by Mary Cullen

Martha Inés Romero describes herself as a peace practitioner. On her recent visit to Scotland, she spoke at Glasgow University about Gospel inspired nonviolent solutions to contemporary global issues.  Her lecture was entitled ‘A living theology of peace’.

Martha is the Secretary General of Pax Christi International, the Catholic peace movement founded in France in March 1945 as a Christian movement for reconciliation and peace. Its spirituality, she said, is rooted in the innate dignity of every human person and all of creation; we are called to live in right relationships with one another, giving priority to the most marginalised.

Pax Christi is not the voice of the voiceless, she stressed – they have their own voice, which is not always heard in the public domain. Pax Christi’s mission is to bring their voices to where they will be heard. The organisation holds special consultative status with the United Nations in New York, Geneva and Vienna, and with UNESCO in Paris. It is officially represented at the African Union in Addis Ababa and at the Council of Europe. Along with its member organisations, it has access to the European Parliament and the European Commission.

Mary Cullen is editor of Open House

Photo courtesy of Marian Pallister