We have two important dates coming up: one is advance notice for a Laudato Si’ event in co-ordination with the Newman House chaplaincies, on 6th February. For more information and tickets, see http://laudatosiucl.eventbrite.com

The other is our annual Open Day, here at our office in South Tottenham on 18th January. Please come along and meet some of the many individuals and agencies who work with us. (I could use a student volunteer to help me out with some things around this, if anyone is up for it!)

My diary has been very full recently with visits to secondary schools and a number of engagements around Justice and Peace activism for Migrants, Refugees, Palestine, and Climate Change. I won’t bore you with all the details, except to note how enthused I was visiting the Justice and Peace Committee formed by the students at Bishop Challonerin Tower Hamlets, which really was the highlight of the month! They have chosen Refugees at their core focus of interest and already have some great plans to move forward.

To supplement what I already told them, there are a number of ways students and young people can get involved in helping refugees to greater hope, better lives, and to find a home in our changing world:

• Though there is much to critique (understatement?) in the recent report on migrant communities from Dame Louise Casey, I think we can all agree that English language learning is a very important resource, and it is unfortunate that the UK Government has cut funding on this over the last few years. There is a great shortage of English language instructors both at home and worldwide. Students and young people who want to volunteer for a migrants or refugees charity can easily get involved in English language learning support with no prior training. Looks great on a c.v. and can really inspire students to get involved in teaching, or to study a new language themselves.
• CAFOD has a great campaign to take written messages of hope to refugeesaround the world. You can add a digital message here: http://cafod.org.uk/Pray/Year-of-Mercy/Send-a-message-of-hope . Or, contact Cafod UK or myself for printed cards such as the one pictured in the video. They also have a number of resources for children and students, organised by topic and level/key stage.
• Purchasing Christmas Cards from ACN ( http://www.acnuk.org/products.php/category/12/christmas-cards ) and other agencies can help fund refugees this Christmas, many of whom may lack a home or a family. And it’s always worth remembering the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt, Jesus’ own search for refuge.
• Advent liturgies regularly explore themes of justice, right judgement, and journeying with God as a civil society. Have a quick look over the Readings for the Sundays of Advent, or even just the Readings of the Day, for some inspiration!
• Contact Secours Catholique (Caritas France) if you would like to get in touch with some of the many Anglophone refugees in France, many of whom have British connections: http://www.secours-catholique.org/

“Family time” for everyone else is “busy time” for the clergy, and the Pope is no exception! Keep an eye out for messages in support of the poor and homeless this Christmas, especially during Christmas homilies from Pope Francis and Cardinal Vincent.

The December Pope Video is on Child Soldiers: very topical for J&P and very stirring for young viewers. http://thepopevideo.org/