A call for justice action through social analysis

The Justice, Peace and Development Commission of the Wellington Archdiocese seeks to increase the capacity of Catholics to both critically analyse society and work for a more just world.

The Justice, Peace and Development Commission of the Wellington Archdiocese seeks to increase the capacity of Catholics to both critically analyse society and work for a more just world.

This is in response to a mandate from Synod 2006 to answer a widespread call for more social justice action and to explore the link between prayer and action. While there has been a good response to this synod call, people are unsure about how to engage. This programme is essentially to equip people with a methodology or system of engagement at their own level.

To achieve this, the commission is looking to run at least two social analysis workshops between May 23 and June 8 this year.
Fr Kevin Barr msc, who works with an ecumenical centre in Fiji has run these workshops for many years and is available to do so here.

The methodology is the same as that used in Asia, Europe and in the US to understand the structures and processes shaping our world. Participants are not required to be ‘experts’ but to use their life experience as a starting point. The method draws on the proven see, judge , act process and is based on Catholic Social Teaching.  The objective is to work in solidarity with the marginalised in service of a better world and the reign of God.

The proposal is to run two workshops open to all and one to train people to run further workshops. A prerequisite for the trainers’ workshop would be attendance at an initial analysis workshop. Probably these workshops would run Friday night to Sunday lunchtime but midweek seminars are also possible. To keep attendance costs to a minimum, out-of-towners will be offered billets.

Although sponsored by the Wellington Commission the workshops are open to people throughout Aotearoa.

For more information or to respond to this call, phone Mary Hepburn, 4961701 or email m.hepburn@wn.catholic.org.nz