Category: News
Westminster Justice and Peace E-Bulletin March 2021
Fairtrade Diocese Award – A Celebration
Barbara Kentish recalls how the award was achieved in the Diocese of Westminster
Obtaining a Diocesan Fairtrade Certificate has been a long struggle, led, we are proud to say, by hundreds of valiant parishioners of the 200+ parishes of Westminster. It is a wonderful staging post in the campaign for justice in world trade.
When the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission looked at the possible goals we should adopt when I started in 2006, Fairtrade seemed an easy one: surely all parishes would want to serve Fairtrade tea and coffee if it helped poor farmers in developing countries to get a better deal? We only needed half the parishes in the Diocese to sign up to reach the criteria for the award. CAFOD was a founding member of the Fairtrade Foundation and was represented on our Commission, so there was an excellent base on which to build the work. After that we would move on to think about world peace, the refugee crisis, Middle East conflict! The campaign took a little longer than we thought…
Each parish needed first to agree officially to apply for Fairtrade (FT) status. A minimum requirement was to serve FT-brand tea and coffee at parish functions; then to promote FT in other ways, such as stalls, talks or films, and finally to hold an event once a year during Fairtrade Fortnight.
We emailed Fairtrade promotional materials, wrote letters, sent application forms to be returned to CAFOD and organized a diocesan steering group (thank you to those early hopeful few!) In the first 18 months we rejoiced that over a quarter of parishes had signed up straight away! Just another 50 or so to reach our magic target of 51% of the then 214 parishes. We blithely assumed we were nearly there.
Then came an intensive round of phone calls to parishes: would they consider becoming a Fairtrade parish? Telephone campaigners included our youth workers Peter, Dervla, then Edmund. St John Vianney Justice & Peace parish lead, Mariantha Fomenky, and her son Joe, made a huge contribution. Office administrator, Amy, created the Fairtrade ‘Spoons’ resource for Confirmation groups, while Anne Lamont, catechist and teacher at St John Vianney parish, created a wealth of materials for parishes and schools, in handy packs. Fairtrade is now a regular feature of many Confirmation programmes and other youth activities in the Diocese.
Years passed, volunteers came and went, additions to the certificated parishes gradually sank to a trickle, seeming to stick at around 10 or 15 short of the number required. Lists became confused, contradictory, and each new volunteer would begin with reorganizing them! Objections to the cause were varied: some churches didn’t serve tea and coffee, some didn’t see the point of signing up or didn’t have the time.
But many faithful parishes continued promoting Fairtrade, and one can think of inspiring people such as Angela Sterlini in St Edmund’s, Edmonton, Angela Wolestonecroft from St Teresa’s, Borehamwood, and Marion Hill in Our Lady and the Rosary, Haverstock Hill, who run splendid Fairtrade stalls, and the wonderful Sister Ellen Corbett (RIP) from St Ignatius, Stamford Hill, who ran the stall in the parish and attended every Fairtrade event in the calendar.
As Coordinator, I organized a diocesan Fairtrade Event every year, to maintain or rekindle enthusiasm. A Diocesan tea party at Westminster, a conference at West Green, a celebration at Welwyn Garden City, even a Fairtrade and Brexit teach-in at Holborn, were all part of the ongoing effort. A highlight was a film show in ‘posh’ Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, for Confirmation groups, organised by Suddie Komba-Kono, attended by TV star Stacey Dooley, and black theologian Robert Beckford. A gathering at Holy Apostles, Pimlico, in 2014 represented another high point, when our speakers included the charismatic Catholic Director of Divine Chocolate, Sophi Tranchell, and Fairtrade Director Michael Gidney. With Bishop John Arnold in the chair (he was the first diocesan bishop to endorse Fairtrade), hopes were running high and we thought we might reach the target that year. Sadly, not yet!
Flagging spirits needed a boost, and CAFOD Westminster stepped in to give more support, with Tony Sheen’s great organizing skills and powers of persuasion. CAFOD volunteer, Frances Halliday, soon sorted out our muddled lists. Numbers rose, and when I retired in 2018, we were only a handful of parishes short of our target. Miraculous to say, at last we were over the bar, and current Chair, Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, obtained the agreement of the Cardinal to apply for our Diocesan status. I was so envious in around 2011 when the Anglican Diocese of London received its certificate in a wonderful ceremony in St Paul’s Cathedral, where one of the priests wore a banana suit! Soon, I thought, soon, it will be our turn! Thanks to all our wonderful parish Fairtraders, it is finally our turn to celebrate. Maybe not in a cathedral, but no less joyfully (with or without banana suits!)
The story of course does not stop here. The developing world struggles still to get a fair deal at the trading table. Tony Sheen, CAFOD Westminster Community Participation Co-ordinator, explains why we must continue:
“When we buy products with the Fairtrade Mark, we support farmers and workers in the developing world as they work to improve their lives and their communities. The Fairtrade Mark means that particular ingredients in the product have been produced by small-scale farmer organisations or plantations that meet Fairtrade social, economic and environmental standards. The standards include protection of workers’ rights and the environment, payment of the Fairtrade Minimum Price and an additional Fairtrade Premium to invest in business or community projects.”
CAFOD is encouraging more parishes to sign up for the parish award.
Tony says, “It is quite simple for a Parish to apply. It involves a commitment for your parish to have Fairtrade refreshments such as tea and coffee available at Parish meetings and to hold one activity per year promoting Fairtrade in your Parish. If your Parish currently doesn’t have Fairtrade status we hope that you might help it to achieve this? Would it be possible to make your Parish Fairtrade?”
Many more challenges lie ahead for the Diocese in tackling World Peace and International Justice, but this Fairtrade Fortnight, 2021, we can pause for a moment in the journey to celebrate and renew ourselves – with Fairtrade refreshments, of course!
FAIRTRADE DIOCESE AWARD – CELEBRATION IN FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT
To celebrate with us on Friday 5th March 2021, 11.00-11.45am,
please register in advance with Eventbrite
To Find out more contact CAFOD Westminster Westminster@cafod.org.uk or Justice and Peace at justiceandpeace@rcdow.org.uk
For more details on Fairtrade in the Diocese of Westminster visit our Fairtrade Webpage
Report from the NJPN Networking Day, 27 February 2021 – Interfaith Issues
By Ellen Teague – Independent Catholic News
Interfaith collaboration on social justice issues was celebrated at Saturday’s quarterly meeting online of the National Justice and Peace Network. Among initiatives discussed by around 60 participants were the SVP and Islamic Relief providing relief together after flooding in Kendal, Cumbria, networking of foodbanks in Birmingham, liaison in several dioceses with prison chaplains who are Muslim, and collaboration on Fairtrade Fortnight.
Speaking on ‘Inter-faith Relations in the UK Today’, Dr Harriet Crabtree, Director of UK Interfaith Network, highlighted some campaigns that have had an interfaith dimension: Together for the Common Good, Grenfell and Faith for the Climate. Looking at factors important for good interfaith relations, she singled out the importance of diverse communities feeling valued in society and by the government; also, the media being positive about people of diverse faiths.
The second speaker, Jon Dal Dim, Interfaith Representative of the Foculare Zone of Western Europe, addressed the theme of, ‘Going to God Together’. The Focolare Movement is committed to promoting dialogue between religions, feeling that it contributes to the building of solidarity and world peace. In 1977, in London, founder Chiara Lubich was awarded the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. She presented her experience before leaders of different religions, and when people from other faiths (Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Hindu, etc.) were the first to step up and offer warm congratulations, she felt it was a sign from God. Chiara felt the Movement had to open itself to dialogue with people of all religious traditions, based on the central importance of love. Love has an immediate echo in the other religions and cultures, because of the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” By implementing the Golden Rule, fruitful dialogue can be established. Focolare is active in 183 countries, and its new International President is Margaret Karram, a Palestinian Christian.
The late Brother Daniel Faivre, who set up Westminster Interfaith, was remembered for his 28 years’ work in Southall, West London, bringing about understanding between different faith groups. There were photos of him at the Battersea Peace Pagoda and participating in the annual Multifaith Pilgrimage for Peace in Westminster Diocese, which passed by or entered different places of worship, including Christian churches, mosques and Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh temples. There was always tasty food offered at Sikh temples!
Among the dioceses represented on Saturday were Westminster, Southwark, Arundel and Brighton, Clifton, Hallam, Hexham and Newcastle, Birmingham, Lancaster, Middlesbrough, Northampton and Nottingham. Religious included the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace and the Columbans. Organisations participating were CAFOD, SVP, Pax Christi, Christian CND, National Board of Catholic Women, Seeking Sanctuary, Christians Aware, and the Romero Trust. Participants agreed that Interfaith work can enrich celebration of one world and there is already significant engagement to build upon.
CAFOD reported that a COP26 Faiths Task group meets regularly to plan joint climate action in advance of the November climate talks in Glasgow, which will include an Action Day on 6 November. Faith for the Climate on 11 March has a global interfaith initiative, where places of worship around the world will sound the alarm for the climate. An Ecumenical Climate Sunday project is planned for September, during the Season of Creation, with a national event on 5 September at Glasgow Cathedral, which will be live streamed. There is close liaison with the Vatican’s seven-year plan for implementing ‘Laudato Si’.
Pax Christi is following up on the new international Treaty to ban nuclear weapons, plus a focus on disinvestment from nuclear weapons. It is holding a zoom on 8 March for International Women’s Day. It is also urging more dioceses to use Palestinian olive oil at Easter. “There is a dire situation in Palestine at the moment” said chair Ann Farr “and support is much appreciated”. Some dioceses do this already for there is “huge symbolism to use olive oil from Holy Land.” Christian CND helped prepare the Ash Wednesday online peace liturgy, which was attended by 135 people, and is providing regular online prayers during Lent.
The Archbishop Romero Trust is running its annual Romero Service on Saturday 13 March at St Martin in the Fields, with Sr Gemma Simonds speaking. Saturday 27 March will see Southwark Cathedral hosting a Romero Mass with Archbishop John Wilson as the main celebrant.
On general NJPN news, the NJPN Annual conference is planned to go ahead in Derbyshire 23-25 July on the theme ‘2021: Life on Earth – moment of truth’. Bookings are being taken.
The NJPN Environment Working Group – at its 60th Meeting the week before – reported that 14 dioceses now have environmental leads, as requested by Bishop John Arnold. Three Catholic dioceses have now divested from fossil fuels. Catholic Divestment/Investment Webinars – promoted by Operation Noah – continue to be very good. The latest: ‘We cannot be people who profit from the wreckage of this planet’ was addressed by Bill McKibben of 350.org on 17 February. In the leadup to the May 2021 international UN conference on Biodiversity in China, Columban JPIC international has produced a podcast series. The Lent series on ‘Global Healing’ and ‘Preparing the Future’, the latter organised by the Scottish Laity Network, have had hundreds of participants at each session so far.
Middlesbrough is promoting its Environment Policy and members are attending Boarbank Hall retreats. Hexham and Newcastle is pushing divestment and has a diocesan environmental group, plus being active on asylum seekers’ support, hate crime, youth mental health, and ‘greening our cities’. Westminster recently became a Fairtrade Diocese, and the J&P Commission is networking regularly on Creation issues, Racial Justice, UK poverty during the pandemic, and exploring ‘Fratelli Tutti’ and ‘Laudato Si’. Southwark J&P is involved in Medway Interfaith Action and has a big concern for Racial Justice in schools. Clifton runs a ‘Laudato Si’ Circle and works with a Caritas group on prisoners’ issues. Hallam Diocese is helping street homeless in Sheffield and Chesterfield and is funding some young people to come to the July NJPN Conference.
We hope the Diocese of Westminster will be strongly represented at this event. If you have planning to attend or would like more information please contact the Co-ordinator, Colette Joyce, colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk.
Some bursaries are available for young adults 18-30. Families are welcome as there are creche facilities and separate activities for younger children and teenagers.
Volunteers Needed on Mondays to Support Care of Creation Meetings
Justice & Peace are looking for two volunteers with good communications skills and a passion for the environment to help manage a weekly online meeting and newsletter on the environment.
The Care of Creation meetings take place every Monday in 2021, 1.00-1.45pm. Your assistance would be needed during and after this meeting. Preference would be given to volunteers also able to attend a one hour Justice & Peace team meeting on Thursday afternoons.
Tasks:
– Assist with hosting the weekly Zoom meeting.
– Taking notes of the meeting.
– Creating a weekly newsletter following the meeting.
– Supporting the Justice & Peace Commission in climate campaigning leading up to COP26
Experience creating website materials would be an advantage, although training can be given in this.
Minimum commitment – 4 hours a week for 4 months.
All work is currently being done remotely so you will need your own computer.
Please apply by email to colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk stating why you are interested in this role.
For an informal chat and more information please call Colette on 07914 584 222. There is no deadline, as new volunteers may be needed throughout the year, but initial enquiries are invited before 7th March 2021.
Decarbonisation Project Launched for Catholics in England and Wales
Source: Independent Catholic News
The Diocese of Salford has launched a new research project that Bishop John Arnold hopes will spearhead the efforts of the Catholic community in England and Wales to tackle the current ecological crisis, by paving the way to a sustainable, carbon neutral future. The research team will collaborate with other dioceses, parish communities, industry experts, theologians and other groups to develop carbon accounting and environmental management tools that will lead to an implementation framework for use in other dioceses.
The two-year pilot project aims to involve over 100 parishes and over 200 schools, alongside religious communities and other parts of the diocese. The study is part of the church’s response to what Pope Francis has described as the ‘cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.’ It will reduce the diocese’s carbon footprint, improve energy efficiency and generation, and facilitate greater involvement from parishioners and local communities.
Dr Emma Gardner, Head of Environment at Salford Diocese, said: “We need to take urgent action today to ‘protect our common home’. This project will help provide ways to address the ecological crisis through practical solutions and positive change. The Diocese of Salford is looking forward to working with other dioceses and organisations so we can play our part together.”
In 2019, the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales set out their commitment to engage in this urgent issue in their statement ‘Guardians of God’s Creation’. In the document, they pledged to avoid the worst consequences of this ecological crisis by engaging now and over the next decade on what they described as the ‘long path to renewal.’ Bishop John Arnold has responsibility for environmental matters at the Bishops’ Conference, making his own Diocese of Salford the perfect place to begin.
The Right Reverend John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, said: “The Catholic Church recognizes the ecological crisis we are living through and is keen to play its part in delivering the UK net-zero strategy. We are looking to deepen our understanding of how to put a Catholic diocese on the path to carbon neutrality, and this collaborative research will tell us what needs to be done and what structures must be put in place to support this. I hope that the findings will assist organisations and institutions beyond the Church both here and abroad.”
Salford Diocese is collaborating on the project with St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and the Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Oxford, and is supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Other partners including the Tyndall Centre at the University of Manchester will be involved as the project progresses.
In December, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, vowed to cut the UK’s carbon emissions by at least 68% from what they were in 1990 by the end of 2030.
Dr Roland Daw, the project’s lead researcher at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, said: “This work is about collective action that empowers the whole Church with the understanding, technologies and financing mechanisms it needs to speak to this urgent crisis. Statistics and doomsday predictions have not been enough to change behaviours in the face of this urgent crisis, so faith groups have as important a part to play in educating their communities as any others in society.”
The Vatican has been promoting awareness of the Pope’s ecological message contained in his encyclical Laudato Si’ and has called for communities around the world to become environmentally sustainable. Pope Francis has called for an ‘ecological conversion,’ whereby the “effects of encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us.”
The project will take an ‘integral ecology’ approach at all levels, meaning that it will not just be limited to questions of carbon, but will consider wider social and environmental sustainability objectives. Integral ecology is a way of looking at the world that connects at depth our human life with God, each other and the natural world. By doing so it affirms human dignity and the special worth of each and every creature that God has made. It therefore informs our action at different levels, the individual, the family and society.
Celia Deane Drummond, Director of the Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Campion Hall, said: “This is an exciting project that has the potential to pave the way for a systematic transition to more environmentally sustainable practices in the Catholic Church. The Laudato Si’ Research Institute is delighted to have the opportunity to support this pilot study as a partner, and to work collaboratively to address one of the most pressing ecological issues of our time.”
The Laudato Si’ Research Institute in Oxford will help develop this understanding of integral ecology as applied to sustainability and carbon neutrality.
The Diocese of Salford is the first Catholic diocese to appoint a full time environmental lead, responsible for environmental strategy and coordination of the ‘Laudato Si’ Centre’ at Wardley Hall, as well as other projects and initiatives around the Diocese and further afield.
LINKS
Guardians of Creation – www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/diocese/environment/guardiansofcreation/
NJPN Networking Day, Saturday 27 Feb 2021, 11am – 3pm
Everyone is invited to come along for the national networking day organised by the National Justice & Peace Network and meet Justice & Peace folk from other Dioceses around the country.
This next event focuses on Inter-faith issues. So many of the injustices and conflicts confronting us today need to be tackled by people from many different faith traditions working together. This is never easy but it is immensely rewarding. Join us to explore the implications for your own work towards peace and justice.
Central London Justice and Peace Networking Meeting, Saturday 20th February 2021, Online
Catholics in the Central London parishes are invited to join this networking opportunity as part of a series of online Zoom gatherings for Justice & Peace activists across the Diocese, meeting for mutual support and discussing current issues with Colette Joyce, the Westminster Justice & Peace Co-ordinator, and other Commission members.
First time participants and seasoned campaigners welcome.
The Deaneries in Central London are: Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, North Kensington and Westminster.
Parish Priests and named Justice & Peace Contacts for a Parish are especially welcome, as is anyone with an interest in any of our current priority areas – Responding to COVID19, Care of Creation, Climate Justice, Racial Justice, Housing & Homelessness, Ethical Investment, Fair Trade, Cancel the Debt, Food Poverty, Migrants and Refugees, Nuclear Weapons and Peace – as well as anyone who would like to bring another concern to our attention.
Register in advance with Eventbrite to automatically receive joining details.
If any problems with registration please contact the Co-ordinator directly on colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk to receive the Zoom link.
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Isleworth, Achieves the Live Simply Award
Source – Independent Catholic News
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Isleworth, West London, received its Livesimply award last week after a two-hour online assessment organised by CAFOD. For more than two years the school of 38 staff and 424 pupils has put into action a plan to move towards living simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor. The award is the 85th to be given and St Mary’s is the second school in Westminster Diocese.
The assessors – Ellen Teague (Columban JPIC) and Maggie Beirne (West London Justice and Peace Network ) – met with the school contacts for the award, Reception Teacher Emma Dawson, Angela Scott RE lead and Headmaster Farley Marsh. Their enthusiasm and dedication to their pupils and to the award’s values was inspiring.
They worked through the report presented by the school. For living simply, the school has regularly promoted 100 Live Simply ideas on the school website. A ‘Live Simply’ banner is displayed at the entrance to the school, made from recycled materials and there is encouragement of individual and class initiatives to promote living simply. Children’s liturgies and collective worship mark particular significant days such as the UN’s World Water Day. To reduce the carbon footprint of school meals, the school has a weekly meat-free day, highlighting that being kinder to the environment means being kinder to poor communities globally. Fish is always on Friday’s menu. There is a lot of interaction with pupils around the menus and catering staff are engaged in planning a Live Simply approach.
On living sustainably, significant efforts have been made to improve energy efficiency. The school is part of ReFit programme – London Schools Energy Reduction Programme – allowing major changes to lighting, boilers, electrical devices – and improving the environmental footprint. It also made a bid for further Council funding to allow for improvements to heating, getting more solar panels and developing ground-source heating. Points are given to children who are ‘eco warriors’ to reward recycling and resusing materials in classrooms, and picking up litter. There is a ‘paper free’ approach to communications with parents. Single use plastic cutlery and polystyrene packaging are no longer used in the school. The school has a cycling scheme with training for pupils and even supporting staff to obtain bikes for transport to work.
A prayer garden has been developed in the school grounds allowing children space for reflection and prayer; this is situated alongside a wildlife-friendly garden which contains plants such as Buddleia to attract butterflies. Caring for Creation is a component of Catholic Social Teaching woven into all areas of the school’s work. The Religious Education course offers a whole unit on the encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ and emphasises that faith is a key motivation for responding to the needs of ‘our common home’.
The commitment to ‘Solidarity with the poor’ has involved recruiting children to be ‘mini-vinnies’ – a project of St Vincent de Paul – as ambassadors’ of the Live Simply theme. The school supports a Marys Meals backpack project; a local foodbank; and CAFOD world gifts – both for staff donations in lieu of Xmas cards to each other, and to promote on the website. Biblical stories are used to raise awareness of poverty and motivate children to feel able to respond. The assessors met one of the older children who spoke about knitting blankets for people who are homeless and making cakes for fundraising events. She said she felt “special” and “important” for being able to help people in need. Compassion is certainly nurtured at St Mary’s. Links with the local parish are strong, although opportunities have been more limited during Covid. Regular use is made of CAFOD website materials for children’s liturgies.
The assessors were very impressed by the commitment of the staff team and its close working with the children and parents on all the projects. The Live Simply programme is regarded as a “whole school” effort. The children are fully involved in choosing the projects, and it was impressive to see how much was getting done, despite all the problems created by Covid-19. The school does much to incorporate protection of the environment with other issues of justice and the thinking about how to do this has been very creative.
For the future, the school has clear targets: recruiting more ‘mini-vinnies’ (linked to the SVP), moving the school buildings even further towards sustainability, and creating a new website which they will use to promote ‘Laudato Si’ and their Live Simply initiatives. They hope to ‘up’ the profile of their work across the school community and beyond.
The school was told it was a ‘beacon’ school, and that it should be proud of all it has achieved, particularly over a year when the pandemic has been so disruptive of normal activities.
Key Climate Dates in 2021
Call for united action to protect the world we love – 14th February 2021
- 1-21 February – #ShowTheLove – Green Hearts (especially 14 February) An annual celebration of everything we care about and want to protect. Use this opportunity to join together, asking your friends, neighbours and politicians to unite in tackling the climate crisis. The Climate Coalition
- 17 February – Ash Wednesday
- 18 February – 25 March, 7.30-8.30pm – Global Healing Lent Series Join other people online from across England and Wales to reflect on the environment for six Thursday evenings in Lent, with speakers, prayer and discussion, based around the “Global Healing” film resource. Engage with the documentaries to respond to Pope Francis’ call to Care for Our Common Home. GCCM/Laudato Si’ Animators UK
- 20 February – CAFOD Big Walk for Water. Walk for Water Challenge
- 22 February to 7 March – Fairtrade Fortnight Will highlight the growing challenges that climate change brings to farmers and workers in the communities Fairtrade works with. The facts are straightforward. Farmers and workers in countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Honduras, who have done the least to contribute to climate change, are disproportionately affected by it. Fairtrade Foundation
- 26 February – CAFOD Lent Family Fast day CAFOD Lent Appeal
- 5th March, 11.00-11.45am – Diocese of Westminster Fairtrade Diocese Award, Online Celebration & Social Westminster is officially a Fairtrade Diocese. Join us on the last Friday of Fairtrade Fortnight to mark the occasion with a Fairtrade tea, coffee, cakes, biscuits, chocolate or fruit! Fairtrade Diocese Celebration
- 11 March – Sacred Space Sacred People – Interfaith Day of Climate Action – Sign the multi-faith declaration https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sacred-people-sacred-earth-sign-the-multi-faith-climate-statement Ring bells at 12noon. A webinar is being organised for that date. GreenFaith
- 12th-15th March – Laudato Si’ Retreat Online at Boarbank Hall with Archbishop John Wilson of Southwark and Bishop Peter Brignall of Wrexham. More info and bookings
- 26th March, 11am-12.15pm – Eco-Church 5th Anniversary Online Celebration Service. A Rocha
- 4 April – Easter Sunday
- 5-11 April – IMF/World Bank Spring meetings
- 16th-19th April -Laudato Si’ Retreat Online at Boarbank Hall with Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham and Bishop Marcus Stock of Leeds. More info and bookings
- 22 April – Earth Day Earth Day 2021
- 17 May – UN Biodiversity Summit Kunming, China. 15th Meeting. Convention on Biological Diversity
- 24 May – Laudato Si’ Year ends. Marking 5th Anniversary since publication of Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis in 2015. Launch of 7 Year Vatican Plan to Implement Laudato Si’. Download from Laudato Si’ Website
- 11-13 June – G7 D20 Meetings in Cornwell. Prime Minister Boris Johnson aims to use G7 Presidency to unite leading democracies to help the world build back better from coronavirus and create a greener, more prosperous future. UK Government website details
- 23-25 July – National Justice and Peace Network Action for Life on Earth. Annual conference at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, Derbyshire, will focus on climate justice National Justice and Peace Network Conference
- 1 September – 4 October – Season of Creation Theme: ‘A Home for All’ Season of Creation 2021
- 5 September – Climate Sunday Worship and Services for the Climate can be held any Sunday between now and 5th September, culminating in a national event at Glasgow Cathedral Climate Sunday
- September- November: International Climate Pilgrims travelling to Glasgow
- 14-30 September – UN General Assembly NYC
- 10 days in September – Climate Coalition Climate Regional Festival
- 1-12 November UN Climate Conference COP 26 in Glasgow UK COP26
Diocese of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission 