Author: jprcdow

6 & 9 August 2024 – Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered

Westminster Justice and Peace will be joining Pax Christi UK for the annual commemorations of the events of August 1945 when two nuclear bombs were dropped on Japan, killing over 150,000 people instantly and causing devastating long-term effects for millions more.

You are invited to join us as we unite our prayers with peacemakers around the world and call for an end to all nuclear weapons so that they can never be used again.

WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

6 August, 11.00am-1.00pm: Hiroshima Day – Vigil at Westminster Cathedral

Hiroshima Day Liturgy

Hiroshima Day Scripture Reading

Hiroshima Day Reading

Hiroshima Day Reflection

9 August, 11.00am-1.00pm: Nagasaki Day – Vigil at Westminster Cathedral

Nagasaki Day Liturgy

Nagasaki Day Scripture Reading

Nagasaki Day Reading

St Albans

4 August, 3-4pm: Hiroshima & Nagasaki Memorial Service, St. Albans Cathedral

Members of St Alban and St Stephen Catholic Church Justice and Peace Group will be among the participants at the annual ecumenical Hiroshima and Nagasaki Memorial Service on Sunday 4th August 2024. Meet at 2.50pm at Abbey Peace Pillar, Sumpter Yard, St Albans Cathedral.

Online

6 August, 8.00-9.00pm: Hiroshima Day Online Prayer Vigil

The Anglican Pacifist Fellowship and Christian CND invite us to join their online prayer vigil on Hiroshima Day. The vigil starts at 8.00pm and you can register here:

APF and CCND Online Prayer Vigil Registration

Interfaith Walk and Peace Pagoda Vigil

9 August 2024, from c. 7:30pm: Interfaith Peace Walk from Holy Apostles Pimlico to the London Peace Pagoda

Nagasaki Day coincides with the anniversary of an important martyr for peace, Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, and every year Pax Christi combines these two anniversaries with an ecumenical service, followed by an interfaith walk and vigil.

This year the service will take place at the Holy Apostles Church in Pimlico, in memory of the 81st anniversary of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter’s execution in 1943 for refusing to serve in Hitler’s army. 

Following the service, there will be an interfaith Peace Walk to the London Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park for a Lantern-Lighting Ceremony around the pagoda (not in the Thames!) This will begin when the peace walkers arrive at the Peace Pagoda, to commemorate the 79th Anniversary for victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and all wars. The ceremony seeks to reflect on the horrors of war in an atomic age, and to pray together for peace and harmony between all peoples and nations. 

All are very welcome to join us at any point in the evening for the service, walk or vigil and to offer flowers and incense.

Pax Christi Website

Nagasaki Remembered

Christians for Palestine – Ceasefire Now rally, Saturday 3rd August, 12.15pm

All are welcome to join the Christian Bloc for prayers in Mount Street Gardens W1K 2TH (outside Farm Street Church, Mayfair), this Saturday 3 August 2024 at 12.15pm, ahead of the latest national march for peace in Gaza. Westminster Justice and Peace and Pax Christi will be among the groups represented.

Prayers begin at 12.30pm and will be led by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ.

We will join the main march in Park Lane at 1pm. A shorter walk is also available from Green Park station.

Marchers will be demanding an immediate, permanent ceasefire; a just settlement to end apartheid and occupation and calling for the UK government stop arming Israel.

LEEDS

Christians for Palestine will also be gathering on the same day in Leeds outside the Cathedral in Cookridge Street, LS2 8BE at 12.45pm.

Christians for Palestine Facebook Page

To join the mailing list for details of upcoming marches write to
ChristiansForPalestineUK@gmail.com

NJPN: Annual Conference focus on ‘Just Politics’

Source: Anne Peacey, NJPN

Fr Dominic Robinson SJ (Chair), Colette Joyce (Co-ordinator) and Khurram Daniel (Office Volunteer) will be among those heading to the National Justice and Peace Network Conference this weekend from the Diocese of Westminster.

The votes have been cast, the people have spoken, indicating a desire for change. There will be difficult and challenging times ahead for our newly-elected government and for all who wish to see a kinder, more gentle and respectful form of interaction throughout society.

The NJPN conference -19-21July in Derbyshire – with the title ‘Just Politics’, comes at an opportune moment for people of faith, to consider our responsibility in building a common home where we can all feel safe and valued, and none are excluded. As well as offering congratulations and good wishes to those who will represent us, we will seek to challenge any lack of truth and integrity in the public space.

The 2024 annual weekend conference of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales (NJPN) will gather around 160 Justice and Peace campaigners from across England and Wales. This 46th annual conference includes talks, workshops, a Just Fair Market with stalls from charities and organisations, and opportunities for networking and prayer. It will be a process, using the Pastoral Cycle and involving listening, discussion and discerning, sharing outcomes, commitment to action, with all aspects brought together in liturgical celebration.

The conference will hear the views of key speakers:

The Right Reverend Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, will open the conference and explore some of the dynamics of public discourse, the implications for individuals and society, some possible solutions and opportunities for Christians and the Church to play a positive role.

On Saturday morning, Molly Scott Cato, Professor Emerita of Green Economics and former member of the European Parliament, will consider how the failure to make good judgements is undermining our democracies.

Steve Whiting, former manager of the Quaker programme ‘Turning the Tide’, will take the process forward.

John Battle will chair the conference, considering the issues in light of Catholic Social Teaching.

There is to be a discussion between the young adults present around their hopes and dreams for the future.

Two workshop sessions will cover a range of local, national and global issues, related to the conference theme. They include:

Using our Catholic voice to engage with newly-elected MPs (CAFOD and SVP),

‘Voices from the margins’ (Columbans),

‘Neoliberalism – how can we challenge fatalism and build hope?’ (Hexham and Newcastle Diocese),

Laudato Si’ and the Sustainable Development Goals, (Presentation Sisters),

‘Nonviolence – A Route to a just politics’ (Pax Christi England and Wales),

‘Do Justice: a Vision for Spiritual and Civic Renewal in England and Wales’ (CSAN),

‘Being There: An Incarnational Approach’ (Christians Aware),

‘Resetting Democracy? A matter of Faith’ (Society of Friends).

There are activities for children and young people throughout the Conference.

The Sunday morning interactive session will bring together all that has been experienced during the weekend, with a commitment to working to achieve a more resilient, hopeful relational and inclusive society in which all may flourish.

The Conference Mass will be celebrated by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Chair of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission. Conference Liturgy will be led by the Lay Benedictines.

Conference Hashtag: #JustPolitics2024

National Justice and Peace Network

Vote for Marley in the National Cat Awards!

Marley, the Bakhita House cat

Source: Caritas Westminster

All eyes are on Marley, Caritas Bakhita House’s resident cat, who has been selected as a finalist for the ‘Incredible Cats’ category of this year’s National Cat Awards. Click HERE to vote for Marley today.

Caritas Bakhita House is a safe house for survivors of modern slavery, exploitation and human trafficking. Since opening in 2015, the centre has provided accommodation to 195 women and 16 babies from almost 50 different countries.

The centre recently published an Impact Report showcasing the life-changing impact of its holistic, trauma-informed approach on former guests.

Karen Anstiss, Head of Bakhita House, commented: “Often Marley placing a gentle paw on our guests’ legs is the first kindness they’ve experienced in years. He has this incredible gift of empathy, knowing instinctively who needs him.

“We adopted Marley four years ago and I think he’d suffered abuse as he is terrified of men aged around 30. So he recognises our guests’ trauma. One woman was in such distress she couldn’t speak to us, only to Marley. But, because she trusted him, over time we were able to build a bridge and reach her.

“Marley, who is seven, is also staff supervisor, security guard, patrolling the grounds, and chief gardener. Nobody is allowed to touch his patch of daisies! In art therapy he’s a popular muse and one guest even composed a song for him.

‘At 7pm staff and guests sit down for dinner together, like a family, and Marley joins us. He’s the fluffy heart of our home.”

Watch a film about Marley here: 

LINKS

Caritas Bakhita House: https://caritaswestminster.org.uk/bakhita-house/

Impact report: https://issuu.com/rcwestminster/docs/cbh_impact_report

Vote: https://www.cats.org.uk/support-us/events/nca/incredible-cats

Tablet Webinars on Catholic Social Teaching, Summer School 2024

Join The Tablet team with host, Professor Anna Rowlands, St Hilda Professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice for a series of four webinars which make up this year’s Tablet Summer School, focusing in on Catholic Social Teaching.

The webinars are split into four distinct themes and each webinar has an expert panel who will explore the topic in some depth and will be available to answer any questions you may have.

The webinars will be staged as follows:-

17th July – Catholic Social Teaching and The Common Good with speakers:- Jon Cruddas, a former Labour MP; Sr Gemma Simmonds CJ a senior lecturer in pastoral theology at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, Cambridge, and Sr Helen Alford, an economist and dean of social sciences at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Acquinas in Rome, Italy.

24th July – Catholic Social Teaching and Poverty in 2024 with speakers:- Fr Chris Hughes, Parish Priest Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle; Jenny Sinclair, Founder and Director of Together for the Common Good and Patrick O’Dowd, Director of Caritas Diocese of Salford.

31st July – Catholic Social Teaching and Migration – Fair, Just and Sustainable with speaker:- Dr Sophie Cartwright, a Research Associate at the Centre for Criminology Oxford University and the senior policy officer at the Jesuit Refugee Service UK.

7th August – Catholic Social Teaching and the Environment with speakers: – Dr Carmody Grey, Assistant Professor of Catholic Theology at Durham University, Dr Barnabas Asprey, Assistant Professor at St Mary’s Seminary and University and Christine Allen, Director at Cafod.

All webinars take place between 6pm and 7pm BST. If you can not make the webinar in person, then please note, all webinars are recorded so we can send you the recording post the event, to watch in your own time. Just send us your booking number and we will send you the recording.  It couldn’t be easier.

Tickets cost £12.50 or £45.50 for the series.

If you would like to book a ticket for any or all of the webinars in this series, then simply click here or go to www.thetablet.co.uk/events

Cardinal congratulates new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

Source: Diocese of Westminster

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, President of the Bishops’ Conference, has offered his congratulations to new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer after Labour’s election victory.

Cardinal Nichols wrote to the PM to assure him of his prayers as the Labour leader forms a new government.

‘On behalf of the Catholic community in England and Wales I should like to congratulate you on your victory in yesterday’s general election,’ wrote Cardinal Nichols. ‘I assure you of my good wishes as you take up your new responsibilities in forming and leading a government.’

The Cardinal, acknowledging the challenges of leadership, said the Catholic Church stands ready to work constructively with the government in matters of education and other areas that serve the common good:

‘The Catholic Church has a long record of partnership with the UK Government, not least in the area of education where we run over two thousand schools in conjunction with the state. We look forward to this continuing and to working constructively in this and other areas with you, your ministers, and officials.

‘Your previous comments about wanting a government which works with churches and faith communities have been most welcome, and I want you to know that we stand ready to play our part.

‘I know that the road ahead is, perhaps, not the easiest one but I wish you well as you embark upon it. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.’

Westminster Justice and Peace Co-ordinator featured on All Kinds of Catholic podcast

Last month saw the launch of All Kinds of Catholic, a new weekly podcast. The project has been created by Theresa Alessandro who hosts the episodes. A new conversation with a different Catholic guest is released every Wednesday. The dialogue focusses on how each person is living their faith in the world today. Theresa explained: “It is important that the podcast appears on mainstream platforms like Apple, Spotify, Amazon and Youtube, witnessing to the fact that Catholic people, and our faith journeys, are part of the fabric of society.”

Five episodes in, the pod is drawing a growing following of many hundreds of listeners, including some in other parts of the world. Key elements of Catholic culture and practice come to the surface naturally in the conversations. Guests have talked about the Rosary, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the power of our conscience and of justice, the value of groups like the Catholic Women’s League or Laudato Si’ Animators, the witness of a beloved parish priest’s Jubilee celebration and the challenge of talking about our faith at work. People have honestly shared their ‘wobbles’, or more serious concerns about their faith or about the church as well.

It can be difficult to put faith into words and the podcast guests are mainly people who are not in the public eye. Their courage and willingness to share something of their story and their own spirituality is deeply moving. The feedback received so far demonstrates how much the episodes resonate with listeners: ‘I really appreciated what [podcast guest] Maggie said about women in the church. That’s where I am as well.’ ‘We all sat and listened to [Podcast guest] Peter. It was so lovely to hear him talk about Santo Nino.’ ‘Loved the wonderful conversation with Matthew. Such human warmth.’

Upcoming episodes include: another Matthew, who has Nigerian heritage and was born during the civil war; Yvonne speaking from New Zealand; and Eleni, who is both a recent graduate and a recent convert.

Please search for All Kinds of Catholic on podcast platforms. ‘Follow’ the podcast so you won’t miss an episode. Rate and review it, to help other people find it. You can follow the dedicated X and Facebook accounts too: @KindsofCatholic.

Theresa has a wealth of development plans but in the meantime do tune in and keep sharing your thoughts, so you can be part of our deeper listening and conversation about Catholic faith in the world today.

Colette Joyce, the Justice and Peace Co-ordinator for the Diocese of Westminster, is the guest this week for the fifth podcast in the series. You can hear her interview here

LINKS

ALL KINDS OF CATHOLIC: https://kindsofcatholic.buzzsprout.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KindsofCatholic

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/KindsofCatholic

Citizens UK – Schools Event Report – 2 July 2024, Pimlico, London

Photo: Citizens UK

On Tuesday 2nd July, more than 200 young people, teachers and school leaders from all over England and Wales gathered in the parish hall of the church of the Holy Apostles, Pimlico. The event was arranged by a team of teachers and chaplains who work in Catholic schools and are engaged with Citizens UK.

Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Chair of Westminster Justice & Peace Commission, and Colette Joyce, the Co-ordinator, were both present to learn more from the young people and other leaders about the work of community organising in schools around the country.

We gathered to celebrate the existing Community Organising work taking place in our schools, and inspire others to get involved. The event also served to launch a new ‘Catholic Social Teaching and Community Organising toolkit for schools and colleges’.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols opened the event with a discussion of his previous work with Citizens UK and reminded everyone that we are all on a “journey guided by our faith, strengthened by hope, and led by our desire for charity and justice.” Following this, he offered his prayers and blessing for Citizens UK’s organising work in Catholic schools and colleges, including the new toolkit, and agreed to share our work with Pope Francis on his next visit to Rome. There is a hope that a delegation can visit the Vatican to share this work in person.

Raymond Friel OBE, chief executive of Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), reminded everyone of the upcoming year of jubilee and how schools can be ready to make pledges which links to their work with organising. He explained the connection between love and justice, and reminded everyone of Pope Benedict XVI’s call to have a “heart that sees”.

Anita Motha, chief executive of Million Minutes, celebrated the work of the different campaigns that young people had been involved in as well as reminding the young people that they are the “living catalysts for change”. “You are inspiring!” she told the audience which contained over 100 young people.

Schools and colleges that were featured in the toolkit celebrated and shared some of their work during the afternoon, where they have been living out the principles of Catholic Social Teaching through the model of Community Organising. Andy Lewis, Deputy Headteacher at St Bonaventure’s, East London, said, “It was a real coming together of so much great work – the achievements of these young people are incredible – securing the Living Wage at large companies, reduced bus fares for a whole region, ensuring greater funding for mental health support in schools. However it felt like only the beginning – we will now be working out next steps with the support of key Catholic organisations, and with the blessing of Cardinal Nichols, and look forward, in great hope, to sharing and celebrating this work with the Holy Father in Rome.”

Young people from our Catholic schools, confidently co-chaired the event and conducted a panel discussion with other young people engaged in Community Organising within Citizens UK chapters. One said: “Power can feel limited in this country, especially as we cannot vote, but when we work together we can be powerful,” while another said, “With our energy as young people, there can be a tsunami of change.” One student pointed out that young people are ready to “demolish the divides of our society and rebuild stronger.” and that, “Every win is a win, big or small, persist, try, try, try and try again.”

Download a copy of Called To Action HERE

See more pictures from the event HERE

Westminster Justice and Peace and the General Election

Photo: Ellen Teague

Source: Ellen Teague, ICN

Fourteen Justice and Peace contacts from 10 parishes in Westminster met on Tuesday, 2 July, at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in White City, west London, to feedback on election activity in their churches. They were from White City, Isleworth, Hanwell, Ruislip, Feltham, Enfield, Ponders End, Wealdstone and St Albans. Participants included Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, parish priest of Farm Street and Chair of the Westminster Diocese Justice and Peace Commission, and Colette Joyce, the Westminster Justice and Peace Coordinator.

The evening started with an opening liturgy and a tour of the parish, led by Parish Priest Fr Richard Nesbitt and Hilda McCafferty, who coordinates justice, peace and ecology work. The group was impressed with the multiple initiatives for social justice and care of God’s creation. Even space around the church, once fairly bare, has been transformed into a green oasis promoting biodiversity and composting. Inside the church doors was a display of the parish’s LiveSimply Award, ‘Love in Action’ programme, and Fairtrade project. Around the church, stained-glass windows, created by London artist Mark Cazalet, contained images which reflected the multi-cultural nature of the parish and background outlines of the White City landscape. In two collages, saints of colour – such as Josephine Bakhita, Martin de Porres and Andrew Kim Taegon – were honoured alongside Bernadette of Lourdes and Maximilian Kolbe.

The parish centre is a community hub and it houses a ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ upcycling centre and a foodbank. Single use plastic is banned. On Saturdays it hosts a weekly vegetarian meal, open to the local community.

After shared refreshments, a presentation in the hall was given by Hilda and Fr Richard, highlighting parish advocacy work for Justice and Peace. In 2021, during the UN’s COP26 on Climate in Glasgow, a ‘Parliament in the Parish’ was organised involving local MP Andy Slaughter. He was there again more recently on 17 June for hustings of the Hammersmith and Chiswick Constituency and hosted by Hilda. Around 80 people attended, and issues raised included Cost of living, Disability, and Assisted Dying.

This was followed by feedback from other parish contacts and discussion on engagement with the 2024 General Election. This ranged between encouraging Catholics to attend hustings hosted by Anglican parishes – including St Alban’s Abbey – advertising election materials offered by the Bishops’ Conference and others, to items in parish newsletters and bidding prayers. A few parishes had scant engagement. “The parish team seems to feel it is not appropriate to push a certain agenda,” reported one participant, despite issues highlighted being rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Cardinal Vincent Nichols’ video encouraging participation in the General Election was valued.

There was a recommendation that J&P people make a note of commitments from candidates on issues of concern to Catholics so that they can be reminded about them after the election. The new government must be held to account.

Colette reported that Westminster J&P will be at the National Justice and Peace Network Annual Conference in July, which will focus on ‘Just Politics’. Next year, that conference will focus on Politics and Peace. In the current tragic circumstances of the Holy Land, Westminster’s Commission is discerning how to make their witness for peace more effective? There will also be work on the 2025 Holy Year and it was noted that CAFOD and CSAN are currently working on resources. For the coming academic year, the Commission’s focus is likely to be on ‘Formation’ and the growth in Justice and Peace Groups.

Fr Richard led a final prayer, “for a new kind of politics which serves the common good.”

LINKS

Westminster Justice and Peace: www.westminsterjusticeandpeace.org

Parish, Chaplaincy and Organisation Justice & Peace Contacts at: https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/parish-contacts/

Westminster Justice and Peace E-Bulletin July and August 2024

For this month’s E-Bulletin we focus on the upcoming Season of Creation.

Each year from September 1 to October 4, the Christian family unites for this worldwide celebration of prayer and action to protect our common home.

As followers of Christ from around the globe, we share a common call to care for Creation. We are co-creatures and part of all that God has made. Our well-being is interwoven with the well-being of the Earth

The official Season of Creation website and guide is now ready and gives you a lot of content, with suggestions of activities and ways to participate. It is a really helpful guide to have to share with schools and parishes. Season of Creation website – https://seasonofcreation.org/

The E-Bulletin also provides lots of inspirational tips and ideas.

What will you do in your parish?

Justice and Peace Westminster Ebulletin July 2024.docxDownload

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