The Westminster Justice and Peace Commission posts on average three or four news stories or details of upcoming events a week. Maggie Beirne’s article on ‘Pacifism in the face of aggression – the Christian response?’ is recommended reading this month!

https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/category/news/

https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/2022/03/25/pacifism-in-the-face-of-aggression-the-christian-response/

To receive automatic notification of new posts, sign up using the ‘Follow’ button under the Twitter Feed on the right hand side of this page.

There are two significant anniversaries on the horizon for which we are hoping to organise events but have not yet finalised the details. Do please make a note in your diaries and keep an eye out for more information in the May E-Bulletin: 

Tuesday 24^th May: Laudato Si’ – Seventh anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ Encyclical On The Care of Our Common Home (2015). Study sessions for morning, afternoon and evening. Times and venue tbc.  

Wednesday 25^th May: Second anniversary of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, United States (2020). We hope to organise a daytime seminar to reflect on conversations and actions for racial justice that have been taking place in the Diocese and UK since then and further discussion of our plans and intentions for the future. Times and venue tbc.  

We would love to hear from you if you are interested in taking part on either of these dates or to let us know what is happening in your parishes and schools around the care of creation and racial justice at this time.  

The E-Bulletin for this months lists events in the Diary Dates for CAFOD, Caritas Westminster, the Southern Dioceses Environment Network, the Prison Advice and Care Trust (PACT), the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) and many others. Please take a look!

If you have a peace or justice related event that you would like to advertise in the March E-Bulletin do please get in touch with all the details by 28^th February. 

In particular, this month we invite you to visit the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales website to view and download resources for Racial Justice Sunday on 13th February 2022:

13^th February: Racial Justice Sunday – Theme: In the Image and Likeness of God. Celebrating different presentations of the Holy Family from different countries and cultures. Materials for this year are published by the Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales:

https://www.cbcew.org.uk/rjs22/

Prayer – All Catholics are encouraged to mark the day by praying the words of Pope Francis taken from his encyclical letter ‘Fratelli Tutti’, On fraternity and Social Friendship:

Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty,
reflected in all the peoples of the earth,
so that we may discover anew
that all are important and all are necessary,
different faces of the one humanity
that God so loves.
Amen.

Dear Friends of Justice & Peace,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As 2022 begins, we wish you hope and encouragement to face all the challenges that the new year brings.

In the introduction to this month’s E-Bulletin Sr Elizabeth O’Donohoe reflects on her 20 years’ service with the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission on the occasion of her retirement. We thank her for all the grace and wisdom she has brought to the role. 

PEACE SUNDAY 

Looking ahead, the month of January gives us the opportunity to reflect on Peace with Peace Sunday the centre of our focus on Sunday 16th January 2022. The Pope’s World Peace Message this year has as its central theme: “Education, work and dialogue between generations: tools for building lasting peace.” More inspiration can be found in The Tablet article: Catholics urged to mark Peace Sunday (thetablet.co.uk)  

ENVIRONMENT

Westminster Justice & Peace are working closely together with all the other Diocesan Agencies this year to implement the Westminster ‘Road to Carbon Neutrality Strategy’, especially Property Services, Education, Fundraising and Caritas. We also helping to co-ordinate a new network for the Southern Catholic Dioceses. The launch event is on Monday 10th January, 12.45-2.00pm and anyone with an interest in the climate and environment is invited to attend that. 

Booking with Eventbrite

There are many events of interest to be found in the Diary Dates of the E-Bulletin. Download a copy now!

In this coming month of November, 2021, we seem to be reaching a time of very great significance for both the Church and the World. On Sunday the United Nations Climate Conference begins in Glasgow – COP26 – while the universal Catholic Church embarks on a Synodal Pathway, a consultation and listening exercise to which everyone is invited.

Download the November E-Bulletin to find details of some of the many events and activities taking place and how you can participate. We hope you will find something there of interest to you…

The E-Bulletin for October is ready for download. Please check out all the exciting and worthwhile events happening in the coming months, many more of which are now happening in person.

We would particularly like to invite people to participate in the gathering to welcome Little Amal to Westminster Cathedral (on Monday 25th October, 2-3pm) where we will be praying for all refugees, especially unaccompanied children who are making their way towards this country.

There is also a Candle-lit Procession (Monday 1st November, 6pm) and Day of Global Action Climate Rally (6th November, 11am), both during COP26, where we have one last chance to influence our politicians and business leaders during this important decision-making moment for the future of our planet. 

See the newsletter for all the details about these events and many more ways to contribute to peace and justice activity in the Diocese. 

Please write to Colette Joyce at justiceandpeace@rcdow.org.uk if there are any events you would like included in future E-Bulletins.

Welcome to the Season of Creation!

Amidst all our current difficulties and the challenges that face us at the start of this new academic year, we hope you will be able to take some time to celebrate and enjoy the wonderous gift to us that is God’s creation – our planet, all its treasures, plants, animals, each other and life itself…

This month’s newsletter includes links to resources and events that we hope will be helpful during this Season, as well as the usual Diary Dates for many other justice activities in the coming term. 

Summer of Climate Justice Part 2:

1) The Diocese of Westminster has published a commitment to do its utmost to become carbon neutral by 2030 in its parishes and curial buildings. It has also expressed its commitment to working with schools to encourage them to follow the same path.

The Diocesan plan focuses on 4 pillars:

i) Clean Energy Sources – purchasing gas and electricity from green suppliers.
ii) Investment Policy – promoting a path to decarbonisation.
iii) Reducing Carbon Emissions – from energy usage in parishes and diocesan buildings.
iv) Generating Clean Energy.

The announcement, made on 26^th July 2021, is accompanied by more detail on the website here:

https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/2021/07/27/westminster-diocese-committed-to-becoming-carbon-neutral-by-2030/

and a short, six-minute video from Cardinal Vincent encouraging every parish, school and household to play their part:

2) We welcome the Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) Relay to Westminster Cathedral on Friday 6^th August 2021 for a Climate Prayer Service at 3.30pm.

The service is preceded by lunch and a blessing at Farm Street Church, Mayfair, at 1pm, followed by a walk to Westminster Cathedral as part of the Relay. The route will take us through Berkeley Square, Green Park, St James Park and past Buckingham Place as a witness to climate justice and a call for action to our political and business leaders ahead of the G7 in Glasgow in November. All welcome to join us and show your support. Sign up with Eventbrite to help us know numbers in advance:

Friday 6 August, 1.00-3.30pm: YCCN Climate Relay Lunch at Farm Street and Walk to Westminster Cathedral
Book at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/163375276851

Friday 6 August, 3.30-4.00pm: Ecumenical Climate Prayer Service at Westminster Cathedral Welcoming the YCCN Relay
Book at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/163372454409

3) 200 activists gathered at the Annual Justice & Peace Conference at the Hayes in Swanwick, Derbyshire, for discussion and reflection on the theme ‘Moment of Truth: Action for Life on Earth.’  A strong contingent of around 20 participants took part from the Diocese of Westminster. Read the reports here: https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/2021/07/26/njpn-conference-report-taking-action-for-life-on-earth/

4) The Global Catholic Climate Movement has changed its name to: Laudato Si’ Movement

“[The] name now is not a corporate label; it is a prayer… When we name the movement now, every time we name it we’re saying a prayer. Laudato Si’, praise be the Creator.”

 – Cardinal Michael Czerny, Under-secretary of the Section for Migrants of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

Laudato Si’ Movement website

Read about Three Actions for the Summer of Climate Justice:

1)  As part of CAFOD’s G7 Youth Delegation, Caitlin Boyle, Caritas Westminster’s Information Officer, spent the weekend 11-13 June in Cornwall.

Caitlin writes: For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in campaigning for social justice, a key factor in why I wanted to work for Caritas Westminster, the social action agency of the Diocese of Westminster. We arrived in Cornwall on Thursday evening, and hosted an interfaith service at Truro Cathedral … read full article on the Caritas website     

2) The Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) is an action-focused community of young Christians in the UK aged 18-30, from different denominations, choosing to follow Jesus in the pursuit of climate justice. The YCCN has organised a 1,000+ mile relay pilgrimage from Carbis Bay in Cornwall, where the G7 summit took place, up to Glasgow, where COP26 will be meeting in November. The walkers want to see systematic change on a global and a local scale.

Molly Clarke, who walked the first day, said: “Our Relay is about rising to the moment. This year, with COP26 happening on our doorstep, is an opportunity like no other to call for change. Taking part in our pilgrimage was the most wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I urge everyone to get involved…” read full article on Independent Catholic News website

3) Care of Creation Briefings take place online 1.00-1.45pm every Monday and will continue in the lead-up to the UN Climate Conference COP26 in Glasgow, 1-12 November 2021.

Colette Joyce and Nali Nathan report: Passionate social justice activists from across London and the South-East of England have been coming together on Zoom every Monday lunchtime in 2021 to pray, share ideas, and take unified action for Climate Justice. They discuss all aspects of Care of Creation including preventing habitat loss, protecting biodiversity, eliminating waste, promoting sustainable development, global racial justice, Live Simply Parishes, Journey to 2030, communicating with clergy, parishioners and bishops, and building ecumenical and interfaith partnerships. The Monday Briefings bring together Catholics from five dioceses – Arundel & Brighton, Brentwood, Portsmouth, Southwark and Westminster… read full report on the Westminster Justice & Peace Commission website