Ottawa, Canada - In support of Interfaith Harmony Week the National Capital Peace Council of the Universal Peace Federation met on January 25 to hear the Chair of the Capital Region Interfaith Council, Father Jacques Kabangu, speak on “Social Sin: How All Believers Can Unite to Eradicate Institutional Evil.”
Father Jacques is also the Parish Priest of St. Gabriel's Church, the Catholic representative on the Capital Region Interfaith Council and Co-Chair of Interfaith Ottawa with the Mayor of Ottawa. Father Jacques was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Fr. Jacques made several points:
Social sins are committed by communities or groups, including
- creating climate conditions, which are presently causing the ice near both poles to melt,
- greenhouse gases emitted by cars and other human-made causes, and
- permitting diseases to infect peoples of all ages and locations on earth.
"Going Green" requires believers in all faiths to commit to wasting as little water as possible. Montreal Catholic dioceses are focusing on such green issues as garbage and washroom efficiencies. We are all called to do better.
Poverty: The UN member-states in 2000 committed to end child poverty, but what has been achieved? Effective wars against poverty are needed in many lands.
Injustices: The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer, nationally and internationally. For example, coffee growers in developing countries often get very little, but retailers and wholesalers do well everywhere.
These are some evils in the world that people of all religions can unite to eliminate.