For the Franciscan family, peace is not simply a border value but the core of their message. Francis puts his family under the concepts of a peace movement. It is sent to preach penance (conversion) and peace (cf. Legend of the Three Companions 36).
True Peace
We must move away from a superficial understanding of peace. This is the reason why Francis of Assisi speaks of "true peace from heaven" and of "sincere love in Lord" (2 LF 1). Accordingly, he considers peace as a gift of from heaven. Peace is considerably connected with Jesus Christ (cf. Eph 2) "and all things to be reconciled through him and for him, everything in heaven and everything on earth, when he made peace by his death on the cross" (Letter to a General Chapter; cf. Col 1:20). Whoever lives totally in God experiences true peace. That is why Francis oftentimes says that we should "preserve peace" (cf. Adm15, CantSun). Paradoxically, peace is something, which is already there but which one has always to strive for. Reference to true peace achieves a new significance in the light of the Augustinian tradition in which Francis lives. In his "City of God" (Book 19: 17) St. Augustine differentiates between two "city forms" and two different notions of peace.
The Earthly City Seeks Peace on Earth
The earthly city succeeds in finding peace on earth to the extent that it is able to achieve the greatest possible harmony among its citizens ("concordia civicum"). Citizens must now join forces and unite through a multitude of concrete decisions to satisfy their basic needs ("compositio voluntatum"). The purpose of state legislation consists of "regulating what is useful for the preservation of mortal life" and organizing that "which pertains to life." ("res huic vitae necessariae"). Peace is to be understood as satisfying basic human needs within a state community and economic policy is to be understood as a peace policy.
According to St. Augustine, peace is, therefore, a national theme. We must continue thinking about this peace today by transmitting it to the state community and to the global community. In this sense, "globalization" is a necessary postulate to peace (cf. Lesson 21). Peace in the sense of satisfying the basic needs of everybody can only come into being when the whole world is taken into consideration. Peace and justice are intertwined with one another. Peace exists only when all the basic needs of the person are satisfied.
From this understanding of peace, Franciscans in the 80's have agreed to represent this Franciscan peace mission in the United Nations. They have the status of non-governmental organization with the name "Franciscans International" (Franciscans in the United Nations), (cf. Lesson 3, C 3.1.). The Vision Statement of Franciscans International is expressed as follows:
We are Franciscan men and women who are followers of St. Francis of Assisi. We believe that all creation, from the smallest organism to human beings, is in interdependent relationship on planet earth. We are aware that this relationship is threatened by a refusal to admit this interdependence, by exploitation and by domination. We commit ourselves to encourage awareness of this interdependence so that all creation may live in harmony. We will do this by service to our own members and to United Nations personnel as well as other non-governmental organizations through collaboration, education and action regarding: Care of Creation, Peacemaking, Concern for the Poor. We see these concerns as congruent with the goals expressed by the United Nations in its Charter and in its Declaration on Human Rights.
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