Introduction:
Reconciliation is the essence of the Gospel message. God calls us to action through a unity of spirit, as a sign of our true Christian faith.
We should never underestimate the power we each have to be an instrument of peace and reconciliation, on a daily basis and even in the smallest ways. Each of us also has the opportunity to affect larger groups of our fellow human beings and ultimately the largest group of all: humankind. We must always have hope that change is possible.
There are many world movements of hope which are transforming our global consciousness and realities: for example the environmental movement, various women's' movements and the assertion by indigenous peoples of the value of their cultures (from the proceedings of the WUCWO Assembly, 1996)
In al that we do, we must act with love, wisdom and respect.
THE PROJECT:
Your project should have action as its focus. The choice of project should be discussed widely and well within your group before a decision is made.
It would be helpful to define your goals and what you wish to achieve before the project commences.
Some examples of projects which have been undertaken by other groups:
Violence: Urging governments to sign a world agreement banning antipersonnel landmines. Analysing the cycle of violence: the underlying causes, in order to define a therapy.
Environment: Developing a quality of life which is not defined by material values only. Undertaking "micro actions" at local and national level which help towards solving major environmental problems.
Family: Studying the image of the family portrayed by the media and trying to find ways of showing different values.
Inter-religious dialogue: Encourage knowledge of other religions to allow dialogue. Focus on contacts between churches.
Inequity: Cooperation with organisations working for literacy, environment, division of labour, health, reduction of arms spending, protection of girl children. Understanding and improving the lives of indigenous peoples and cultural minorities. Learning the way the economy works and taking part in campaigns to urge governments to reduce or wipe out the debts of poor countries.
Faith and Spirituality: Initiate new ways of communication and relationship in the Church and the world. Organise workshops on reconciliation seeking its theological grounds; learn to listen, to participate in dialogue and to make decisions by consensus.
Migration: Welcome new migrants into parish, community, neighbourhood. Find out what is mutually enriching rather than what divides us. Participate in movements which aim to combat racism and discrimination in any form.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
How can the results of the project be assessed?