Rome, March 23, 2020
Prot. JPIC 20/07
Dear brothers,
Peace and all Good!
How are you amid the COVID19 pandemic? I hope each of you is well.
I want to communicate with you about the Annual JPIC Course 2020, which was scheduled for this May in Manila. As the Corona epidemic has been spreading in almost all the world, the JPIC General Office was deeply concerned that our international gathering in the Philippines could risk the wellbeing of all the participants. Therefore, having consulted the General Definitory, the Office made a difficult decision to cancel the JPIC course for this year. We’re sad about the decision.
However, I believe that the global pandemic causes us not only a social crisis. But it also gives us a vision, i.e., a holistic insight that the current epidemic is caused by our exploitative civilization that seeks only more profit. And many experts indicate that this kind of infectious outbreak will happen time and time again unless humanity strives for dramatic changes in the global socio-economic structure. Therefore, I think that the Coronavirus helps us realize our JPIC vocation in a new light for the future.
Instead of a regular course, the Office is preparing a series of online courses on the encyclical Laudato Si’ and ecological conversion in different languages. When all the materials with a proper platform are ready, I’ll invite you with full information. Hopefully, many brothers and sisters could take part in this new initiative.
Lastly, I want to thank the JPIC Animators of the East Asian Conference (EAC) and particularly San Pedro Bautista Province of the Philippines for the welcome and openness they showed us when we requested for their collaboration for the Course.
I wish all of you be safe and take care of yourselves.
May the Lord be with us and especially those most neglected in times of difficulty!
Fraternally,
Br. Jaime A. Campos, OFM
Director of JPIC General Office – Rome
Photos: JPIC International Course 2019