Corrymeela Community or Pax Christi

Pax Christi’s vision is a world in which people can live without fear of violence. It has three closely connected aims.

Peace based on justice means more than the absence of fighting. People should have their human rights respected, their basic needs met and the opportunity to feel safe and valued in their communities. A society without open warfare may still be unjust if people face persecution or cannot meet their basic needs.

Reconciliation means repairing damaged relationships. This can involve individuals, communities or whole countries after violence or disagreement. Pax Christi’s origins in Franco-German reconciliation show how this aim can apply between former enemies.

Nonviolence means respecting others while challenging injustice through alternatives to violence and war. It does not mean ignoring wrongdoing or doing nothing. Education, campaigning and peaceful public action can all challenge injustice without using violence.

How its work serves these aims

Pax Christi supports teachers, chaplains and youth workers in teaching young people about peace, reconciliation and nonviolence. Work in schools and colleges encourages young people to make choices based on Christian values. This matters because peace-making involves everyday relationships as well as international conflicts.

It also brings people together for joint action for justice and peace, including work concerning Israel and Palestine. Such cooperation develops solidarity: people support one another rather than working in isolation.

Pax Christi campaigns against military spending, the arms trade and nuclear weapons. It promotes international efforts to abolish nuclear weapons and raises awareness through discussions, demonstrations and protests. These activities seek to influence public attitudes and decisions; they should not be confused with proof that its goals have already been achieved.

Its alternative is sustainable security: keeping people safe by meeting human needs and protecting the environment, rather than relying on weapons and warfare. This connects peace-making with concern for poverty, human rights and environmental protection.

Why Pax Christi is important for Catholics

Pax Christi gives Catholics a practical way to follow the gospel teaching to ‘love your neighbour’. Seeking reconciliation extends care beyond friends and allies to people divided by conflict. Challenging injustice recognises that those affected by violence still deserve dignity and protection.

Its work also puts Catholic Social Teaching into action. Education encourages responsible choices, campaigns draw attention to injustice, and cooperation allows people to work together for the common good. Pax Christi therefore shows how religious belief can influence both personal behaviour and wider society.

Its importance does not depend on claiming that it can end every war. Education and campaigning may encourage change, but they cannot guarantee that governments or individuals will cooperate. Its contribution is to offer nonviolent alternatives, build support for peace and keep justice and reconciliation in public discussion.

• Peace based on justice: respect human rights and meet basic needs.
• Reconciliation: repair relationships after conflict; joint action for peace, including Israel and Palestine.
• Nonviolence: teach peaceful alternatives through schools, chaplains and youth workers.
• Campaign against military spending, the arms trade and nuclear weapons; promote sustainable security.

Importance

• Puts ‘love your neighbour’ and Catholic Social Teaching into practice.
• Educates young people, challenges injustice and builds cooperation for peace.
• Campaigns seek change; they do not guarantee an end to conflict.