Each week of Advent we will post a reflection and a few resources for the Dominican Month for peace. Below is the first reflection and a prayer petition. These reflections are from Brendan Curran, O.P., the North American Dominican Promoter for Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation.
As we remember the Dominican Month for Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Advent….
We remember:
Here are a few stories of impact:
“At the end of these days of training and evaluation of the post-election situation of 2006, I am very satisfied with the support of PEDUC which enabled us to know our responsibilities and especially our rights. I am very encouraged to see how PEDUC worked and fostered the emergence of enlightened and empowered women’s leadership, so that we succeeded in getting a woman from the city of Isiro elected to be a member of the provincial legislature.” (JOSE LONYOBUNA, peer educator, Isiro, January 23, 2007)
· “I am delighted to see the people of PEDUC come to us especially as we feel a little discriminated and marginalized by others. We do not even know if others see us as human beings. Last week, one of us was almost beaten to death. Had it not been for the intervention of PEDUC, he would still be languishing in the police cell. Please also respect us, especially since we are the first inhabitants of this region”. (Frédéric AKPEZILA (Pygmy), Isiro July 26, 2018)
Let us pray:
Today we hear in the gospel of Luke, “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’ (Luke 3:4). Let us pray in our second Sunday of Advent for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. May our voices join with the efforts of the Dominican Family in the Congo. May the voice of the people bring forth authentic transformation, dignity and respect for all in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Let us pray for authentic change in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
