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Our theme for Lent 2019 is Radical Conversion: From Me to Mission. We invite all of you to explore the missionary process, the six components of mission, and the various, and complementary, models of mission. We will see why Pope Francis has looked to mission as the key to the renovation of the Church in our world at this time in human history.
We will be posting daily Lenton reflections on our Lent webpage so join us as we prepare for the victory of Easter and the wonder of Pentecost.
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Updated on September 19, 2017
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Feature Article: On a Mission to Restore Justice
Joanne Blaney realized a long time ago that justice sometimes has nothing to do with the judicial system. But this has not turned out to be a handicap in her work. In fact, as a Maryknoll lay missioner who works with victims and perpetrators of violence in São Paolo, Brazil, quite the opposite is true.
“We work toward helping people feel, first of all, restored to yourself, that you are a person of dignity and respect,” said Joanne of the process of restorative justice. Then, she said, they try to restore broken relationships and work for “a just justice for everyone involved in the conflict or crime.”
Since joining Maryknoll in 1990, except for a few odd years back in the States, Joanne has worked at a human rights center in an impoverished, violent neighborhood of São Paolo, engaging with individuals and community leaders of marginalized and vulnerable populations to break cycles of urban and domestic violence. She uses restorative justice principles, including dialogue and compassion, as well as working to change structures, to accomplish that goal.
This brings her into relationship with people experiencing conflict within their families or communities, and into prisons where she teaches these same principles to offenders. “There is a process of healing that takes place,” Joanne said, “that leads to responsibility for the harm they have caused and a desire to repair the harm with the victim and/or their family.