Westminster Justice and Peace will be among Christians from many different churches gathering at 12pm this Saturday, 19th July 2025, at Victoria Embankment Gardens to join the latest National March for Palestine in London.
Contact Colette Joyce, Westminster Justice and Peace Co-ordinator if you are interested in joining her –
More than 84,000 people are known to have died in Gaza since October 2023. Thousands more are missing under the rubble. There are tens of thousands of child amputees. Meanwhile on the West Bank there have been more and violent attacks by illegal Israel settlers on peaceful Palestinian communities – with over a thousand deaths.
Christians For Palestine say: “Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute” (Proverbs 31:8). Break the chains of injustice! End the Apartheid! Free Palestine!”
Pax Christi are joining the National March for Palestine as it passes through Waterloo. Meet outside St. John’s Church, 73 Waterloo Road, London, SE1 8TY if you would like to join at this point. Contact info@paxchristi.org.uk
LINKS
To receive future updates on all actions with Christians for Palestine join their mailing list email: ChristiansForPalestineUK@gmail.com
The campaign to clear the name of the late Jesuit priest Fr Stan Swamy continued with a vigil outside the Indian High Commission in London. Peaceful protestors gathered in front of India House, in Aldwych, on Friday, 11 July 2025, where they stood silently with placards calling for Fr Stan to be exonerated.
Fr Stan spent most of his life defending the rights of vulnerable communities in India, including Adivasi (indigenous tribal) and Dalit (low caste) people.
He was arrested by Indian authorities in October 2020 under controversial anti-terror laws for his alleged involvement in violence surrounding protests in 2018 in the village of Bhima Koregaon.
Suffering from Parkinson’s disease, he was kept in appalling conditions in prison and died as a result in July 2021, aged 84.
The demonstration, which was arranged by international development organisation Jesuit Missions, included prayers and readings on the theme of justice.
Paul Chitnis, Director of Jesuit Missions, attempted to hand over a box of cards signed in memory of Fr Stan at the end of the vigil, but this was refused by the High Commission staff.
Speaking at the vigil, Mr Chitnis said: “We continue to voice our call for Fr Stan’s name to be cleared, refusing to forget him and his legacy of working for the marginalised. Jesuits across the world and their supporters want the Indian Government to officially declare his innocence. We are also calling for due process for others arrested on similar charges, some of whom have been in pre-trial detention for years.”
In December 2022, Massachusetts-based digital forensics firm Arsenal Consulting reported the results of its investigation into the evidence which had led to Fr Swamy’s arrest and imprisonment. The report concluded that Fr Stan was systematically targeted in a cyber campaign over a four-year period during which time falsified evidence was planted on his computer.
Victims of knife crime in London were remembered at a memorial event held at St Mellitus Church, Tollington Park, in north London on Saturday 12 July. Fifty names were read out, and candles lit in memory of those young people: all under 30, many of them teens, of all ethnicities, and all leaving grief-stricken family and friends to cope with such devastating and senseless violence. Fifty, representing hundreds across London, murdered in recent years.
Parishioners of St Mellitus church, including some bereaved parents, were joined by leaders of the Finsbury Park Mosque, and Wightman Road Mosque, politicians, and partner organisations such as Caritas Westminster.
Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word 4 Weapons, described being a parent as ‘the hardest job in the world’, and identified with the difficulty of making choices which would best protect their children. Her charity installed (and empties regularly) a weapons disposal bin on the forecourt at St Mellitus. Word 4 Weapons has helped to remove tens of thousands of weapons from circulation, and is receiving an unprecedented number of new requests for bins from all over the country.
Speakers focussed on practical responses to knife crime, honouring the victims’ memory ‘not just with silence, but with purpose’ – as Islington Councillor Anjna Khurana put it. Islington Council ‘has been involved in the introduction of knife bins, “No Knife Shops” policies, and trauma-informed approaches to prevention and rehabilitation’. The Council supports local initiatives like the Targeted Youth Support service, parenting programmes, and the Ben Kinsella Trust, which offer young people positive alternatives and hope.
‘There’s lots for me to do as Member of Parliament, and there’s lots for us to do as a community,’ said Catherine West, MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet. At a recent meeting with knife crime specialists from the Metropolitan Police, her team had learned details about the glamorisation of knives online, how knives are sourced through online platforms, and about illegal knives getting into the UK through false shipping declarations.
A previous commitment kept Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, from attending the commemoration, but he sent a strong message to the gathering. ‘Essentially, we can only defeat knife crime through education, understanding, and a sense of community that makes sure that all young people have purposeful activities and options available to them in the crucial hours after school each day and during their free time.’
All the guest speakers concurred. Tackling knife crime requires a multi-faceted approach, including remedial actions, legislation and policing, but fundamentally a shift away from our violent culture. ‘As a community, we all must play our part to foster a culture of respect and nonviolence,’ said Councillor Khurana.
In this process the Church has deep truths to offer, as outlined during the Mass celebrated earlier for all victims of violence in London. ‘Anything that happens to any of us affects all of us… How do I live, in the world, that interconnectedness?’ asked Spiritan Father Pascal, as he viewed the day’s ceremony in the context of opposing all forms of violence and choosing life. ‘We all stand for life; we stand in solidarity with one another with an act of respect to human life and dignity. That is the cry, the longing and hope of our shared humanity.’
Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Auxiliary Bishop in Westminster with responsibility for Justice and Peace, Chair of the International Affairs Department of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and Moderator of the Holy Land Coordination, has condemned the alarming escalation in settler violence taking place in the West Bank town of Taybeh.
On Tuesday, 8 July, priests representing the town’s three Christian churches issued a joint statement about the repeated attacks on their land, holy sites, and property. They reported an account of arson that threatened the 5th century church of Saint George (Al-Khadr), one of the oldest religious sites in Palestine, and highlighted an on-going campaign of violence and intimidation that impacts on the security and stability of Taybeh.
Bishop Nicholas Hudson learned about the challenges facing the town and the local community when he visited the Catholic Church of Christ the Redeemer in January as part of an international delegation of bishops meeting in the Holy Land.
He said: “Just six months ago, I was in Taybeh visiting what is now the last remaining entirely Christian town in the West Bank, as part of the annual Holy Land Co-ordination meeting.
“We were able to hear firsthand from Fr Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of the Church of Christ the Redeemer, about the extreme pressure being placed on the local community by Israeli settlers acting with impunity.
“In recent days we have learned of an alarming escalation in settler violence and intimidation that is going unchecked by the authorities. The local churches have appealed to the international community for help and solidarity, and we wish them to know that we have heard their cry. We strongly condemn these attacks and all acts of intimidation perpetrated against civilians in Taybeh and across the West Bank, and we urge the relevant authorities to take decisive action to prevent such incidents from happening again.
“Taybeh, or ‘Ephraim’ as it is known in the Bible, holds deep significance to Christians. These deliberate and repeated attacks are a violation of human dignity and international law in a place that once offered shelter to Christ himself.
“The Palestinian Christians we encountered in January stressed to us that all they want to do is live and work in peace in their own lands, without the paralysing restriction of movement placed upon them, so they can provide for their families and live side-by-side with their neighbours.
“We encourage the Catholic faithful in England and Wales to pray for the suffering Christians and all those affected by this violence in the West Bank. Equally, we invite all people of goodwill to raise their voices in the face of oppression and injustice, urging our leaders to use their influence to bring an end to this persecution.
“It is important to echo the cry of the Taybeh church leaders when they say that the Holy Land cannot remain alive without its indigenous people. As they say, ‘Forcibly removing farmers from their land, threatening their churches, and encircling their towns is a wound to the living heart of this nation’. We stand in solidarity with the Christians of Taybeh and the wider Holy Land, who have a right to live in safety and security. With them, we have faith that truth with justice will prevail.”
A Christian service of remembrance for those who have died during the war in Gaza will be held at the Foreign Office in King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AH, on Monday, 28 July, from 12.30pm -1.30pm
During our prayer, we will read out some of the names from a list of 50,000 people who are known to have died so far in Gaza, (many thousands more are missing under the rubble) – a name for each 28th day of the month since the war started.
The killings of so many are not just statistics. They are individuals with faces and names. The families of many have not been able to honour their dead with dignity. In a token way, through this short service, we try to honour them by telling some of their stories.
Organisations coming together to pray include the following: Westminster Justice and Peace, The London Catholic Worker, Pax Christi.
June 2025 was an exceptionally busy month for Justice and Peace activity in the Diocese of Westminster!
Read some of the highlights in the E-Bulletin below.
There are many more events still to come in the next few months as we continue through this Jubilee Year.
Look out for the Mass Lobby of Parliament on Climate, Debt and Nature on 9th July, a special Prayer Vigil remembering those who have lost their lives in the conflict in Gaza on 28th July organised by Barbara Kentish and the Home Office Vigil group, and Pax Christi’s Commemorations for the 80th Anniversary the dropping of the atom bombs on Hiroshima and Japan on 6th and 9th August.
These are swiftly followed by the Jubilee of Justice on 20th September in Rome and the Season of Creation from 1st September – 4th October, which this year has as its theme ‘Peace with Creation’. Details about these and many more upcoming events can be found in the Diary Dates section.
We hope you will find something here where you feel you can make a contribution – or perhaps be inspired to organise your own event in your local setting.
On Tuesday 24 June, Westminster Cathedral welcomed pupils from 130 schools across the Diocese of Westminster for a Jubilee Festival of Hope, presided over by Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
The festival began with students exploring a range of stalls and workshops set up in the Cathedral’s chapels. Each explored a different theme of the Jubilee Year. CAFOD focused on ‘Managing Debt’, Caritas Westminster on ‘Food Poverty’ and ‘Modern Slavery’, Westminster Justice and Peace on ‘Care of Creation’, Pax Christi on ‘Peace’, the Agency for Evangelisation on ‘Forgiveness’ and the Youth Service on ‘Rest and Worship’. These activities offered pupils an opportunity to engage with the Church’s social mission and deepen their understanding of faith in action.
During the liturgy, students presented their Jubilee pledges to the Cardinal, outlining commitments inspired by their reflections ahead of the festival. St Thomas More Language College also performed their drama piece, The Temptations – Unstoppable, which was originally showcased at the Flame Festival.
The service concluded with a time of Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, bringing the day to a prayerful close.
In his message to staff and pupils in the order of service, Canon Michael Dunne, Chair of the Education Commission, said:
‘Congratulations to all pupils and schools who, responding to the call of Jesus, have discerned together what pledges they can commit to on this festival day, and so receive from today the grace to live what has been pledged.
‘I want to thank very much those who have worked so hard to bring us this Festival of Hope, often in their volunteering beyond work commitments.”
Westminster Justice and Peace in St Andrew’s Chapel, Westminster Cathedral
Refugee Week Prayer Vigil 2025 Bishop Paul McAleenan (l) and Br Johannes Maertens at the microphone
Source: Barbara Kentish
The list of names heard at the vigil on 16 June outside the Home Office were numerous and distressing. They were a selection of people who died trying to reach Europe over the year from June 2023 to May 2024.
The list was followed by a two minute silence to let the tragedies sink in, and then we heard a reflection from Bishop Paul McAleenan, spokesperson on migration for the Catholic Bishops’ conference.
Attended by over 40 people, the ecumenical vigil follows the Christian imperative to mourn the tragic and horrifying deaths happening daily on Europe’s borders.
Bishop Paul, referring to the scripture account of the Flight into Egypt, said: ‘ Rachel mourned for the children killed as Jesus escaped with his family to Egypt. You are all ‘Rachel, mourning for her children, as you lament so many people fleeing persecution and war.’
This is an ecumenical vigil, on the third Monday of the month at 12.30pm. All are welcome.
Next Home Office Vigil: Monday, 21st July, 12.30pm.
There will be a further vigil on 28th July 2025, from the same co-ordinating group and co-sponsored by Westminster Justice and Peace Commission, for those who have died in Gaza over the last year. This will take place at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office off Whitehall, also at 12.30pm.
For information contact barbarakentish11@gmail.com or johanmaertens@hotmail.com
Bishop Paul McAleenan’s Reflection
To understand a person you have to know them. Knowledge of others is a necessary step towards understanding them. Often when migrants and displaced persons are spoken of what rises to the surface is statistics. Statistics reveal the extent and depth of affliction suffered by so many, but we must never forget that migration is about real people. When we encounter them, we know them as they really are and come to understand them.
Today we begin Refugee Week, the theme, ‘Community as a Super Power’. We salute the communities who this week through events and campaigns and initiatives are making a special effort to educate themselves and understand the realities behind migration. We honour the communities and individuals whose language and outlook is not, ‘we must protect ourselves’ but ‘we must listen and understand’. In listening we learn that migration for those without documents and status is not the result of a free decision. Within the term ‘enforced migration’ falls well known reasons, war, persecution, climate emergency, famine.
What about those whose details have been supplied to us whose names are contained within these the handouts we have received? Here we read of the man who left his home in Pakistan to earn money to repay his debts and support his family, of another who left home to earn money to support his disabled brother, and again of the one whose desire was to work so that he could build a roof for his family home.
To have to leave your country so that your family can have decent life is also enforced migration. The resources of our planet as we know are not for the benefit of a few. The principle of Catholic Social Teaching ‘The Universal Destination of Goods’ meaning the earth’s resources must be shared is not a principle for academia and debate but one which must have practical application. In other words people have right to leave their country to seek better opportunities for themselves and their families, they may not want to but they have to.
When migration is not the result of a free decision there is an even greater need to support that migrant, to accompany them, building bridges not walls, to expand channels for safe and regular migration, as Pope Francis, to whom we are so greatly indebted for his leadership on this matter said.
A community ready to welcome, protect, promote and integrate the newly arrived immigrant is essential.
Unfortunately there is not always a welcoming community. We are aware of the events in Northern Ireland last week. Incidents that the PSNI denounced as ‘racist thuggery’.
As we stand outside this building today conscious of the plight of refugees we think also of recently issued White Paper on Immigration We counter the introductory remarks on the White Paper with the reminder that essential work carried out every day by people in low paid, low skilled roles must be recognised and valued. For many migrants such jobs are the first step to becoming fully integrated. Without their contribution, dedication and hard work our hospitals, schools and care homes might not function. Their lives have enriched ours.
As we begin this year’s Refugee Week we implore all those involved in migration issues, be cautious in your words, let them be devoid of attempts to gain party political advantage; have listening and understanding as an essential component in your dealings with compassion in your decisions.
Despite our concerns there is room for hope. Today we express our support and admiration for those communities in our country who in this Refugee Week are implementing initiatives which reach out to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers offering them a welcome.
The Diocese of Westminster marked the 10th Anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ – On the Care of our Common Home’ with an afternoon of celebration held at the FCJ Centre for Spirituality and EcoJustice in Somerston, Euston, on Saturday 7th June 2025.
Fr Richard Nesbitt and John Paul de Quay were our guest speakers, as we also enjoyed prayer, workshops and home-made soda-bread!
Watch the 60 seconds highlight video above!
The event was organised by Westminster Justice and Peace Commission in collaboration with the Westminster Laudato Si’ Animators and the FCJ Sisters.
Would you like to join the Westminster Justice and Peace Pilgrimage to Rome from 19-22 September?
We are taking a small delegation of 10 people to Rome to take part in the Jubilee of Justice on Saturday 20 September 2025.
There are a few places still available. Estimated cost for accommodation and flights – £430.
We will be staying at Villa Lante Center, a property belonging to the Sacred Heart Sisters and located in the heart of Trastevere, near the Vatican City. Activities will include a Pilgrimage to the Holy Door, Catechesis with Pope Leo XIV and meeting other Jubilee of Justice participants from around the world.
Participants are invited to make their own travel arrangements but we can give you advice on travelling together with other pilgrims.
Please contact Colette Joyce or Fr Dominic Robinson justiceandpeace@rcdow.org.uk by 15 July if you are interested in joining us.
Diocese of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission 