Tony Sheen, CAFOD representative on the Westminster Justice & Peace Commission, is retiring next month. Reflecting on his time with CAFOD and Justice & Peace, Tony writes:

As some of you may already know, I am planning on retiring this August. It’s been a privilege for me to work for CAFOD alongside so many inspiring volunteers, colleagues and partners overseas for almost 18 Years. It has also been an honour to serve on the Westminster Justice and Peace commission during this time alongside some great inspiring people of faith.

I must say I was overjoyed to move from volunteer to member of staff at CAFOD in January 2006 at the height of the Make Poverty History Campaign. Whilst the campaign didn’t make poverty history, it did achieve billions of pounds of debt relief which resulted in funds being available for a number of developing countries to reallocate for free Primary School education.   This is a great example of how Justice and Peace Campaigners can make a real difference. I have had so many wonderful experiences with CAFOD and Justice and Peace over the past 17 plus years which have become an integral part of who I am. Hosting and taking CAFOD partners around the Diocese and hearing their stories of struggle over adversity and hope reminded us how important CAFOD is to the life of the Church. Some of you will remember being moved and inspired talks from Nete, from Brazil, Fr John from Korogotia, Fidel and Erasmo from El Salvador and Sr Clara from Zambia. 

I myself had the privilege visiting communities that CAFOD work alongside in Brazil visiting the Favelas of San Paolo with no sanitation or land rights, the heart-breaking disparity between rich and poor, the fight for justice by inspiring partners, the occupations of abandoned buildings and hope while their struggle continues.

I was also privileged to witness our work in the Amazon in the state of Roraima and experience the hospitality of the Macuxi indigenous Indians and learn about their struggle and fight against ongoing human rights abuses. Images of Mass and offertory both in the Favelas where the poor brought food for the hungry to the altar and the gifts of God’s creation at the offertory in the Amazon.

Over the years, we have raised the profile and importance of Fairtrade in the Diocese of Westminster, with over half of the Parishes committing to serve and promote Fairtrade goods regularly. Justice & Peace celebrated us becoming a Fairtrade Diocese in 2020.  However, we must continue to encourage all Parishes to serve Fairtrade coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate Easter eggs, wine etc.  We also have to care for our earth and care for our sisters and brothers in poverty. One fine way of doing this is the many parishes of have undertaken the journey towards the Live Simply Award. If you are unaware of the award, please start by looking at the web page here: https://cafod.org.uk/campaign/livesimply-award

We are currently campaigning against and unfair food system and lobbying the World Bank to allow farmers in developing countries to use free traditional seeds to grow food rather than be pressured to use expensive hybrid seeds to grow soya to feed cows instead. These Hybrid seeds only produce one year’s yield and are highly dependent on pesticides. I hope you will be able to support the CAFOD campaign in your Parish. Find out more here. https://cafod.org.uk/campaign/fix-the-food-system

I retire on 17^th August and will return to being a parish volunteer for CAFOD and Justice & Peace. I look forward to the arrival of our first grandchild, God-willing, this September.

I hope some of you will join me for a farewell bring and share party with volunteers at Oakwood on Thursday 27^th July at 5pm.

Our Work for Justice and Peace is going and as they say in Brazil, “A luta continua!” – the struggle continues! I leave you with a prayer often attributed to Oscar Romero from the CAFOD vision mission and values leaflet:

It helps, now and then, to step back and take the long view.

The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts; it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.

Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.  No prayer fully expresses our faith.  No confession brings perfection.  No pastoral visit brings wholeness.  No program accomplishes the church’s mission.  No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.  We water the seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.  We lay foundations that will need further development.  We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.  This enables us to do something and to do it well.  It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.  We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.

Fr Dominic and Colette write: We are indebted to Tony for his long service on the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission and extraordinary commitment to promoting and integrating the work of CAFOD within the life of the Diocese. As well as helping thousands of Westminster parishioners engage with the struggle against poverty and hunger worldwide, Tony has led the way on concerns such as Fairtrade, environmental justice and bringing whole communities together via the Live Simply Award. He remains J & P Contact for Enfield so we hope to continue benefitting from his wisdom, boundless enthusiasm and experience for many more years to come! Happy retirement, Tony.