|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
Exploring Life and Faith consists of four informal get togethers organised by members of the Liverpool Justice & Peace Commission:
If you or your group or your parish or your pastoral area is looking for some personal and spiritual development or you might want to reflect on how your life fits into God's plan, this might be the course for you. Members of the Justice & Peace Commission offer 4 sessions of around one and a half hours each. All you need to do is:
INTEGRATING LIFE AND FAITH or LIVING FAITH FULLY The ILF is a training course to explore the role of Christians as citizens in society and the way in which, inspired by the Gospel, they can make a difference. It is accredited by the Craighead Institute and is held over 4 weekends between November 2008 and June 2009 at Loyola Hall in Rainhill. The course is intended for anyone who would like to reflect on their faith/daily living balance and integration and to respond accordingly. Participants discover ways of working through an experimential approach aimed at integrating life and faith. More information and details of the 4 modules or contact Steve Atherton on 0151 522 1080 or e-mail s.atherton@rcaol.co.uk or write for an application form from J&P Commission, LACE,
Croxteth Drive, Sefton Park. Liverpool. L17 1AA REPORTS ON JUSTICE & PEACE ISSUES AND EVENTS SWANWICK CONFERENCE - HEAR MY PEOPLE CRY A number of impressive and experienced speakers and workshop leaders used the title “Hear my people cry” to explore the social justice issues that face Christians in the modern world. See report John Battle MP was national coordinator of Church Action on Poverty from
1983 until he was elected as the MP for West Leeds in 1987 Dr Patrick Riordan SJ is assistant director of Heythrop. He currently teaches
Political Philosophy, Religion and Ethics on the undergraduate courses and
on the postgraduate MA in Christian Ethics. He is the author of numerous
books and articles. Read a full report in the NJPN Newsetter
SET ALL FREE This service of reflection and prayer for those enslaved today was held in the Metropolitan Cathedral on Sunday 21st October at 3pm. Archbishop Patrick Kelly presided over a service of readings, prayer, talks and reflection SET ALL FREE remembered the past and hopes to apply its lessons to tackle the legacies of Transatlantic Slavery and its modern day equivalent. You can read the four reflections delivered during the service by: Sr Margo Murphy representing the Medaille Trust; Elmer Pulleros representing the Apostleship of the Sea and the Merseyside Mission to Seafarers; Fr Peter Morgan; and Linda Tiongco with Sections from the letters of Romy Tiongco. Find out more from www.setallfree.net or read the reflections delivered during the service
As a change from a parish group report Kath Lyddon is featuring a report from the South Liverpool Area Group A cluster of three J&P groups in South Liverpool have begun to meet together twice a year to share ideas and encourage each other, as small parish groups can often feel isolated. On October 3 rd Steve Atherton J&P Fieldworker attended a meeting at St Anthony of Padua. He presented a DVD called War no More (15 min) (this is available from the J&P office.) Steve linked this with the Swanwick National Conference theme of 2007: " Called to be peacemakers" where key speakers such as Father John Dear SJ stated that our generation faces a choice between non-violence or non- existence. The meeting provided an opportunity for groups and individuals to hear about work for CAFOD's campaigns at St Thomas More's, fundraising at St Clare's for their direct link with a mission in Madagascar , Holy Hours for peace at St Anthony of Padua and fundraising for Burma . People also debate how and whether to conduct Amnesty Greetings Campaign . The meeting attracted a small number of people who do not attend J&P meetings but who work in a fairer world through their employment (teaching) or membership of secure groups (unions). It may be helpful for the J&P network to consider how to reach individuals who may be too busy to attend regular meetings of a parish J&P group. Kath is organising carol singing for CAFOD on Allerton Road on December 22 nd. Singers and musicians are needed. Please contact Kath 0151 733 2806.
ST THOMAS MORE'S JUSTICE & PEACE GROUP We are a small group and meet at 8pm on the last Thursday of a month. At one of our meetings we heard about the work of the Volunteer Missionary Movement. Members of the group attended various events: the J&P Memorial Lecture, the Romero Mass, and the CND gathering to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Aldermaston march. We have hosted 2 area meetings. At the first we heard about the livesimply! campaign. At the second, a very brave West Papuan told us about the situation in his country which was invaded by Indonesia after independence and thousands of people have been killed for trying to restore independence. We have sent postcards to the Indonesian ambassador on behalf of two West Papuan prisoners of conscience and some of us have joined the Free West Papua campaign. Future plans include continuing the livesimply! Campaign, getting our own parish to sign the Pledge for Climate change, getting a bidding prayer for peace said every Sunday, and helping to prepare the National J&P Conference at Swanwick in the summer. The Annual Assembly in 2007 on Where's the Power Gone? was held on Saturday 22nd September at LACE; speakers included Archbishop Patric Kelly, Niall Cooper (CAP), Fr George Robson SDB, and John Smith. ". I had no idea there was so much going on ... I thought the day was great ... A very good day indeed ... Inspiring and informative ... A real get-together ." just a few of the comments from Saturday's Annual Assembly....read more
As part of a campaign to stop violence against women, Amnesty International's board is calling for abortion to be decriminalised globally but many people in the catholic church think that it will compromise its previously excellent human rights record. The Justice & Peace Commission are concerned are have been discussing how they should react to this. At the September meeting, the J&P Commission was unable to reach a consensus on how to react to Amnesty International's new position on abortion. Discussion was resumed at the October meeting. The Commission will not renew its membership, although it continues to recognise AI's valuable work. However there seems no good reason why cards and letters may not be sent to/for prisoners of conscience whose details are taken from the AI information. Read the Justice & Peace Commission Document on their position on Amnesty International and if you have any comments let Steve know (see contacts page) Those wanting to support other human-rights initiatives may wish to consider information provided by other organisations. Prisoner of Conscience address booklets are available from the J&P office they include CSW (Christian Solidarity Worldwide) & ACAT (Action by Christians Against Torture) or see http://www.csw.org.uk/ or see http://www.acatuk.org.uk/
Wigan have become a "fairtrade" town. It took two and a half years of phone calls, letters summer fairs and council meetings, but they did it. Many people however are wondering if they could do the same. Find out more about Fairtrade towns from http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/get_involved_fairtrade_towns.htm
|
|||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||
The 30th annual National Justice and Peace Conference was held at
Swanwick, Derbyshire on the weekend of 18-20 July 2008. For the first time in 20 years Liverpool Archdiocese is acting as the
hosts and is inviting every parish to send at least one representative. 
