The March issue of the NW NJPN E BULLETIN leads with a statement from Church leaders concerned by the increasing cycle of violence in the Holy Land. One year on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pax Christi International expresses deep concern for the countless victims of a war that has led to death, injury, displacement, trauma, and ecological harm. Joseph Kelly reports on the uncertain situation for Ukrainian refugees here in the UK as the war drags on whilst Professor Ian Linden examines the background that links Putin’s war and South Africa. Other topics featured are Climate Action, the 25TH Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, a look at Pope Francis’ papacy ten years on, CAFOD news from Lancaster diocese and upcoming events in Liverpool archdiocese, including a Romero Anniversary Memorial Mass followed by a talk from Peggy Healy. Ellen Teague reports on NJPN’s recent online Networking Day on ‘Cost of Living Crisis – Living or Existing’ and has advance news of this July’s NJPN Conference on the theme ‘Sustainability? Survival or Shutdown’. All this and a packed diary.
Please pass on to others.
Best wishes
Anne O’Connor
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin March 2023
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Below are two resources for Lent: a daily reflection booklet with scripture readings and a Stations of the Cross based on an essay ‘Healing through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ’ by my daughter Annie, a scripture scholar who died in 2020 during Covid. To print the booklets choose ‘landscape’, ‘print both sides’, ‘flip on short edge’ and ‘paper, actual size.’
Please read and pass on to others.
Anne O’Connor
STATIONS OF THE CROSS HEALING THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
Dear Friends,
I will be honest with you, I am frightened to watch or listen to the news at present. This week has been particularly bad with the horrific images and rising death toll from the Earthquake that has affected Syria and Turkey.
The ongoing situation in Ukraine, and the promise of more help from European leaders, seem to be dragging us more towards an all out conflict (obviously there are other conflicts, but too numerous to mention); that and Shay Cullen’s article, which I will share with you later, in which he mentions that a US Air Force general has warned of a conflict with China as early as 2025….oh, and the whole Chinese Air Balloon being shot down over the US too…what the heck is happening?
When I see the good work that happens when people work together, both locally and internationally, I wonder how the world’s leaders can constantly be at odds with each other. You can understand why people stick their heads in the sand and don’t get involved – they must feel as if whatever they do will not make any difference – but as Saint Teresa of Calcutta said
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
The e-bulletin addresses all of these issues, and I like to think that all of us go forward in hope and love and be that little ‘drop’ to make a difference. Thank you to everyone who engages in some way with it.
Talking of hope, bookings are now open for our Annual Conference at the Hayes in Swanwick, Derbyshire. This will be my third conference, and if it is anything like the last two, I will come away feeling re-energised and full of hope! Please come and join us. Details and booking form are on the NJPN website.
Our Action of the Week is around the climate, and the issue of divestment. See what you can do to help change things in your Diocese.
In two weeks’ time we have our Networking Day via Zoom (details below), so the next e-bulletin will be out around the weekend of the 5th March.
Wishing you all well,
Sharon
NJPN E-Bulletin 12th February 2023 NJPN E-Bulletin 12th February 2023
NW NJPN E BULLETIN FEBRUARY 2023
The February edition of the NW NJPN E BULLETIN leads with a hard-hitting opinion piece from Joseph Kelly of The Catholic Network on the background to the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. In a wide-ranging article, regular contributor Professor Ian Linden looks at “How ‘Global Britain’ is letting down the world’s poor.” At the end of this month it will be one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. To mark the day, CND and Stop the War have called a national demonstration in central London on Saturday 25 February at midday to say ‘no to war,’ and ‘no to the risk of nuclear war.’ We also have a request for host families for Ukrainians and a moving poem (first published by Pax Christi), ‘A plea for peace,’ by Mary Hale. Manchester Museum is set to re-open this month after an extensive refurbishment with news of the repatriation of sacred objects to communities of origin to Aboriginal communities plus a digital data base to catalogue images of over 5,240 objects looted during the 19th century British punitive expedition on the Kingdom of Benin (now Edo State, Nigeria) as part of the museum’s ongoing commitment to prioritise cultural heritage material for return. Ince Benet, former home of Fr. Tom Cullinan, has undergone a refurbishment and is now a prayer/retreat centre near Liverpool. There is a packed diary for February and March as well as notices of a wide range of interesting Zoom talks on pages 10-12.
Also included in this mailing are two resources for Lent: a daily reflection booklet with scripture readings and a Stations of the Cross based on an essay ‘Healing through the Life, Death and Resurrection of Christ’ by my daughter Annie, a scripture scholar who died in 2020 during Covid. To print the booklets choose ‘landscape’, ‘print both sides’, ‘flip on short edge’ and ‘paper, actual size.’
Please read and pass on to others.
Anne O’Connor
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin February 2023
STATIONS OF THE CROSS HEALING THROUGH THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.Taken from The Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-10)
Dear Friends,
I hope that you have had a good fortnight. The weather has certainly been very seasonal – very cold! Not good if you are being careful about putting the gas/electric on.
The above logo introduces our Conference, which will take place between the 21st – 23rd July, at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire. Don’t forget to save the date! Geoff tells me that Booking Forms will be going out with the postal copies of the newsletter very soon, and a copy of the form will also then be available on the NJPN website. Keep an eye out for it.
So it has been another dismal week in politics, another scandal, another resignation – and to top it all, Sir Rod Stewart is another celebrity that has come out and spoken against the Government. He reckons that in all his 78 years he has never seen the country in such a state. More on that later.
There were a few worthy items sent for our Action of the Week, but we have gone with this petition from Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) as it is urgent, with a deadline of 31st January. The other items you will find further down this e-bulletin.
I should be sending the next edition out in around two weeks time. In the meantime, keep up the good work and stay warm and safe.
God bless,
Sharon
The next networking day will take place on Saturday 25 February 2023 from 10.45am – 3.30pm and will be a zoom meeting.
There will be contributions from and discussion with those involved in supporting people who are struggling to survive in very difficult circumstances.
For further details and for booking please see NJPN Meetings page.
Contact: NJPN Administrator,
Email: admin@justice-and-peace.org.uk
Tel:02079014864
Click here to download the meeting flier
Due a wealth of information and articles here’s a NW NJPN JUSTICE & PEACE E BULLETIN for MID JANUARY 2023. Several articles in the main body of the bulletin and on the diary page refer to events later this week so please take note and pass on to others as soon as possible.
NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin mid January 2023
