RESOLOTION

Inter-religious Dialogue as a Necessity
in our Migrant Ministry
I Introduction
We, the members of JPIC Coordinators of SSpS and SVD, recognize the dialogue between Christians and Muslims as an important contribution in the process of creating peace in our world. We want to apply this dialogue especially in our migrant ministry.
Both congregations have a long tradition in encountering various cultures and religions. This has been enriching for us and for the universal church as well. Referring to Prophetical Dialogue as a priority of our common mission we commit ourselves to continue this good tradition.
II Catholic Position
We refer to the teaching of the Catholic Church in regard to Christian-Muslim relationship in the actual situation
a) Nostra Aetate and Lumen Gentium
b) Reply to the Letter from 138 representatives of all Muslims denominations
c) Writings on socio-political issues in Europe

III Conditions for Inter-religious Dialogue with Muslims
Dialogue is not easy. It is important to recognize the necessary conditions which are implied for it to be fruitful. Here are some:
Mutual Respect
The differences must be respected. Mutual respect is one of the most important attitudes in dialogue.
Prudence and Love (Veritas et caritas)
This is the attitude exhorted by Nostra Aetate. It means to examine the tenet of other faiths in the light of one’s own faith, to discern the good from the bad. On the other hand, dialogue requires true love.
A balanced attitude
One should be neither ingenuous nor hypercritical, or suspicious. It is absolutely necessary to have an open mind and a welcoming spirit. There must be impartiality, and a real desire to find a just solution, one which will be acceptable to all parties.
Solid convictions
Openness is not opposed to being rooted in one’s own convictions. On the contrary, this rootedness allows one to be open without fearing loss of identity. It can facilitate an understanding of others’ convictions and values.
Openness to truth
Truth is generally not just on one side. Dialogue will help overcome prejudices which prevent truth from being recognized.
Dialogue with Muslims on an ecumenical level
It should not only be the Catholics who seek the dialogue with Muslims.
Dialogue has been presented as the most appropriate method for resolving conflicts. Conflicts, however, especially when they are violent, make dialogue, understanding and acceptance extremely difficult. Perhaps dialogue is to be seen less as a cure and more in the order of prevention.
Our witness to our belief and our love is our part of inter-religious dialogue. It is the witness of our faith that God is Love and in the Spirit of Love we find our neighbour (men, women, and children). Our hospitality will be a sign of our love for God and for our neighbour. We believe that the poorest human beings in the globalised world are the neighbours for us Christians.

Catedral of Slovakia

Holy Spirit Sisters in Slovakian Province

Our Slovakian Sisters SSpS have opened a kindergarten there and are slowly winning the confidence of the people. The work of the Sisters among them appeared “very missionary” to us and was a sign of hope in rather hopeless surroundings.
Then, we paid a visit to a rehabilitation centre for people addicted to drugs, alcohol and gambling, where one of our SVD-Brothers belongs to the staff. There, one could already perceive what can be achieved when people with problems are accepted and helped in the spirit of Christ.

Day Out

One afternoon was in part used for sightseeing in the lovely old town of Nitra.
But the second half of it was dedicated to visiting a housing project for Roma-people and other unsheltered persons, far outside the town. In a way, even if children and adults welcomed us cheerfully, it was a depressing experience to meet these people and see the conditions they live in without prospects for improvment. The Vice-Mayor of the Town accompanied us and explained the efforts the town council is making for a better future.

Report of the JPIC Zonal Coodenator SSPS

Sr. Benedikta, SSpS

Report of the JPIC Zonal coordinator SSpS

From MOOS 2005 – to the JPIC-Meeting in NITRA 2008

Since the last meeting of the European Group Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation - EURO JPIC - there were the following developments among the SVD and SSpS:
1st Theme of the meeting: DIALOGUE WITH ISLAM /Muslims
The EURO - JPIC - Assembly in Moos/Germany-South set for the next meeting as the working theme DIALOGUE WITH ISLAM. In Nitra we could win Fr. Marcus Solo SVD, as a speaker. While Markus Solo shortly before the scheduled date in 2007 went to Rome, he was not able to keep this date. We therefore changed the date for the JPIC meeting from September 2007 to April 2008. This brought some difficulties to the brothers and sisters in Slovakia. They had a very short time to make other arrangements.
2nd Change of Coordinator and preparation for the meeting
In Moos, Sr. Carmen Lee from England/Ireland took over for the SSpS as JPIC coordinator for Europe. Under her leadership, in collaboration with Norbert Mushoff, SVD, in the first two years this meeting was prepared.
These two meetings were held in Steyl and in Nitra. In 2007, Sister Carmen Lee was appointed Regional-Leader in England/Ireland, and she, therefore, was not able to continue as Zonal coordinator for JPIC. The EURO-Council elected then Sr. Benedikta Böckelmann, Germany, for this task. Under her leadership for the SSpS, the direct preparation of this meeting was done, together with Norbert Mushoff. The third meeting was in Steyl. It was not so simple for us to prepare the meeting. But now we hope, our meeting will be a good success.
3rd The aim of the meeting
I hope that this conference CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DIALOGUE IN OUR MIGRANT MINISTRY will help us, to find criteria for our pastoral tasks, operations and projects. The dialogue with the different religions seems together with justice one of the most fundamental issues for the peace in Europe and throughout the world. Peace remains even in future very vulnerable. Being able to dialogue with other religions makes us able to work for peace. For this reason, I wish us a very good success.

Sr. Benedikta Böckelmann SSpS

SSPS of German Province

Sr. Benedikta Böckelmann, SSpS

Report 16

Report / German Province
Justice – Peace and Integrity of Creation

Coordination of he work of specific work areas in the province Every year, two meetings of the specific areas of work are thematically prepared, organized and carried out. Participating in this coordination were the provincial leadership, mission animation and JPIC.
The different groups of sisters in the mission areas such as mission animation, formation, vocation promotion, JPIC, media work and members care, came together to share their experiences with the provincial leadership. They met two times in order to work together to find agreements on topics and how to cooperate under a common theme. That meeting resulted in the joint training for all sisters in the province. The common theme for 2007 was "Globalization and its implications and consequences in today's world." For 2008 it will be the theme of the general chapter: "Afire with Christ - committed to Life" focusing on the implementation of the attitude of Jesus to the people in the present time. This working theme is subject to all groups in their respective areas.
Ongoing Formation
For all members of the SSpS communities in the province these seminars are the base for information. In these seminars the sisters receive encouragement and suggestions for responsible actions in our world. The annual theme in 2007 was "Globalization". For this theme common material was prepared. The speakers were all sisters from the province who offered in various convents a 3-4 day long seminar. Ten courses were in autumn 2007 and in spring 2008. The sisters were very open to this subject. For autumn 2008 and spring 2009, continuing seminars on ongoing formation for the sisters are planned under the motto of the general chapter "Afire with Christ – committed to Life". In our mind we should always be committed to today's life. Let us not withdraw into privacy or to allow a ghetto, but let us take on the challenge and respond to the questions of the people. The preparation of these seminars is still pending.
Fight against human trafficking and protection for women and girls against sexual exploitation. In this area work full time, Sr. Bernadette Dunkel and Sr. Benedikta Böckelmann. In a women's shelter in Duisburg maintained by Sr. Bernadette, there live several women who are victims of trafficking or victims of violence in family and partnership. The work is sometimes very stressful and requires a lot of dedication and strength.
In Boppard, Sr Benedikta works in the coordination of 12 counselling centres against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and girls for the Women's organization SOLWODI - Solidarity with women in distress. A of her further tasks is the coordination of religious women in Germany and Eastern-Europe in the fight against trafficking in women. She leads as well a working group of religious women against trafficking of women und children.

A very important and impressive event was the "emergency-hotline” for women before, during and after the football World Cup 2006 in Germany (3 months). Thirty coworkers from all over Europe helped in the preparation, training and implement-tation of the emergency calls. The sixteen coworkers were sisters from various religious communities in Eastern and Central Europe, among them the SSpS Sisters Katarina Florková from Slovakia and Laetitia NN from Steyl. In the meantime there are requests from religious communities from Romania, South Africa, Switzerland, Austria, Britain and the U.S.A, which want to know about our experiences in this area. Some of them are planning for similar sports events and also for own actions against violence.

Participation in the demonstration against the G8 Summit in June 2007 in Heiligendamm, Germany
In Heiligendamm, near Rostock, under the German presidency the 8 heads of the governments of the economically well-to-do countries met, in order to exchange ideas on economic developments. In the beginning, these meetings had been held independently from the protocol of major conferences, in order to look for common interests, to get to know each other better, and to build a foundation of trust for joint actions in politics.
In the view of many non-governmental organizations the meetings are now a means of power in order to plan certain economic and political actions among the strong nations. This body is accused to show not enough consideration for the poverty realities in many countries, especially in Africa. Therefore, the protest in 2007 was aimed at:
- the lack of fighting poverty in Africa and in Central American countries.
- the lack of hunger eradication and of drinking water supplies.
- the hesitant consideration of the change in climate, (esp. the refusal of cooperation
of the U.S.A)
The protest movement had been planned by several NGOs over a long period of time. Ecumenical groups, which for years have been working primarily in the fields of environmental and development problems in the world organized within the protest movement their own protest group with work-shops and church services. At the same time, they participated in the great general protest demonstrations.
From the Steyler Missionary Sisters, several younger sisters and lay missionaries took time to participate in the demonstration. For the sisters and young people it was an important part of their commitment to peace, justice and care of creation. Sandra Lassak wrote a longer experience report.

AIDS Campaign (Work continued in Steyl)
Sr. Margret Theresa Driessen keeps on participating in meetings on this topic and afterwards distributes information material to the other sisters so that they are able to use it for their work and to share it with others as well.

Fair Trade (Laupheim) Sr. Charlotte Irmler does in addition to her work still very much in the field of "One World groups" and "One World-Shop" (fair trade). She is the local community leader and in charge of the liturgy for Sundays and Feast days in our house in Laupheim.
During the renovation of the house a solar power system was installed on the roof of one part of the house for energy production.

Sr. Benedikta Böckelmann, SSpS

JPIC COORDENATOR (Euro-Zone)

Fr. Norbert Mushoff SVD

Report 15

JPIC Report GER, April 2008

Since May 1st 2007 the former GEN and GES are united in one GER Province. A new JPIC Coordinator and hopefully a Commission have yet to be founded. The former one collapsed, when the former secretary, a returned MaZ-man took on a new job. We had enjoyed the good cooperation of a representative of the Mission Procure, the Steyler Bank, the theology students, and the two provinces´ coordinators. We had been net-working with our SSpS Sisters, VIVAT International, NAD, ai, Südwind, Erlaßjahr 2000 and Pax Christi. We intended to concentrate on some of the Millennium goals, especially Good drinking water for 50% more of the thirsty of the world, Food sovereignty, Achieving Gender Equality, Access to Primary Education for all children, debt relief for the HIPC countries, our Moos resolutions, and submitting our signatures to requests to our Chancellor, ministers, and European Commissioners against injustices of the WTO and EPA-s.
During the Klosterfest 2007 however it became obvious, we do no longer exist, though I continued to cooperate with NAD, Gerechtigkeit Jetzt and Weltweit Taube Ohren to prepare for the Anti-Summit of the G8 in Rostock/Heiligendamm. But we have the assurance of our Provincial Bernd Werle that he has somebody in mind to revive JPIC in the SVD German Province. He can count on my cooperation as much as my new Migrant Ministry involvement will allow me, while Paul Heider says, his book-shop keeps him too busy.

Norbert Mushoff


JPIC Report, Euro zone SVD and SSpS 2008

From our JPIC Conference 2005 in Moos on the theme The Unredeemed World as an Ethical Challenge with the main points:
We have to learn from history
The role of the Prophets
Roots of Globalisation
The main views of the Great World Religions concerning human life, peace, family, justice etc. in this multicultural world
Our challenges as Religious and Missionaries in this world of today, our net-working chances.
What kind of net-working of spiritual powers are possible, and what are the roots of our
spirituality?
7. What explosive situations of today should be our main concerns?

From all this we had chosen our theme for the Nitra conference: Christian – Muslim Dialogue on the background of our Migrant Ministry in Europe. The Province Reports showed us the extent and variety of Muslims in our various nations of Europe from only 5000 Muslims in Slovakia to 3 Million in Germany, from the little tensions it causes in e.g. Portugal to the great fears in e.g. The Netherlands and Germany. (See the Province Reports! For our next Zonal Assembly I will give a Report on the SVD Zonal activities. But here I leave it for the mean time to our able writer of our Minutes from the Nitra Conference, Sr. Petra Simone Hanel SSpS)
I wish to make a strong appeal once more, to send your Province JPIC Report to the Zonal Coordinator at least annually, not only bring them along, when we have a Euro zone JPIC Conference!!!!!!! That way we can learn from one another and inspire one another much more intensively. And the Zonal Coordinator needs to give a report in the Zonal Assemblies to all Provincials. Without your Zonal Reports, he has little to report on. Apart from NEB actually no SVD Province sent anything since our meeting in Moos. The NEB Reports are inspiring and deal with a great variety of JPIC themes. They connect us, especially the new coordinators with what transpires in our AEFJN Office in Brussels and in VIVAT International. So feel free to order our English short version of the NEB Commission Minutes from Toon van Bijnen, our lively senior of the JPIC work in the Euro zone!!
As we are only half way through the Millennium Goals Period 2000 - 2015, report please on how the priorities of your SVD Province are coming on and progressing. If you are a new Coordinator for JPIC, ask please your predecessor or Provincial, what themes had been chosen and what so far has been done in your Province. Otherwise please identify your Millennium goals afresh. For the sake of poverty reduction worldwide, let us not relent and not resign to live up to this “Kairos”.

Here a word on the World Social Forum of January 2007 at Nairobi: We are grateful Fr. General invited all Zonal Coordinators to attend. We had great days with our VIVAT International representatives, our new aspirants of five Mission Societies wishing to join VIVAT, and our SVD AFRAM ZONE Provincial JPIC Coordinators. We met with 80 000 idealists and “ambassadors” and multiplicators for the ideas of “Another World is possible” the motto of that big important meeting for Social Justice, which counter-acts the Davos-Meeting of the big Industrial and Financial Powers of this world, the G8 so to speak, the WTO and EPA promoters, who in their very selfish ways try to secure and perpetuate exploitation of the poor through rich of this globe.
I wish all Province JPIC coordinators would get such a chance, at least once in their time of office, if they have served their provinces for more then one term of office. It was so inspiring, also to our SVD host communities in Nairobi!
Highlights of the meeting for me: meeting with Desmond Tutu of SA! Listening to the good talks of the VIVAT WORKSHOP on HOW TO HOLD TRANSNATIONAL COMPANIES RESPONSIBLE FOR INVIRONMENTAL HAVOC CAUSED IN POOR COUNTRIES.

It wa a very good preparation for our Workshop in Rome with the five new members wishing to join our VIVAT INTERNATIONAL. Our Coordinator General Michael Heinz together with Sr. Mary John SSpS and our two VIVAT leaders Gretta Fernandes and Bernard Espiritu have done extremely well in organising the workshop and let us in presentations and group work find out, what we could do together, if we stay, pray and work united. I was tasked to bring these five Congregations also together on a national level in Germany. That proved not successful, b´se all we could do, is and was done also by NAD (Network Africa Germany). We can avoid doubling! But in Rome, these congregations should cooperate closely. There they are together already. There they can also see, how best to share costs and personell ¡!

Both events prepared me also excellently for The G8 Anti Summit in Rostock /Heiligendamm in June 2007. It had the same theme: Another World is Possible. If only the Big Shots had attended our Anti Summit! If only they would have listened to our speakers and the concerns from the grass roots!!
But of course they didn’t. We strongly stood in for the Millennium Goals also prepared by our 80 big pupits depicting scenarios of injustices, the have-s against the have – nots, the exploiters versus exploiters. But it achieved something: conscientisation of Heads of States and Ministers of “Third World Countries. We told them of the true and dictatorious intentions of the EU, to force them to sign up to the end of December 2007 through signing EPA- s, so-called Economic Partnership Agreements, which in fact would have been merely to the economic and financial advantage of the rich European Countries and to keep the poor as perpetual providers of completely underpaid raw materials. But they resisted EU Commissioner Peter Mandelson, when the Heads of State and Prime Ministers of Africa met the Heads of State in Lisbon in November 2007. Yes we can be proud, that net-working with many others, our Network Africa Germany (NAD) together with the other national antenna of AEFJN had prepared us to prepare them to frustrate their collective selfishness, they had planned to inflict on those we support through our work of advocacy.
Let’s continue that way for the benefit of all the poor of all the world! We frustrated somehow the WTO and the EU, but in the name of our God, who is on the side of the poor. Well done, my good servant and my maid, I hear him say one day.

Go into the joy of your Lord!

Norbert Mushoff, SVD