Building Peace with Justice

Building Peace with Justice is a brief, weekly bulletin reflection on Catholic social teaching written by members of a Rochester Diocese Public Policy sub-committee. This is the reflection for June 21, 2009

Jesus brings peace even to the stormy seas. The Gospel of Jesus teaches us to seek peace and to serve those in need. In his 2009 World Day of Peace message, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that “to fight poverty is to build peace.” Yet, our budget priorities seem to ignore the connection between peace and poverty. The United States spends $1,752 per person in the U.S. each year on the military but only $46 per person each year on development.

Action: Urge our leaders to correct our mistaken priorities—to reflect papal teaching and the message of the Gospel.