All posts by Stephen Cooke

NJPN Conference Update 22-24 July

NJPN Conference Update 22-24 July

‘Getting beyond Optimism to Hope: demonstrating or building the Kingdom in the world of politics?’

 

Considering the current political disarray, NJPN is fortunate to have, as one of its keynote speakers, Andy Flannagan Executive Director of Christians in Politics.

Andy believes that decisions are made by those who show up, striving to put kingdom before tribe and to disagree well.  Christians in Politics draws together Christians from across the political parties and beyond, and from across the breadth of the church. Andy yearns to see a just rewiring of the global economic system. Andy is also author of ‘Those who show up’ (Muddy Pearl, 2015) In the forward Archbishop Justin Welby writes:

 

“Andy is reaching out, inspiring and equipping us to become engaged with a system that affects us deeply, and through which we in turn can effect radical and transformational change across our society.”

 

 Andy juggles his political work with his career as a singer-songwriter and on Saturday evening Andy will  lead a musical evening entitled Songs of Pain, Justice and Hope

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conference 2022

NJPN E-Bulletin 10th July 2022

 

We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future, spread love. Be poor among the poor. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.”

(Pope Francis)


Dear Friends,

Well, what a week it has been in politics. Despite all of the lies, resignations, and all of the furore, things are just the same as they were this time last week. Boris Johnson, probably the most disliked Prime Minister in my lifetime – and certainly the least trustworthy when it comes to telling the truth – is still in charge and will be for several months. The only difference is that most of the Cabinet has changed (instead of A-listers, we now seem to have Z-listers – apologies if one of them is your MP, but most of them many of us have never heard of). There will now be months of wrangling and mud-slinging from both sides of the House, which will certainly take everyone’s attention away from the important job in hand of running the country, at a time when we need ideas and leadership. Interesting, but probably very frustrating times ahead.

This weekend we celebrate Sea Sunday, and we lead with this as our Action of the Week. Seafarers and fishers are often forgotten when we talk about everyday heroes, but with many foodstuffs and goods being imported across the sea they deserve our thanks and support. 

The next e-bulletin will be around 4 weeks time as we have the NJPN Conference in a fortnight (more details below), and I am then away on holiday the following weekend. If you are submitting articles to be included, please bear this in mind.

I look forward to meeting some of you at the Conference, and if we have already met, I look forward to catching up with you again!

God bless,
 

Sharon (Editor)

 

NJPN E-Bulletin 10th July 2022

NJPN eBulletins

NW NJPN eBulletin Mid July 2022

In the run-up to the forthcoming NJPN Conference ‘Hope! a verb with its sleeves rolled up’ (22-24 July) and following this week’s dramatic coup against Boris Johnson by Conservative MPs, an extra edition of the NW NJPN E BULLETIN looks at the current turmoil in UK politics and aims to inspire us to look for signs of hope in our communities and in our wider world. Read through the Conference info on pages 6-7 and book a place if you haven’t done so already.

We lead with an opinion piece by peace activist and writer David Gee whose new book Hope’s Work makes challenging reading – highly recommended. The campaigning group Forces Watch give a worrying appraisal of some of the front-runners for the Tory leadership contest. CAFOD in Lancaster diocese has provided a comprehensive report for the coming months with a focus on the new campaign to Fix the Food System. CAFOD says that the way we grow and distribute food is broken, so people go hungry and the planet suffers, while the climate crisis makes the situation even worse. As Church Action on Poverty this week turns 40, the organisation looks ahead with optimism as new partnerships are forged to help local community groups.

Best wishes

Anne O’Connor

NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin Mid JULY 2022

NJPN North West

NW NJPN E Bulletin July 2022

The NW NJPN E Bulletin for July 2022 leads with a report of an appeal launched by CAFOD in response to a world food crisis which has hit up to 20 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan. The recent G7 Leaders’ Summit comes under fire for its failure to adequately address the looming global  food shortage as well as cutting back on climate action, exacerbated by Russia’s attack on Ukraine which has resulted in soaring gas prices. Whilst the war in Ukraine is rightly condemned Pat Devlin asks why this has not been the response to other situations of injustice, violent oppression and human rights abuses, suggesting action ideas about the current situation in Palestine. In an opinion piece Joseph Kelly looks at UK defence spending in relation to the need to promote global peace strategies and dialogue. Health Secretary Sajid Javid had shared his personal experience of his brother’s suicide at the launch of a new suicide prevention strategy for England at an event hosted by PAPYRUS. Government plans to increase music spending for schools are welcomed plus encouraging news of a music app to enhance the wellbeing of people affected by dementia. Leading authors have spoken out against university cut-back of  English Literature courses.  In Liverpool, Sr Lynne Baron, FCJ, has been appointed as Archbishop Malcolm McMahon’s delegate for Catholic social action. Sr Lynne will be a key member of the new Archbishop’s Advisory Body and will ensure that the voice of a woman will be heard as the Archbishop makes important decisions – a welcome step forward in response to the Archdiocese’s Synod consultations.

If you haven’t booked already, don’t forget the NJPN Conference at the Hayes Centre Swanwick from 22-24 July ‘HOPE! A VERB WITH ITS SLEEVES ROLLED UP’

Booking details here: https://www.justice-and-peace.org.uk/conference/

Click here to readNW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin JULY 2022 

NJPN North West

NJPN E-Bulletin 26th June 2022

 

May we always have the courage to act with boldness when a brave action is required. May we know how to let go and move on with grace and forgiveness when confrontation is best avoided. May God grant us the wisdom to choose accordingly in each situation.
Amen.

(Taken from CAFOD’s Weekly Reflection on 24th June 2022)


Dear Friends,

Dominating the news this week has been the train strikes, and the threat of other Unions balloting their members to walk out, plus the news that the US Supreme Court has overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision from 1973, which gave women the right to make decisions about their own body.
The former has been very reminiscent of the train strikes of around 40 years ago (also in very hot weather, and in the days when you couldn’t work from home), and of the Winter of Discontent. 
The latter is a very emotive subject, and not one that I want to include in this e-bulletin as there are many differing opinions on it, plus you can find details about the case everywhere on the internet.

We have been celebrating Refugee Week, and we lead with articles on Refugees and Migrants again. The good news is that the first flight to Rwanda was cancelled, but those plans are still in the pipeline. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when Prince Charles met with Boris Johnson in Rwanda this week…

Please feel free to share this e-bulletin with your friends and family – or better still, get them to sign up for their own copy. The next edition will be out in around two weeks time.

God bless,

Sharon (Editor)

Click here to download NJPN E-Bulletin 26th June 2022

NJPN eBulletins

NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin Mid June 2022

The NW NJPN E BULLETIN FOR MID JUNE 2022 is an extra edition with a special focus on two current news stories: the shameful deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda by the British government which at the time of writing appears to be going ahead despite widespread protest and the sad news that veteran peace campaigner Bruce Kent has died. This issue contains an in-depth tribute to  Bruce by Ellen Teague plus links to many other tributes. He will be greatly missed. A new food plan to address the problems of obesity and food poverty in the UK has been strongly criticised by a lead advisor. There are details of a new book from Church Action on Poverty DIGNITY, AGENCY, POWER. This anthology of stories, prayers, reflections and liturgy has been published to coincide with the organisation’s 40th anniversary and is available to order in print or digital format. Two US writers contribute challenging opinion pieces – on liturgy to advance the pursuit of peace and a compassionate response to clergy sexual abuse from a woman priest.  If you haven’t done so already don’t forget to book a place on the NJPN Conference 22-24 July on the theme Hope is a Verb with Its Sleeves Rolled Up’.

 

Please pass on to others.

Click here to download NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin mid June 2022

Best wishes

Anne O’Connor

 

NJPN North West

NJPN E-Bulletin 12th June 2022

 
 
 

 

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will grow wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, walk but never tire.

Isaiah 40: 31

Dear Friends,

Apologies for the delay in sending this. I had a very busy and stressful week or two in my parish job, and spent most of last weekend working.

Around three weeks ago, a lone gunman walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and fatally wounded nineteen children and two teachers, plus injured seventeen other people. You cannot help but ask yourself ‘where was God in that; where was the hope in that situation.’ I guess the hope has to come in that with every tragedy of this kind, eventually those who make the laws in the US will come to their senses and change things for the better. I have included a couple of articles which I think are worth sharing.

After reading this e-bulletin a few weeks ago, one of my sons commented that it was a particularly depressing edition, with all of the bad things happening to the environment, with the whole Rwanda business, and everything else that was going on at the time. I felt bad that there was nothing positive to share. Unfortunately, though, I feel there is a duty to share things that you may not be aware of, particularly when our actions now make for bad consequences in the future. My hope, indeed our hope, is that by sharing the facts, enough people will want to get involved and start making a difference. As the famous quote from Saint Teresa of Calcutta says: – 

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.

Talking of hope, this leads me to advertise our Conference, ‘Hope is a Verb with Its Sleeves Rolled Up’ taking place between the 22nd to 24th July at the Hayes in Derbyshire. Last year’s Conference was excellent, with great speakers, workshops, and a real sense of working together to make the world a better place. Don’t be shy – come and join us. We look forward to meeting you there. If you have young people in your family they will be especially welcome. I am taking my 21 year old, and my 14 year old. It really can appeal to all ages.

Last weekend, the extended Bank Holiday meant that as a country we could officially celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years as monarch. What an achievement this is. How many people do you know who have worked tirelessly for 70 years? She has been in the public eye for all of this time without breaking down or wavering from her duties. Only recently has she cut back on her engagements, and suffered more frequent bouts of ill-health. 
If you feel you had no cause to celebrate, there is an article in News and Comments that will cement that view.

 

The next edition will be out around the 26th June, all being well. 

 

Wishing you a hope-filled couple of weeks,

Sharon (Editor)

Click here to download – NJPN E-Bulletin 12th June 2022

NJPN eBulletins

44th Annual Conference-Swanwick 22-24 July 2022

After months of sadness and uncertainty the NJPN Conference ‘Hope! a verb with its sleeves rolled up’ aims to inspire us to look for signs of hope in our communities and in our wider world. Our hope is that, following the Conference we will all return to our communities with enthusiasm and increased commitment to work for a more just and peaceful world for all God’s creation. We will consider, how, as activists and people of faith, we might support those in most need and enable them to envisage a more hopeful future. Over the weekend we will be identifying  hopeful possibilities in our world.

We will listen to inspiring keynote speakers, take part in interactive workshops as well as in liturgical celebrations. There will be time to relax, enjoy meeting friends old and new. The peaceful atmosphere of the surroundings will provide a space for reflection and enjoyment.

See outline programme here.

Conference 2022, Meetings

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