Cardinal Bo: Let us adopt Pope's appeal for ‘active nonviolence'

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

"Going against the current, by adopting a mission of active nonviolence, is key for working toward a more peaceful world."

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, Myanmar, and the President of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC), made this observation in his recent statement focused on promoting a "mission of active nonviolence."

“Pope Francis’ many documents, exhortations, statements, and actions,” the Cardinal recalled, “have been imbued with the spirit and dynamic of nonviolence.” The Holy Father, he recalled, has "ceaselessly" taught us that we are living in the midst “of a global culture of violence” that “dominates, dehumanizes, and destroys our common home and human family,” especially the most vulnerable at the margins.

The Pope, reiterated the President of the FABC, “has insisted that there must be another way," "other than violence” to resolve conflict, foster justice, heal the earth, safeguard immigrants, and end war.

This “other way,” he clarified, is not "avoidance, appeasement, aggression, or attack."  

Dramatically different approach

Rather, he explained, it "is a dramatically different way of being in the world, of working for peace, of building nonviolent movements and systems, and of being faithful to the vision of Jesus," namely through "active nonviolence," as the Pope emphasised in his 2017  World Day of Peace Message.

Cardinal Bo lamented the tendency of human nature that, he said, often gravitates toward violence.

“It seems,” the Cardinal said, “that DNA of human beings is for violence. See the first two sons of Adam and Eve: a brother killing a brother. Ukraine requests for more weapons from the West. Myanmar that begs ammunitions from Russia, China and India.”

Explicitly integrating Gospel nonviolence

"The violence and trauma being experienced in this moment by the people of Israel and Palestine, as by the people of Myanmar and by so many others around the world," the Cardinal noted, “underscore the critical need for humanity to make a dramatic shift from a global paradigm of war and violence to a paradigm of just peace and nonviolence.”  

As the crisis in the Holy Land escalates, along with "proliferating destruction elsewhere," the Asian prelate observed, that those gathered at the Synod can “contribute to a more just and peaceful world by urging the universal Church to integrate Gospel nonviolence explicitly into our life and work through dioceses, parishes, schools, universities, seminaries, religious orders and voluntary associations.”

Inspiring global adoption

“An official Church teaching on nonviolence and just peace and inclusion in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, of a robust description of nonviolence, key nonviolent practices, and the norms of a just peace ethic,” he explained, “would deepen Catholic understanding of and commitment to Gospel nonviolence and help inspire a global embrace of nonviolence.”

Nonviolence, he said, "names a core value of the Gospel," in which "Jesus combined an unmistakable rejection of violence, with the power of love and truth in action." 

Strategy for change to counter 'culture of violence'

Nonviolence, the leader of Asia's Bishops continued, refers to “a way of life that 'unlearns' the beliefs and ways of violence and 'learns' and 'practices' a part of our core identity as nonviolent beings.” It is also, he noted, “a strategy for systemic change that mobilizes people-power to dismantle policies but also systems of racism and all the forms of structural violence.”

In addition, he said, it is a paradigm of the fullness of life, “that most faithfully challenges and transforms the “culture of violence.”  

Adopting this approach, the President of the Asian Bishops continued, “not only offers a qualitatively different way of challenging specific forms of violence and resolving particular conflict, but it is also a stance against the entire framework of the 'culture of violence.'"

Cardinal Bo concluded by warning that nonviolence should never be confused with pacifism, the absence of violence, or being passive, rather “it is central to the process of peace, the journey to justice, and the way to reconciliation.”