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Ministries

Basilian Centre for Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation

Blue Scarf Walk participants hold up banner reading "Building a Border Free World."

See, I am making all things new.” (Rev. 21:5)
Vision: A world made new in Christ.
Mission: To assist the entire congregation in educating and evangelizing towards justice, peace, and the integrity of creation.

Goals:

  • To engage and motivate Basilians in knowledge and action for JPIC.
  • To assist Basilians and collaborators in making this knowledge accessible to those we serve.
  • To enable the Congregation to speak publicly to important issues of this kind with a prophetic collective voice.
  • To collaborate with other religious communities to act wisely and in a timely fashion.
  • To inventory, celebrate, publicize and extend the activities Basilians already do in these areas.
  • To foment helpful conversation around the theological dimensions of doing justice, opposing sin and injustice, caring for creation, etc.

Human Development Fund

The Human Development Fund provides assistance for a program or project harmonious with a biblical vision of justice and peace. It is for projects that go beyond helping people directly and are clearly designed to change systems to promote justice and peace more effectively; projects that seek to empower the poor and marginalized and, when feasible, involve them in planning and executing the project; projects that originate out of Basilian houses or institutions and/or in which individual Basilians are actively involved. A proportion of the Fund, not to exceed 15% in any year, may also be distributed in assistance to educational projects which involve their participants actively in the promotion of peace and justice.

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Sponsored Organizations

Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT)

Community Peacemaker Teams is an international organization that accompanies and supports partners in their local peacemaking in situations of violent oppression. This ministry began in the United States in the 1980s as an outreach of the Mennonites, Church of the Brethren and Quakers and quickly grew to become a multi-faith organization with many Catholic members including the Basilian Fathers.

The first Basilian priest became a trained peacemaker in 2000 and now the Congregation of St. Basil is a Catholic sponsor of CPT with a seat on its Steering Committee. Father Juan Carlos Rojas Ramos, CSB is the Basilian representative on the Steering Committee and Father Robert Holmes, CSB and Father Maurice Restivo, CSB are active CPT members. In Canada, Basilian CPT members have stood in solidarity with indigenous-led resistance to protect the earth’s resources.

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Pax Christi Toronto

Pax Christi Toronto is a growing group of concerned Catholics striving to respond to the teaching of the Gospels and heed the call to Active Nonviolence as supported by Pope Francis. The spirit and activities of Pax Christi Toronto are based in an understanding of nonviolence as a way of life, a foundational principle of the spiritual journey, and a means of healing and transformation. This guides all our activities and our advocacy for human rights and ecological justice.

We are at a pivotal time to decide our future priorities with respect to caring for Creation in order to avoid contributing to serious environmental problems in the future. On April 4, 2022 Pax Christi joined the growing Laudato Si’ Action Platform to address the seven goals for care of our Common Home. Our environmental advocacy intersects with many other Pax Christi initiatives such as militarism, extractivism and the Blue Scarf Walks.

Father Leo Reilly, CSB and Father Robert Holmes, CSB are members of Pax Christi Toronto.

Camp Micah

Camp Micah is a five-day experience for high school youth who are interested in social justice, peace and leadership rooted in the Christian tradition, with a strong focus on the inclusion of people of all beliefs, backgrounds, abilities and orientations. Our theme for the week is from the Prophet Micah, “Act justly; love tenderly; walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

Camp Micah seeks to be an intergenerational, multi-racial community of peacemakers, educators and activists committed to the liberation of every human being from every kind of bondage. Camp Micah offers high school youth an immersive community experience where they can: connect across differences, learn how to be an ally, model an inclusive world, experience authentic relationships, grow in confidence, encounter nature, explore spirituality, imagine new ways to live and have fun!

Father Robert Holmes, CSB has been a staff member since the founding of the camp.

Catholics for Peace and Justice in the Holy Land

Catholics for Peace and Justice in the Holy Land (CPJHL) are Canadian Catholics responding to the call of Palestinian Christians as articulated in the Kairos Palestine Document for justice for all in the Holy Land. We aim to equip, educate and empower Catholics to engage in issues of justice and in solidarity with Palestinians and Israelis striving for a just peace.

We are people of the Beatitudes called by the gospel teachings of peace, justice and non-violence who value racial justice, decolonization, shaping the conversation from the grassroots and being grounded in Catholic social teachings. Our goals are to encourage authentic pilgrimage, reach out to Catholic youth, connect Catholics with resources and strengthen relationships with Catholic leadership and organizations. Our work is accomplished through education, building a network and advocacy.

Father Robert Holmes, CSB is a founding member of CPJHL.