Peace & Solidarity

Dialogue is the oxygen of peace

There seems to be no end in sight to the fighting and suffering in the war in Ukraine. Since February 24 of last year, hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions more have been forced to flee from their homes.

As the war drags on, we risk giving up on peace and becoming numb to the suffering of victims. While Ukraine has the right to defend its sovereignty and firmly reject Russian aggression with the necessary aid, everything must be done so that the inevitability of war gives way to paths of dialogue that lead to a just peace… Read more »

Facing our fears and re-connecting the world

The two-year long Concerted Action of Justice and Peace Europe is inspired by the remarkable foresight of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli Tutti. In the next two years the thirty member commissions of Justice and Peace Europe will continue their long-term work on social justice, drawing particular attention to social fears that are ignored, but also contribute to deconstruct fear and anxiety which threaten to manipulate European citizens… Read more »

Baħar Ċimiterju

The government’s continued abdication of search and rescue responsibilities is contributing to deaths in the Mediterranean

More than 1,300 people died or disappeared in the Central Mediterranean in 2022. These people – men, women, children, sons, and daughters – can be added to the deplorable death toll of more than 25,000 people who have died while crossing the Mediterranean since 2014… Read more »

The Church in Malta

When speaking in Ta’ Pinu, Pope Francis invited us to rediscover the essentials of our faith in a process of renewal of the life of the Church which is “never merely a past to remember but a great future to build”. With dwindling numbers and an ever-growing divide between Gospel values and the dominant culture, how can the local Church continue sharing the Good News with everyone and not just to a closed circle? … Read more »

Choosing the synodal path for the Church in Europe

Between the 5th and 12th February 2023 the European continental meeting will be held as part of the process of the Synod on Synodality to discuss the document entitled ‘Enlarge the space of your tent’. This document gathers the fruit of the discernment on the syntheses prepared by various Episcopal Conferences around the world.

Mr Stefan Lunte, Secretary General of Justice and Peace Europe (JP Europe) and Mr Daniel Darmanin, President of Justice and Peace Malta and member of the JP Europe Executive Committee will be attending this meeting on behalf of the European network of about thirty national Justice and Peace Commissions which together make up JP Europe… Read more »

Pope Benedict’s contribution to the Social Doctrine of the Church

A lot is being written these days about the figure of Benedict XVI, a pope of great intelligence, formation and humility, who will certainly go down in history books as a great theologian. In this brief article, I wish to summarize, what, in my opinion, were Benedict’s greatest contributions to the Social Doctrine of the Church.

When going through the writings of the different Popes, we will often notice quotes from their predecessors and or even from their previous writings… Read more »

aħseb u ara: Discussion guide

Il-Malta Catholic Youth Network u l-Kummissjoni Ġustizzja u Paċi ħejjew riżorsa ġdida biex takkumpanja is-serje ta’ podcasts aħseb u ara.

Din ir-riżorsa toffri gwida għal diskussjoni dwar it-temi mit-Tagħlim Soċjali tal-Knisja msemmija fil-podcast.

  1. Il-Polarizzazzjoni tad-Diskors
  2. Il-Prinċipji tat-Tagħlim Soċjali tal-Knisja
  3. L-Ambjent
  4. Il-Missjoni tal-Knisja
  5. Il-Familja
  6. L-Ekonomija
  7. Ix-Xogħol
  8. Il-Paċi

Ma’ kull tema ġew abbinati tliet jew erba’ filmati qosra, fejn ma’ kull filmat għandkom issibu:
• Kwotazzjoni mit-Tagħlim tal-Knisja jew diskorsi relevanti… Read more »

2022 Annual Report

In a year which was sadly marked by the return of war on European soil and daily reports of deadly injustices and senseless violence, the need to denounce situations of violent injustice, whilst proposing creative pathways which lead to more just and reconciled communities, has never been so urgently felt.

In this context, as a Commission, we make ours the words of the Holy Father who, whilst in Malta, highlighted the need to shore up the foundations of life in society, namely honesty, justice, a sense of duty and transparency… Read more »

No one can be saved alone

In his message for the 56th World Day of Peace, which will be celebrated on the 1st of January 2023, Pope Francis reminds that there is light even in the darkest hour. Using the Covid-19 pandemic as an example, the Pope says that the pandemic made us all aware of the need for everyone, including peoples and nations, to restore the word “together” to a central place in our lexicon.  Only the peace that comes from a fraternal and disinterested love can help us overcome personal, societal and global crises… Read more »

Cultural heritage

Every time we disregard our roots and forget where we’re coming from, we are impoverished. Our identity is in danger and we risk falling prey to new forms of ideological colonization. At the same time, an over-emphasis on roots, memory and identity can lead us to the kind of nostalgic ideologies which exclude the “other” and leave us stuck in the past.

With Fr Nicholas Doublet, lecturer in Church history at the University of Malta and Dr Karsten Xuereb, researcher in cultural relations with a focus on the Mediterranean, we speak about Malta’s calling to be a “laboratory of organic development” (Pope Francis)… Read more »