Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
Understanding JPIC
The Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Commission has its roots in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes No 90: “The (II Vatican) Council… considers it most opportune that an organism of the Church should be created whose function would be to promote everywhere the work of justice and the love of Christ for the poor” (G.S. N.90. 1965). After II Vatican Council many commissions of Justice and Peace were created in the Church, specially at Diocesan level and at Religious Life level.
The General Government of the Claretians created in 1978, under the Prefecture of Apostolate, a Commission of Justice and Peace. Some years later, this commission became a Secretariat under the General Government. Slowly, this service was being accepted into the Provinces organizations (Cf. Gustavo Alonso, Misioneros Claretianos III. La renovación conciliar. Pg. 220).
In 1982 the General Superiors Conferences (USG-UISG) jointly established the JPIC commission “to bring about greater awareness, clearer analysis and more effective action on justice, peace and the integrity of creation. Its preferential option is for the poor”.
In 1997, the declaration of the XXII General Chapter, “In Prophetic Mission”, said: “The General Government will renew the Secretariat of Justice and Peace by incorporating in it a concern for ecology, and it will strive to animate this dimension in our ministry.” (IPM N.50.3).
The Claretian Directory, in the 2011 edition, speaks about the establishment of a Secretariat for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC), making official in the congregation this terminology (CMF Directory N.113).
In 2014, the Claretian Encounter of JPIC & Solidarity, held in Vic, proposed the creation of a structure called “Solidarity and Mission”. This structure is under the Prefecture of Apostolate and has two areas of Work: the area of JPIC and the area of Mission Procure. That meeting decided that “the work at UN and other Forums” are included in the area of JPIC, and the work of “PROCLADE, similar organizations and international volunteers” will be included in the area of Mission Procure.
In 2016 the Vatican created the Dicastery for the service of Integral Human Development. But still its statutes (Article 1, paragraph 2) states that this area promotes values related to Justice, Peace and care for Creation in the light of the Gospel and the tradition of the Social Doctrine of the Church.
In 2021, the exhortation of the XXVI General Chapter, “Querida Congregación”, commits to “Consolidate the structure and objectives of Solidarity and Mission in each Major organism within the overall project of the congregational framework.”
Claretian Directory N. 113
Definition: JPIC is a Secretariat to be established by “the General Government for the whole congregation and the Governments of Provinces and Independent Delegations, within their respective competence”, to assist them in developing “a prophetic and liberating evangelization that will help people emerge from all forms of alienation and oppression.”
Why do we need this Secretariat: “In solidarity with the sufferings and anguish of humanity, imitating Jesus´preference for the poor, answering the call of the Church and following the example of the Founder, we wish to bring to all people the message of salvation, proclaimed from the perspective of the poor and needy, who constitute the greater part of humanity.”
How should JPIC affect our Claretian communities? “We acknowledge and accept the risks that such a prophetic proclamation involves. We shall integrate these challenges into our community (life) projects, taking care at the same time to collaborate with other organisations that work in these fields.” Therefore, JPIC is a job to be taken by all the Claretian communities and not only by the secretariat of the Organism, since it should be part of our congregational evangelization, and of our Community Life Projects.
SOMI Congregational Framework
JPIC is an area of SOMI mechanism, and works as a team with Mission Procure and with the CMF Team at UN. All together, work for the Solidarity and Mission mechanism, contributing each one with its specific role.
JPIC Specific Functions
- Analyse issues and challenges of our society at local and organism level, to know the truth and the roots that originate them.
- Raise awareness and provide resources and opportunities for initial and ongoing formation of Claretians, volunteers, and lay people in general, in the light of the Gospel, following the STC (Social Teaching of the Church) and promoting the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and LSGs (Laudato Sì Goals).
- Network at Claretian level and with other organisations, sharing experiences and data from the analysis that is done by the Claretian JPIC commissions or other institutions.
- Engage in advocacy networks (Prophetic Actions) at local, national and continental level, and internationally through our team at UN.
- To carry out these functions the General Secretariat of JPIC advices the creation of Commissions of JPIC in all our positions and/or at organism level, according to the possibilities and traditions of every organism and conference. These commissions should engage lay people and other religious with whom we work.