We are thrilled to announce that a new date has been set for the joint event hosted by the Northern Dioceses Environment Group and the Southern Dioceses Environment Network to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si’.
The event, originally scheduled for Thursday, 8th May, will now be held on Wednesday 4th June, 7.00-9.00pm.
All Catholics and our friends are welcome to join us for this online evening of celebration for the 10th Anniversary of Laudato Si’ – On the Care of Our Common Home.
Following the Papal Conclave, this will be the first scheduled event for each of our networks during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. Together we will explore the legacy of Pope Francis, especially on the environment.
We are delighted that Austen Ivereigh has been able to find a new date for us so soon after his recent labours as a commentator in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis and on the Papal Conclave which elected Pope Leo XIV. We look forward to welcoming him as our guest speaker and facilitator.
The publication of the papal encyclical, Laudato Si‘, galvanised Catholics around the world and in every country to unite with those of all other faiths and none in the common cause of caring for our home planet and all the people on it. Pope Francis urged us to integrate questions of justice into our debates on the environment, ‘so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ – for they are one and the same thing. (LS, 49)
Both the Northern and Southern environment meetings grew out of a desire to put the teaching of the encyclical into practice. Austen will help us to reflect on where we have come in the last ten years and what we are being called to do in the next ten.
Those who booked for the 8th May meeting do not need to book again, but if you are able to confirm your attendance by rebooking via Eventbrite, then it will help us to get a better idea of numbers.
NEW DATE – Wednesday 4th June, 7-9pm, Celebrating Laudato Si’ with Austen Ivereigh.
All are warmly invited to the third meeting in the National Justice and Peace Network (NJPN) series of events for this Jubilee Year of Hope The day at CAFOD’s office at Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7JB, on Saturday 10 May, 10.15am until 4.00pm.
This day will be facilitated by the NJPN Environment Group, and will include experience of being in a Live Simply parish; Tackling Debt and the Climate Crisis in the Jubilee Year; Greening Church Investments: fossil fuel divestment and investment in climate solutions; and Honouring our Covenants for Care of Creation.
A Filipino bishop who has played a key role in the implementation of Laudato Si’ in the Philippines and Avril De Torres (Deputy Executive Director of CEED Philippines) are to speak on the day’s theme of, ‘Opening doors to a sustainable world for future generations’. In the lead up to Laudato Si Week, Bishop Gerardo Alimane Alminaza of San Carlos will focus on extractive industries and the need for ethical investment, alongside Bokani Tshidzu of Operation Noah and James Buchanan of the Laudato Si Movement.
Shanon Shah, the Muslim Director of Faith for the Climate, will lead group work on creation-centred theology – taken from ‘Laudato Si’, ‘Laudato Deum’ and the Muslim document ‘Al Mizan: A Covenant with the Earth.’ Other speakers include Mary Finnerty, Lead Economist at CAFOD, and Mary and Peter Johnson of the Livesimply parish at Lexden in Brentwood Diocese and the Southern Dioceses Environment Network.
J&P activists from around England and Wales will be attending the day, which will be chaired by Paul Kelly of the Northern Dioceses Environment Group. Sr MaryAnne Francalanza of the FCJ Centre for Spirituality and EcoJustice at Euston and Colette Joyce (Westminster Justice & Peace) will lead liturgies. .
We are asking that you register to attend this Networking Day by emailing Sharon Chambers at admin@justice-and-peace.org.uk as we are limited to a certain number.
Tea and coffee will be provided, please bring your own lunch.
Ahead of the Sacred Triduum, when we contemplate Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Chair of the International Affairs department of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, offers this reflection on the Holy Land.
Reflection
In this holiest of weeks, our hearts turn naturally to the Holy Land, the land in which Christ died and rose for the redemption of humankind. Our hearts are deeply saddened to witness the immense suffering borne still by so many of its inhabitants.
Of the 251 Israelis taken hostage in the 7 October Hamas attack, 59 remain unaccounted for. Of these, just 24 are believed to be alive. We hold firmly in our prayers their relatives and all who mourn these dead hostages. We hold just as firmly in our prayers the families of the tens of thousands of Palestinians – countless women and children among them – killed by the ensuing disproportionate bombardment. It is with profound distress that we witness the continuing suffering of countless innocent civilians. We pray the Spirit released by Christ on the evening that he rose from the dead (cf. John 20, 22) might be released anew in these lands to bestow on them the just peace for which so many of its inhabitants yearn.
We are profoundly concerned that, despite extensive multilateral efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire and bring an end to hostilities, there remains no sign of peace. Pope Francis constantly reminds us: “War is a human defeat. War does not solve problems; war is evil; war destroys.” (Pope Francis, General Audience, 4 December 2024) Peace benefits all; it is a sign of God’s kingdom on earth and enables us all to flourish.
We call on the international community to recognise that all the people of these lands have the right to live in safety and peace. These are not mere aspirations – they are inalienable rights grounded in the dignity of every person; rights that must be upheld. We particularly pray for the West Bank Christians and their neighbours, where many are deeply fearful for their future, as they see their homes encircled by new and rapidly expanding settlements and their freedom of movement drastically restricted.
In his Lenten message, Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, reminds us that hope is the daughter of faith. It is with hope in our hearts that we sing at our Easter Vigil, “at night there are tears but joy comes with dawn” (Psalm 30): as Christ’s body is laid in the earth, we await with hope his Resurrection from the dead. Our heartfelt prayer this Holy Week is that there rise up in these lands a renewed desire and yearning on all sides for the cessation of hostilities and the finding of ways to a just peace which honours the humanity redeemed by Christ.
Bishop John Sherrington at Westminster Cathedral Photo: RCDOW
Source: CBCEW
His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Bishop John Sherrington as Archbishop of Liverpool.
Ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Nottingham on 13 June 1987, Bishop Sherrington has been an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Hilta since 14 September 2011.
Archbishop-elect Sherrington will become the tenth Archbishop of Liverpool in succession to Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP, who has been Archbishop of Liverpool since 2014.
His Installation will take place in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King on Tuesday, 27 May at 12 noon.
Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP said: “I am grateful to God and to the Holy Father, Pope Francis, for appointing a bishop to serve this local church, the Archdiocese of Liverpool. We are receiving a new Archbishop with considerable gifts, talents and skills, but most of all we are receiving a man of deep prayer who loves the Lord Jesus and who loves His Church. I have had the pleasure to serve with Archbishop-elect Sherrington in the Diocese of Nottingham and in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and I am delighted to welcome him today.”
On hearing of his appointment, Archbishop-elect Sherrington said: “I thank Pope Francis for his trust in me on my appointment as Archbishop of Liverpool which I accept with humility and joy. We pray for our Holy Father at this time of sickness as he recuperates and prepares for Holy Week and Easter.
“I look forward to serving as shepherd of the historic and faith-filled Church in the Archdiocese of Liverpool which is rich in its heritage of the English martyrs, Irish immigration, and now looks to the future.
“Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP has served Liverpool Archdiocese with love and generosity, and I am honoured to succeed him… I look forward to building on the foundations already laid in the synodal pastoral plan ‘Together on the Road’ to serve the Church and bring the hope and joy of Jesus Christ to all people.
“In this Jubilee Year, we are a people living the hope of Christ who has loved us, saved us and walks with us. We share this hope with other Christians and people of all faiths and good will. I welcome meeting and building friendships with leaders, both Christian and of other faiths, which has always been a strong dimension of the Church here.
“May we receive the fire of the Holy Spirit into our hearts to bring Christ to others.”
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said about the appointment: “Those who have been following reports on the health of the Holy Father and keeping him in their prayers will know that he has continued his work, including the appointment of bishops.
“I am so pleased that he has appointed our Bishop John Sherrington to be the next Archbishop of Liverpool. Liverpool is, of course, my home diocese and I am delighted that it is to be led by Bishop John.
“In Westminster we know his gifts, dedication and utter generosity only too well. We will miss him greatly. Archbishop Malcolm will welcome him with great joy as, I’m sure, will everyone across the extensive Archdiocese of Liverpool.
“Today we offer our profound thanks to Bishop John for all that he has given to us over these last fourteen years, and we assure him, wholeheartedly, of our prayers and constant support.
“And, of course, we continue to hold Pope Francis very much in our prayers, too.”
Bishop John Sherrington was born in Leicester on 5 January 1958. Before entering the seminary, he graduated with a BA in mathematics from Queens’ College, Cambridge, where St John Fisher was once President. Upon graduation, he worked for a short period in management consultancy. Having been ordained a priest for the Diocese of Nottingham in 1987, and after a short period in a parish, he then completed an STL in Moral Theology at the Gregorian University, Rome.
He lectured in moral theology at All Hallows College, Dublin and St John’s Seminary, Wonersh where he was also a member of the formation staff, before serving as a parish priest from 2004-2011.
Bishop Sherrington was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Hilta on 14 September 2011 by the then-Archbishop Vincent Nichols, the co-consecrators being Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and the then-Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham.
He has responsibility for the pastoral care of the parishes and deaneries of North London and is Moderator of the Curia and a Trustee of the Diocese. He is Chair of the Governing Body of Mater Ecclesiae College.
He served on the Methodist Roman Catholic International Commission (MERCIC) for ten years and was Co-Chair for five years. He was also, for some years, a Trustee of CAFOD which gave him further insight into the international mission of the Church.
Within the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, he is a member of the Department for Social Justice with responsibility for life issues since 2014, and a member of the Education Department since 2022. He is a member of the governing body of the Anscombe Centre, Oxford, and a Trustee of the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth.
Internationally, he is a member of the Overseas Seminary Committee. He is also a Trustee of the Pontifical Beda College and Venerable English College in Rome, and a Trustee of the Royal English College in Valladolid, Spain.
In this special Jubilee Year, you are warmly invited to join the three ‘London’ Dioceses of Brentwood, Southwark and Westminster for the annual Mass for Migrants on Bank Holiday Monday, 5th May 2025 at Westminster Cathedral, starting at 2.00pm with a procession of banners.
This year the Mass is hosted by the Diocese of Westminster at Westminster Cathedral.
The Mass for the Feast of St Joseph the Worker is prepared by the Justice & Peace Commissions, Caritas and Ethnic Chaplaincies of the three Dioceses and celebrates the contributions made to faith, life and work in the UK by all those who come from other countries to make a home here.
Music will be provided by musicians from the Lourdes Mass and a variety of Ethnic Chaplaincy choirs. We will also be joined by community organisers from London Citizens
Our celebrant and preacher this year is Cardinal Michael Fitzgerald MAfr OBE. Cardinal Fitzgerald is a British Cardinal who headed the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue from 2002 to 2006. He has held the rank of archbishop since 2002 and was apostolic nuncio to Egypt and delegate to the Arab League, prior to his retirement in 2012. Pope Francis raised him to the rank of cardinal on 5 October 2019. He is one of the leading experts on Islam, Christian–Muslim relations and interreligious dialogue in the international Catholic Church. He is fluent in Arabic.
Parishes and Catholic organisations are welcome to bring banners for the procession. Everyone is invited to wear national dress. Those taking part in the procession are invited to arrive from 1.30pm where light refreshments will be provided and a locked space in which to leave possessions during the Mass.
Do come along and bring the family, whether you are from a migrant background or not! It is always a colourful and a lively occasion.
Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, Chair of the Westminster Justice and Peace Commission, writes:
“We truly hope that you can join us and we can fill the Cathedral on this day when we give thanks to God for the universal gift of work and for the huge contribution of migrants to our city. This annual event is such an important one in our Churches’ calendar as it represents the presence and involvement of so many Catholics from diverse ethnic communities, a mark of our true catholicity.
And at a time when we see a reluctance or hostility to truly welcome the stranger in our midst, this gathering takes on a prophetic role too as we are called to celebrate with great enthusiasm our diverse musical gifts, national dress, our cultural diversity in all its richness, and so witness to the dignity of every human person and the dignity of fulfilling work as a gift from God for all”.
In the context of increasing complexity and geopolitical uncertainty surrounding peace in Ukraine, the Presidency of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) issued a statement on Tuesday, 4 March 2025, expressing strong support for Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s struggle for peace will also be decisive for the fate of Europe and the world.” COMECE
The statement emphasises that “Ukraine’s struggle for peace and the defence of its territorial integrity is not only a fight for its own future. Its outcome will also be decisive for the fate of the entire European continent and of a free and democratic world.”
In a geopolitical landscape that the EU bishops describe as “complex” and marked by “the unpredictability of actions taken by some members of the international community”, the Presidency of COMECE calls on the European Union and its Member States to remain united in their commitment to supporting Ukraine and its people.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law. The use of force to alter national borders and the atrocious acts committed against the civilian population are not only unjustifiable but demand a consequent pursuit of justice and accountability,” the statement reads.
The EU bishops affirm that a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in Ukraine can only be achieved through negotiations, which should be backed by strong transatlantic and global solidarity and must involve Ukraine. “In order to be sustainable and just – state the EU bishops – a future peace accord must fully respect international law and be underpinned by effective security guarantees to prevent the conflict from re-erupting.”
Furthermore, COMECE urges the international community to “continue to assist Ukraine in the reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure” and specifies that Russia “must adequately participate in this effort.” The Presidency of COMECE emphasises that Ukraine is the victim in this war and Russia the aggressor, stressing that any attempts to distort the reality of this aggression must be firmly rejected.
Regarding Ukraine’s request to join the European Union and the internal reforms undertaken to achieve this goal, the EU bishops call on the EU “to advance with the enlargement process in a timely and fair manner alongside other candidate countries.”
The statement concludes by expressing hope that the European Union “will remain faithful to its vocation to be a promise of peace and an anchor of stability to its neighbourhood and to the world”, particularly at a time when the contours of a new global security architecture are being redrawn.
The declaration follows the recent interview (read the interview: EN – IT) with H.E. Mgr. Mariano Crociata, released last week to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In the interview, the President of COMECE not only underscored the need for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine but also warned against “a disgraceful spectacle” that falsely portrays the victim as the aggressor.
Now in its fifth year, this monthly Zoom meeting is a valuable space for sharing and learning about the many significant initiatives across the Southern Dioceses focused on our care for creation. It also serves as a source of support as we navigate various challenges together. This month’s meeting was a review of the past year, reflecting on the inspiring talks we’ve had. All of these sessions are available for viewing on the current page:
February’s (2025) meeting opened with a prayer from Bishop John Arnold and a short interview where he shared his joys and frustrations. He expressed great encouragement from the work done in schools and at the Salford Laudato Si’ Centre but also voiced concerns about global progress. He emphasised the importance of hope and the commitment to doing what we can as individuals.
To stimulate discussion, John Paul from Journey 2030 and Maureen, a parishioner from Portsmouth Diocese, shared practical and spiritual reflections, along with resources for action linked to the Jubilee Year and the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of Creation. They also posed an important question: how might we continue our journey beyond this Jubilee year, looking ahead to Jubilee 2033?
These open meetings provide a valuable space for diocesan staff, charities, and parish supporters to unite in small groups, fostering collaboration and generating ideas for future meetings. This format offers an excellent opportunity to stay informed, exchange ideas, and support one another in our shared mission.
We are always looking to welcome new voices and hear about the progress in caring for our common home. Please join us on the second Monday of each month!
Additionally, a sister group with the Northern Dioceses is actively collaborating, and we are planning a special event to mark 10 years of Laudato Si’ Week, featuring Austin Ivereigh as a keynote speaker. Keep a look out for further information!
With blessings from the Southern Dioceses,
Arundel and Brighton, Brentwood, Clifton, East Anglia, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Southwark and Westminster.
Monthly Prayer Vigil outside the Home Office – next Vigil 17 March 2025
Source: Ben Bano and Phil Kerton
According to the Pas-de-Calais prefecture, “in 2024, 77 people died trying to reach Great Britain aboard a small boat”, a record since the start in 2018 of the use of this means of crossing the Channel. According to British authorities, in 2024, 36,816 migrants managed to cross the Channel on boats, 25% more than in 2023.
According to the count of migrant aid associations, which also includes deaths on land, 89 exiles died on the coast of northern France in 2024. Support groups and political parties organised a march “for justice and dignity” in Calais recently to draw attention to these figures.
First deaths of 2025
The body of Abdul Raheem, a Yemeni aged around 24, was discovered on the morning of 22 January on the sand of Salines beach at Sangatte, facing England, where illegal boats regularly depart.
On the night of Friday to Saturday, 11 January, Suleiman, a Syrian migrant in his early twenties, died at Sangatte during an attempt to cross the Channel. He was one of about 60 people who left on a small boat, only to return very soon, soaked to the skin, leaving the victim on the floor of the boat in a state of cardio-respiratory arrest, probably crushed by the others.
In the early hours of 4 February, a Portuguese driver found the body of a migrant at the side of the A16 motorway near Calais. He was of Eritrean origin and had been hit by a truck.
The prefecture states that two people have been arrested as part of an investigation opened by the Boulogne public prosecutor’s office and entrusted to the office for combating illicit migrant trafficking.
Small boats
According to a 2024 report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, there has been the rise in the use of ‘small hands’ – migrants who recruit others for the smuggling gangs, helping them to fill their boats. They recruit migrants of their own nationality or ethnicity and know the embarkation points from the beaches, working in groups to prepare and launch boats.
These middle men in the supply chain may charge for their service – a fee of between €1,000 and €1,500 for each boat that leaves the French shore. With up to four hands working on a boat, this is an additional cost for the smuggler of up to €6,000 (on condition that if the boat is intercepted no payment is made). The hands sometimes recruit a third person to act as ‘security’, for which they are paid €200 to €500, or a free passage on a boat after they have worked some shifts. The hands can make some extra cash by adding their own clients to the boats, increasing the overcrowding.
Some smugglers have developed low-cost options for poorer clients (for example, Sudanese and Eritreans), who are offered passage for around €1000. To make up the margins, smugglers may load the boats with more low-paying customers.
Allegedly, for those migrants, generally from sub-Saharan Africa, who cannot afford the crossing, even at a low fee, there is still hope in the shape of what are known in local jargon as ‘zig-zag’ brokers. For a fee of €100 to €400, these brokers take a migrant to a point on the coast where a boat is being prepared for launch, so that the migrant can attempt to board it, by force if necessary, without paying the fare. The migrants already on board often have little option but to comply.
The Vietnamese phenomenon
In recent months, more Vietnamese nationals have attempted to cross the Channel in small boats than any other nationality. Many wonder why so many risk their lives trying to reach Britain. On one hand, Vietnam is a rapidly growing economy, often referred to as “mini-China”. Over the past two decades, per capita income has increased eightfold and the country boasts beautiful landscapes and a vibrant culture, attracting tourists from around the world. Yet, despite these advancements, many Vietnamese feel a sense of “relative deprivation.”
The country is a one-party Communist state, where political dissent is not tolerated. While most Vietnamese have learned to navigate this system, the lack of political freedom and economic disparity between urban and rural areas drives many to seek opportunities abroad. Average wages remain low, especially in rural areas, where many workers lack job security.
The desire to migrate is deeply rooted in Vietnam’s history. In the 1970s and 1980s, many fled the country due to economic hardships and political repression. The shift in the economy in 1986, which opened Vietnam to global markets, fuelled a new wave of migration. The narrative of “catching up and getting rich” became prevalent, leading many to believe that success lay beyond their borders. Families pool resources to finance the migration of one member, hoping they will send money back home to improve living standards. This cycle perpetuates the desire to leave, even as the risks grow.
Events in Calais
Despite the hardcore survival conditions with storms and negative temperatures, the ‘Severe Cold Plan’ hangar was only open to take in people from the street for 15 nights. Furthermore, they have to take a bus to get there and must be gone by 9am sharp the next morning. When it is unoccupied (i.e. almost the rest of the year) the hangar is closed and monitored.
Harassment and evictions remain the norm. Every 48 hours, four to seven living spaces are cleared without a legal framework. People are arrested and tents, tarpaulins and personal belongings regularly stolen.
The ‘BMX Site’ near the Town Hall has been fenced off and cleared by order of the town council which has also requested the “evacuation” of migrants surviving under two bridges and on two quays. Likewise, the ‘Fontinettes’ camp has been cleared and fenced off to prevent people from resettling. Witnesses say that police turn up every morning in Black Mercedes, using batons to wake up and arrest people in tents.
Vocabulary in the UK
The word “illegal” has been one of the terms most strongly associated with migrants in UK parliamentary debates over the past 25 years, research by the Runnymede Trust has found.
After Theresa May’s 2012 pledge to “create a hostile environment for illegal immigrants”, media coverage containing hostile rhetoric around migration and migrants more than doubled (a 137% increase) compared with the two years before.
It seems plausible that the acceptance of such language may have supported growth in racial unrest, especially given a scarcity of well-presented factual media accounts that speak well of migrants.
Ben Bano writes:
The demonisation continues …
Have we lost all sense of proportion? Have we been infected by ‘Trumpism’? Across Europe migrants and refugees are seen as a threat to civil order and anyone who does not have a white skin is suspect. The narrative fostered by Angela Merkel has given way to something much more sinister which conflates migration with a threat to our society – never mind the fact that our care homes and farms would be severely affected by reductions in migration. We need to put a halt to the point scoring between the two major parties on who can do better on halting migration.
And can we find ways of being prophets of hope in responding to these events, as major parts of the world are affected by climate change, war, and much else? Those of us who are activists need to continue to speak out about the tragic effects of climate change which is an existential threat to so many, particularly in Africa. A recent estimate by the UN suggested that 420 million people are affected by climate change, drought, and war. The latest news from Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo suggests that another tide of displaced people is very possible, adding to the millions who are seeking refuge from Syria, Sudan, and other war zones and areas of unrest.
We need to talk about global citizenship and our responsibilities to help those around us, not least to our MPs. In terms of awareness raising of the issues I fear that we are going backwards at a time when Trumpism and allied ideologies are making too much headway.
A Vigil sponsored by Westminster Justice and Peace, London Catholic Worker and the London Churches Refugee Fund, is held outside the Home Office from 12.30pm-1.30pm, 2 Marsham St SW1, on the third Monday of each month to pray for migrants who have died attempting to reach England. The next one will be on 17 March 2025.
Join us for an afternoon of panel discussions and workshops, spiritual connection, music, dance and poetry, creative work, and stalls showcasing the work that faiths are doing for the planet. Hosted by Faith for the Climate, Christian Climate Action and Quakers in Britain.
The event is free, and the venue is accessible for wheelchair users and people with other mobility issues. If there will be other barriers to you joining us (e.g. travel costs or travel schedules for your journey or being responsible for children), please email mobilise@faithfortheclimate.org.uk.
We want to learn so that we can improve the events that we organise. If you could please answer the monitoring questions when you sign-up that would be really appreciated!
Breakouts
There will be an opportunity to choose from 4 breakout sessions to take part in:
1) Healing Ourselves During Challenging Times (a series of activities you can do at your own pace) – nurturing your existing spiritual resources and learning from other traditions.
2) Bridging the Divide: How Faiths Can Come Together (panel and discussion) – building new, and refreshing existing, faith connections.
3) Starting With Our Local Environment (panel and discussion) – hear from groups already taking local action about their projects and how faith values connect with this.
4) National and International campaigns (panel and discussion) – learning about campaigns that are focused on justice-based action on climate.
You will be able to indicate which stream you would like to take part in when you register.
The NJPN have issued the following response to President Trump’s announcement that he plans to evict the entire population of Gaza and redevelop it.
The National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales rejects completely the proposal of the President of the United States for the ‘takeover’ of Gaza and the obscene plan to create yet another playground for the wealthy. The proposal violates international humanitarian and human rights law and blatantly disregards the basic rights of the Palestinian people.
To suggest that movement of the population of Gaza will be voluntary, when the area has been deliberately rendered uninhabitable, is contemptible.
There is no concern for Palestinian people who have no wish to leave their homeland? Where are they expected to go?
As pilgrims of hope in this Jubilee year, where is the hope for the people of the land called ‘Holy’? Hope is to be found in the countless displaced Gazans as they trek back to their homes in the desecrated neighbourhoods of Gaza. NJPN applauds their courage and supports them in their right to be agents of their own future in a Palestinian homeland.
As people of faith, we are called to speak and act with truth and integrity and to condemn injustice and any failures to recognise the innate dignity of all our sisters and brothers, who have the right to live in a land of their choosing.
We call on our elected leaders, and our faith leaders, to listen to the voices of those who condemn such an outrage, to speak out and to actively stand against the proposal from the United States, in solidarity with the people of Palestine. To remain passive is to collude in crimes against humanity. We must ALL speak out for a sustainable peace that is built on justice and on the recognition of the equal rights and dignity of all people.
Diocese of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission 