A Reflection: Spes Non Confundit           Traduction française ci-dessous Fr. Hermes Bajao Sabud, SM Inspired by: The presentations during the gathering, seminar-workshop of Priests, Religious and Lay Leaders Led by: Bishop Paolo Trairong Muntree Diocese of Suratthani, Thailand 12 - 14 February 2025 As I reflected on the different presentations during this seminar, I couldn't help but think of our brothers and sisters who are suffering right now. The people in Myanmar, who are suffering from the cruelty of the political turmoil in the country, are right in front of our eyes. The vulnerable people in the Middle East are living in fear and struggling to survive d...

Bénévole au secours populaire Jean-Yves Denizet sm                                                                                     English Translation see below Je suis arrivé à Paris dans la communauté du 104 en 2012. Je désirais vivre une mission qui tienne compte de mon parcours. Un ami m'a recommandé de devenir bénévole au secours populaire. Depuis plus de 10 ans je me rends tous les lundis et jeudis, pendant 2 heures. Ma principale activité consiste à collaborer avec une ...

Introduction                                                                                                         Traduction française - voir ci-dessous "We are deeply shocked and saddened." Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon and President of the Episcopal Conference of Myanmar, expressed his deep sorrow and that of the entire Church for the brutal murder of Fr. Donald Martin Ye Naing Win - 44 years of age, which oc...

Myanmar's ongoing conflict can be traced back to the British colonial era (1824-1948), during which ethnic tensions were exacerbated through a "divide and rule" strategy. Following independence, a lack of national unity led ethnic minorities such as the Karen, Kachin, and Shan to establish armed groups advocating for autonomy. The situation deteriorated after a military coup in 1962, resulting in an authoritarian regime that centralized power and suppressed dissent. This protracted conflict has transformed Myanmar into a battleground between government forces and ethnic armed groups, with severe repercussions for civilians (Human Rights Watch, 2023). In February 2021, the military overthrew ...

The theme of this Jubilee Year is: "Hope does not disappoint". Fr Ted Keating SM - USA - writes the Introduction for us on the Project of Caritas International inviting us to Sign the Petition for unjust Debt Cancellation.       Traduction française ci-dessous Introduction We are happy to see that the Jubilee Year called forth by Pope Francis includes significant attention to the debt crisis in our contemporary global world. It is being shared here by Caritas and then by Pax Christi International with an invitation to other groups that are interested. Three strategic goals are listed by Caritas below. An article in The New York Times last month reported that more than 17 ...

Marist Mission Workshop (MMW), Thailand (2024)                                                   Traduction française ci-dessous Inter Religious Inter Cultural Dialogue: Diversity Enriches Community :   Bro. Rubel Raphael Nokrek, fms "Peace in One's Heart Starts in One's Hands," said one of the Buddhist Monks. It was a wonderful experience for me to participate the Marist Mission Workshop (MMW) in Ranong, Thailand last month from Sep. 04- Sep. 27, 2024. The program was organized by the Marist Fathers who is known as the 'Society of Mary (SM)' with the pu...

Appel pour la paix en Terre sainte de 200 chrétiens européens de toutes confessions           English Translation: see below "Au cours de l'année écoulée, nous avons été témoins de l'escalade tragique d'une grave crise humanitaire qui continue d'affecter d'innombrables vies. Le 7 octobre 2023, plus d'un millier d'Israéliens ont été tués lors d'une attaque menée par des factions dirigées par le Hamas, et plus de 250 personnes ont été prises en otages. En réponse, Israël a lancé une opération militaire qui a fait de nombreuses victimes, avec près de 42 000 morts à Gaza. Les deux communautés souffrent profondément. La crise humanitaire dans la bande de Gaza s'...

Fr Ted Keating SM USA sent this article in recent days from the New York Times: 05 Dec 2024 A Landmark Court Case - Vanuatu                                           Traduction française - voir ci-dessous Judges in The Hague are weighing what, exactly, international law requires countries to do about global warming. The most important climate case that a lot of people haven't heard about is playing out this week and next at the International Court of Justice. The court, based in The Hague, adjudicates disputes between nations and issues advisory opinions on big international legal is...

SMNZ JPIE Hui November, Pukekaraka 2024 Recently a small group of Marists gathered at Pukekaraka marae, Ōtaki, Aotearoa/New Zealand. We are the Justice, Peace and Integral Ecology group for the SMNZ Province. We share a common concern for all the "wicked problems" that exist in our world today ie., war, inequality, the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, pollution, populist-authoritarian leaders, racism, colonization, sexism, ageism, housing, drug abuse etc. We are an ordinary bunch of Kiwi men with many years of ministry in various fields, overseas and here in Aotearoa. We reflected, prayed and ate together at Pukekaraka, our Marist Marian Shrine. We reflected on this period that many ...

MARIST MISSION WORKSHOP   ON INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE     Traduction française - voir ci-dessous Fr. Hermes Sabud, SM             4 – 28 September 2024 Ranong, Thailand Goal: "Enkindle missionaries' passion for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue" (IRICD) Specific Objectives of the Marist Mission Workshop (MMW) 2024 in the context of IRICD Be competent and capable missionaries in today's diverse world.Collaborate with and strengthen the bonds among religious missionaries.Integrate our past experiences and our future hopes as religious missionaries. The Marist Mission Workshop 2024 on Interreligious and Intercu...

Oceania Catholic Bishops Key Statements      -     https://cepac.info            Traduction française ci-dessous Fossil Fuel Root Cause of Climate Change The Oceania Catholic Bishops concur with science by reminding the world that fossil fuel is the key driver of climate change. Fossil fuels causes carbon emission which in turn contributes to global warming. Global warming melts the ice and causes sea level rise. The root cause of climate change is fossil fuels. Therefore, the Oceania Bishops strongly say NO TO FOSSIL FUEL. The solution is to seek alternative sources of power. Weak Commitments Towards the Paris Agreement The Oc...

We the Catholic Bishop's Conference of the Pacific speak from the Oceania to communicate the prophetic and pastoral voice of the Churches and the vulnerable voices of peoples' regarding the threats of climate change. The Oceania Context Our home, Oceania includes the three island sub-regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, plus Australia and New Zealand. Our home is made up of 14 independent countries and approximately 10,000 islands. Our Oceania home has around 43.2 million people which makes up about 0.54% of the world's population. Our Oceania home is vulnerable from two main threats, namely climate change and economic exploitation and both have destructive impacts on the environ...

1000 Abrahamic Circles:                                                                         traduction française ci-dessous In 2012, during Ambassador Dino Patti Djalal's tenure as Indonesian Ambassador to the United States, he assembled a group of Indonesian and American religious leaders to embark on an "Abrahamic peace mission" -- from Jakarta, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and Washington DC. This joint delegation consisted of Islamic clerics, Christian priests and Jewish rabbis (there were no Jewish Rabbi...

                                                                                                                                                          Traduction française - voir ci-dessous Many people - government officials who know me, priests and funders who support our program – ask a simple question: ...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY                                           Traduction française - voir ci-dessous A global ecumenical process is underway for various Christian churches to jointly elevate Creation Day (September 1), also known as the World Day of Prayer for Creation, to become a liturgical feast. A working group co-convened by the UISG-USG JPIC commission, Laudato Si' Movement, and Laudato Si' Research Institute is coordinating the participation of Catholic organizations and congregations in the process. Below is some background on the proposed feast, as well as invitations for your...

Prayers4Peace - Palestinians: A Struggle for Survival in a World Turned Away        Traduction française ci-dessous By: Rifat Kassis The Palestinian people, like many nations throughout history—Americans under British rule, the French during Nazi occupation, Indians under British imperialism, Algiers under French occupation, and others—find themselves under the iron grip of ruthless military occupation. Israel, the occupying power, imposes a regime of oppression and apartheid that denies Palestinians all their fundamental rights, among them to live in dignity and freedom. For decades, Palestinians have employed every method in their pursuit of liberation. They have t...

Marist School's Commitment to Sustainability: Embracing the Season of Creation At Marist School in Atlanta, GA, we are proud to embrace the Catholic Church's Season of Creation by fostering a deep sense of environmental stewardship and sustainability among our students. This special time in the liturgical calendar calls upon us to reflect on our role as caretakers of God's creation and to take meaningful actions that promote the well-being of our planet. This year, Marist students are leading the way with several new initiatives and projects that reflect their commitment to sustainability and the Earth. Launching the Eco-Garden Club Thanks to a generous $1,000 grant from the Our Lady of Vict...

Reconciliation: A Path to Peace in Interreligious Dialogue        -     pour la traduction française, voir ci-dessous -  Hermes Sabud, SM, Program coordinator, Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (IRICD) Program of the Marist Asia Foundation, Ranong, Thailand Interreligious dialogue is a collaborative approach to life where people from diverse religious faith traditions respectfully establish connections and build friendships. When people begin to establish friendships, trust is gradually initiated and nurtured. As relationships develop, we become aware of the uniqueness of the other. There are times when it is difficult to accept and appreciate ...

25 Years of Service in Notre Dame Refugee Centre [from Euro-Info SM – July] Notre Dame Refugee Centre (NDRC) in London, founded in 1996, had the opportunity to celebrate an important anniversary on 21 June, 25 years of service of Brian Mitchell, who is currently the senior immigration advisor. During his time in this post, personnel, both Marist religious and lay, have revolved around him! He is an exceptional example of dedication to this vulnerable community, and it can honestly be said that Brian has been instrumental in shaping the Centre into the service it is today. Brian writes, "I am genuinely appreciative of the experience NDRC has offered me. I came to the centre in 1999 with very ...

On May 11, 2024, I, Lauro da Silva Ferreira, at the request of the Assistant General Father Ben McKenna, I joined the Meeting of the Commission for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation – JPIC Roma, of the USG [Union of Superiors General-men]/UISG [International Union of Superiors General – women]. The meeting took place at: Piazza di Ponte Sant'Angelo. Pour la traduction française voir ci-dessous The first factor that struck me was the number of participants. Representatives from more than seventy different religious congregations. The vast majority were first-time members of the commission. For this reason, I believe, the meeting took place with an introductory bias, in the sense of pre...