Violence is sometimes the fruit, sometimes the cause of poverty. Non-violence has deep Christian roots. To say #IamVincent means to commit to a stance that rejects violence, so the poor will not suffer.

As Christians committed to a more just and peaceful world we are called to take a clear stand for creative and active nonviolence and against all forms of violence. With this conviction, and in recognition of the Jubilee Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis, people from many countries gathered at the Nonviolence and Just Peace Conference sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Pax Christi International on April 11-13, 2016 in Rome.

Our assembly, people of God from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania included lay people, theologians, members of religious congregations, priests, and bishops. Many of us live in communities experiencing violence and oppression. All of us are practitioners of justice and peace. We are grateful for the message to our conference from Pope Francis: “your thoughts on revitalizing the tools of nonviolence, and of active nonviolence in particular, will be a needed and positive contribution.”

Can you adopt this stance of non-violence in favor of our brothers and sisters in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America, the streets of the United States, the churches of France, and so many other places? Read more and consider adding your voice here. It’s a way to say #IamVincent.