AMR Justice Symposium

Dear Sisters and Friends,

On April 5th last we held the first AMRI Justice Symposium that was attended by over 40 attendees including Sisters, Priests, Brothers and lay representatives of their congregations and indeed also representing the NGOs with which they have a deep and ongoing involvement. All attending were amazed at the breadth and extent of justice issues being covered by those attending and new lasting and valuable links, relationships and contacts were made.

For all who attended the question of what now and what next for the issues of Justice that we all find too important was interrogated, and we have posted the results of these discussions (as promised) below. This short report of our day together is a first step and can be shared with others, in your own congregations and indeed beyond if you think that they are interested.

There are questions raised below that will be taken up by AMRI at a later stage and Lara Kelly of the Dominican Justice Office extends a kind invitation to join the Dominican Sisters HERE on Monday 19th May, 7.00-8.30pm for their Zoom Meeting on Doughnut Economics building on the workshop that she conducted at the Symposium itself.

If you have anything that you think might expand on the conversations held then we would love to hear from you and you can contact Dr. Toni Pyke on justice@amri.ie.

With every good wish

Toni Pyke, PhD

Justice, Peace and Ecology Coordinator

Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI)

Mr. Gerard Gallagher, the Secretary General of AMRI, Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland , AMRI, gave his note of welcome and support for this the first of it's kind, a Justice Symposium that was held in Marino Institute of Education on April 5th 2025. Gerard referenced this Jubilee year of hope as he hoped that this meeting would be the start of something new and positive in the area of Justice and Peace that would, he hoped unfold during the course of the day given the planned programme.

Some of those who attended brought banners of their own.

Dr. Toni Pyke then led us then led us through a poignant 'In-Memoriam' section that referenced some of those from our gathered congregations and beyond who have been instrumental and inspirational in their work for justice. Others subsequently offered new names from the floor and all were remembered and prayed for during this time. It was pointed out that much of what is happening now is only in train given the fact that we only standing on the shoulders of those who have gone before us - and these were all remembered in a special way at the start of our event.

Reflection from Sr. Colette Kane OP

Sr. Colette brought us gently into the space for our work. We began with music and at various points Colette referenced the importance of Luadato Si as a seminal book of our time and at 10 years of age is now more relevant than ever.

Voices from the Floor

There were over 40 who attended this event and indeed many of them spoke of their work for Justice for the marginalised in many circumstances. You can click through the photos below and read a little of what was said further down this page.

Click through the gallery of photos above.

We were guided in our listening to many who spoke from the floor giving voice to their work, challenges, hopes and initiatives. This listening was indeed inspiring for many who, up to this point were unaware of some the work that is being done for those furthest behind.

https://www.amri.ie/justice/aefjn-ireland/ AEFJN Ireland are always happy to consider new members and should your congregation have an interest / mission in Africa then we would love to hear from you. You can contact Brian on 089 2085253
Irish Refugee Council – Community sponsorship programme; need for housing for 15 refugee families from Afghanistan stuck in Pakistan in horrendous conditions.
https://www.miseancara.ie/ Misean Cara – supporting 78 missionary congregations in their human development projects overseas; working in collaboration with SafeBirth4All campaign to prevent obstetric fistula. SafeBirth4All campaign email: https://www.safebirth4all.com/
Schools of Sanctuary Diversity and Inclusion: Schools/Churches sanctuary; Belonging without Boundaries, Dalkey Project https://www.sosi.ie/
Social Justice Ireland - poverty in Ireland looks different than elsewhere but its still poverty. There are some 630,000 people in Ireland living in poverty with 500,000 living in deprivation. Serious questions of fairness in our affluent society persist. https://www.socialjustice.ie/
Act to Prevent Trafficking in Ireland APT – anti-trafficking and the cAPTives school education programme https://aptireland.ie/ APT Ireland are always happy to have new members. To find out a little more then you can contct Anne Kelleher on info@atpireland.org
Medical Missionaries of Mary Safe Birth 4 All Sr Brigid – the changing landscape of health ministry and redefining ‘healing’ https://mmmworldwide.org/monthly-feature/safebirth4all/
Young Women's Movement. https://dominicansisters.com/what-we-do/justice/
https://www.trocaire.org/ Laudato Si
Dominican Sisters Cabra – An Tairseach/Refugee Women’s Group.
An Tairseach Organic Farm and Ecology Centre: An Tairseach | Accommodation, Workshop Venue, Organic Farm Shop
International Presentation Association – working 22 countries
FCJ retreat Centre – the importance of discerning, reflection and rest to avoid burnout
RAID – Recovery with Action and Drama – (Spiritans)
Maggie Bukowa, our facilitator for the day – “there’s a goat eating the garden!”. Maggie is the Communications and Fundraising Officer at Vita Impact

Others mentioned on the day

https://doughnuteconomics.org/about-doughnut-economics
Coalition 2030 on the implementation of the SDGs at home and abroad. https://coalition2030.ie/

Doughnut Economics

A 'Step into the Doughnut Workshop' was held by Lara Kelly, the Dominican Sisters Congregation Justice Officer in the grounds of Marino Institute of Further Education, under the trees. Approximately 20 Congregations were represented, and participants were invited to form two circles of the Doughnut with lengths of rope. These circles represented the planetary boundaries (outer circle) and the social foundations (inner circles). We spoke about the ways that humans are putting pressure on the planetary boundaries through climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution etc. We also spoke about how some people are missing out on the basic necessities for a good life, as set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. We walked the circles and explored our part in changing the systems and structures that perpetuate inequality. Participants were left with two invitations:

1) To look up the website of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab for further information, particularly for some useful introductory videos: https://doughnuteconomics.org/about-doughnut-economics

2) To join the Dominican Sisters Cabra for one of their regular (every 1-2 months) Zoom calls where they explore Doughnut Economics and the latest news and innovations. Date and more details to follow.

The Dominican Sisters Cabra hold regular Zoom meetings on Doughnut Economics, the sustainable economics model that aims to find the safe and just space for humanity, while protecting the planet. They would like to extend a warm invitation to all other Congregations to join us for our next Zoom meeting. Some of you might have taken part in the recent Doughnut Economics workshop at the AMRI Justice Symposium in Marino in April. Even if you weren't there, this next Zoom meeting will give you an introduction to Doughnut Economics, and a chance to speak to Dominican Sisters who will join the meeting.

Date: Monday 19th May, 7.00-8.30pm.

Or contact Lara Kelly, Coordinator, Congregation Justice Office to book a place: congregationjusticeoffice@dominicansisters.com

Lara Kelly

Coordinator

Congregation Justice Office

Mary Bellew House

Dominican Campus

Cabra

Dublin D07 Y2E7

Ireland

Tel: 00 353 1 8299700

Direct: 00 353 1 8299729

Mobile: 00 353 87 6189715

Email: congregationjusticeoffice@dominicansisters.com

Click through the gallery of photos above.

Follow up links on Doughnut Economics and Circular Economy

BBC short video - Could circular economics fix the planet? | BBC Ideas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XS7NeFZOnzA
A Special Doughnut - A paper on Doughnut Economics submitted to the Irish Dominican Sisters (Cabra) General Chapter, 2021, updated September 2024, by Maeve Mc Mahon O.P
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J3k4YsedsDYKHlb7goTrqKUHYkIUWQrq/view
An Taisce video - Keynote address by Kate Raworth, September 2024: Can Ireland adopt the principles of Doughnut Economics to build a future that prioritises both human wellbeing and ecological sustainability?
https://www.antaisce.org/news/creating-a-flourishing-irish-society-wellbeing-sustainability-doughnut-economics
Find a Repair Cafe near you - https://www.changex.org/ie/repaircafe/locations
Food Matters TV series - https://foodmatterstv.ie/

At an Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network Webinar, Lara Kelly introduced the concept of Doughnut Economics to those online and she shared with us the slides afterwards. Click the picture below if you would like to download this PowerPoint Presentation.

As a next step and following on from this Symposium it has been suggested that there would be an online webinar on the topic of Doughnut Economics that would be opened out to others interested but who could not attend this Symposium.

We broke for lunch and the afterwards we broke into three groups to discuss three important questions. Under each of the questions there is a succinct summary of the responses that were offered. This gives and indication of where things stand at the moment and also what might be done as we think on the next part of the journey.

After Lunch..

Q1- What are the most pressing justice issues today?

Inequality/imbalance in access to resources/services globally, including opportunities for all in Irish Society
- Discriminative justice
- Compounded by cultural issues – if we comfortable in our own lives we are not interested in the lives of others. We are not conscientized as a society.
Indifference of the other, Pervasive individualism
- Consuming our way to happiness – ‘I consume therefore I am’
- Patriarchal views of dominance over the other - we need to de-colonise our thinking and how we treat others.
- Toxic politics – national and global – leaders are bullies. Might is right approach to leadership. Negative rhetoric around newcomer – ambiguities around them.
- Limitations being put on speaking out against injustice
- The role of the mass media in compounding mis/dis-information and how difficult it is to challenge – what to say and how to say it.
Unjust Wars that benefit the greedy.
Poverty in Ireland and the propensity for people to fall between the cracks.
The need for People Power and a movement that comes from the bottom up.
The climate crisis
- Growing scepticism around the reality of a crisis – reluctance to give up comforts
- The government pull-back on the achievements to date in climate progress – the
Climate bill. We worked hard to get the bill – we now have to work harder to keep it
- The impact of the climate warming and increases in zoological diseases Peace and non-violence
- Militarism
- Rise of the ‘far right’
- We need to ensure peace and non-violence globally in an environment where global spending is intensifying across states at the cost of the most vulnerable
- Neutrality – where do we stand? We need security but retain our neutrality and not distort the planet
- Arms race vs the money required for basic needs
Housing and Migration

Q2 - What are the major opportunities & challenges in responding to them

Challenges

The state is not serving the common good – adequate income, shared services for all
Rapid change – we have not realised/kept up with the rapid change that we are living through in our contemporary world – social and, digital media, AI. Rapid change creates anxiety and people retreat to a comfortable space.
-Toxic masculinity/patriarchy as a comfortable space
Populism - an empty promise
Hyper consumerism equating as happiness
In the past religious sisters were meant to be seen and not heard – ‘we were hidden – “Little Sisters”’ – we must find our voice
Challenge to engage with the media more broadly and we don’t have people to put forward – intimidation and backlash
Limitations in the use IT – slow to keep pace with changes and tiring equipment
Powerlessness has been taught to us.
Aging Congregations
Annihalition of the Green Party and the renewed focus on liquefied natural gas which one member said is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing.
The battle to be heard on justice issues both in the public arena but also within the Church where one member talked about the rise of conservative young religious, which was described as a mindset that is "separated from the Gospel"
There is a challenge to human conversation.
People of God Vs Institutional Church

Opportunities

- An explicit faith perspective can offer a vision of ‘what is a good life’. An opportunity in a secular society to demonstrate what is a good way to live?
- Faith communities have a niche prophetic space to demonstrate the divine in the everyday
- Examples such as An Tairseach – that can bring people into spaces where they can engage with the sacred in different ways than they are used to; an example of a place with high standard of spirituality, faith and contemplation.
Contemplative space in heart to combat consumerism – ‘this can’t last forever so what next?’
- Communication as both a challenge and an opportunity – lack of communication from religious in a disenchanted church. People are looking for something to be involved in and the media are not offering positive responses. The need for us to be more ‘media savvy’.
- Social media is a space that we have to colonise and be an alternative to the current dominant discourse
- Collaboration - affirmation, spontaneity, positivity, hope. Current examples:
AEFJN (collaboration 9 congregations); SafeBirth4All (coalition of organisations);
APT ( 30 congregations); Schools of Sanctuary (inter-faith); Cork Migrant Centre.

Q3 - What is the role of faith-based organisations/individuals to effectively respond?

Advocacy. We may not be in the service sector any more, but we can still advocate and engage with others or hire people if we cannot do the work ourselves to sustain the mission
- An advocacy voice that calls out debt, arms, migration policies
- Link in with other organisations who are providing key tools to engage and advocate such as Social Justice Ireland who can provide the policy analysis and the date
- Present and share a vision of the common good
We talked about the belief in a "feeling God", not one who is interested in power.
- The power of community and collaboration with one representative saying that they are "glad AMRI has organized today"
- Demonstrate the utility of Catholic Social Teaching in contemporary society as a model for collaboration and awareness raising on key social justice issues
- Engage with and support the Laudato Si Movement – promote their Season of Creation and Earth week initiatives
- Consider the impact on the earth of our financial services. Divest and align finances to socially and environmentally sound investments - FaithInvest / initial attempt to set up an Irish alternative
- We need to recognize we are people of privilege and we get to speak so we need to stand out
- Communities are getting older – but we can still be supportive presence
- Encourage our younger families to work alongside of us. Providing a warm welcome space can lead to volunteer
- We need the intergenerational voice to be heard.
- “ITS NOT ALL OVER” Jesus is still alive.
- Challenge the discourse of well being of the country.
- Ireland still stands for human rights
- We have had and still have the Scriptures as our moral compass. So few countries or governments have such a strong moral compass to follow
- A comment was made saying Congress needs to stand up and hold its place it should not just be the voice of the President.
- It is important to Call out the place of Hope, talk, connect and listen to the stories, celebrate and raise the Hope against the bac drop of doom & gloom
- Friends of the Earth are an independent church but open to all. We need to move away from institutional approach.
- Call for more collaborate and hope. Overall everybody talked about keeping hope alive and "keep on keeping on", don't give up,with the words constant and persistent coming up over and over again.

Some final photos of those who attended.

We had one third of the Daring to Hope Exhibition on Show for Symposium and the photos can be seen below. You can click into the Daring to Hope Website below for a more indepth description of the detail behind this exibition.