International Catholic Movement for Peace

PAX CHRISTI

What do you think ‘Pax Christi’ means?

What do you already know about Pax Christi?

VISION AND VALUESPeace

Reconciliation

NonviolenceOur vision is of a world where people can live in peace,

without fear of violence in any form

Pax Christi believes in peace based on justice.

Peace is not only the absence of violence and war , but a world where human rights are respected, basic needs are met and people feel safe in their schools, families and communities.

PEACE

RECONCILIATION

The process of reconciliation starts when people try to mend relationships which have been damaged, perhaps by war or violence. These can be relationships between individuals, groups or whole countries.

NONVIOLENCEPax Christi members try to live nonviolently by

Respecting the lives of others and the whole of creation

Challenging what is not fair or just

Offering alternatives to violence and war

What do Pax Christi members believe?

Many Pax Christi members are pacifists and reject any use of violence.

Other Pax Christi members follow the just war teaching which sets out a series of moral principles that must be strictly observed to limit the damage of war.

Why do people join Pax Christi?

Pax Christi and ChristianityPax Christi is inspired by Christianity but membership is open to all people who share our values and work

Pax Christi works to make peace a reality for everyone by:

•Supporting peace groups in Palestine and Israel

•Campaigning against nuclear weapons and the arms trade

•Bringing young people together so they can learn from each other through summer camps, peace pilgrimages and competitions

•Working with schools, teachers and chaplains to promote peace education

•Celebrating the lives of peacemakers who have made a real difference in the world

•Providing prayer and liturgy resources

Examples of our work - The Arms TradeDid you know…?

In 2007 Britain was the biggest arms exporter in the world

One third of countries spend more on the military than they do on health-care services

One person every minute is killed with small arms

Pax Christi members:

Raise awareness through talks and workshops

Campaign for churches not to invest money in arms companies

Joined demonstrations to close the Defence Exports Services Organisation

Examples of our work - Palestine and IsraelDid you know…?

•There are over 4 million Palestinian refugees

•From September 2000 to July 2008 1024 Israelis and 4228 Palestinians were killed

Pax Christi members:

•Raise awareness of what life is like for people in Palestine and Israel

•Send Christmas peace messages to Bethlehem

•Support the Palestinian economy by buying olive wood crafts

•Campaign against the separation wall between Israel and Palestine

Examples of our work – Nuclear WeaponsDid you know…?

•Britain’s nuclear weapons system, trident, is due to be renewed at a cost of between £25 - £75 billion

•UK Trident submarines carry 48 100-kiloton (kT) warheads – equivalent to 380 Hiroshima bombs

Pax Christi members:

•Lobby members of Parliament and organise talks and meetings

•Hold an annual service outside the ministry of defence

•Mark the anniversaries of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Examples of our work – Peace Education

PeaceZone at the Greenbelt festival

Talks and workshops in schools on conflict resolution and violence, the arms trade, Palestine/Israel, nuclear weapons, peacemaking.

Examples of our work – Bringing young people together

Competition for young people from across Europe

International summer camp – Peace House, Italy

Staying involved and finding out more

Students join service outside Ministry of Defence on Ash

Wednesday

Check out the Pax Christi website – especially the Education for Peace and Young People as Peacemakers pages which have details of volunteering opportunities and events.

Join our Facebook group – Pax Christi UK Youth Network

Email us at education@paxchristi.org.uk