History of O.Carm-JPIC

O.Carm Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) developed within the changing socio- historical context of the country. In 1957, the Carmelites started their mission of Building Basic Christian Communities in the towns of Escalante and Toboso in the northern island of Negros Occidental. They witnessed the widespread poverty and exploitation of the sakadas (sugar workers) and the fisher folk. In the beginning, the Carmelites brought with them the missionary zeal of spreading the good news, the so called glad tidings. The intention of bringing the good news was slowly challenged by the context of the situation. These problems shaped the Building Basic Christian Communities strategies into active pastoral apostolate. Through the process of conscientization, they gradually developed strong bias for the poor, oppressed, deprived and exploited. They got involved in analyzing the micro and macro situations (social analysis) and in strengthening and organizing the unions (peasants and labor sectors).
In 1963, the Carmelites accepted the parish mission in San Francisco in the Province of Agusan in Mindanao. They expanded their mission in Iligan, being involved in urban workers apostolate. From there, the Carmelites were also involved in youth and workers issues. Alongside the growing demand for apostolate work, they established cooperatives and different desks of social concerns in the parish. It was during this period that many Carmelites took special courses in cooperative management, labor education and farmer organization. The Sisters of Julie Postel were invited from Holland to come to the Philippines. They contributed a lot in pastoral work, especially in opening the Magdalene Hospital to take care of the poor in Escalante, Negros Occidental.
Seeing the need to reinforce the pastoral work and social apostolate with evangelization, the Carmelites nurtured the field of education.

Through the schools, we can contribute to the formation and valuing of a responsible and mature Christian life, one that is responsive to the needs of out time and our society, in line with the option for the poor( Philippine Carmel Statutes Chap. V par. 1 )”. The Mount Carmel College was the first of the two schools that were set-up under the supervision of the Carmelites.
Going further, the building of Basic Christian Community-Community Organizing (BCC-CO) or Gagmay’ng Kristohanong Katilingban (GKK) became the parish pastoral strategy in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Various training seminars were offered, which equipped the church volunteers and lay people the needed skills in community organizining and community empowerment processes. The framework by which they were trained is that of building and strengthening their capacities at the grass root level. They also accompanied the people in responding to the real problems of the communities. After a series of seminars, BCC workers were set out to the barrios and urban poor to conduct organizing work and be involved in community based health programs (CBHP).
These pastoral activities continued through the years, until new challenges came in, when the country was placed under Martial Law by then President Ferdinand Marcos. During this period, extreme poverty had worsened and the masses suffered from all sort of harassment and human rights violations. Outraged by the situation, there were religious priests and sisters who took a prophetic stand and confronted the prevailing oppression in the context of being faithful to the Gospel. The Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines (AMRSP) created a number of Task Forces to help the people cope with the condition. The Carmelites had joined the different Task Forces like Task Force Detainees in the Philippines (TFD), Task Force on Urban Conscientization (TFUC), Rural Missionaries in the Philippines (RMP), Task Force of Tribal Filipinos, and the Church Labor Center.
they laid down their lives in the name of service to the people.
• In 1973, Fr. Engelbert van Vilsteren, assistant parish priest in San Francisco, Agusan de Sur was murdered by members of a fanatical sect. He resisted the holding of a plebiscite for the approval of the Marcos constitution.
• Another Carmelite, Isagani Valle who was then a student friar, was summarily executed while he was on an exposure trip in one of the barrios of his home province Agusan. Valle, who was active in justice and peace, was then working on a relevant formation manual. He was killed even before he could finish the manual on relevant formation.
On September 20, 1985 in the parish of Escalante, a group of students and teachers from the Mount Carmel College joined a mixed group of sakadas (sugar workers) and fishermen in a protest action against unjust wages and neglect of the government in delivering basic services. The police violently dispersed the protesters by firing upon them. The tragic event known as Escalante Massacre , left 20 people dead Our current Commissary General Fr Tim Jusayan, who was then a student friar, survived the carnage. The Carmelite convent, schools and parishes became the sanctuary as persecution and illegal arrest persisted in the aftermath of the massacre.
Amongst those who have gone ahead whose exemplary work is always remembered are Fr. Simon Westendorp, parish priest of San Francisco, and Sr. Nanette Berendsen. In 1983 on their way to an important conference in Cebu they were one among those who perished in a sea tragedy. We consider them as heroes of our faith.

Martial law has left the Carmelites with no other choice but to commit themselves to the struggle for nationalism and democracy. They offered and sacrificed their lives for the cause that truly counts. The Carmelites’ commitment to justice, peace and integrity of creation was formed and nurtured under difficult and trying situations. Enhanced and inspired by our Carmelite spirituality and impelled by the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the tradition of promoting justice and peace continued.
In 2000, during the Chapter meeting , the Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation was integrated in all ministries of the Commissariat. A number of activities focusing on skills training and advocacy on some issues were implemented. At the same time, JPIC centers, headed by a convenor, were set-up to facilitate a venue in expressing social commitments and political choices, further deepening the understanding of JPIC issues and perspectives. In the different centers, convenors were assigned. Regular meetings are done to keep track of the development of the JPIC activities and to discuss emerging issues in the areas. Our students in the theologate as well as in the College, Postulancy and even in the Novitiate undergo exposures and immersions to selected areas in rural and urban centers. They are encouraged to actively attend various forum on justice and peace issues, inter-faith gatherings and public demonstrations with the different sectors in our country. We believe that by doing so, a strong sense of being one among the peasants, sugar workers, fisher folks, and urban poor and Indigenous people is nourished .
At present, the current regime wreaks havoc to the already suffering people. While the people are getting hungrier each day, the exploitation and oppression become more systematic and ruthless. The intimidation and persecution are not only directed to activists


. Bishop Alberto Ramento of Iglesia Filipina Indipendiente, Fr. William Tadena, Rev. Edison Lapus, Pepe Manegdeg of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and many others were extra-judicially killed. Others were victims of enforced disappearances like Nilo Arado, a former Carmelite seminarian and Jonas Burgos, son of Edita Burgos, member of Lay Discalced Carmelites. The military also raided the convents of contemplative nuns of the Good Shepherd Sisters and the Missionary Sisters of Mary and the San Lorenzo Ruiz Pastoral Center in Butuan City.
In the face of these difficult times, many progressive church people, and the ecumenical community including Carmelites are not cowed. They have not wavered in their commitment. Rather, they take it as an opportunity to bring out the Elijah tradition in us.
The video documentary produced by the lenses of our camera present the truth about the sufferings and hopes of the people.
Like a double-edged sword, our writings evoke sharp reflections, in our tit for tat action (writing letters to the editors) and on the pages of our publication, the “Gentle Breeze”.
The cry of the poor gave emotions to every detail in our power point presentations and life to our songs, during discussion sessions concerning the national situation. Though the office was so small and operating on a meager budget, it served as a resource center for student friars.
Our partnership with the Ecumenical Churches and Interfaith Network for Justice and Peace and Association of Major Religious Superiors in the Philippines strengthened our advocacy for Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.

When the raids in the convent of contemplative nuns in Butuan City happened, we immediately
protest.
We co-sponsored a broad Human Rights gathering dubbed “Day of Mourning” at the Baclaran Shrine.
We also hosted “Stop the Killings” forum at Titus Brandsma Center.
In line with our HR Support, the JPIC was instrumental in providing Sanctuaries to victims of human rights violations and extended assistance to internally displaced refugees.
Our student friars have engaged the media in a tit for tat action, like issuing statement and writing letters to the editor of a national broadsheet on issues of political repression and chronic poverty.
Our engagement also reached global arena when Fr. Arnel participated in the international protest against imperialist globalization held in Hongkong in 2006.

Meanwhile, our partnership with the Siliman University JPIC resulted in our vigorous campaign against the drilling operation at Tañon Strait.

Also, in cooperation with Karapatan National ,a human rights group and Karapatan Caraga region, the JPIC-O.Carm participated in a Fact-Finding Mission in Agusan Del Sur. The FFM documented the alleged human rights violations inflicted by armed men on the Lumads.

rights, the JPIC was also involved in election monitoring. Last 2007 elections and in the last barangay elections, we documented election irregularities. Our data were presented in a forum sponsored by the La Salle Justice and Peace Commission.
Already recognized as a commission, the JPIC is headed by a National Convenor, in the person of Fr. Jerry Sabado. The team is composed of Fr. Christopher Exala, Fr. Bernard Roosendaal, Fr. Arnel Glodobe, Bro. Gilbert Billena, Bro. Carlito Ranoco and Melvin Koerkamp. The office operates under the following elements:
1) Education and Training and Capability Building
2) Research and Publication
3) Advocacy and Campaign
4) Sectoral Support and Solidarity
5) Resource and Mobilization
6) Volunteer Program
7) Program Management.