Christians Pray for Peace at Missile Factory
A group of Christian pacifists are holding a prayer vigil at a Midlands-based factory, whose engine parts could be being used in the bombing of Yemen by Saudi Arabia.
Midlands Christian Action (MiChA) brought together around 30 people outside the Roxel factory near Kidderminster to protest and pray for the company to stop manufacturing engines for Brimstone and Stormshadow missiles. In the past 5 years the UK has exported around £180m worth of these missiles to Saudi Arabia, which since March 2015 has been engaged in a bombing campaign against Yemen that has resulted in the deaths of more than 3,200 civilians.
The group, which involves Christians of different denominations, including Methodists, Catholics, Quakers and others, seeks to work for peace and justice for the whole of humanity, inspired by their faith.
Fr Martin Newell, a Catholic priest said:
“We believe we are called to speak out against the choice to profit from human suffering through the arms industry; an industry which perpetuates a spiral of aggression and injustice which is contrary to our faith in a loving and life-giving God.
The scenes of devastation that have been documented in Yemen are appalling to people of any faith or none, and we cannot stand by whist a company on our doorstep is contributing to these horrifying events.”
This is the second time that activities at the controversial factory have been questioned in recent months. In April, protesters attempted to carry out a weapons inspection at the site, to ascertain whether parts built at this factory might be used in Yemen by the Saudi military.
One of the activists present in April, Nicholas Cooper said:
“As the Saudi-led coalition continue to commit war crimes against Yemeni citizens, including the bombing of a school bus in Dahyan which killed 40 children, Roxel seem only to be concerned about their image. In spite of assurances that they would engage in dialogue Roxel have ignored our letters and requests for meetings, and have instead sent letters to local residents warning them that our prayer service (at the end of a cul-de-sac) might cause disruption. They also have a swanky new website that tries to emphasise their ethics.”
The prayer vigil took place on the morning of 10th September 2018, with participants contributing prayers and hymns for peace from different traditions. MiChA hope that by continuing to shine a light on the secretive activities at Roxel, the human cost of the weapons made there can be more widely known.
Contact: micha@peacehub.org.uk
Tel: 07553927060
http://peacehub.org.uk/
JPIC Links: ‘RE-IMAGINING BRITAIN’
Freedom & equality as the way to social justice – 6 October
Paul Hackwood, Director of the Church Urban Fund will Use his extensive practical experience of approaching social justice issues from a faith perspective and his work to bring people of different faiths together Paul will first be exploring:
‘Freedom, equality and Justice – our Christian heritage’
(Please bring food to share for lunch. Voluntary contribution of £10 (payable at the door)
All are invited to attend
More information here: Flyer JPIC Links Linking Day 6 October 2018
Pax Christi: Recruiting a Director for 2019
The British section of Pax Christi, the international Catholic movement for peace and a membership organisation, is seeking a Director to be responsible for developing, implementing and coordinating the work of Pax Christi and taking forward its strategic plan to 2022 and beyond.
Are you an effective communicator across diverse audiences, with deep knowledge and understanding of Christian peacemaking?
Can you think creatively and strategically and make clear decisions?
Do you work well in a team, enabling others to make the best of themselves?
Do you have budget and line management experience?
Do you have an ability to respond to national and international demands of peacemaking?
The post holder will be a committed Catholic.
This could be the job for you. The salary will be in the range of £38,000 to £42,000 and is a permanent position with a six month probationary period. The role will involve significant UK and some international travel and working outside core hours. Start date February 2019.
Details here: http://paxchristi.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/
The deadline for applications is 12 September.
A Calendar for Creation Time
This calendar for Creation Time with a short reflection or action for each day has been adapted from the excellent resource compiled by St Alban’s Macclesfield.
Please feel free to download and use as you wish.
Care for Creation Calendar 2018
Latest news from the North West
The September issue of the NW NJPN E Bulletin is being mailed earlier than usual to ensure information on two key events at the start of the month reaches readers in good time – resources to help celebrate Creation Time (1 Sept – 4 Oct) and details of the comprehensive parallel programme to Adoremus, the Eucharistic Pilgrimage and Congress of the Bishops of England and Wales to be held in Liverpool 7-9 Sept.
Other topics featured are Israel’s new Nation-State Law, condemned by world renowned Jewish musician Daniel Barenboim as “a clear form of apartheid;” the text of the Hiroshima Peace Declaration on the 73rd anniversary of the atomic bomb; an address by Dr Ray Towey at the Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter ecumenical service; the Catholic Church’s new teaching on the death penalty; Pope Francis’ message to a conference on theological ethics; a homily to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the birth of Oscar Romero, soon to be canonised; the 80th anniversary of the Kindertransport; ethical farmed animal welfare; a letter from a young carer; an extract from a 2017 interview with Kofi Annan who died recently plus a packed diary of events across the NW region.
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin September 2018
News from Lancaster Diocese
The September 2018 Faith & Justice E-Bulletin from Lancaster diocese is now available. This edition includes information about the many and varied events taking place in Liverpool during the weekend of the Adoremus Congress.
Please take the time to read and share the newsletter.
The newsletter can be downloaded directly at:
https://tinyurl.com/yc5umzh3
Reports and posters mentioned, including the Parallel Programme for the Adoremus Congress, as well as current, and previous newsletters can be downloaded at:
http://www.lancasterfaithandjustice.co.uk/newsletter/
*** NJPN Action of the Week *** Freedom United: Orphanage trafficking
Did you know that people are profiting from the trafficking and abuse of children in orphanages across the world?
Traffickers and unscrupulous children’s homes are capitalizing on the ‘voluntourism’ trend of combining voluntary work with traveling. They encourage impoverished families into giving up or selling their children to orphanages, where they may be exploited, even abused, malnourished and forced to work. Sometimes, children are then re-trafficked to other orphanages and into other forms of exploitation to repeat the cycle and elicit further funding.
Take action here:
MPs attack the Universal Credit system
A Christian MP is leading a campaign to bring changes to the government’s flagship welfare reforms that have turned “back the clock to the 1950s”.
A report by MPs has attacked the Universal Credit system as it is paid to a household rather than individuals, which leaves vulnerable people dependent on their partners.
Christian and Labour MP Frank Field told Premier why he is fighting for changes to be made.
Charities have also joined MPs in warning the way Universal Credit is paid could be empowering abusive partners.
Read more here:
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation
Following the example of the Orthodox Church, in 2015 Pope Francis declared September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation. According to Pope Francis, “This offers to individual believers and to the community a precious opportunity to renew our personal participation in this vocation as custodians of creation, raising to God our thanks for the marvellous works that He has entrusted to our care, invoking his help for the protection of creation and his mercy for the sins committed against the world in which we live.”
The Bishops of England and Wales will be launching the film and course “Global Healing” (now available at www.ourcommonhome.co.uk ) to help individuals, families, parishes and diocese make a practical response to our care of creation. The new course to explore ways we can help protect our planet, Global Healing is a response to Laudato Si ‘ and is also drawn from the work of CAFOD and its experience and understanding of Climate Change in the Global South where the damage is greatest among the poorest people of our planet who have done least to cause it.
For more information see:www.ourcommonhome.co.uk
Other resources to celebrate Creation Day and Creation Time (1st September -4th October feast of St Francis) can be found at : https://catholicclimatemovement.global/world-day-of-prayer . The Liverpool Archdiocese J&P Commission together with CAFOD Liverpool has prepared Creation Time resources for 2016 and 2017 containing praying with the gospels, stories from our time and Laudato Si’ . The 2018 resource will be ready in the late Summer. This will then provide a complete course for the three years of the Church’s liturgical cycle. Download at: https://jp.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/resources/creation/
http://www.columbans.co.uk/justice-peace-jpic-2/creation-time/
Milton Keynes Peace and Justice Network: Summer 2018
Milton Keynes Peace and Justice Network was founded in 1984 and, over the years, has been involved in many activities.
The network is concerned about the condition of our world and such issues as:
world poverty, environmental destruction, threats to peace and the denial of human rights.
The latest e-edition of Network News is now available to download and to share with anyone who may be interested.
Contents:
- They made their mark: so we can by Deborah Cooper
- Emily Wilding Davison: by Gail Hawks
- A Short Visit to Aldermaston by Carol Barac
- Fairtrade: More about Tea – “UK Tea Brands: time to step up” by Win Kennedy
- Church of England celebrates first birthday of Nuclear Ban Treaty
- Trumping Trump by Kevin Vickers
- What’s On
Download here: Network News
