Peace Sunday 2018 – address given by Paul Carroll of the Justice and Peace Group at 9.00 Mass.
At first I was concerned about the clash between Peace Sunday and the White Flower appeal by SPUC. However, on reflection I thought that it was an opportunity for our small parish to demonstrate how we live out in practice the values of the Church’s social teaching. Under the guidance and leadership of Father Clement we have in recent weeks reflected prayerfully during Advent and Christmas; the young people have inspired us with their Mary’s Meals Project; every Sunday the Children’s Liturgy Group remind us of the theme of the Mass; there are Church Unity meetings arranged in Barrow; there is a “Shoes for Ugandan refugees” appeal currently. So much is already taking place.
The Bishops of England and Wales have invited us to make today a day of prayer for world peace. Using the theme proposed by Pope Francis: Migrants and Refugees – Seekers of Peace. Sadly, we have become so used to seeing images of those driven from their homelands by warfare or famine that we risk being desensitised both to their pain and their aspirations. Yet these are our brothers and sisters; they seek what we all seek – food and shelter, a safe home and hope for the future.
Certainly, fleeing violence is often the “push-factor” which makes them risk everything to leave their homeland. Yet the media rarely view them as anything but trouble. They are spoken of as threats, a danger both to our national identity and security. The assumption in the popular imagination is, all too often, that they are by definition “extremists”. In a few instances this will sadly be the case, though most are merely seeking to survive. However, whatever religious or political views they may hold, there can be little doubt about the extremity of their need once they are on the road.
Without being naïve, the Christian starting point is to acknowledge that these are our brothers and sisters. But once we do that, things change markedly. We are set free to recognise that their needs and their desires are not so very far from our own. And then we might grasp that they could be more gift than threat, potential partners in the search for peace in our broken world.
So in our prayers this week let us ask Christ for the grace to recognise him in the refugee and the stranger and to remove the barriers in our hearts which make us view others as a threat and a danger, rather than as fellow seekers of peace.
At first I was concerned about the clash between Peace Sunday and the White Flower appeal by SPUC. However, on reflection I thought that it was an opportunity for our small parish to demonstrate how we live out in practice the values of the Church’s social teaching. Under the guidance and leadership of Father Clement we have in recent weeks reflected prayerfully during Advent and Christmas; the young people have inspired us with their Mary’s Meals Project; every Sunday the Children’s Liturgy Group remind us of the theme of the Mass; there are Church Unity meetings arranged in Barrow; there is a “Shoes for Ugandan refugees” appeal currently. So much is already taking place.
The Bishops of England and Wales have invited us to make today a day of prayer for world peace. Using the theme proposed by Pope Francis: Migrants and Refugees – Seekers of Peace. Sadly, we have become so used to seeing images of those driven from their homelands by warfare or famine that we risk being desensitised both to their pain and their aspirations. Yet these are our brothers and sisters; they seek what we all seek – food and shelter, a safe home and hope for the future.
Certainly, fleeing violence is often the “push-factor” which makes them risk everything to leave their homeland. Yet the media rarely view them as anything but trouble. They are spoken of as threats, a danger both to our national identity and security. The assumption in the popular imagination is, all too often, that they are by definition “extremists”. In a few instances this will sadly be the case, though most are merely seeking to survive. However, whatever religious or political views they may hold, there can be little doubt about the extremity of their need once they are on the road.
Without being naïve, the Christian starting point is to acknowledge that these are our brothers and sisters. But once we do that, things change markedly. We are set free to recognise that their needs and their desires are not so very far from our own. And then we might grasp that they could be more gift than threat, potential partners in the search for peace in our broken world.
So in our prayers this week let us ask Christ for the grace to recognise him in the refugee and the stranger and to remove the barriers in our hearts which make us view others as a threat and a danger, rather than as fellow seekers of peace.
JUSTICE AND PEACE GROUP
Purpose of Group
As Christians we believe in the dignity of the human person, made in the image of God, and so having fundamental freedom and dignity, the basis of human rights. A concern for peace and justice is an essential part of our faith and we exist to promote Catholic Social Teaching in our Parish and local communities.
What we hope to achieve
We strive to do whatever is possible for justice by
How will we do this
In our world there are many areas of injustice and human suffering to be addressed. Experience has taught us that we cannot do everything and that as a Group we are more effective if we use our limited resources on particular issues. The Group has therefore decided to focus on 5 key issues over the life of this Pastoral Plan:
1. Environment and Climate Change
We will use the Diocesan Commitment to the Environment to help people as individuals, our Parish and local communities to deal with the challenge of changing our behaviour to ensure we protect the lives of people in the future. In particular we will look at the issue of food production and distribution.
2. InterCare – Medical Aid for Africa
We will continue our project of collecting unused medicine and tablets for InterCare to recycle to a network of over one hundred health centres in seven desperately poor countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
3. Poverty
We will work with organisations like Church Action on Poverty and campaign groups such as Get Fair and Stamp out Poverty to identify what work we, as a small group, can undertake to help alleviate poverty especially in the local communities. The issue of Child Poverty in the UK is particularly concerning given the on-going issues with the UK economy.
4. Asylum Seekers and Refugees
We will renew our efforts to offer support and help to Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the Loughborough and Leicester areas. In particular we will look to join established groups in these areas and identify specific projects which we can undertake. The Leicester City of Sanctuary will be a focal point for advice and guidance.
5. Prison Care
Taking a lead from Pax Christi we aim to establish links with PACT, the prison advice and care trust, to look at ways in which we can encourage parishioners not only to keep prisoners and their families in our thoughts and prayers but also to identify any practical help that can be given. In addition we plan to join ACAT, Action by Christians against Torture, to explore any actions we can take to in support of persecuted Christians and Human Rights Group.
In addition to the foregoing we will also undertake our regular promoting of events throughout the Church year such as Peace Sunday, Fair Trade Fortnight, Racial Justice etc.
We will also, from time to time, lobby our MP to gain her support in Parliament on substantive issues, particularly those listed above, together with any emerging issues which work against the common good and are not in line with the teaching of the Church.
Prayer is an essential part of our work and we will work with other Parish Groups, such as the Liturgy and Youth Groups to develop liturgies, stage peace vigils etc to mark specific dates and events in the Church calendar. In this way we hope to engage the whole Parish in what Pope Benedict XVI, in his social encyclical ‘Caritas in Veritate’ calls integrated human development.
Purpose of Group
As Christians we believe in the dignity of the human person, made in the image of God, and so having fundamental freedom and dignity, the basis of human rights. A concern for peace and justice is an essential part of our faith and we exist to promote Catholic Social Teaching in our Parish and local communities.
What we hope to achieve
We strive to do whatever is possible for justice by
- Being aware of the reality of injustice, suffering and violence in the world
- Exploring the causes of injustice
- Increasing awareness amongst others about the issues
- Working for justice on our doorstep and the wider world
- Living out our faith and promoting action for justice and peace
How will we do this
In our world there are many areas of injustice and human suffering to be addressed. Experience has taught us that we cannot do everything and that as a Group we are more effective if we use our limited resources on particular issues. The Group has therefore decided to focus on 5 key issues over the life of this Pastoral Plan:
1. Environment and Climate Change
We will use the Diocesan Commitment to the Environment to help people as individuals, our Parish and local communities to deal with the challenge of changing our behaviour to ensure we protect the lives of people in the future. In particular we will look at the issue of food production and distribution.
2. InterCare – Medical Aid for Africa
We will continue our project of collecting unused medicine and tablets for InterCare to recycle to a network of over one hundred health centres in seven desperately poor countries of sub-Saharan Africa.
3. Poverty
We will work with organisations like Church Action on Poverty and campaign groups such as Get Fair and Stamp out Poverty to identify what work we, as a small group, can undertake to help alleviate poverty especially in the local communities. The issue of Child Poverty in the UK is particularly concerning given the on-going issues with the UK economy.
4. Asylum Seekers and Refugees
We will renew our efforts to offer support and help to Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the Loughborough and Leicester areas. In particular we will look to join established groups in these areas and identify specific projects which we can undertake. The Leicester City of Sanctuary will be a focal point for advice and guidance.
5. Prison Care
Taking a lead from Pax Christi we aim to establish links with PACT, the prison advice and care trust, to look at ways in which we can encourage parishioners not only to keep prisoners and their families in our thoughts and prayers but also to identify any practical help that can be given. In addition we plan to join ACAT, Action by Christians against Torture, to explore any actions we can take to in support of persecuted Christians and Human Rights Group.
In addition to the foregoing we will also undertake our regular promoting of events throughout the Church year such as Peace Sunday, Fair Trade Fortnight, Racial Justice etc.
We will also, from time to time, lobby our MP to gain her support in Parliament on substantive issues, particularly those listed above, together with any emerging issues which work against the common good and are not in line with the teaching of the Church.
Prayer is an essential part of our work and we will work with other Parish Groups, such as the Liturgy and Youth Groups to develop liturgies, stage peace vigils etc to mark specific dates and events in the Church calendar. In this way we hope to engage the whole Parish in what Pope Benedict XVI, in his social encyclical ‘Caritas in Veritate’ calls integrated human development.
