CONTENTS The World Day of Peace ………………………...…. Page 3 Significance of the World Day of Peace Messages ......… Page 3 Theme for 2015: “No longer slaves, but brothers and sisters”..…........... Page 4 The disruption caused by the negative reality of sin .......... Page 6 “What I say to you, I say to all: Awake” (Mk.13.37) ....... Page 6 Personal Empowerment: being a practising Christian ........... Page 9 Religious, National and International Organisations addressing Slavery and Human Trafficking ……....... Page 10 Examples of Church Organisations working to prevent the Trafficking of persons …….…...….... Page 11-12 Ending Slavery: a commitment to be shared .........…. Page 13 What working together on these issues involves ....... Page 14 Mobilising humanity’s capacity for goodness ............ Page 16 Food for Christian thought and action ………........… Page 18 Prayer ………………………………………….….... Page 21 Appendix A: Annual Papal World Day of Peace Messages ........…. Page 22 2 The World Day of Peace On New Year’s Day each year the Catholic tradition celebrates World Day of Peace. Pope Paul VI announced this initiative in 1967. Since 1968 the Holy Father has written a Message for the occasion, each one dealing with a burning social issue of our times.1 Significance of the World Day of Peace Messages These Messages for World Peace Day spell out the social meaning of the Gospel. They point out the social imperative arising from believing in Jesus Christ. They put before us a challenging reality: that discovering and knowing God in Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God and Son of Mary, gives us a new and sharpened sense of the dignity of each human person, as made in the image of God. This insight should inspire each believer to work for justice, truth and peace. The World Day of Peace encourages us to give concrete expression to our faith. It tell us that worship and prayer must lead to active engagement to improve society and its structures. It reminds us that the two basic commandments – love of God and love of neighbour 2– are interconnected and interdependent. Rounding off the octave of the Feast of the Nativity, on the first day of the New Year, the message for the World Day of Peace highlights our responsibility as Christian citizens. It reminds us as citizens, who are Christians, that we cannot be indifferent to the social order. As Christians we carry a responsibility for the quality of life in our world. These 1 See Appendix A for a list of the Papal World Peace Day Messages from 1968-2015. 2 Mark 12:30-31. 3 Messages inoculate us, Christians, against indifference to injustice. Theme for 2015: “No Longer Slaves, but Brothers and Sisters” 3 This is the title Pope Francis has chosen for 2015 World Day of Peace message – the 48th so far. Its subject is modern forms of slavery. In a nut shell, his message is this: by our baptism we are introduced into a way of relating to God and to all humanity that does not leave place for “man’s exploitation by man” (no.1). Indeed the human person, once baptised in Christ, is opened to a new way of seeing the other person. Being Christian means treating and relating to all fellow human beings in a radically new way. 4 When you read the text of Pope Francis’ message, you will notice that he takes his theme for this year from the New Testament Letter from St Paul to Philemon (no.2). It is a very short Letter – only one page of the Bible. Paul sends Onesimus back to his former master Philemon not as a slave; but asks him to accept and treat him as a brother in Christ out of love. (Phil.9) Paul points out that Baptism abolishes the distinction between master and slave. 3 To access the full text of Pope Francis’ World Peace Day Message (2015) visit the Vatican website: http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/peace/documents/papa- francesco_20141208_messaggio-xlviii-giornata-mondiale-pace-2015.html 4 Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2414. 4 Activities Primary Schools: • What is meant by the term ‘slavery’? • Read about and draw a picture of the slavery of Joseph in Egypt (Genesis chs. 39-47) • Does slavery exist in our times? • Can you identify different forms of slavery? • Create a collage of images that capture what people feel when they are enslaved. Post-Primary Schools: • Read another one of the Annual World Peace Day Messages (Appendix A) • What themes are addressed in this Message? • Discuss the merits of the ‘Fair Trade’ initiative. What can we do to avoid buying products produced through child labour? • Consider practical ways in which we could address such injustice in our society today? • In the past, rights-based campaigns have led to changes of attitude in regard to animal testing in the field of cosmetics and pharmaceutics. What can we learn from such initiatives that might help to counter forced labour of children and adults? Parish Councils / Parish Groups/ Charitable Organisation • Read together St Paul’s Letter to Philemon. • Identify the themes discussed by St Paul in this letter. • What does it tell us about Christian faith and lifestyle? • Consider ways to address the exploitation and slavery of individuals. • In this Year of Consecrated Life – consider inviting a Sister / Brother / missionary Priest / lay volunteer / organisation - to tell of their work with people in the developing world. 5 The disruption caused by the negative reality of sin Pope Francis looks at the phenomenon of slavery as a direct result of the negative reality of sin. Drawing on the Bible, he reflects on how God’s plan for humanity is disrupted by sin (no.2): how human fraternity is undone by sinful action; how this disruption has given rise to a “culture of enslavement”. He then considers how humanity is offered a way out of this enslavement through responding Stained Glass Window of Flight of Egypt – Parish of Drumbo & Carryduff to the call of conversion to Christ.5 Here Pope Francis presents the ever new “Good News of Jesus Christ, in whom God makes “all things new” (Rev 21.5)”. This Good News, he reminds the reader, “is also capable of redeeming human relationships, including those between slaves and masters…” (no.2). ‘What I say to you, I say to all: awake!’ (Mk.13.37) We heard this concluding verse of Mark’s gospel on the first Sunday of Advent 2014, the opening day of the Christian liturgical year. With this verse the Word of God calls us to be on the alert, to keep our eyes open to reality throughout the 5Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 549, 601, 1741. 6 year. Christians may never bury their heads in the sand! Pope Francis states the alarming truth, which we realise, yet, alas, so quickly forget : “millions of people today – children, women and men of all ages - are deprived of freedom and are forced to live in conditions akin to slavery” (no.3). He comments on the plight and injustices suffered by migrants, victims of human trafficking, those enslaved in prostitution. He shines the light on the crimes of commercial trade in human organs, kidnappings and sexual exploitation. He decries the crimes perpetrated against the disappeared and the many persons tortured, mutilated and killed. We, of course, readily denounce and lament these exploitations and the criminal activity associated with them. It is almost unthinkable that across the globe, an estimated 2.5 million people are in forced labour at any given time as a result of trafficking.6 The UK National Crime Agency notes in its detailed Strategic Assessment of the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking that there were 2,744 potential victims in the UK of human trafficking recorded in the calendar year 2013. This marked an increase of 22% compared with a similar study in 2012.7 Indeed, this report notes that it is most likely that the number of victims of human trafficking may be significantly higher than the recorded data. Of the 37 recorded cases of 6International Labour Organization, Forced Labour Statistics Factsheet (2007). 7 To access a full copy of the Strategic Assessment of the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking during 2013, visit www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/399-nca-strategic-assessment-the-nature-and- scale-of-human-trafficking-in-2013/file, (Published September 2014) pp. 4-5. 7 exploitation and trafficking in Northern Ireland (2013), there were at least 10 cases of labour exploitation and 17 cases of sexual exploitation.8 It is shocking to realise that human trafficking and slave labour are practiced in our midst and in our country. Yet, as we know, this is a reality. It is a blight on our society. Pope Francis refers directly to this phenomenon: “my thoughts also turn to those who…in order to remain within the law agree to disgraceful living and working conditions, especially those cases where the laws of a nation create or permit a structural dependency of migrant workers on their employers, as, for example, when the legality of their residency is made dependent on their labour contract. Yes, I am talking about slave labour” (No.3.5) ‘Girdhari Lal and his wife Saengan, from Sindh province in Pakistan, are bonded labourers in the agriculture sector and farm cotton. Support for Trócaire has enabled the charity to help thousands of bonded labourers to gain freedom from slavery since 2006. Photo Conor O'Loughlin, Trócaire.’ 8Strategic Assessment of the Nature and Scale of Human Trafficking during 2013, p. 42. 8 Issues for Reflection What kind of attitude do I have towards immigrants? Do I treat them fairly and with justice? Do my attitudes and actions dehumanise others? Do I treat them in accordance with the Gospel of Jesus Christ: rates of pay; working conditions; contracts; holiday leave, conditions of rented accommodation etc…? Stations of the Cross, St Mary’s Church, Ballinderry, Co.