Middlesbrough: Anthony Storey Memorial Peace and Justice Lecture

Fr Rob Esdaile

Canon Rob Esdaile will speak about 'The courage of the white flag?' at this year's Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture on 4 June, to be delivered online.

Canon Rob is Parish Priest of Woking and Knaphill in Arundel and Brighton Diocese. For the past 20 years, he has written reflections used by Pax Christi in Peace Sunday celebrations and he is priest adviser on social action in the Arundel and Brighton Diocese.

As an introduction to the lecture Canon Rob writes:

"Many people were shocked when, in the course of a television interview in early March, Pope Francis spoke of 'The courage of the white flag' in relation to the war in Ukraine. "Was this childish naivete or profound realism? Was it supine appeasement or a creative attempt to prevent a relentless cycle of violence? How should we balance principle and pragmatism - Christ's radical command not to kill and to love our enemies with the sordid realities of realpolitik? What price peace - and what is the cost of the alternative?"

The Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture was inaugurated in 2008 by Middlesbrough Justice and Peace Commission. Fr Tony Storey was a very much-loved priest of Middlesbrough Diocese. He was passionate in his work for ecumenism - becoming the first Catholic priest to preach in York Minster since the Reformation - and for issues of Justice and Peace. He died in 2007.

The 2024 lecture, which is hosted by the Middlesbrough Diocese Justice and Peace Commission, will be on Tuesday 4 June at 6.00pm via Zoom.

To register: email Barbara Hungin at bhungin@yahoo.co.uk