Rome
20 March, 1998
To all the Religious of the Society,
Dear Sisters,
I am writing to you now towards the end of Lent to recall with you our determination at the Chapter of 1994 to "let the world set [our] agenda, to name specific calls of the world and the Church in our present moment. Only thus can we be where the piercing of the heart is taking place, only thus can we be where God’s fidelity and mercy are being revealed". (p.3) Today I want to name one of these specific calls, namely that of the international debt crisis, an urgent issue which affects the lives of millions of our poorest brothers and sisters. We, as religious of the Sacred Heart who have chosen to live in solidarity with the poor, cannot ignore this issue.
For several months a group of religious from different congregations here in Rome, has been studying the subject with a view to seeing what response religious congregations might make as a body. Monique Fabre was part of this group. They studied several initiatives and have now proposed to the Commission of Justice and Peace of the Unions of Superiors General (USG and UISG) that all congregations participate in the JUBILEE 2000 Petition, a world-wide, ecumenical campaign for signatures in support of cancelling the debt of certain countries on the basis of clearly defined criteria.
As Co-Presidents of the Justice and Peace Commission, David Fleming, Superior General of the Marianist Fathers, and I asked the Executive Committees of USG and UISG to take the matter to their General Assemblies to be held in Rome this May. The Executive Committee of UISG received this request very positively and agreed to make the recommendation at the General Assembly that all members of their Congregations participate in the JUBILEE 2000 Petition.
Now I am writing to you, our Society, to encourage communities and individuals to take part in this initiative as a corporate act of solidarity on the side of the poor. This is a way in which we can implement the call of Chapter 1994 to participate in work for the Jubilee Year focused on the writing off of the external debt of poor countries. (p.12) Such an initiative is also a way of responding to the Chapter’s call to " act courageously on our conviction about the prophetic role of religious life in the World". (p.10)
A campaign like that of JUBILEE 2000 will have impact only if the number of signatures is really impressive. The enclosed Petition sheets can be photocopied, and the process of collecting as many signatures as possible (from friends and those with whom we work) will provide an opportunity for raising awareness of the severity of the debt crisis, its causes and its impact on the lives of the poor.
As we know, all our action for justice should be based on accurate information, analysis, reflection and contemplation which pushes us to action. This is, as the Chapter said, "the on-going formation the world requires of us...the asceticism of the RSCJ educator." The accompanying sheet is offered so that our action may be better informed. I would hope that it will be supplemented by other materials in the provinces.
When the forms are completed, they should be sent directly to the Jubilee 2000 headquarters in London, England. They will be presented to the leaders of the world’s most industrialized nations, the G7 (now G8), at their summit meeting in 1999. (It is important, of course, that people should sign only once to safeguard the credibility of the campaign.)
It is my hope that all over the world RSCJ will take this cause to heart, so that, "inspired by the love of the Heart of Jesus and the desire of making Him known," we may express our commitment in a "thirst for working towards justice and peace...in response to the cry of the poor." (Const. 13)
United with you in prayerful action for the building of a more just world, I send you much love,
Patricia Garcia de Quevedo, RSCJ
Superior General