No peace without a ‘Culture of Care’ Archbishop Peter Chong

Every New Year gives us the opportunity to create a vision that will bring about positive change.

In 2020 we faced two serious challenges, Covid19 and TC Yasa. As I reflected on the Fiji Catholic Church’s pastoral response to Covid19 I was struck by Pope Francis’ emphasis on preparing for the future. The Pope said ‘Be agile and think future today, otherwise it will be too late’.

I searched for a tool for thinking about the future and found an interesting book called ‘Leading from the future: How to Turn Visionary Thinking into Breakthrough Growth’ written by Mark W. Johnson and Josh Suskewicz (Harvard Business Press, MA 2020). The ‘Future-Back is a strategic planning process that begins with a clear vision of the future and working backwards. In the business language this involves imagining new business and business models for the future that can tested today. With a clear vision we then strategically work towards it.

I also reflected on the Jewish understanding of time – apocalyptic time. According to Jewish Apocalyptic time, history is not cyclical but always moving towards a goal, an end point – the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God. The apocalyptic sense of time helps us to live correctly for the future.

We can use the above insights to help guide us into the future. Having a clear vision for the future will guide us to correct paths that will lead us to future we want.

What is our vision for the world? What is our vision for Fiji? What is our vision for our village and communities? What is my vision for my life?

Proverbs 29:18: ‘Where there is no vision, the people get out of hand’ (Jerusalem Bible)

The world has been affected by Covid19. Fiji has recently been devastated by Tropical Cyclone Yasa. Pacific Island countries face the impacts of climate change. Mother Earth groans as companies (mostly foreign) exploit her for short term gains while impoverishing rural indigenous communities. 2020 also highlighted domestic violence as a serious social problem.

What world is better than Covid19, natural disasters, domestic violence and the destruction of Mother Earth? What is kind world do we want for the Fijian people? What kind of Church do we want for the future?

Covid19 and TC Yasa has reminded us of important values we should have in life, namely of love and care for others and creation. People have generously reached out to those who have lost jobs due to the fall of the tourism industry and those recently affected by TC Yasa. Is Covid19 and TC Yasa pointing us to the values that should guide our future – love and care for people and creation?

Can we envision an economic framework that is local and sustainable and puts peoples’ interests first rather than the interests of companies?

Can we amplify the voices of rural-indigenous communities to the world to stop destroying Mother Earth through CO2 emission, extractive industries, and logging?

Can we dream of a future where we truly care for people and creation? Pope Francis’s message for the 2021 World Day of Peace is entitled, “A Culture of Care as a Path to Peace.” The Pope states, “The culture of care … calls for a common, supportive and inclusive commitment to protecting and promoting the dignity and good of all, a willingness to show care and compassion, to work for reconciliation and healing, and to advance mutual respect and acceptance. He envisions that this culture of care as a way to combat the “culture of indifference, waste, and confrontation so prevalent in our time.”

The pope also said that the principles of the Church’s social doctrine served as the basis for a culture of care. He encouraged world leaders to use these principles as a “compass” to lead the way to “a more humane future in the process of globalization.” He highlighted the principles of care for the dignity and rights of each person, care for the common good, care through solidarity, and care and protection of creation.

I congratulate the Fiji Government for championing the ‘Blue Ocean Economy’ and Climate Change. But I call on our Government leaders to stop companies damaging our environment – Our Home which impacts our ocean ecosystem and impoverishes rural and indigenous communities.

I congratulate the Fiji Government for the Fiji National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children. However, the Action Plan’s 13 key settings does not include the family. Most reported domestic violence cases take place in spousal relationships and families. Therefore, family should be a key priority.

In his World Day Peace Message Pope Francis pointed out that “educating people to care begins in the family, the natural and fundamental nucleus of society, in which we learn how to live and relate to others in a spirit of mutual respect.” Pope adds “Yet families need to be empowered to carry out this vital and indispensable task,”

There is an old saying in China: “If family goes well, everything goes well.” Good families are founded of good marriage relationships. Good marriages provide the school of love and care for children. A good government invests on family since this is the vital cell of society. On behalf of the Roman Catholic Church I wish you all a hopeful New year.

” Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.” SØREN KIERKEGAARD