Faith Matters at Farm Street on Pope Francis' Vision for the Church

Faith Matters panel

Pope Francis' vision for the Church and what it means for the world, was the subject of the first Faith Matters Q&A session rolled out in a packed Farm Street church hall in Mayfair, central London, on Wednesday night.

The panel, comprised of Labour peer Baron Maurice Glassman, Julian Coman, assistant editor of The Observer, Lib-Dem MP Sarah Teather and Catholic poet Sarah de Nordwall, discussed topics including this Saturday's visit to the Vatican by the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and whether the Church should be involved in politics.

Jewish peer Baron Glasman said: "The Church has the unique tradition of being able to hold tension and conflict and foster discussion. I would just like to say to Catholics to be confident in your tradition and engage with the world. This is your time."

He added: The old orthodoxies are dead. The idea of the big estate and more markets being the solution to everything doesn't work."

Pope Francis himself, in his Evangelii Gaudium, called the world of business a noble vocation "provided that those engaged in it see themselves challenged by a greater meaning in life; this will enable them truly to serve the common good by striving to increase the goods of this world and to make them more accessible to all".

Julian Coman said: "I don't see how you can be a church for the poor and stand aloof from politics.

"What's been striking about Pope Francis is there has been a double openness both within the Church and outside it. Within the Church that's been evident in the new emphasis on collegiality. Francis has also shown a clear and sincere willingness to engage with those outside the Church.

"When Rush Limbaugh, the American shock jock, accused the Pope of 'Marxist tendencies' in his emphasis on a Church for the poor, Francis responded that he knew many Marxists who were good people. Truly there is a new approach to dialogue at work here."

Sarah de Nordwall stressed the importance of fasting and prayer for peace and the common good.

She said: "Do you remember last September 7th? We were all quite hungry because the Pope asked us to fast and pray that Britain and the US would not get involved in military intervention in Syria. Well that hasn't happened, though there is still a lot of work to do.

"Secular humanism presents itself as a neutral ground around which all other ideals have to be calibrated. But this is not true. We all share responsibility for the public space and we all have a right to be there."

In a recent homily, Pope Francis said we cannot simply blame political leaders for all our woes: "None of us can say, 'I have nothing to do with this, they govern'. No, no, I am responsible for their governance, and I have to do the best so that they govern well, and I have to do to my best by participating in politics according to my ability."

"Politics, according to the Social Doctrine of the Church, is one of the highest forms of charity, because it serves the common good. I cannot wash my hands, eh? We all have to give something!"

Sarah Teather said: "When I hear Pope Francis my heart burns. I want to go out and engage with the world, not to reject it. I think he captures the public imagination with his style of intimacy.

"I have huge admiration for the leadership he has offered on Lampedusa and refugees. Politicians could learn much from his courageous leadership."

Father Dominic Robinson SJ, who hosted the session, said: "We have high level politics but we are also all involved in small level politics; committed citizenship."

Concluding the evening on Wednesday, Fr Dominic said he hoped it would be the first of many Faith Matters Q&A sessions to be held at Farm Street in Mount Street.

For more information about events at Farm Street see: www.farmstreet.org.uk/default.php