Dear members of International Young Catholic Students, I bring you the greetings of International Movement of Catholic Students Pax Romana in this special occasion of your global family. As a sister organisation, I would like to congratulate the members and alumni of IYCS global family for the seventy five long years of successful mission of igniting young leaders around the world for the social transformation. In all the past decades IMCS and IYCS have been partners and collaborators for many progressive engagements in national, regional and international levels. As students’ organisations, we together have faced many challenges. And we have become 2 of the few surviving catholic social action movements to still engage with the catholic youth around the world. On behalf of IMCS global family, I would like to take this opportunity to thank past and present IYCS leaders for the meaningful collaboration between the 2 movements which has made the continuation of our missions a possible reality. In the occasion of the climax of the 75th Anniversary, I pray for the IYCS mission for many more years of formation, action and global solidarity for peaceful, just and a sustainable world. God bless IYCS!
By Ravi Tisssera, President IMCS
International Preparatory Meeting for World Youth Day Lisboa2023 held in Fatima
The Local Organizing Committee aimed to share, to dream, plan and pray for the next World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 in Lisbon, and how we can plan to bring pilgrims. All applications and registrations including Days in the Dioceses, Youth Festival, City of Joy Vocational Fair, Volunteers can be found the website Lisboa 2023 website. The Secretary-General, Victor Ayertey, represented Pax Romana in Fatima, Portugal during the International Preparatory meeting in Fatima. The WYD is the gathering of young people from all over the world with the Pope. It is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelization for the youth world. The WYD is August 1 – 6 2023 with the pre-WYD Days in the Diocese from 26 – 31 July 2023.
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) opened positions for volunteers for long, medium and short terms who will serve on various committees before and during the World Youth Day.IMCS Pax Romana is doing its best to recommend volunteers and organize pilgrims as a Movement to participate in the WYD Lisboa2023.
Statement of International Catholic Organizations regarding the violent government crackdowns against dissenting citizens of Sri Lanka – 05th August 2022
We, the undersigned International Catholic Organisations, are extremely concerned about the current violent crackdowns by the Sri Lankan government against the citizens of Sri Lanka who are dissenting against corruption and violation of democracy. It has come to our attention that Ranil Wickremasinghe, who succeeded the ousted President Gotabaya Rajapakse over allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the economic crisis, has adopted repressive machinery against peaceful protesters who had been occupying Galle Face since April 2022. Ranil Wickremesinghe is also widely perceived to be a protector of the corrupt regime of Rajapakses and he himself has various allegations of mismanaging public resources.
His government has weaponized the process of law against peaceful protesters with several key activists of the protest movement taken under custody under public property and emergency regulations. Fr. Jeevantha Pieris, Venerable Koswatte Mahanama Thero, Ceylon Teachers’ Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin, Attorney at Law Nuwan Bopege, Journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara and Inter-University Students’ Federation Convener Wasantha Mudalige are among the key activists targeted by the government.
Issuing a statement on 31st July 2022, 1640 Sri Lankan Catholic priests, sisters and brothers have already condemned several violations of human rights of the protesters including physical assault, obstruction to receiving legal assistance and raid of Fr. Jeevantha’s church in Rathnapura diocese.
It is distressing to hear that during the past few weeks several unidentified bodies have been washed into the coastal areas of Colombo city, the capital of Sri Lanka. Especially considering the human rights record of the current President who has allegations of administering torture chambers during the late 80s.
The people of Sri Lanka are going through the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. Access to food, medicine, schools, livelihoods and basic utilities is severely restricted in the country with no credible financial assistance. It is in this context that people have taken to the streets to demand accountability and justice for the economic crisis. Protests are widespread with massive public participation and approval.
Therefore it is imperative that the government of Sri Lanka abides by the law and respects the human rights protected in the Constitution of the country, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. Considering the gross violations of human rights by the current government headed by Ranil Wickremasinghe, it is the duty of the international community to stand with the people of Sri Lanka without isolating their demands for democracy and accountability.
Therefore as concerned international Catholic organisations,
We request our national member movements and individual members to contact their local political representatives and national political/Human Rights bodies and bring their attention to these atrocities and express their dismay to the Sri Lankan embassies/government.
We request the Holy See to convey the concerns to the Sri Lankan government through diplomatic channels.
We request International lending agencies and bilateral development partners to impose conditionalities on human rights violations.
We request the United Nations Human Rights Council to send a special envoy to investigate the situation and take necessary actions.
Endorsed by,
International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS/MIEC) Pax Romana
International Young Christian Workers (IYCW/JOCI)
International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (ICMICA/MIIC) Pax Romana
World Movement of Christian Workers (WMCW/MMTC)
IMCS PAX ROMANA SOLIDARITY STATEMENT FOR UNITED NATIONS DAY, 2020
IMCS PAX ROMANA SOLIDARITY STATEMENT FOR UNITED NATIONS DAY, 2020
The 24th of October, 1945 signifies the entry into force of the UN Charter. This year we celebrate it as the 75th UN day, marking 75 years of working towards global peace, justice, inclusivity, and sustainable development. We, as IMCS Pax Romana, acknowledge that there is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact as the United Nations, so it’s only natural that we are coherent with the works of the United Nations.
This day is imperative to us because our international student movement has been one of the first youth-led NGOs to obtain consultative status within the UN ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council) back in 1949. Ever since, we’ve not only been actively participating, but also empowering our youth to bring forth their innovations, ideas, suggestions, and beliefs to the UN in order to ensure the future of our world is bright.
UN Day this year comes with the theme: “Closing the Inequalities Gap to Achieve Social Justice”. Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We recognize the giant roles United Nations are playing to follow through with the theme and ensure a peaceful world for people everywhere. We believe in these core values as well, so we’ve also been following through by acting parallel to the United Nations with our various activities that promote peace and prosperity.
As much as we value this year, we are aware that the 75th anniversary comes in a time of great disruption for the world due to the unprecedented global health crisis; the COVID-19 pandemic. With severe economic, social and political impacts, we’ve been working to create positive changes in the communities we can reach. We urge for countries to unite and cooperate to to minimize the struggle caused by the pandemic and create a positive change and transformation.
We commemorate the 75th year of the United Nations with our optimism and expectations that the United Nations will lead to connect with the grassroots realities, the marginalized, the vulnerable and those living in abject poverty to alleviate their situations. We urge United Nations member states to show sincerity, honesty, cooperativeness and faithful in their commitments to implement the resolutions and treaties they sign each time they gather in UN Headquarters in New York.
We hope that by the year 2045 as United Nations celebrates 100 years anniversary, we must have built a United Nations where every member state is a legitimate member of the security council, a United Nations that is more proactive than reactive in providing peace among nations at war, a United Nations that treats an African and Asian Citizens in the same manner like an American and European Citizens and verse versa.
Let’s work for a greater and inclusive United Nations with equal opportunities for all.
Pax Romana begins another milestone from the Centennial Celebration Closing ceremony
On July 23, 2022, during the closing ceremony of the Pax Romana Centennial celebration, the Movement symbolically set the tone for a “Curtain-raiser for the next milestone: mobilizing Catholic students and professionals for a peaceful, just, inclusive and a green world”. It is worth noting that during the year-long celebrations, the Movement – IMCS Pax Romana and ICMICA – had been embarking on several projects and implementing activities at all levels.
The Centennial presentation on projects and activities
Thus, Pope Francis in his letter to the Pax Romana movements on 22 July 2022, called on leaders to work for the spread of the Gospel, its values of justice, peace and solidarity, and to be agents of social change. The Pope also acknowledged the contribution to the Church that the two Pax Romana movements, the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) and the International Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (ICMICA) have made to the Church over the century since the foundation of the IMCS in 1921
From the local, and regional to the international, we joined hands to celebrate our identity and impact within our communities and appreciate everyone. This was reiterated by the President of ICMICA Pax Romana, Prof Ana Maria Bidegain that through the years, Pax Romana has resisted and reorganized and continues to strengthen its faith and spiritual journey and engaging about 70 to 80 national federations from Africa, Latin America to Europe and Asia-Pacific. With our presence, we are committed as men and women and seek to have an impact on public policies and cultural changes needed to challenges in our communities as we walk and work together
ICMICA Pax Romana message by Prof Ana Maria Bidegain
While the world is evolving, Pax Romana is also developing new frontiers to continue working together with members and National Movements across the world. Hence, it is prudent to see and know that you are with us on this journey as we begin another milestone towards mobilizing Catholic students and professionals for a peaceful, just, inclusive and a green world. IMCS Pax Romana President Ravi Tissera invited every student to continue to engage and be willing to collaborate through networking, training and leading community development. “Let’s bring our ideas, talents, resources and networks to transform Pax Romana to the next version, so Pax Romana will continue her mission for another 100 years”. This also reflects the call to duty to message from Pope Francis
IMCS Pax Romana message by Ravi Tissera
“Dear young friends, at this stage of your lives, you have much energy and a plethora of opportunities and choices before you. Yet, while you have many wishes and interests that you want to explore, not all of you live in environments that easily facilitate the pursuit of your dreams or that help you to grow in faith. Support one another in the life of faith and the pursuit of virtue” – Pope Francis, Letter to Pax Romana July 22, 2022
Fr Douglas MARCOUILLER SJ, Vicarius ad Tempus of the Jesuit Curia offered the Centennial blessings to all students and professionals
Centennial blessing by Fr Douglas MARCOUILLER SJ, Vicarius ad Tempus
“To all students and professionals gathered here and around the world, “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord shine divine light upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Risen Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” (Numbers 6: 24-26)
And may Almighty God bless all of you, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
IMCS President’s Message for Pax Romana Centennial Year Closing Ceremony
Ravi Tissera – IMCS President
Dear friends, I bring you the greetings of the International Coordination Team of the International Movement of Catholic Students Pax Romana!
Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, a member of FUCI or the Federation of Catholic University Students of Italy, who was a strong supporter of Pax Romana wrote this quote in a letter to another delegate who participated in the Pax Romana foundational meetings in 1921. And I quote “If all people were to have it as their inner spirit, Pax Romana will bring peace and justice”. After 100 years, we are coming together as one global family, carrying the same mantle of Peace and Justice in our hearts.
The 100th milestone year of the movement gave us an opportunity to reminisce and celebrate the path we have walked as advocates of Peace and Justice.
Recently I heard this quote from a documentary. I quote “The past will never come back. And unless you are willing to invest in the future there’s no use even trying to exist anymore”. As a 100 years old movement with a young spirit, I believe this message is very much relevant to our movement. All the momentums created and contributions made in the past are stars guiding us to the future. But as a people’s movement, Pax Romana still carries a very relevant mission to society. our contribution for today and tomorrow matters more. The investments for the future, or for the ones yet to come matter more.
In the extremely troubled world today, the responsibility of people’s movements such as Pax Romana extends even further. In the past 100 years, we mostly responded to the existing social-economic-cultural religious issues. But in the fast-changing today’s world, Pax Ramana has to create solutions for problems we don’t yet know exist. Rather than problem-solving, we need to problem seek. The centennial initiatives of establishing Pax Romana centres around the world will serve this purpose.
In our diversity exists our uniqueness to share ideas, support students and professionals, implement projects and individually establish networks to grow our social capital and net worth. As we envisage the future of the Movement together through this occasion with the “Curtain-raiser for the next milestone: mobilising Catholic students and professionals for a peaceful, just, inclusive and a green world”, we are in communion together. The life of this Movement is a life of a community, service seeking social justice and the spirituality of action in our daily lives. We are evolving as a Movement. We have moved from one century and beginning another. In a time like this, we celebrate the torchbearers; and we come together to support ourselves to continue transforming our communities, one national movement at a time.
Let’s bring our ideas, talents, resources and networks to transform Pax Romana to the next version, so Pax Romana will continue her mission for another 100 years.
God bless Pax Romana global family!
Ravi Tissera – President, IMCS Pax Romana
Paris. July 23, 2022
Pope Francis to Pax Romana: Be agents of social change
In a letter to the Pax Romana movements on 22 July 2022, Pope Francis has called on leaders to work for the spread of the Gospel, its values of justice, peace and solidarity, and to be agents of social change.
The pope also acknowledged the contribution to the Church that the two Pax Romana movements, the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS) and the International Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (ICMICA) have made to the Church over the century since the foundation of the IMCS in 1921.
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN – MAY 22: Pope Francis waves to the faithful as he leaves St. Peter’s Square (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
To the Members of the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS-MIEC) Pax Romana and the International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs (ICMCA-MIIC) Pax Romana
I send prayerful good wishes to the students and professionals celebrating the hundredth anniversary of the International Movement of Catholic Students – Pax Romana. Your Movement received official recognition by the Holy See in 1921, and I am pleased that you have maintained your spirituality of action and fulfilled your mission of addressing the spiritual and material needs of young people in tertiary educational institutions throughout the world. I am likewise appreciative of the contribution you have made within the Church over this period, and for the notable fruits that have been borne in nurturing leaders and supporting the faithful in promoting Catholic social leaching in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Your vital apostolate encourages young people to take the lead in striving for a more just social order within their countries.
Over the past Century, Pox Romana has enabled many university students and young professionals to grow in their faith and to work for the spread or the Gospel and its values of justice, peace and solidarity. I encourage you to continue to be agents of social change, steadfast in your efforts to help build a more inclusive, harmonious and sustainable world. Be ever ready to give the best of yourselves in meeting the challenges that lie ahead, attentive to the signs of the times and committed to the service of the poor, the vulnerable and the underprivileged.
Dear young friends, at this stage of your lives, you have much energy and a plethora of opportunities and choices before you. Yet, while you have many wishes and interests that you want to explore, not all of you live in environments that easily facilitate the pursuit of your dreams or that help you to grow in faith. Support one another in the life of faith and the pursuit of virtue. In a world of widespread inequality, may you be mindful too of your fellow students and peers in so many parts of our world whose dreams arc threatened by war, injustice, and political, economic and ecological crises. Keep them in your prayers and support them by works of practical solidarity.
As you know, young Catholics are preparing to meet in Lisbon in August 2023 for World Youth Day, with the motto, “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39), I look forward to seeing many of you there! I urge you to “arise” like Mary, and work for the change you want to experience within your communities. Demonstrate and spread the values of “Respect and Integrity, Trust and Solidarity. Diversity and Inclusivity, Transparency and Accountability” that your Strategic Plan highlights. In this way, your service to the liberating message or the Gospel wall be effective and will bear tasting fruit.
With these sentiments, I send my blessing to all the members of lMCS and ICMICA, I ask you, please, to pray for me, and for peace in our world, that young people everywhere may enjoy a future filled with hope and joy.
Call for Proposals and Papers-“Rethinking Democracy” – Pax Romana Journal 2021
“Rethinking Democracy” – Pax Romana Journal 2021
Call for Proposals and Papers
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed and exacerbated a growing crisis in democratic forms of organizing. Over the past year, people have taken to the streets in countries across the globe, including Brazil, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Nigeria, and the United States to call for more justice and democracy in their countries. At the sametime, the pandemic opens up new questions with the rise of vaccine nationalism, the global inequality of distribution of medical supplies, rising levels of unemployment and economic inequalities, and the failure of governments to effectively coordinate with each other in public health. The questions of democractic participation also find parallels within the church, as Catholics reflect on the meaning and value of synodality and lay participation in decision making.
In light of these challenges, the 2021 Pax Romana Journal invites you to submit journal articles on rethinking democracy in the pandemic and beyond. Possible topics include:
human Rights and democracy;
country specific situations;
the Catholic church and democracy;
youth/student participation in democracy;
racial justice and democracy;
faith, church reform, synodality, and lay participation;
democracy, good governance and global governance;
climate change and ecological justice;
the role of social movements, NGOs, and Pax Romana groups,
The Pax Romana Journal is an interdisciplinary, international, and intergenerational journal of IMCS and ICMICA. Submissions are welcome from university students, young professionals, and intellectuals from any field of research (medicine, law, theology/spirituality, sociology, economics, political science, etc).
Proposals and final papers may be submitted in English, French or Spanish.
Submission of Proposals
July 1, 2021: Those wanting to submit a paper are invited to submit a 250-500 word proposal by July 1st, 2021.
The proposal should summarize the paper’s argument and identify the main sources used. The editorial committee will evaluate the abstracts in a blind review process.
You will be informed by 15 July whether your proposal is approved.
1 October, 2021: Final papers are due 1 October 2021. They should be 2,500 – 5,000 words.
The editorial team will make the final evaluation of papers and return to authors any proposals for revision by 1 December.
Author Guidelines
All submissions can be in English, French, Spanish
No more than three authors for each paper submission.
Along with the submissions, participants should provide their full name, date of birth, address, contact number and email as applicable
authors are allowed to use any standards footnotes format for reference,
Double space pages and indent each paragraph,
Content should be Critical, Non-Romanticized, Non-Abusive
All submissions will be judged on originality, content, theme and creative presentation
Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate any copyright laws; off topic discussions shall be disqualified and strictly no plagiarism is allowed
Pax Romana (IMCS and ICMICA) shall use the content once submitted
Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them when entering the competitions.
Solidarity With the Students and civilian leaders of Myanmar
It is with a great sense of duty and concern that we the International Catholic Movement for Intellectual and Cultural Affairs and the International Movement of Catholic Students condemn in strongest terms the recent attacks on due process, justice and democracy in Myanmar.
Eleven years ago, the nation moved from military rule to democracy after ruling the country for decades. On early hours of Monday, 1st February, 2021 the military organized coup took place and the elected leaders of the people, especially the top echelon of the NLD leadership have been arrested and Aung San Suu Kyi taken to unknown locations for detention, under unsubstantiated charge of the violation of the country’s import-export laws.
It is important to alert the military that the world is watching most especially the young people of Myanmar whose future and destiny they are toying with.
We strongly advocate for a round table dialogue between the military high ranking officials, led by the commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing, and the Civilian Leaders, to return power to the civilian leaders and call on the Civilian Leaders to address the concerns of the military if any.
We appeal to the students, youth and women of Myanmar to maintain peace and harmony as their plight is a global concern and we won’t rest until normalcy returns to Myanmar.
We call on the international community to intervene in this constitutional violation of the rights of democratically elected leaders so that participatory democracy is returned to the people of Myanmar.
Sign:
International Teams of IMCS Pax Romana and ICMICA Pax Romana
Pax Romana Statement on Mass Arrests of Pro-Democracy Figures in Hong Kong
Pax Romana Statement on Mass Arrests of Pro-Democracy Figures in Hong Kong
The mass arrests of activists and human rights defenders in Hong Kong this past weekrepresents a serious attack on human rights and democracy.
As the two international movements in Pax Romana, IMCS and ICMICA are particularly concerned by the arrest ofJohn (Jack) Clancey,a lawyer, chair of the Asian Human Rights Commission, and a former chaplain to our movements. We are happy to know that Jack has been granted bail and we pledge to support him in the weeks ahead.
We stand in solidarity with Jack and with all the people of Hong Kong in this difficult time.These attacks come as the promise of participatory democracy is eroding not only in Hong Kong, but also in many other parts of the world as we saw with the failed coup in the United States this week. As movements, we continue to believe in the values of human rights and participatory democracy.
We urge our members, groups of Catholic students, professionals and intellectuals, and others friends to learn more about the human rights situation in Hong Kong and to reach out to their political leaders to take immediate action to put pressure on the Chinese government to abide by human rights norms as established in international law and to drop the charges on the human rights activists.
“Rethinking Democracy” – Pax Romana Journal 2021
