Rome JPIC Office

Visits made to animate Province and Conference JPIC commissions are a priority for the office. In 1999 the following Conferences and entities have been visited:

• Bolivarian: A meeting with all JPIC provincial coordinators from the Conference as well as both Colombian JPIC province commissions. A new Conference Coordinator was elected and a plan of action drawn upon. Supporting visits were made to the friars in Barancabermeja, the scene of a massacre in 1997. Likewise, on a visit to Turbo, the friar coordinating the Colombian inter-religious JPIC commission was assured of the office’s support for their work with internally displaced and the promotion of "peace communities".

• Mexico/Central America: A meeting took place in San Salvador, February 1999. The four Peace Missions were evaluated and a new one proposed for 1999/2000.

• South Slav: meeting was organised with the Bosnia JPIC Commission and the JPIC Coordinator from the Mostar Province, as well as JPIC Conference Coordinator.

• COMPI: meeting with Italian JPIC coordinators in Poggiobonsi.

• Central Europe: Participation by the Rome Office on three occasions at meetings of the Provincials of the German and French speaking Conferences.

• South Africa Province: The JPIC commission agreed to animate the Sub-Sahara Conference and help organise a meeting for all JPIC coordinators of African entities before the Vossenack meeting.

• Zimbabwe Custody: The Custos committed himself to keep JPIC issues at the forefront of the Custody and to establish a JPIC commission with the possible participation of some of their theology students.

• Southern-Cone: Participation at the Conference in Paraguay and Francisco reflected with them on the theme of JPIC in initial formation programmes, as well as meeting with the JPIC conference commission, visited the JPIC Chile commission and met with many young friars in initial formation in Argentina and Chile.

• Singapore Custody: meeting with the JPIC commission and friars in initial formation.

• Philippines Province: Meeting with all the local JPIC coordinators and friars in initial formation living in inserted fraternities.

• FCAO: Meeting with Provincials of Asia in Manila, July.

• Indonesia Province: Meeting with friar responsible for Human Rights’ office of Irian Jay. Visited several priests, religious and laity in Jakarta looking for an overview of the reality in Indonesia and in East Timor.

• SAAO: Meeting with JPIC provincial coordinators, Bangalore, India in October as well as visiting two mission fraternities in Assam.

• CONFRES: Meeting with Spanish/Portuguese JPIC animators in Madrid on the theme: "the qualities of and praxis for JPIC promoters." Also a meeting took place with the JPIC commission of the Betica Province.

• ESC: Meeting with the English Speaking JPIC coordinators, Cincinnati, December 1999

• Washington Office: Meeting with the JPIC conference coordinators of the four Latin American conferences with the ESC executive committee to establish the office. Agreement reached on criteria, themes, objectives and mechanisms of communication for the next two years.

• Hague Appeal for Peace: Participation in "The Hague Appeal for Peace" in May along with the JPIC animators of the Franciscan Family. Over 8000 people participated in a three-day conference representing all major NGO’s working for peace.

• Balkan Crisis: Two visits (May/September) made by the JPIC office to Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo to assess the situation, support the friars and oversee the distribution of the generous contributions made to the Curia for the refugees and rebuilding projects.

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