Father Joe, Chair of the Diocese of Westminster Justice & Peace Commission, writes about being open to the calls of justice and peace, and the need for flexibility.

Responding to Justice and Peace even in my own parish has taken me on some astonishing journeys. For example on February 14th, in over two weeks’ time I will go to Istanbul, Turkey. I have been invited to be part of an International Delegation to Imrali. This is the island prison where Abdullah Ocalan had been in solitary confinement since 1999, over 16 years. In the minds of many Kurdish people, he is their “Nelson Mandela”. Arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, on his way to South Africa to meet up with Nelson Mandela, he was arrested and bas been in prison since. He is one of the founding members of PKK, Kurdistan Workers Party; a resistance movement seeking to resolve the denial of human rights of the Kurdish people, by the Turkish state. The guns had been silent for many years, but some months ago conflict has broken out again. Abdullah Ocalan has been writing from prison, asking his followers to cease violence and setting out a Peace Plan in the form of three books published on his behalf.

My involvement was instigated by the fact that there is a Kurdish Centre in St John Vianney Parish. Being Chair of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission I was invited over five years ago to join an International Delegation to attend court trials of 150 Kurdish prisoners in Diyarbakir, Eastern Turkey and the give a report at the House of Commons.

Following that, some three years ago a group of four of us signed an International Campaign in Brussels for the release of Abdullah Ocalan from prison. Two and a half years later, we presented to the Council of Europe in Strasburg, 10.3 million signatures demanding his release. So in two weeks’ time, a further delegation will be seeking permission from the Turkish Government that we visit Mr Ocalan in his prison in Imrali Island. It is doubtful if we will succeed, but we have to keep trying. Maybe one day his freedom will be achieved. Nelson Mandela was in prison for 28 years. I have also attended some of the Turkish elections as an International observer.

I have quoted this example at length to show the different calls on our witness, and to show the importance of staying with an issue. For instance, it is abundantly clear that we must walk with our Muslim neighbours in their struggles for identity and peace. I have grasped other opportunities to understand and show solidarity with people who have struggled with injustice and persecution i.e., Philippines, Ghana, Nigeria, Palestine and El Salvador. Why all this? Jesus said, “I was in prison, a stranger – in trouble and you came to my help”. Where there are denials of Human Rights, we who represents the Catholic Church, should be there to give a voice to the voiceless! This is also the case for refugees, asylum seekers, homeless, hungry and so on, at home and abroad.

Justice and Peace ran a taster dayfor Year 10 students at Our Lady’s Convent High School at the end of January. This formed part of their GCSE religious education course, in which they learn about the Church’s action on social justice. Representatives from CAFOD, the Catholic Worker, the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Pax Christi and Progressio joined with Justice and Peace to deliver a carousel of small workshops to 120 girls. The Justice and Peace workshop focus was on the Fairtrade campaign, Girls were impressed with the range of activities open to anyone whose faith pushes them towards making a difference.

More than 70 people, including Bishop Nicholas Hudson, attended the annual meeting of Westminster Justice and Peace to share experiences and news over a soup and cheese supper last night (January 27th) at St John Vianney Parish Centre in Wood Green. It turned out to be a lively occasion, as this year a review of diocesan Justice and Peace was included, to canvas views of activists as to how this prophetic work might continue to flourish. Commissioned by Cardinal Vincent, the exercise in the second part of the meeting was led by Danny Curtin, previously president of Young Christian Workers, who flagged up that he was a firm supporter of the Pastoral Cycle followed by Justice and Peace, often summarised as SEE, JUDGE, ACT. Danny also clarified that he was facilitating the thinking of the diocese, rather than acting as a consultant, holding all the answers.

The participants were asked searching questions, such as, what qualities are needed in a Justice and Peace resource, and what is its function? Danny has already had 40 conversations with individuals on this important subject, and will hold a further review session with other important stakeholders before summarising his findings for the Cardinal. He noted that the review process had been requested by Fr Joe Ryan and Barbara Kentish, in their presentation to the Archbishops’ Council, and that there was no plan to cut Justice and Peace work in the diocese.

Father Joe Ryan, Chair, presented his report, which expressed his strong desire that the cutting edge of Justice and Peace be preserved, no matter what form Justice and Peace might take in the future. He has chaired the Commission for 10 years, and has found it taking him in surprising directions, as, for example, his involvement in the Kurdish freedom movement. He explained that Abdullah Ozcalan, banished leader of the PKK, should be regarded as the new Nelson Mandela, since he advocates, from his prison cell in Istanbul, non-violent means of resolving the Kurdish conflict in the Middle East. This concern has stemmed from responding to the world in his own South Tottenham parish, where there is a large Kurdish population.

Bishop Nicholas, who was very much welcomed at the meeting, had come from the Holocaust Memorial Service, and reflected that speaking out on injustice is a key component of justice and peace. If more had spoken out for Jews in pre-war Europe, perhaps events in Germany might have been different. He praised the creative and diligent approach of Danny Curtin, and affirmed the Bishops’ confidence in the process and its outcome.

Barbara Kentish gave a very brief round-up of Commission events, and highlighted the two exciting new publications: The Paris Diaries – an account of the Laudato Si cycle ride, and the Lent Fast, Vegetarian Feast Cookbook. Both are available from Justice@rcdow.org.uk for £3 each or £5 for the two books, including p&p.