tragedy of oppression, poverty, unemployment, abuse, greed and unjust suffering is a denial of the Gospel, she continued.
Justice and Peace is not just about recognising injustices, but about doing something about them. Methods which can be used to help people include welfare, charity, development, the most sustainable being advocacy and lobbying.One of the department’s priority objectives is air quality. The mine dumps project is just one we have partnered with Benchmark to ensure that mines are rehabilitated, she said.
As part of the offering, members of Justice and Peace presented a basket of fruit and vegetables to the church.
“We would like to present this basket to Fr Sergio and to encourage people take care of the environment that God has entrusted to our care. When properly taken care of, it has the means to take care of us like giving us the fruit and vegetables we have here,” said Rose Mabunda, a member of the parish’s J&P committee.
Lerato Mohone
