This excellent reflection from Bishop Nicholas Hudson, looking back on this year’s Holy Land Co-ordination, gives his thoughts on the virtual pilgrimage of bishops from around the world to the lands of Christ.
The Holy Land Co-ordination is an annual pilgrimage to support the Christians and people of the region but this year was a remote gathering due to travel restrictions needed to combat the spread of Covid-19.
Bishop Hudson is an auxiliary Bishop for the Diocese of Westminster and was representing England and Wales as well as COMECE – the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU.
Parishioners Nebiat Michael and Frances Umeh from the Catholic community of Our Lady of Fatima in White City, West London, join Father Richard Nesbitt for a conversation on a variety of issues concerning racial justice.
Danica Marcos, Communications and Outreach Volunteer for Westminster Justice & Peace writes the introduction to this month’s E-Bulletin, reflecting on the question ‘What is justice and peace?’
You cannot work for justice without disrupting the peace. Peace is not just the absence of war. It is the lack of oppression and turmoil. True peace cannot be achieved whilst there is still injustice in the world. We cannot remain quiet whilst witnessing injustice, that will not help facilitate peace. We must find the courage to speak out for those who are disadvantaged, even if it means facing a backlash. We must be brave and join those who do not have the luxury to stay silent…
Report by Maggie Beirne, West London Justice & Peace Network Co-ordinator
Despite the pandemic, justice and peace work is going strong in West London!
Justice and peace activists in parishes across the west of the diocese normally meet three times a year, and they have now moved to zoom for these get-togethers. So, on Saturday 23rd January, some dozen or so people gathered from Ealing, Feltham, Hanwell, Hayes, Osterley, Pinner, St Margarets on Thames, Wealdstone and West Acton to discuss their work during the pandemic and their plans for the months ahead.
The invited speaker was Colette Joyce, Westminster’s Justice and Peace Commission Coordinator. Previous contributors have given presentations on CAFOD, Pax Christi, A Rocha UK, media work, and the Westminster Social Justice and Peace Forums on youth involvement, poverty, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Topics are chosen to reflect the breadth of issues of concern to local parish groups.
Colette provided an update on diocesan justice and peace efforts as we head into the new year including: tackling rough sleeping in central London and free school meal provision; her work on school assemblies and with the Diocesan Education Advisers in preparation for Racial Justice Sunday; online events in relation to Peace Sunday; and preparations for COP 26 and efforts around climate change. She also conducted an informal poll to ascertain levels of support for ten possible Justice & Peace issues and then asked participants what they would focus on next month if they had to pick only one? If forced to choose amongst those mentioned, there was a feeling that priority ought to go to housing/ homelessness, racial justice and human rights. Participants also wanted to include many more issues!
Most of the time at these regular network meetings is devoted to discussing what is happening at parish level – and there is lots! So, in a round-table report on activities, we learnt that – despite some churches being closed (where the parish priest has tested positive) and/or other parishes restricting numbers of people attending Mass – CAFOD Harvest collections proceeded as planned in many places, and plans are afoot to mark CAFOD’s Lent Fast Day (on 26 February). Where envelopes cannot be distributed, there has been a push for contactless devices, promotion of online payment options, and active use of parish newsletters/homilies/prayers/saying of Masses to alert parishes to the great need.
Similar communication tools were used to promote Peace Sunday (17 January) and the excellent work of Pax Christi (www.paxchristi.org.uk), and in preparation for Racial Justice Sunday (31 January), the work of groups like CARJ (the Catholic Association for Racial Justice www.carj.org.uk) is being actively promoted. On this latter point the resources provided for Racial Justice Sunday by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of England and Wales (CCBEW (https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/racial-justice-sunday-2021/) were highlighted. Our own White City parish has shared how they had used homilies and zoom meetings with parishioners to explore racial inequalities and injustices in the church and wider society.
Most of the people present try to ensure that justice and peace themes are inserted routinely into parish work – e.g. in Advent/Lenten preparations, Stations of the Cross, regular bidding prayers etc. Quite a bit of this work is also undertaken with or by other parish groups (e.g. SVP, prayer groups) and by way of inter-faith/ecumenical efforts. For example, most parishes have some involvement in local foodbanks (hosting one, providing volunteers, distributing official vouchers); some offer night shelter support; and nearly all have Fairtrade status, and promote Fairtrade amongst parishioners.
For some parishes, Fairtrade efforts are their main way of engaging with justice and peace work; in other parishes, it is one of many activities engaged in. Certainly, the fact that the Westminster diocese is now an accredited Fairtrade diocese was warmly welcomed. Publicity and activities to mark this milestone have had to be delayed because of the pandemic, but there are now plans being made with the Cardinal to celebrate the achievement in Fairtrade Fortnight 22nd February – 2nd March 2021. This will, of course, also then give West London parishes who are still not accredited Fairtrade parishes an opportunity for a further push on this issue at parish level.
So – justice and peace work is alive and well at parish level! But we know we can always do more – accordingly, there is always a call for more volunteers, and also for strong public messages from the hierarchy & clergy that justice and peace is central to the work of parish life. The pandemic has constrained us in some regards but has emphasised the value of good communications and inter-action even when our church buildings have to be closed or less used. Newsletters, accurate parishioner records, streamed Masses, Zoom links, informative websites all contribute to the sense of parishes carrying on God’s work regardless!
There is always so much to do at parish level, and meetings like this West London network one highlight how much is already underway. They refresh the spirit and resolve, and cheer everyone up! If readers would like to know more please contact the Commission – maybe there is a Justice and Peace group in your parish? Or would you like to be the parish contact for such work? Why not come along to one of the events Colette is laying on to encourage more gatherings like this West London network?
Saturday, 6th February 2021, 10.00am – 12.00pm East London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Hackney, Islington, Marylebone and Tower Hamlets Register in advance with Eventbrite
Saturday, 20th February 2021, 10.00am-12.00pm Central London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, North Kensington and Westminster. Register in advance with Eventbrite
Monday, 8th March 2021, 7.00-9.00pm North London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Barnet, Camden, Enfield and Haringey Register in advance with Eventbrite
Tbc Hertfordshire Justice & Peace Network Please contact Colette if you are interested in taking part or helping to arrange this meeting.
Contact Colette Joyce for more information or queries – Mob: 07593 434905 Email: colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk
Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Fr Damian Howard SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Britain, have joined calls for the government of India to release Fr Stan Swamy, an 83-year-old Jesuit priest who has been unjustly imprisoned because of his work to support marginalised communities.
Earlier this month Bishop Declan Lang, chair of the Bishops’ Conference Department for International Affairs, raised Fr Swamy’s case directly with the UK government. Jesuit Missions is also running a public campaign for his release.
Westminster Justice and Peace Commission have been supporting calls to free Fr Stan since we heard of his arrest on 8th December 2020.
You can read the letter from Cardinal Nichols and Fr Howard in full below:
Dear Sir
On this day, Republic Day in India, we draw attention to the fate of Fr Stan Swamy, an 83-year-old Jesuit Catholic priest, who has been imprisoned for more than 100 days on completely unfounded charges of terrorism.
Fr Swamy has committed his life to working for the Constitutional rights of the most impoverished and marginalised people in India. Many Jesuits have already given their lives in this cause.
Fr Swamy suffers from Parkinson’s disease and needs help with eating and dressing. He is now at grave risk of contracting COVID in an over-crowded prison in Mumbai.
UN representatives have expressed concern about the arbitrary arrest of Fr Swamy and the way in which the Indian state is seeking to delegitimise his peaceful work for human rights.
We add our voices to theirs, in solidarity with Fr Swamy, and urge the authorities to release him on bail, on humanitarian grounds, so that he can receive the medical attention he needs and challenge the manifestly unjust charges brought against him.
Yours faithfully
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster Fr Damian Howard SJ, Provincial of the Jesuits in Britain
Justice & Peace Scotland – Crisis in Yemen Event – Sunday 24th January 4.30pm
The conflict in Yemen is one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, their suffering driven by UK made weapons.
Ahead of the International Day of Action for Yemen (Monday 25th January) Justice and Peace Scotland invites you to hear more about the devastating links between arms manufactures here and the devastating conflict in Yemen on Sunday 24 January 2021 at 4.30pm.
Speakers include:
Emma Cockburn is the Scotland Coordinator at Campaign Against Arms Trade and is responsible for highlighting Scotland’s contribution to the UK’s arms trade. Emma is currently working on supporting defence diversification projects and arms divestment opportunities across the country. Coming from an anti-nuclear and trade union background, Emma is passionate about empowering activists to create lasting change and is currently involved in creating a reporting detailing the arms industry’s influence in Scotland.”
Rev Daniel Woodhouse a Methodist minister currently serving in the Brighton and Hove Methodist Circuit. Over the past 15 years has been involved in many different forms of anti-arms activism, including a break in at BAE-Systems Warton over the sale of Jets to Saudi Arabia and their use in Yemen.
New series of online Zoom gatherings for Justice & Peace activists across the Westminster Diocese for mutual support and sharing of current issues with Colette Joyce, our Co-ordinator, and other Commission members.
Please join us for a wide-ranging conversation on all aspects of justice-building and peace-making at the start of 2021, such as: 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 World Peace.
You are invited to attend a meeting local to you, but if the date isn’t suitable please feel free to join any of the others as each will cover the same topics. First-time participants and seasoned campaigners welcome. We would love to meet you if you have never been a Diocesan Justice and Peace event before.
Saturday, 23rd January 2021, 10.00am – 12.00pm West London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Upper Thames. Register in advance with Eventbrite
Saturday, 6th February 2021, 10.00am – 12.00pm East London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Hackney, Islington, Marylebone and Tower Hamlets Register in advance with Eventbrite
Saturday, 20th February 2021, 10.00am-12.00pm Central London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, North Kensington and Westminster. Register in advance with Eventbrite
Monday, 8th March 2021, 7.00-9.00pm North London Justice & Peace Network Deaneries: Barnet, Camden, Enfield and Haringey Register in advance with Eventbrite
Tbc Hertfordshire Justice & Peace Network
Contact Colette Joyce for more information or queries – Mob: 07593 434905 Email: colettejoyce@rcdow.org.uk
This year’s Racial Justice Sunday is more important than ever. The effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, the killing of George Floyd, and the powerful message on fraternity and equality by Pope Francis in Fratelli Tuttispeak of the need to actively oppose racism and pursue racial justice with renewed vigour.
Theme
The theme is ‘A Time to Act‘. Racial issues and inequalities were identified nationally and internationally in 2020 generating awareness, emotion and outrage. In light of this Racial Justice Sunday 2021 is particularly significant. Action is needed to further the cause of racial justice but what can we do? Read a reflection on the theme. Parishes might consider using elements of this reflection for homilies and further discussion.
Resources
As well as a thought-provoking reflection on the theme, the Bishops Conference website has a message from Bishop Paul McAleenan, the Lead Bishop for Racial Justice, and, over the coming days, they will upload a series of videos. There is also a prayer to bring this important work to the Lord.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, in your ministry you were approached by people of many different nations and cultures. You listened to their cry for help, treated them with love and compassion, and brought them healing and wholeness.
In our own time may we provide to all those who are suffer the help that they need and the care that they require.
May we respond to the invitation of the Holy Spirit to dream of a world made new where the poor are not forgotten but are given the opportunity to live and flourish with good health and equal prospects. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Diocese of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission 