Franciscan Voice Canada

1. Franciscan Voice Canada Fair Trade: A Franciscan Perspective The example of coffee by Andrew Conradi, ofs OFS Canada National JPIC Animator 24 April 2018

2. Universal Declaration of Human Rights passed by the United Nations General Assembly 10 Dec 1948 “Everyone who works has the right to just and favorable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity…”(art 23-3) Canadian John Peter Humphreys was called upon by the United Nations Secretary-General to work on the project and became the Declaration's principal drafter

3. Image, showing coffee beans being picked, from:A Forum featuring David Couturier, OFM Cap 5 Feb 2015 New York

4. Living spirituality “Living spirituality today means understanding and respecting the ethical responsibilities we have as consumers. We must embrace and live the Gospel message proclaiming the dignity of each and every person even in (especially in) the marketplace to fulfill this responsibility.” (David Couturier, OFM Cap) Are WE spiritual people?

5. Incarnated spirituality “3.3.36. This gives rise to: “Incarnated spirituality: a spirituality that guides people to be fully involved in human and worldly affairs as a concrete sign of commitment to building the Kingdom of God.” (Rozansky & Felipe, 2009, 57, emphasis added)” * * Joe Rozansky, OFM and Vicente Felipe, OFM, 2009, Guidelines for the Animation of Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation (JPIC) quoted by Andrew Conradi, ofs in Understanding JPIC, and quoted in his JPIC Supplement to Chapter 15 of Lester Bach, OFM Cap’s Franciscan Journey

6. Los Altos, Chiapas, Mexico

7. remote, high elevation & steep relatively infertile a challenge to farm little mechanisation small holdings under threat of dispossesion & violence family owned & operated poor but improving themselves affected by la roya (rust) worsened by climate change Los Altos is a typical fairtrade coffee growing area • members of a coop e.g. Maya Vinic

8. La roya-coffee rustfungus Hemileia vastatrix affects photosynthesis: leaves drop off, coffee berry production lessened, plant dies. The solution could be a more natural, diverse, shaded coffee growing habitat, i.e. organic production? N.B. new plants take 4-5 years before producing.

9. Some effects of la roya By 2050, there could be a 50 per cent decline worldwide in production of coffee according to the 2016 report A Brewing Storm commissioned by Fairtrade Australia and New Zealand. El Salvador lost 50% of their job opportunities in the coffee sector in 2011. The Chiapas, Mexico, coop Maya Vinic affected in 2014 lost half its crop in 2015.

10. Fermented coffee husk, fermented grass, ash, and honey then mixed with normal compost i.e. nutrient rich. Planting disease resistant types ofcoffee carefully among shade fruit trees in a hole about 30cm wide, filled with fertile compost. The plant will be nourished for most of its life. Finally, caldo rojo, a broth of sulfur and calcium limestone is used as a natural defence against la roya. These natural forms of fertilizer and disease control are helping farmers avoid commercial chemicals and restore natural, healthy ecosystems. Maya Vinic’s organic way to fight la roya

11. Why Fair Trade?Paul VI, 1967 Catholic social teaching supports fair trade. In a statement at the United Nations Oct. 17, 2006, Archbishop Celestino Migliore said: "The achievement of greater justice through fair trade continues to be a major concern of the Holy See. 'Freedom of trade is fair only if it is subject to the demands of social justice’ (Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, n. 59)."

12. Why Fair Trade?St John Paul II: “a society is alienated if its forms of social organization, production and consumption make it more difficult ... to establish ...[the Catholic Social Doctrine principle of] solidarity between people”. (1991, Centisimus annus, 41c)

13. Why Fair Trade? It is about business ethics! “Foundational Ethical Principles for Business: Human Dignity and the Common Good” “55. Distribute justly: As creators of wealth and prosperity, businesses… must … make a just distribution of this wealth to employees (following the principle of the right to a just wage), customers (just prices), owners (just returns), suppliers (just prices), and the community (just tax rates).” (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 2012, Vocation of the Business Leader, A reflection, emphasis added)

14. Why Fair Trade? • Because the conventionalfree market does not always result in a living wage or price for producers and can contribute to their extreme poverty and exploitation and for Catholics: • because the Social Doctrine of the Church calls for trade to be fair, and • the practice of Fairtrade promotes the following principles of Catholic Social Doctrine (aka Catholic Social Teaching):

15. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 2004) Principles of Catholic Social Teaching on Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation To life, family, freedom, work, justice etc. * Respect for others & creation Participation Rights* & Duties Solidarity Subsidiarity Human Dignity Preferential Option for poor Common Good Stewardship of the Environment Universal destination of goods Diagram prepared for the Office of Service and Justice, Archdiocese of Vancouver by Andrew Conradi, ofs 2012 Peace * over 40 specific rights are listed

16. Catholic Social teachings enacted through Fairtrade 1.Affirms the human dignity of small-scale producers in the Global South 2.Exercises the preferential option for the poor since most producers of Fair Trade products are poor 3.Acts in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Global South 4.Promotes economic justice by ensuring Just Wages and Just Prices are paid

17. 5.Promotes the common good and peace by ensuring a more equitable distribution of wealth 6.Applies the principle of subsidiarity in encouraging grass roots decision making at the producers' level 7.Promotes participation of producers in co-operatives, and 8.Practices responsible stewardship of the earth's resources and environment.

18. Benedict XVI: “Alongside profit-oriented private enterprise and the various types of public enterprise, there must be room for commercial entities based on mutualist principles and pursuing social ends to take root and express themselves. ……. and hence an attentiveness to ways ofcivilizing the economy.” (Benedict XVI, 2009, Caritas in veritate, no 38) (colour added)

19. Cooperatives • In his Message to the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation for World Food Day, 2012 whose theme was “Agricultural Cooperatives – Key to Feeding the World” • Benedict XVI supported agricultural cooperatives saying they can be important ways for local people to control their own work lives and respond to local needs for employment and food security. • Fair Trade Canada certified coffee is from coops.

20. Human Dignity, Options for the Poor, Common Good “Development must be locally-led in order to produce and sustain meaningful results” http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/FRA-825105226-KFT

21. Benedict XVI: “At this stage in history, work in the light of the Church’s social teaching to become a laboratory of “globalization of solidarity and charity”, in order to grow with the entire Church in the co-responsibility of offering a future of hope to humanity, by having the courage to make even demanding proposals.” (dated 10 Aug 2012, message to International Catholic Action Forum, 23 Aug 2012)

22. Apostolic Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium” n 54 (November 2013)

23. Fair Trade creates direct relationships & shortens the supply chain • Farmer coop to importer/roaster • The middlemen or women are cut out as far as possible • In Latin America the middlemen and women are called coyotes for obvious reasons

24. Just wage & Just price Most Fair Trade coffee growers are small holders and not wage earners. Their remuneration is in the form of a Just Price which has a long history in Catholic teaching and today is called a Fair Price.

25. WHAT MAKES TRADE FAIR? Trade is Fair when: • The producers are paid a living wage or fair minimum price rather than one set by the conventionalfree market • Long term contracts are signed • Credit is advanced to producers if required • Producers are members of cooperative organisations and can participate in the decision making

26. A key statement by St John Paul II: “Hence, in every case, a just wage is the concrete means of verifying the justice of the whole socioeconomic system and, in any case, of checking that it is functioning justly. It is not the only means of checking, but it is a particularly important one and, in a sense, the key means.” (Laborem exercens, 1981, n. 19)

27. So when we know the difference between Fair and non-fair trade, what should we do? " ..... purchasing is always a moral — and not simply economic — act. Hence the consumer has a specific social responsibility ....." (Benedict XVI, 2009, Caritas in veritate, 66) Act responsibly in accordance with Catholic Social Doctrine and OFS Rule & General Constitutions!

28. Remember what the OFS rule says about ?

29. Rule 15 15. Let them individually and collectively be in the forefront in promoting justice by the testimony of their human lives and their courageous initiatives. Especially in the field of public life, they should make definite choices in harmony with their faith. [i.e. at the front as courageous leaders not on the sidelines or from behind. However, not everyone can do that - some have to be followers and that’s alright!]

30. OFS General Constitutions Title II ACTIVE PRESENCE IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD For a Just and Fraternal Society Article 18 2. (Rule 13) ........... They should firmly commit themselves to oppose every form of exploitation, discrimination, and exclusion and against every attitude of indifference in relation to others. (emphasis added)

32. OFS Rule 7: conversion 7. United by their vocation as brothers and sisters of penance, and motivated by the dynamic power of the gospel, let them conform their thoughts and deeds to those of Christ by means of that radical interior change which the gospel itself calls conversion. Human frailty makes it necessary that this conversion be carried out daily. One way is to drink coffee, tea or chocolate that is Fair Trade & organic!

33. COFFEE TIME?THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK! MAKE IT FAIR TRADE

34. Fair Trade products are often more expensive than conventional free trade products. But Paul VI challenged us: “Let each one examine his conscience, .... Is he prepared to support out of his own pocket works and undertakings in favour of the most destitute? .... Is he ready to pay a higher price for imported goods so that the producer may be more justly rewarded?” (Paul VI, 1967, Populorum progressio, 48) Let us never forget the high social & environmental cost of low prices

35. WHO DECIDES WHAT IS A FAIR PRICE? The umbrella organisation is Fairtrade International which works with FLOCERT as a third body organization that audits producers on the ground to ensure standards are in place. The Canadian member with its head office in Ottawa is

36. FAIR TRADE & ORGANIC CERTIFICATION “the system of ethical certification is spreading throughout the developed world as part of the movement of ideas associated with the responsibilities of business towards society.” (no 45) “Just and equitable international trade in agricultural goods can be beneficial to everyone, both to suppliers and to customers.” (no 58) (Benedict XVI, 2009, Caritas in veritate)

37. International label

38. New York prices USD per lb The conventionalfree market price for North America is set in New York. Coffee prices are volatile (boom and bust) which is why long term contracts are important to the producer. For mild arabicas the price has been as low as 0.60 in 2002. In 2009 the low was 1.27 but October 2009 it went up to 1.50 & price peaked at 3.01 in April 2011. March 2018 it was 1.35.

39. CERTIFIED FAIRTRADE ORGANIC COFFEE PRICE STRUCTURE per lb/254g green unroasted coffee in USD Effective 1 Apr 2011 paid to the producers’ coop in country of origin Note: it is always never less than 0.20 above the conventionalfree market price

40. Where does this money go? The co-op pays its member producers for their coffee and invests the surplus in community social, educational, economic and environmental projects for the common good as democratically decided by the co-op members

41. Eager to Love: The Alternative Way of Francis of Assisi “Francis and Clare’s approach has been called a “performative spirituality” which means that things are only found to be true in the doing of them.” Richard Rohr, OFM

42. Care for Creation: Daily conversion Lifestyle: you can Do you? Will you?

43. Pope Francis “80. Mercy has two aspects. It involves giving, helping and serving others ...Matthew sums it up in one golden rule: “In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you” (7:12). The Catechism reminds us that this law is to be applied “in every case” ... .” (2018, Gaudeteet Exultate–Rejoice and Be Glad)

44. Pope Francis 97. Given these uncompromising demands of Jesus, it is my duty to ask Christians to acknowledge and accept them in a spirit of genuine openness, sine glossa. In other words, without any “ifs or buts” that could lessen their force. Our Lord made it very clear that holiness cannot be understood or lived apart from these demands, for mercy is “the beating heart of the Gospel”.[81] (2018, Gaudete et Exultate– Rejoice & Be Glad)

45. Benedict XVI “…Justice is inseparable from charity and intrinsic to it … Justice is the primary way of charity ... Charity demands justice …” (2009, Caritas in veritate, n 6, emphasis added)

46. Catholic Women’s League of Canada The CWL passed a resolution (00.03) in favour of Fair Trade in 2000

47. OFS Canada: fromUNDERSTANDING JPIC “6.1.30. At the National Chapter of Elections 2012, the National Fraternity of Canada passed a resolution (25 May 2012) which asked that: “ … fraternities become aware of the Holy See’s and Canadian Bishops’ concern for Fair Trade and learn what Fair Trade is, and (2) commit, where and when possible, to purchase Fair Trade and organic coffee, tea, chocolate and sugar for all meetings; and (3) positively encourage the fraternities’ brothers and sisters to make the same commitment for their own individual use …”

48. Faith groups were all local church congregations, none Catholic, though many do use FT. Catholic schools include St Kateri Catholic School, Fort McMurray, AB & some in Ontario & Québec

49. For info on becoming a faith group go to: http://cftn.ca/fair-trade-faith-group-resources

50. So much for the basic Franciscan informationFor more info go tohttps://www.fairtrade.org.ukhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLKTGWH398Q For Just Coffee slides of people go to www.justcoffee.ca/dev/news.html