In partnership with the Bhawal Regional Pastoral Council, the Archdiocese of Dhaka held a day-long justice and peace training for lay leaders at Tumilia Parish in Gazipur on June 21.
Spearheaded by the Commission for Justice and Peace, the event gathered parishioners and community stakeholders to reflect on the Church's social teachings and their role in building a more hopeful and equitable society.
Centered on the theme “Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV in Building a Hopeful Society,” the seminar invited participants to explore the values of justice, peace, and solidarity through Catholic social doctrine. The training opened with a prayer led by Sister Suparna Rozario, followed by a warm welcome from Father Dominic Rozario.
Dr. Father Liton H. Gomes, CSC, served as the seminar’s overall coordinator and moderator.
Distinguished speakers shared their expertise and insights with participants. Among them were Father Shimon Patrick Gomes; Advocate Limen D’Costa, District Judge of Gazipur; Advocate Father Albert Rosario; Amal Gomes, retired Assistant Superintendent of Police; and Mr. Md. Alauddin, Officer-in-Charge of Kaliganj Police Station.
In his address, Father Patrick Gomes emphasized that “hope is a divine gift from God the Father, grounded in faith and expressed through love.” He stressed that personal transformation through prayer and community service is essential to realizing justice and peace in everyday life.
“Members of the Parish Justice and Peace Committee have a prophetic role,” he said, “to care for their families, foster inclusion, and be agents of change within the parish.”
Judge Limen D’Costa encouraged participants to be vigilant stewards of church and family property, emphasizing the importance of legal literacy. “Protecting land and resources by both national and canon law is not just a civic duty but a sacred responsibility,” he said, adding that collaboration with legal and professional experts is crucial.
Officer Md. Alauddin assured attendees that law enforcement is ready to assist faith communities in matters of child protection, prevention of violence against women, and the fight against drug abuse. “The police stand in solidarity with the Church’s mission for justice and peace,” he noted.
Former Assistant Superintendent of Police Amal Gomes called on families to encourage youth to pursue careers in public service. “Security and justice are shared responsibilities,” he stated. “Seminars like this equip citizens—especially young leaders—to walk the path of justice and help shape a more peaceful society.”
The training concluded with a renewed commitment from participants to uphold Christian values in their communities and be active voices for equity, justice, and peace.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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