The role of the Congregational Coordinating Team for Justice is to support and strengthen the Union Justice Network within and between Units/Mission areas to ensure effective engagement in International Presentation Association (IPA)processes toward achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to advocate in various local and national forums for the implementation of the SDGs. The new Congregational Coordinating Team for Justice (CCT-J) 2019–2021 are Sr Jancy Selvaraj in Thailand, Sr Annatollia Muzata in Zimbabwe, Mr Brian O’Toole and Sr Maureen O’Connell in Ireland. As a team they communicate via Zoom sessions, email, Skype and WhatsApp and they facilitate Zoom meetings with the Union Justice Network once in two/three months to further the life and mission of the Congregation in the area of justice at local/national/ regional/ international levels. During these Zoom calls they try to use processes which promote a contemplative stance and they encourage the members of the Union Justice Network to engage in their Units with the International Friends of Nano Movement in the area of justice.
Reports and updates are shared from Units on how they are engaging with the promotion of the SDGs and how they collaborate with Friends of Nano and these are also shared with the wider congregation via E-News. To mark the Tercentenary of the birth of Nano Nagle the Justice Contacts were invited to interview two people in their respective Units–Sisters/Colleagues/Friends of Nano – on what it means to them to be a follower of Nano in their various ministries. The compiled clips were edited into the ‘Tercentenary Video’.
The Presentation Justice Desk, working out of Marino Institute of Education in Dublin is a collaborative mission in Justice that involves the English, North East and South West Presentation Provinces.
Brian O’ Toole, as Director is charged with holding in focus our International Presentation Association (IPA) Commitments for the Justice Commissions and Presentation People in each province. The Desk is just over two years in existence and collaboratively we have shared on particular UN Days of international significance. The Director remains at the service of the Justice Commissions and has attended both Province and Justice Days in all Provinces offering input on the SDGs at home and abroad. There has also been input on Lobbying and Advocacy and Laudato Si. A Bulletin Board has been created as a resource for all whom the Justice Desk engages. Many of the Presentation People that engage with the Justice Desk keep in touch by electing to be a part of one or other of our Thematic Groups that speak to our IPA Commitments. 2019 saw the first publication of our annual Justice Desk Newsletter. Our newsletter for 2020 is available here.
One key element is to share and learn from the work and experience of Presentation People in their own Provinces and to represent the three Provinces at events / meetings that will further our mission and journey in justice.
Brian O ‘Toole is also the IPA Justice Contact for Ireland and England and maintains a line of communication to our IPA UN Representative. This role is encouraged and enlivened through the meeting and sharing with other Justice Contacts in the Union as a member of the Congregational Coordinating Team for Justice (CCT – J)