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Coventry: Joy and Hope at NJPN Open Networking Day


Laudato Si' and Green Christian's 'Joy in Enough' project have roots in the spirituality of St Francis, Paul Bodenham, Chair of Green Christian, told the September gathering of National Justice and Peace Network in Coventry last Saturday. 'New' or 'green' economics challenge the prevailing orthodoxy of the need for growth as the basis of prosperity, as this is unsustainable for the planet and tends towards greater inequalities of wealth. He put this in the context of the principles of Franciscan spirituality - fraternity (we are all sisters and brothers), equality, penance (as a joyful rediscovery of our humanity), incarnation and 'bonum' - the good (the value of everything that is). He felt these were picked up in Laudato Si', Pope Francis' recent encyclical on the environment, which itself contains a critique of the economic system and the need to link concern for the environment with action to tackle poverty and inequality.

The meeting brought together around 40 people from dioceses, agencies, religious orders and local justice and peace activists.

Fr Michael White, Chair of Caritas Archdiocese of Birmingham, gave a presentation on the approach being taken by this recently established body. They are developing as a network of providers of welfare and social action in the archdiocese; via their website people can find contacts and information on groups at parish level. There are no paid staff and no funding from the archdiocese, although it is hoped that funding will be made for specific projects which they might initiate. The Justice and Peace Commission has been involved since the beginning in the development of Caritas Archdiocese of Birmingham and seeks to work in partnership, while maintaining its specific focus on addressing the structural causes of poverty and injustice.

The current refugee crisis was of course high on the list of concerns for those present, with information being shared on how dioceses are responding to government plans, and how to channel the goodwill of those offering help. (See www.catholicchurch.org.uk to find your diocesan contact). Alison Gelder of Housing Justice pointed out that there are existing organisations which co-ordinate offers of hospitality for those who are destitute, whether refugees or indigenous homeless people, and urged anyone who could offer accommodation to do so. (In London: Housing Justice www.housingjustice.org.uk; Outside London: No Accommodation Network www.naccom.org.uk). As members of the Strategic Alliance on Migrant Destitution they will be holding events to bring refugee/migrant and homelessness organisations together and various cities between November and March - email a.gelder@housingjustice.org.uk to find out more.

There was concern that government funding may not be adequate for cash strapped local authorities to deal with the refugees being resettled under the government programme, and the decision to take money from the overseas aid budget was also criticised. NJPN have drafted a letter to send to MPs to raise these concerns (contact admin@justice-and-peace.org.uk for a copy). The slowness and inadequacy of the government's response to taking in refugees was contrasted with the welcome given the week before to representatives of repressive regimes to the Arms Fair in London, encouraging the sale of arms which fuel the conflicts and repression from which many of the refugees are fleeing.

Anne Peacey, Chair of NJPN, reported on the three day meeting of the Executive Committee which had just taken place. HOPE was seen as the emerging theme of the Annual Justice & Peace Conference in July, and focusing on 'signs of hope' would be the objective of NJPN's work in the coming year, linking in with the Year of Mercy. She picked up on a phrase used by John Battle, who had led part of the meeting, that 'Hope is in the one who holds hands with me in tackling the problems of life', challenging us to go where the reality of poverty is, to truly be 'a poor church for the poor'.

The meeting heard from NJPN's Environment Working Party of plans to call on all dioceses to draw up environmental policies (watch this space!). There were also opportunities for representatives of dioceses and agencies to share on campaigns and upcoming events.



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