Colombie, 11/11/2023, Sr. Olga María Botia Sánchez, JPIC delegate. Province of Colombia and el Caribe, president of the Justice and Peace Commission OP of Colombia.- "Go into the world and proclaim the good news of salvation to all people" Mk 16:15. This imperative from the Gospel, entrusted by Jesus to his disciples and in them to the church, to go into the whole world, to proclaim the gospel, to heal the sick and to liberate the oppressed, is the task, which we have also taken on in the Congregation.
We are heirs to a charism based on the Gospel and in discernment in the light of the Word, we seek to update it every day, sowing hope and inserting ourselves in those aerophagy where life cries out. As time goes by, we realize that reality overwhelms us, that we cannot do it alone and that we need others to "carry out processes of integral transformation of vulnerable groups towards the achievement of a life of dignity, sustainability and solidarity through the development of solidarity projects. For this, each structure trains and dedicates sisters as Marie Poussepin did with the young women of her time". Cfr 55 GC. P. 24 n°4
Committed to the priorities of the JPIC Project of the Congregation and in this experience of synodality of journeying with others, in the Justice and Peace Commission of OP of Colombia, we began on August 17, 2023 a four-year formation process in the second semesters (2023- 2026), on the Doctrine and Social Thought of the Church. We welcome the proposal of the Dominican family which, in the context of the 7th centenary of the canonization of St. Thomas Aquinas: "Aims to offer a formative space in the Doctrine and social thought of the Church that will allow us to energize the contemplative and apostolic dimensions of Dominican life....
The current challenges of climate change, the 2030 agenda, vulnerable populations, migrants, refugees, social justice, peace building, the promotion of integral humanism in solidarity and human rights, are some of the issues that merit updating and ongoing reflection based on Christian spirituality. For this reason, ongoing formation in the social thought of the Church can inspire us and maintain creative forms of accompaniment, the promotion of more effective pastoral care and help to communities of life that need support inspired by Christian charity". cfr. Proposal for the DSI formation process.
This course is offered to all the members of the Dominican family in Latin America: nuns, religious, friars and lay people, who have purposely welcomed this virtual space of formation and more than 300 people have registered and participated in the meetings held. (The content of the course can be found on the web page of the Dominican academy. Org .justice and peace).
The Institute for Justice and Peace and the Institute for Peace and Development IPAZDE of the University of Santo Tomas will certify this training process.
"Build alliances with other congregations, Order of Preachers, ecclesial organizations, consecrated life, civil society... according to the needs of each country" (cfr. Priority 4 JPIC Project).
