Category: Climate Change

Cycling pilgrimage to Paris is just around the corner

Phase 1 of cycle ride

Barbara Kentish and Fr Joe Ryan in front of Westminster Cathedral at the launch of the pilgrimage

With only two weeks to go until our small band of intrepid cyclists pedal to Paris, we are making our last minute preparations, oiling our bike chains and stocking up on puncture repair kits.

There are 17 cyclists in total who will be making the journey, and they represent a diverse group of people of all ages and from different walks of life. We have Catholics, Anglicans, Baptists and Quakers, who have all been inspired to show their support for the upcoming UN climate talks and to lend their voices to the thousands of people who will converge on France’s capital to call for action to lower global carbon emissions. Continue reading →

Westminster Justice & Peace Annual Day 2015

Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home

Fr Joe with J&P supporters

Fr Joe Ryan with J&P supporters

Nine  years after  Columban theologian Sean McDonagh first addressed the Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission he returned to give a wonderfully enriching overview of Pope Francis’s letter, Laudato Si’.  Over seventy people from across the diocese attended the occasion at St John Vianney Parish Centre In Tottenham, as Father Sean rolled out gem after gem of the encyclical, published in May, with illustrations from his own observations and experiences of over 40 years speaking out for the environment.  Continue reading →

Welwyn Garden City examines Climate Change

Welwyn Garden City Peace Plaque in the Peace Garden

Welwyn Garden City Peace Plaque in the Peace Garden

Justice and Peace has been praying and fasting for the Climate for several months now, and Welwyn Garden City hosted the July 1st event, only a few days after Pope Francis’s encyclical (Laudato Si) was published. Over 60 people, from various Hertfordshire parishes, gathered at Our Lady Queen of Apostles church. Continue reading →

The Commission welcomes Pope Francis new Encyclical

We at the Justice and Peace Commission of Westminster Diocese are delighted with Pope Francis’s Encyclical message. For many years we have been promoting the fact that we are Stewards of God’s Creation.

This document is a further wake-up call all to all of humanity that we need to take seriously the task put before us. While we look to our leaders, national and international to guide the way, this does not allow us off the hook!

We need to live simply ourselves and then can invite others to do the same.

We need to enlighten ourselves on the technicalities involved. What does it mean to reduce our Carbon Footprint?

How do nations reduce the dependancy on the use of fossil fuels?

We have serious guidelines from Pope Francis. There is no real ‘hiding place’ for those who would wish to deny that Climate Change has nothing to do with us humans or that rise in temperatures or melting ice packs are not exasperated by our activities.

We owe it to ourselves and future gererations, to continue our efforts of living sustainably. We need a new way of thinking about consumerism and the over-use of our earthly resources.

Here’s hoping we can rise to the challenge!

Fr Joe Ryan,
Chair Westminster Justice and Peace Commission

For the full text of the Popes Encyclical please follow the following Link

Our next Pray and Fast for the Climate Vigil !

Next vigil: July 1stOver 6 months since we took on our pledge to Pray and Fast for the Climate and with 6 Vigils behind us, we approach the next 6 months with hope and enthusiasm! We mark the 1st of each month with prayer and fasting in solidarity with Yeb Sano, leader of the Filipino climate delegation who during the UN interim Climate talks 2013 promised to fast on the 1st of every month until some decision was taken over climate change.

Our next Vigil is set to be one of the most diverse, moving and inspirational yet! Taking place at Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. The evening will include parish representatives from Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. We will hear first hand of how Climate change is damaging some of the poorest and most neglected parts of our world and how we as a community and as a Church can work to stop it. The evening will conclude with a chance to break our fast together over a simple meal.

The evening will take place on Wednesday 1st July and starts at 7:00pm (finishing at around 9:00pm) in the Parish Hall at Our Lady of Apostles, 141 Woodhall Lane, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 3TP. Please join us in this important act of solidarity and prayer.

Please see below for a map of the area.

Climate Change Lobby!

outside parliament awaiting MP's.

outside parliament awaiting MP’s.

On the eve of Pope Francis much-anticipated Encyclical ‘Laudato Sii (Praised be to you), it seemed rather fitting for us to gather together in Central London yesterday to lobby parliament on the serious issues facing our world. Around 10,000 people gathered in London in a mass lobby of MP’s.

The day kicked off at the Emmanuel Centre where we gathered for a lively and energetic ecumenical service. Bishop Nicholas Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury gave us an inspiring homily and got us all psyched up for a day of lobbying, witness and celebration.

There was the opportunity to meet with MP’s and engage in some serious questions about Climate Change, CO2, Local policy and economy. Through out the afternoon a great deal of dialogue and discussion took place across the streets of London where we all had a chance to meet our own constituency MP.

By 4:00pm the day had taken on a somewhat festival feel. Beautiful art installations were set up in Arch Bishops Park, Lambeth and music could be heard all around as we gathered for our final rally outside parliament. A great day which is sure to have a positive impact on our MP’s. Keep up the pressure!

Latest Climate Vigil a great success!

Our Vigil at St. Martin in the Fields

Our Vigil at St. Martin in the Fields

Last week saw yet another gathering to pray and fast for the Climate. The evening was entitled “Planting Seeds of Hope”. We gathered in St. Martin in the fields church and were warmly welcomed by Revd. Richard Carter. As we gathered to the familiar tones of Taize we were invited to watch a series of slide show images which showed the realities of Climate Change through out our world. As the evening continued we listened to various poems and readings including Gerard Manley Hopkin’s poem Pied Beauty which tied in strongly with the images displayed before us. Towards the end of our vigil we were invited to come up one by one and plant a seed in one of the many pots which were decorating the sanctuary. A time of silence and prayer accompanied by reflective action was brought together very well by the team at St. Martins.

As the service concluded we were all invited to break our fast with hot soup and refreshments laid on by the team. These Pray and Fast vigils are a great way of focusing on the work we still have to accomplish in tackling Climate Change and why it is so important. The next Vigil will be July 1st at Our Lady Queen of Apostles,Welwyn Garden City!

Pray and Fast for the Climate at St Martin-in-the-Fields

smitfThe Westminster Diocese Justice & Peace Commission, together with a broad range of people from different faiths and backgrounds, continues to pray and fast for the climate on the first of every month. We are happy to share this invitation, this month from St Martin-in-the-Fields.

You are invited to  Pray and Fast for the Climate on June 1st at St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square, 7-9pm.  In the lead-up to the Climate Lobby on June 17th prayers are needed that our politicians will work for an effective agreement at the World Climate talks in December in Paris.  Prayers will be followed by discussion and light meal.  Notify St Martin’s if you plan to stay and eat: stmartinssns@gmail.com

Download a flyer for this event here.