Vatican City - On 4-5 April, the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and Pax Christi International's Catholic Nonviolence Initiative organised a workshop on the theme, "Path of Nonviolence: Towards a Culture of Peace."
With a consideration and understanding of current situations of conflict and violence, participants engaged in dialogue about the roots of violence, the hope for peace and reconciliation, and reflected on paths to a conversion to nonviolence. They noted that nonviolence is not only a method but a way of life, a way to protect and care for the conditions of life for today and tomorrow.
"Our conversations on nonviolence and peace filled our hearts and minds with a consideration of the dignity of each person - young people, women and men, people who are impoverished, citizens and leaders," said Mons. Bruno Marie Duffé, Secretary of the Dicastery. "Nonviolence and peace call us to a conversion to receive and to give, to gather and to hope."
Workshop participants hailed from Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Colombia, Honduras, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Uganda, Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Fiji, South Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Palestine, the United Kingdom, France and Italy, and included Bishops, Archbishops, peace practitioners, theologians, social scientists, educators and those in pastoral ministry. In addition, the Dicastery's Prefect Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana) was present, as was Cardinal Joseph Tobin (Newark, New Jersey, USA).
Participants will continue their dialogue and research; their reflections will be shared with the Holy Father, with the hope for a possible encyclical that will address these issues and challenges and will promote nonviolent initiatives as a way for mediation, rights, hope and love.
"We need to be artisans of peace, for building peace that is a craft that demands serenity, creativity, sensitivity and skills." (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Gaudate et Exultate, 19 March 2018)
Participants will continue their dialogue and research; their reflections will be shared with the Holy Father, with the hope for a possible encyclical that will address these issues and challenges and will promote nonviolent initiatives as a way for mediation, rights, hope and love.
"We need to be artisans of peace, for building peace that is a craft that demands serenity, creativity, sensitivity and skills." (Pope Francis, Apostolic Exhortation Gaudate et Exultate, 19 March 2018)
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