London: Pax Christi Advent Service

Hundreds gathered at St Aloysius in Euston on Monday night for the annual Pax Christi Advent Service and Christmas Fair. Music was led by pastoral musician Julie McCann. This year's reflections and prayers focussed especially on refugees, abused women, the people of Palestine and Israel and all working to build peace. They were read by representatives from the Jesuit Refugee Service, Women at the Well and Pax Christi. Shell Roca from Westminster Deaf Service provided signing.

After the service there was a Christmas Fair and social with mulled wine and minced pies. Fairly traded Items on sale included Palestinian olive oil and Christmas decorations, alongside Wonders of Waste Bags from the Philippines. Westminster Justice and Peace advertised the monthly climate prayer and fasting to call for more action on climate change.

Ellen Teague from Columban JPIC said: "It is always a lovely gathering of people committed to Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, marking the coming of Christ to people in need. On a book stall run by the Archbishop Romero Trust, there were the words of Romero who said in 1979:

 We must not seek the Child Jesus
 in the pretty figures of our Christmas cribs.
 We must seek him among the undernourished children
 who have gone to bed tonight with nothing to eat,
 among the poor newsboys who will sleep covered with newspapers in doorways."

See ICN's Facebook page for more pictures from the evening: www.facebook.com/pages/Independent-Catholic-News-ICN/195368037167900

Advent Resources:

Pax Christi has a great new range of for resources for the Advent Season. Their website has a lot of ideas: prayers, liturgy and reflection materials - some relating to Israel & Palestine others more general. All can be downloaded here http://paxchristi.org.uk/resources/prayer-and-seasonal/

Their new prayer card,depicting Pope Francis praying at the separation wall in Bethlehem is proving very popular. Some members are sending them out with Christmas cards. They are just £2.00 for 50 cards. You can see the card here: http://paxchristi.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Pope-Francis-Prayer-Card.pdf