Just a few weeks following our 32nd General Assembly, the CRC is delighted to welcome to its permanent staff Mr. Ferdinand Djayerombe Vaweka as Associate Director Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC).
Ferdinand has a licentiate in law from the University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as a Master’s degree in peaceful resolution of conflicts from Eastern Mennonite University (Virginia USA). He worked for nearly eight years in the African Great Lakes region with various non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) involved in peace-making and human rights.
Beyond his experience in facilitation, his work in Canada has involved various challenges in social justice, in particular with Development and Peace – Caritas Canada (Montreal region) and Antennes de paix in Montreal, of which he has been president since 2015. He is currently Coordinator with ROJEP, the francophone ecumenical network for justice, ecology, and peace. ROJEP includes about thirty faith-based groups working together for reflection and action here in Quebec.
His responsibilities at the CRC will include providing leadership and supporting religious communities across Canada in their on-going reflection and action on important questions of peace, justice and the integrity of creation.
About CRC and JPIC Department
The Canadian Religious Conference is an association that brings together the leaders of 240 Catholic congregations of women and men religious in Canada. The CRC’s mission is to encourage its members to live fully their vocation in following Christ and to support them in their prophetic witness to justice and peace in a Canadian context.
The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) department works with local JPIC contacts in each community to reflect upon and act in favor of social justice issues (protection of the Creation, fight against poverty and human trafficking, respect for the rights of women27 and Aboriginal peoples, etc.).