Are you motivated to contribute to work for justice and peace inspired and informed by Catholic Social Teaching? The Archdiocesan Ecology Justice and Peace Commission and Committees (Integral Ecology, Poverty, and Bicultural Relationships) invite nominations for membership for 2024. As a member you will work to promote the social teaching of the Church throughout the Archdiocese and shine a light on issues of injustice. Activities of the Commission are diverse and include making submissions to parliament, organising events such as the Season of Creation, and supporting movements such as the Living Wage Movement and Death without Debt.
Joining the Archdiocese of Wellington’s Ecology, Justice and Peace Commission
What do we do?
The Commission’s key responsibilities are:
- Supporting the communities of the Archdiocese and wider community to hear and actively respond to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor;
- Scrutinising all issues and institutions in society and in the Archdiocese in the light of Catholic Social teaching;
- Encouraging and enabling the people of the Archdiocese to collectively deepen their understanding of the “peripheries” in order to respond and take action for change.
Who are we?
Coming from Catholic communities across the archdiocese, we are women and men, younger and older, mostly lay people, some priests, some religious, and from a range of cultural backgrounds. We all share a commitment to Catholic social teaching, which centres on the love of Jesus for the poor and excluded in the Gospel, and the obligation to care for the earth.
How do we work?
Most of the Commission’s work is done by its committees – currently three: the Poverty Committee, the Integral Ecology Committee and the Bicultural Relationships Committee. So, if you are interested in addressing inequality, poverty, and social inclusion, the Poverty Committee might interest you; if environmentalism and the climate crisis then the Integral Ecology Committee; if giving life to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in church and society concern you, then Bicultural Relationships. Of course all these issues are related! Each committee has a number of members on the Commission, which acts as a co-ordinating, connecting, and gap-filling group.
Things we do…
We reflect and pray together; we prepare materials for and organise liturgical celebrations around particular themes; we are members of some other organisations like the Living Wage Movement; we work with other organisations in our church and in sister churches; we encourage parishes and other communities; we host meetings and forums; we talk to politicians; we write pieces for church publications; we offer feedback on legislation through parliamentary select committees.
What do you need?
Connection with a Catholic community; a concern for environmental and social justice, and a commitment to reflecting and working in these areas informed by Catholic social teaching. If you have particular skills or background, great – but these are not necessary as we all learn by doing and learn from and with each other. Being available for a meeting every month or two, and having a little time are important.
Find out more about the Commission at https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz/about/commission-for-ecology/, learn more about our activities in 2023 or contact Deirdre Meskill, the facilitator, at d.meskill@wn.catholic.org.nz, ph 021 2213944