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