Justice & Peace...

Our Lady & St. Wilfrid, Blyth and St. Cuthbert, Cowpen

The Jusctice and Peace Group's Report for 2007

Ten Worthwhile Years

At the end of 1997 as part of our preparation for the second Milinnium of the birth of Christ, the parish were challenged to come together and set up a Justice and Peace (J&P) Group. A small group met and after some deliberation, teh work got underway. As our title suggests we exist to identify injustice, seek it's cause and look for means to remedy the unfairness or discrimination. We have, for ten years been attempting to do just that, on your behalf and with your help.

Following advice from our then Parish Priest, Father James Lennon and Father Cooper of Morpeth we decided that we could provide, with the backing of the parish, some minimal help for some of the needs of the Medical Centre in the Kenyan Diocese of Ngong. Thus started our link with Sr. Dominica. This lasted until December 2007, when Sr. Dominica's remaining priest contact was moved to another country.

Some Activities

Every single action the group has taken cannot be listed here. This report is intended to offer you a flavour of what we do, but we hope that it will do much, much more.

During the year we have tried to raise awareness of several issues. Members have written to our MP and to others on a range of matters such as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, later term abortion amendments and subsidies for European farmers. In addition, we often work through organisations such as CAFOF, DSave the Children and Oxfam.

Parishioners support CAFOD by way of the twice-yearly Fast Day collections and charity box in St. Wilfrid's porch. We administer these and forward the money from the boxes to CAFOD.

Livesimply

Starting in Lent 2007 we began to raise awareness of CAFOD's Livesimply campaign. We continued this in Advent 2007 and will offer further thoughts during the next few months. In considering how we might live more simply our discussions have moved to consider some of the effects that changes in the global climate will have on the poor, as a result of the planet warming.

The Mercy Ships

The presence of 'Africa Mercy' in the Port of Blyth in May raised awareness of the work the Mercy Ship Foundation does and particularly how volunteers dedicate themselves to this way of working for Christ. As a result of a challenge from Father Murphy, we wrote to Cardinal Murphy O'Connor to ask what view the Bishops had on the matter. As anticipated, we received a reply from the Bishop's Conference as well as a personal reply from Bishop Kevin Dunn. The correspondence was placed on the Justice and Peace notice board.

Fairtrade

We continue to encourage parishioners to but Fairtrade goods wherever they have the choice knowing that this action will help some of the poorest people on earth. We provided the where-with-all for a Coffee Morning in March where a wide range of Fairtrade goods were on sale. The group also provided tea and coffee for the town's Lenten Lunches. We also held a referendum in Advent on becoming a Fairtrade Parish. While the vast majority of parishioners voted in favour, we had a small number who voted against. We assumed that evryone who wanted to vote would do so, once However, we have evidence that at least one parisioner voted several times against!! It is the view of the J&P Group that we should become a Fairtrade Parish because this gives a particular message about our view of the poor to the people of Blyth

Father Francis Mensah, near Takoradi, Ghana

The J&P Group has remained in touch with Fr Francis since he was 'on supply' here in 2001. Two parishioners in particular made very generous donations and together with other contributions we have been seeking a way to transfer money to him without the risk of corruption devaluing it. It took the better part of a year to arrange this with the Diocese but in the Summer of 2007 we were able to complete the transaction safely in two stages. Fr Francis has written to us to express his grattitude and great joy. The money will be used to further develop the Parish of St. Michael near Takoradi. His correspondence with us was placed on the J&P notice board.

St. Vincent's Mission, Muhoroni, Kenya

When our support for Ngong began to draw to a close, a concerned parishioner brought to our notice the plight of another Mercy Sisters Medical Centre. We have been able to provide a small amount of financial support during 2007 and this will be increased from the beginning of 2008. In addition, Blyth Rotary Club provided £200 towards the cost of an ultrasound scanner for the Maternity Ward of the centre. WE have concern for Sr. Finnerty and her assistants as they are in a part of Kenya where there has been much unrest and violence in recent weeks. Please pray for her, her staff and the vert essential work that they all do. Through her Order and the financial support she receives from Britain and Ireland, she has been able to make available medical services and treatment that in the past was non-existent. So many of the things we take for granted were just not there, but are now becoming available. This is crutial work in support of the poor. Again detail of the work of the centre have been on the notice board at various times during the year.

Father Joe Plumb

Fr Plumb's work in the Hexham and Newcastle DioceseMission Centre in Peru continued during 2007, although towards the end of the year he has been unwell, as has his fellow priest (From Salford Diocese) and has returned home to regain his health and reflect (with Diocesan authorities) on the work that has been undertaken. Your J&P has continued it's financial support during the year and has agreed to continue, as the need is so great. The service to the indigenous people continues through a visiting Peruvian priest from Lima. Father Quinn paid Father Plumb a visit in Peru prior to becoming our Parish Priest.

The Justice and Peace Notice Board

Two members who joined our group recently have confessed that they knew very little about the work we all do on behalf of the parish. From our perspective it is important that the parish is familiar with this work. First, the people we help need our prayers. We also need prayers for the issues that we engage in. Yes. politicians need our prayers so that they may be assisted to make the right, moral and perhaps Christian decisions. Secondly, because money is involved in some of our work and generous parish donors donate it, you need to know how we use it, so that transactions do not take place behind people's backs. In the last year or so, we have a dedicated J&P Notice Board in St. Wilfrid's. We will continue to update this regularly with information, appeals and important issues. In addition, we will issue from time to time further information on developments eg. Livesimply. Finally, we will make a J&P brochure available at the back of church for all who would like to know more about the work we do on your behlaf. Another year has passed and our members have aged just that little more. Younger members of the parish therefore have an ideal opportunity to contribute to the work of the group and shape it's continuing development into it's second decade.

Your Prayers

Please pray for the people we help through the agency of the Diocese, CAFOD or an Order of nuns. Some of these are the poorest in the world, in material terms and they need our help.

Justice and Peace Group Donations

The Justice and Peace Group is sending a donation of £500 to CAFOD to support their relief work in Burma. Following a recent appeal by Fr Joe Plumb in the Northern Cross we have also donated £200 to help sustain the development of the football team in the Peru Mission. More than just a football team this project helps the lads learn skills, follow practical training courses and find employment. Many thanks to all those parishioners who suppport the Justice and Peace Group financially and through your prayers. If you want to find out more about our work, our next meeting is on Tuesday 1 July at 7pm in the parish hall.

Justice and Peace Newsletter

Read the latest Justice and Peace diocesan newsletter: details of 'Drop the Debt' Birmingham 10 year celebration, a concert in aid of Burma, and more.

Through the marked generosity of many parishioners we have been able to offer financial support to several deserving causes, some on a continuing basis. However, we act on other issues that do not involve financial underpinning.

There are so many injustices that we cannot tackle because we do not have the expertise or the nature of the problem is such that the task needs to be addressed in a higher forum, perhaps nationally or globally. We need more 'labourers' for the 'vineyard'. If you cannot join us, for whatever reason, please pray for our work and for those we support.

If you don't already contribute financially you might like to think about doing so.

A few places still available at National Justice and Peace Conference

The popular annual National Justice and Peace Conference from 18-20 July - organised this year in collaboration with Liverpool Archdiocese Justice and Peace Commission - still has a few places left. Bursaries may be available for families and young people wishing to attend. Taking the theme, 'Hear my people cry', the three-day conference will he held in Derbyshire 18-20 July. All are welcome.

More than 300 people are already booked for a conference that will explore the dilemmas and opportunities of living a Christian life in the modern world - exploring what it means to "live justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with God". It will focus on the implications of "doing justice" in the places where we live. A 'Just Fair' will display goods and resources from agencies and workshop sessions will cover a wide range of issues.