This year marks the 50th anniversary of the World Day of Peace Message. The World Day of Peace, celebrated on January 1 every year, is primarily a Catholic feast day dedicated to universal peace on the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. On this occasion, Popes generally make authoritative declarations on Catholic Social Teachings (CST) that reflect on our current social reality.

This year’s message is titled “Dialogue Between Generations, Education and Work: Tools for Building Lasting Peace.” In his continued interest in building a “culture of care” in light of the pandemic and ongoing violence in our world Pope Francis challenges us to consider the following three conditions for building a lasting peace.

• Dialogue between generations: Dialogue is the key word for this condition. Rather than succumbing to the social and political divisiveness that seems to define our current reality, Pope Francis calls us to be promoters of dialogue and discussion in order to build mutual trust with one another and to build a culture where we find ourselves “listening to one another, sharing different views, coming to agreement and walking together.” 
• Investment in education: Pope Francis is again inviting us to promote education and formation for our youth so that they can form “a common language working to break down barriers and build bridges.” This is a crucial condition for us to build a culture of care towards each other and our Earth. Where competition, divisiveness and self-interest define our media and political experience, let us educate our youth in the model of collaboration, unity and sustainability.
• Dignified employment opportunities: Pope Francis reminds us that one of the central pillars of CST is to promote “decent and dignified working conditions, oriented to the common good and to the safeguarding of creation.” To accomplish this, however, Pope Francis also reminds us that we must employ advocacy so that our political system can “…play an active role by promoting a fair balance between economic freedom and social justice.”

These then are three conditions that Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens will be pushing forward in bringing about a “culture of care” in our own community. CCBQ will be promoting dialogue, formation and advocacy on the principles of our faith as we engage in the mission of “Changing Lives and Building Communities.”