My kids were fighting. Someone had said something that wasn’t true. The argument was getting louder, and in frustration, there was a whack. And then tears. When I could finally get them to calm down and listen to each other, it turns out it was all a misunderstanding. When they were able to listen to each other, we could find a way forward.
Truth and Peace have a way of going together. That’s the theme of this year’s Social Justice Statement from the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference - Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World. (You can download the statement here). Social Justice Sunday is celebrated in our communities on the last Sunday in August, this year it’s on 25 August.
In this year’s statement, the Australian bishops reflect on the state of the world around us and how misinformation (sharing information that is false but believed to be true), and even disinformation (knowingly sharing false information) are often part of the causes of civil unrest, violence, and war. Even in our own communities, conflicts can arise when we fail to properly listen to others and choose to act on partial knowledge or untruths.
Through the gospels, we discover in Jesus an invitation to be peacemakers.
“The making of peace is a great task for humanity. It is a work to be done, an art to be learnt and practised… God wants to work with us in the making of peace and waits for us to say yes to the gift.”
At the heart of peacemaking, is the desire to be in genuine relationship with our fellow humans – to know, understand, and more deeply appreciate the story of the other. It is only in knowing the truth of another’s journey, that we can find pathways for peace together – both on a global and local level.
The statement ends with some practical steps that we can all take in our own communities. These steps for creatively working for peace begin with the recognition that no one sees the whole picture.
“None of us speaks the whole truth, which is why truth-speaking and peace-making belong to the whole community. The violence in Australia and other parts of the world make it all the more urgent that all who believe in Jesus Christ work together with everyone of good will, all who love truth, to show the world that there is a realistic way to peace, a genuine peace built upon speaking truth and building trust.”
Even now, in our local communities, we can engage in opportunities to listen, build relationships, and work towards a better future.
On Saturday, 31 August, the Chisholm Region is hosting a cultural awareness day, Crossing Cultures – Hidden Histories, an opportunity to deepen knowledge and understanding of the cultural perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. (Register here).
Throughout August and September, the Hunter Community Alliance is hosting listening sessions across Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and the Upper Hunter – bringing together a vast range of community groups to build relationships and work together on housing pressures and energy transition (You can register for the Newcastle Listening Session here. Contact brendon.mannyx@mn.catholic.org.au to find out more about what is happening in other areas).
To facilitate breaking open this Social Justice Statement, and how we might become peacemakers in our own communities, we will be hosting an online Zoom session from 7pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday 4 September. This will be an opportunity to hear some reflections on the statement and share in small group discussions. Register here for the link.
“Fraternity is an essential human quality, for we are relational beings. A lively awareness of our relatedness helps us to look upon and to treat each person as a true sister or brother; without fraternity it is impossible to build a just society and a solid and lasting peace.” – Pope Francis
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