Guest Editorial

This is what God asks of you, only this, to act with jus2012tice, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8)

By Suzanne Marshall, O.L.M.
May/June 2012

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At first glance this message from the prophet Micah may sound rather simple, but it is really a tall order. And if we were to live our lives according to this prophetic stance what a different place our world would be. Can we do it? I don’t think we have a choice if we want to sustain life on this planet, if we want to leave a world for all the children who come after us and who have the right to a life of blessings.

What exactly is the prophet Micah talking about when he speaks of justice? Biblical justice demands right rela2012tionships among all God’s creatures. This includes us but goes well beyond us to all that God has made, “and God saw that it was good.” All life is interconnected. We are all in relationship. We are all one family. We are all God’s dearly beloved.

If we could uncover all that we hope for, all that we think we need to be happy, if we could get past our fears and prejudices, we would find at the core of our being a deep thirst for communion with God and with each other. That is our peace. That is who we are.

And if we really tried to live this justice, we would find that our love for each other would be quite tender, and that only through God’s grace and not our own efforts can we even try to live as we should. So love and humility fall into their place. Does that make sense? Let’s go for it.

CANADIAN CATHOLIC ORGANIZATION FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE

The General Council of Scarboro Missions sent the following letter on April 3, 2012, in response to the funding cuts to Development and Peace. For actions you can take to protest these cuts, please visit: www.devp.org/en/more-than-ever

Dear Prime Minister Harper:

We were deeply disappointed to learn recently that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) drastically cut two thirds of its contribution towards the work of Development and Peace over the next five years.

Development and Peace is the official international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada. Since its founding in 1967 Development and Peace has supported some 16,000 development and emergency relief projects in nearly 80 countries of the Global South—made possible because of a partnership established in 1968 between Development and Peace and CIDA.

Scarboro Missions is a Canadian society of Catholic priests and laity dedicated to global mission. We have long appreciated the important contribution of Development and Peace towards addressing the root causes of poverty, supporting community-based sustainable development and raising Canadian public awareness of global poverty issues.

This recent CIDA funding decision means that its annual support for the regular program of Development and Peace drops by more than five million dollars and is designated for only seven countries out of twenty proposed. Sudden and drastic reductions in CIDA funding as well as long delays in funding announcements seriously disrupt effective development work. We are gravely concerned that this decision by CIDA will have a devastating impact on Development and Peace partners in the Global South. lt will diminish the capacity of Development and Peace to carry out its vital work which is also supported by Catholics from across Canada.

We noted that only one of the designated seven countries is in Africa where there is a greater need for international cooperation assistance and where Development and Peace has always been very actively involved in supporting development efforts.

We are very concerned that this decision, along with others at CIDA, appears to represent a shift in direction for Canada’s international assistance, including a move away from poverty reduction efforts where the need is greatest. We urge a review of this matter.

As well as lnternational Cooperation Minister Bev Oda, we request your personal intervention in a review and reversal of this CIDA funding cut to Development and Peace. Your urgent attention would be most appreciated and we Iook forward to your response.

Fr. Jack Lynch, SFM, Superior General
Fr. Mike Traher, SFM, Vicar General
Fr. John Carten,

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