Faced with the numerous, complex social problems that afflict humanity today, we feel more than ever that our response to them must be imbued with the principles of justice. It is crucial that as members of the Arnoldus Family we understand that our current concern for Justice and Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) is a spiritual legacy of our Founding Generation.

This publication emerges from a presentation by Fr. Jürgen Ommerborn SVD, director of the Arnold Janssen Secretariat in Steyl, given during the 14th General Chapter of the SSpS held in Steyl in 2014.  With great passion, Fr. Ommerborn shares his research on and analysis of the “Awareness of the Social Justice of our Founding Generation”.

The book presents elements of the Founding Generation’s historical and social context and offers some ways in which Arnold Janssen and others of the Founding Generation responded in word and deed to the demands and challenges of the peace and justice challenges of their time. They tackled the social problems of their time and their writings offer great inspiration for us today as we endeavor to make JPIC a way of life.

Those who come across this material – members in initial formation, lay people who share our mission and all the members of the Arnoldus Family – can be inspired by the social commitment of our Founding Generation and are encouraged to deepen the spirit of JPIC in our current context.