1/ The annual diocesan Justice & Peace Assembly took place at The
St Philip Howard Centre in Crawley on 27th January. The theme this year centred on safety in our homes and in our communities, with speakers from a range of charities and organisations including Restored, Lifecentre and Pax Christi. Canon Rob Esdaile (opened the event with a talk entitled ‘Peace in Our Relationships and Communities – Theological Considerations’. You can read an extract from Canon Rob’s talk below:
“What has our Christian faith got to say about peace in our relationships and communities? And are we part of the solution (as the Church normally assumes) or part of the problem?
“Peace is not the absence of fighting. Peace is not the cowed existence of those who are controlled, gas-lighted or robbed of their ability to think for themselves. Peace is not the imposition of a constant threat of violence or the sapping of a community’s will to resist. A peace without any uproar is not biblical peace, because true peace is a fruit both of justice and of the action of the Spirit, who blows where She will. Peace has to be a positive condition. It is about restored relationships, mutual respect, making room for the other and their dreams; about a trust that each person and each culture has not only an intrinsic God-given value but also a unique contribution to make, a gift to share for the good of all. Peace is the enabling of that sharing…
“We have to create oases of reconciliation, examples of other ways of resolving conflict, projects that make the possibility of peace tangible and the search for peace urgent. We are bidden to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness (Mt 6.33). Loving our neighbours is what we are about. Meanwhile, “Say “No” to peace if what they mean by peace is the quiet misery of hunger, the frozen stillness of fear, the silence of broken spirits, the unborn hopes of the oppressed.”
2/ CAFOD School Volunteers Urgently Needed to Inspire Younger Generations. Do you enjoy working with children & young people? Could you help to inspire & empower children & young people in our Catholic schools to bring alive their sense of global justice? Could you give an assembly or workshop in a local school? Supported by CAFOD with training & resources, you will relish the time you spend discussing issues of global justice with children & young people. You will add to parish & school life, complementing the work of teachers, priests & catechists. For more information contact Jenny at your local CAFOD volunteer centre. arundelandbrighton@cafod.org.uk Tel 01483 573273 Mob 07710 094448
3/ Live Simply Tip of the Week – Soothe coughs naturally For a cheaper and natural alternative to shop-bought cough medicine, soothe sore throats with an infusion of organic honey and lemon in hot water. The honey will relieve irritation and has valuable antimicrobial properties. Provided by https://www.foe.co.uk/
4/ Transition Town Worthing (TTW) are holding their annual seed swap in the CREW centre 8/9 South St. BN11 3AL opposite Iceland. It’s from 10AM to 12.30PM on Sat 17 Feb. Come and get your supplies ready for the growing season – vegetable, herb and flower seeds and some plants – to exchange or donate. There are also dried flowers, onion sets and seed potatoes for sale. Some refreshments are also available.
5/ Green Christian We are a community of ordinary Christians from all backgrounds and traditions. Inspired by our faith, we work to care for Creation through prayer, living simply, public witness, campaigning and mutual encouragement. Green Christian exists to share Green insights with Christians and to offer Christian insights to the wider Green movement. We walk alongside those of faith and no faith. The Justice & Peace group have been affiliated for a number of years. www.greenchristian.org.uk/
