NJPN meeting focuses on 'Post-Pandemic Church'

Ellen Teague
Sep 24th, 2020

The National Justice and Peace Network looked at 'Post-Pandemic Church' last Saturday, during an all-day zoom quarterly meeting attended by around 40 participants. Dioceses represented included Nottingham, Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Westminster, Hexham and Newcastle, Hallam, Lancaster, Southwark, Arundel and Brighton, Cardiff, and Clifton. Agencies included CAFOD, Pax Christi, Romero Trust, Christian CND, Seeking Sanctuary and Green Christians. Columbans, Mill Hill Missionaries and Sisters of St Joseph of Peace also attended.

Chair Anne Peacey, from Hallam Diocese, introduced by saying that we, "cannot return to what was normal" for Covid-19 has exacerbated "our society's deep-seated injustices". The day looked at responses to the most vulnerable in society, ecological issues and peace.

Barbara Butler, Director of national ecumenical partner Christians Aware, spoke to the theme of its January 2021 conference, 'The moment of crisis has come', working to address, as Pope Francis would put it, 'the Cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor. She mentioned the inspiration of Mother Julian of Norwich, who lived through the Black Death, but was still able to say, "All will be well and all manner of things will be well." Christians Aware works with all Christian denominations, and other faiths promoting interfaith education, exposure visits, pilgrimages and conferences. It has produced a Harvest resource 'God's good gift' plus cards celebrating the natural world.

She felt the huge needs in the global south prompt work to continue, despite coronavirus, in more creative ways. She recalled an impoverished woman she once met in Ethiopia who told her, "we are left behind - we are above the dead but below the living," and highlighted that every minute globally a woman dies giving birth. The worst country for maternal mortality is India, a country which has over five million cases of coronavirus. Barbara also highlighted the loss of global biodiversity. "Two billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity" she said, "and our challenge is to act quickly to tackle habitat loss from unsustainable farming, and trafficking of wildlife." She felt we should all lament the reduction of Earth's productivity. Her book, 'Just Food,' talks about supporting small farms, education for women, agricultural diversity, more efficient energy, agroforestry and promoting renewable energy. She questioned Britain's high-speed rail project which is set to destroy 100 ancient forests in the path of its construction.

Group work picked up on her sense of urgency and highlighted that Laudato Si' has already mapped how we can move forward - linking issues of justice and peace. There was praise for a Southwark bishop who supported Christian Climate Action at Westminster recently. Parishes are now open but busy with the mechanics of coping with restrictions, yet J&P work must be carried forward. Harvest time provides an opportunity to look at nature and reflect, and support CAFOD's Family Fast Day on Friday 9 October.

The afternoon gave a sweep of activities across dioceses and organisations. Birmingham is holding a Climate emergency conference at the end of September. Cardiff organised Care of Creation vigils. St Wilfrid's Jesuit parish in Preston, Lancaster Diocese, is the latest to achieve a Livesimply Award and the diocesan Faith and Justice newsletter was applauded for helping parishes plan for the Season of Creation. Nottingham J&P Commission is running from 5 October a 'Heal the World' programme based on the weekly catechesis of Pope Francis. It is also pushing for the diocese to develop an environmental policy, strategy and action plan. The Northern Dioceses Environment group is working on environment policy and divestment. Middlesbrough focuses on refugees and asylum seekers and supports a hotel with 60 women. Hexham and Newcastle has become a Caritas diocese and J&P has engaged with trustees over ethical investment. In recent months, Westminster has held two popular zooms - on Black Lives matter and on the Season of Creation. It has worked closely with Caritas to feed the hungry in London over the past six months.

NJPN's annual conference in 2020 is postponed until 23-25 July 2021. The theme will continue its aim for long-term renewal of the J&P movement in the light of Laudato Si' and the economic-ecological crisis. Two 2020 Conference webinars in July were judged very successful, with around 300 people attending. The first was excellent on poverty issues at this time, and the second brought in Creation care, which was topped and tailed by Marty Haugen's liturgies taken from Laudato Si'. Marty's chant 'For our common home', which is dedicated to NJPN, is now available copyright free.

The NJPN Environment Group reported on the Vatican's new seven-year plan for implementing Laudato Si' and the excellent webinars of the Global Catholic Climate Movement during the Season of Creation. More than 17,000 people from six continents - including NJPN members - attended the 1 September prayer service for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and a webinar about bringing a "Just Transition for Asia Pacific and Oceania."

Phil Kerton from Seeking Sanctuary reported that the situation in Calais, where several thousand destitute refugees are gathered, is worse and is a push factor for people to attempt Channel crossings. Non-governmental agencies have been stopped from distributing food in central Calais by the French authorities. He was thankful that Bishop Paul McAleenan met with refugee agencies in Dover last week and was interviewed by 'Songs of Praise' - due to be broadcast on 11 October.

Pax Christi recently completed zoom training for around 50 people using materials from the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative. The next series of five study sessions will run 28th Sept - 2nd October. Christian CND reported that an ecumenical statement from Church leaders marking the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and warning about the dangers of nuclear weapons, had 220 signatures. Archbishop Romero Trust is delighted that a school in Arundel and Brighton has changed its name to St Oscar Romero Catholic School. The 40th anniversary on 2 December of the murder of four women missionaries in El Salvador will be marked.

CAFOD announced that 75 Livesimply awards have now been achieved, Climate Sunday launched and around 6,000 postcards delivered to Downing Street calling for international debt to be cancelled. Operation Noah and partners are running a webinar series entitled 'Catholic investment for an integral ecology'. It offers an opportunity to find out how Catholic dioceses and religious orders can divest from fossil fuels and invest in clean alternatives. Speakers on 22 September were Fr Augusto Zampini, Lorna Gold, and Stephen Power SJ. Hundreds booked in. The next one 'Investment for a green recovery: Innovation in impact investing' will be on 21 October. Green Christian's online Festival 23-25 October, 'Re-imagining the Promised Land' includes speakers Sir Jonathon Porritt and Bishop James Jones, both Green Christian patrons.

Another speaker on Saturday - Melvin Lyons, Trustee of the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ) - reported on the Black Lives Matter movement and the International campaign for racial justice. It advocates for nonviolence, social justice, democratic values and principles and faith networks are very involved. Group discussion looked at where biases come from and ways of intervening in a racist situation. People were encouraged to support and attend events that celebrate different cultures. Melvin reported that CARJ is developing materials for outreach to seminaries and schools. Westminster Diocese produced a recent video highlighting racism in the Church and Westminster J&P is launching racism resources at the beginning of November. The Columbans are launching a media competition for young people from 5 October, 'Let's create a world without Racism.'

The final reflection was led by Ann Farr, Chair of Pax Christi England and Wales, and focused on the World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel (WWPPI). The theme was 'Creative Solidarity in Common Fragility.' The impact of the illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinians and on Biodiversity was highlighted. "Colonisation has a terrible effect on the environment" she reported, mentioning the recent widespread destruction of Palestinian olive trees. The final prayer was:

God of all creation, your love is infinite

and embraces all people and all of creation.

We cannot fully comprehend

the height, depth or width of your divine love.

Though it is beyond measure,

we give thanks that your love

has captured our hearts enabling us to love all,

especially those with whom we disagree

and who see us as their enemies.

Inspired by your love,

may we seek to be in solidarity with each other, sharing in a common humanity.

Possessed by your love,