Justice and Peace Network
We advocate strongly for justice and peace based on Catholic social teaching is a constituent part of Catholic faith. A number of organisations in the Catholic Church in New Zealand share this focus with Caritas.
Some of these groups, that work for justice and peace on both local and international concerns, are detailed below.
Archdiocese of Wellington
Commission for Ecology, Justice and Peace
The Wellington Archdiocesan EJP Commission is appointed by the Archbishop. Its role is to assist the Archbishop, foster and promote Catholic social teaching, scrutinize the signs of the times and serve the Archdiocese by promoting greater awareness, understanding and involvement in the area of integral ecology, justice and peace. For more information, please contact Lisa Beech, l.beech@catholic.org.nz 04-496-1796.
Diocese of Auckland
The Justice and Peace Commission of the Auckland Diocese works to support and assist individuals and groups to identify, clarify and address justice and peace concerns. The Commission is chaired by Kathleen Card and has five sub-committees on Restorative Justice, Affordable Housing, Environment/Sustainability, Human Life, and Social Welfare/Anti-Poverty.
Contact: Kathleen Card, Executive Secretary to the Commission: kathleenc@cda.org.nz 09-360-3037
Diocese of Palmerston North
Justice Peace and Development Commission
The Palmerston North Commission for Justice, Peace & Development provides annual social justice seminars, usually related to the Social Justice Week topic. It has also occasionally organised Lenten Reflection workshops prior to Lent.
Contact: Kevin Campbell, email: kevin.campbell@xtra.co.nz
Diocese of Christchurch
Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace
The purpose of the Commission is to study the teaching of the Church as it bears on society and social questions. The Commission was established by Bishop Meeking in 1994. Members of the Commission are appointed by the Bishop for a two-year term. The Commission publishes a newsletter, Dignitas Humana.
Contact: Grant Segar, email: thesegars@slingshot.co.nz
Diocese of Hamilton
Commission for Justice, Peace, and Aroha
The Commission for Justice, Peace, and Aroha was established by Bishop Steve Lowe of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton to promote the true good of every person and the entire person. Guided by the light of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, the Commission seeks to animate merciful hearts for the needy and suffering, migrants and refugees, the homeless, the imprisoned, the unemployed, the elderly, and Mother Earth. The Commission is committed to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Contacts: Paul Shannon pauls@cdh.org.nz (Chairperson), Alex Bailey alexb@cdh.org.nz (Secretary)
Non-Diocesan Organisations
Pax Christi is the local section of an international peace movement founded by the Catholic Church in France in 1945. They have an office and part-time workers in Auckland. Pax Christi is actively involved in interfaith dialogue, cooperative housing, regional issues including East Timor and West Papua, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, human rights and restorative justice.
Contact: Kevin McBride paxnz@xtra.co.nz 09-377-5541
The Society of St Vincent de Paul is an international lay organisation that promotes human dignity through personal contact with those in need. Since 2006 the Society of St Vincent de Paul has worked with Caritas on social justice advocacy, including joint letters and statements on power disconnections, loan sharks and poverty. Caritas and the Society of St Vincent de Paul have also worked in partnership on the emergency response to the Christchurch earthquake.
Contact: Anne-Marie McCarten, National office 04-499-5070 national@svdp.org.nz
The Catholic Worker movement was founded by Dorothy Day in the United States during the 1930s Depression. There are several Catholic Worker communities in New Zealand, which have a particular focus on action for peace, and community living. The Christchurch Catholic Worker communities produce a newsletter The Common Good which is available on their website.