JCFJ Strategic PlanLaunch

2019 - 2023

Dec 5th Gardiner Street.

Last updated on January 9th 2020

Visit the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice here

The Full Strategic Plan can be downloaded here

Fr John Guiney. Intro.

Fr John began as he challenged us to reflect on creation, on a new welcome and on a fairer distribution of resources. He asked us to look at what we have as God's gift and in this way there would be a greater sharing. What's being launched is Gospel based. Jesus began as a migrant with nowhere to lay his head. This message is all the more relevant today.

Fr Leonard Moloney

Fr Leonard after offering some examples asked us all, how is it that such suffering occurs? He assured us that a greater understanding can be had from listening to the silence. He lamented the fact that fake news is alive and well.

"We must be aware that there exists the ability of fake news to be accepted because there is a cohort who want to believe this. There are unspeakable things happening in our country e.g. trafficking of men and women into Ireland. We've allowed a culture to be created that permits children to access pornography on their phones.

So what JCFJ is about? It's embriotically joined to the Irish mission office, St. FRANCIS xaviers and many other projects and indeed also the Jesuit schools. JCFJ is part of a tightly knit community.

Why are our prisons so bad? Why is cocaine so widespread among the affluent? How do parents get out of bed in the morning given the weight of responsibility that sits on them as they try each day to rear their children?

This is important work as it offers a map into the future, a vision of their mission and values and goals. This document calls for commitment and conversion. We must all examine our footprint. This Strategic Plan is a manifesto. We can link in our social thinking with the ongoing work in the Loyola Institute in Trinity College. The pursuit for more has a particular focus on the margins of justice. It can be easy to be overwhelmed. How easy it would be to become hopeless? Why are some sustained in their work? Justice remains a real but attainable goal.

The noise of hope is the 1000's outside Dail Eireann at climate strikes".

Fr Peter penned this letter to the editor when it became aparent that there was a TD who extracted full salary and expenses whilst holding down another job. Very soon after the publication of this letter the TD resigned.

Fr Peter. Mc Verry

"This plan inspires in word and deed. There is a consistency of message. What you don't have is the pain and suffering that went into producing the plan. Imagine God veering down on our world. What does he see, hear and do?"

"He sees wealth, a fast growing economy but he sees a growing number of homeless, more attending food banks. 5% of those renting are paying 75% of their earnings pay to landlord. Housing is un-affordable and people living in poor accommodation can't complain as they feel that this would mitigate against their tenancy, many more living at home with parents and even more in mortgage arrears.

75% of those in prison are addicted but there are very few places to recover not like Sweden. Help me, is the phrase that is. Many who leave prison end up back again, one boy was out 16 hours before he was locked up again. There is no money, no home no rehabilitation for many of the prisoners. There is a need to rehabilitate society first and always.

I've have Just come from funeral of the young man who died in Cloverhill at the hands of another prisoner.

We have problems that can and should be solved but our services are hopelessly inadequate. The Jesuit services and Centre can critique without fear of losing government funding as we don't get any.

Why do the benefits of economic growth rise up to the wealthiest. This is the Jesuit perspective. The plan is 4 year vision and prayer will help make the difference.

We must remember that Christmas can often be the most difficult times for the voiceless.

Panel Discussion

Panel

Kevin Hardogan

Ciara Murphy

Keith Adams.

The work of the Jesuit Faith and Justice Centre concerns environmental advocacy, political and societal issues, climate and biodiversity, food production and water. The poorest are the most and worst affected. The focus of the centre is that of lobbying the government on all manner of issues.

They publish regularly, communicate externally and internally as a network based on Laudato Si.

Keith explained that the centre has been advocating for a more humane prison system. The JCFJ is involved in Research and advocacy. It is important to include the voice of the prisoner. The JCFJ also prepares and delivers submissions to the Council of Europe.

The consequences of our new economic arrangement is that our social services is very poor and it has been decades since the wealthy have had such a light burden. We need to recognise the systemic policies that serves middle and higher classes. Poverty is not a disaster, its reinforced by polices that reaffirm this divide.

The JCFJ are grateful that this work is trusted to the centre. The work of the center brings them into the margins. The JCFJ is driven by the Jesuits guiding principals: Care for common home, walk with the youth and move to the marginalised

Ciara explained what the centre offers? "A strong independent voice as funding comes from the Jesuits. The work of the center is uniquely positioned as part of Civil Society in that they work across multiple issues eg. Joint submissions on agricultural and environmental issues analysis of rebuilding Ireland. Prisoners being released into homelessness.

Diarmuid Mccarthy, Dept of An Taoiseach.(Ex), referenced Working Notes. He pointed to the fact that they remain consistent but not always welcome. The notes offers a state of the art analysis. There is a humility in looking afresh at issues and crafting new perspective on what needs to be said. There is an obvious commitment in the discernment of issues and responses as outlined in the Strategic Plan.

Public policy is also about discernment as people try to do better for those in need. Celebrating this launch in Advent, there is hope. Pope Francis calls for a combative hope to move hearts.

Celebration of collaboration.

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Working Notes is a journal published by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice. The journal focuses on social, economic and theological analysis of Irish society. It has been produced since 1987.

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