Westminster Justice and Peace and the General Election

Fourteen Justice and Peace contacts from 10 parishes in Westminster met on Tuesday, 2 July, at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in White City, west London, to feedback on election activity in their churches. They were from White City, Isleworth, Hanwell, Ruislip, Feltham, Enfield, Ponders End, Wealdstone and St Albans. Participants included Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, parish priest of Farm Street and Chair of the Westminster Diocese Justice and Peace Commission, and Colette Joyce, the Westminster Justice and Peace Coordinator.

The evening started with an opening liturgy and a tour of the parish, led by Parish Priest Fr Richard Nesbitt and Hilda McCafferty, who coordinates justice, peace and ecology work. The group was impressed with the multiple initiatives for social justice and care of God's creation. Even space around the church, once fairly bare, has been transformed into a green oasis promoting biodiversity and composting. Inside the church doors was a display of the parish's LiveSimply Award, 'Love in Action' programme, and Fairtrade project. Around the church, stained-glass windows, created by London artist Mark Cazalet, contained images which reflected the multi-cultural nature of the parish and background outlines of the White City landscape. In two collages, saints of colour - such as Josephine Bakhita, Martin de Porres and Andrew Kim Taegon - were honoured alongside Bernadette of Lourdes and Maximilian Kolbe.

The parish centre is a community hub and it houses a 'Reduce, Reuse and Recycle' upcycling centre and a foodbank. Single use plastic is banned. On Saturdays it hosts a weekly vegetarian meal, open to the local community.

After shared refreshments, a presentation in the hall was given by Hilda and Fr Richard, highlighting parish advocacy work for Justice and Peace. In 2021, during the UN's COP26 on Climate in Glasgow, a 'Parliament in the Parish' was organised involving local MP Andy Slaughter. He was there again more recently on 17 June for hustings of the Hammersmith and Chiswick Constituency and hosted by Hilda. Around 80 people attended, and issues raised included Cost of living, Disability, and Assisted Dying.

This was followed by feedback from other parish contacts and discussion on engagement with the 2024 General Election. This ranged between encouraging Catholics to attend hustings hosted by Anglican parishes - including St Alban's Abbey - advertising election materials offered by the Bishops' Conference and others, to items in parish newsletters and bidding prayers. A few parishes had scant engagement. "The parish team seems to feel it is not appropriate to push a certain agenda," reported one participant, despite issues highlighted being rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Cardinal Vincent Nichols' video encouraging participation in the General Election was valued.

There was a recommendation that J&P people make a note of commitments from candidates on issues of concern to Catholics so that they can be reminded about them after the election. The new government must be held to account.

Colette reported that Westminster J&P will be at the National Justice and Peace Network Annual Conference in July, which will focus on 'Just Politics'. Next year, that conference will focus on Politics and Peace. In the current tragic circumstances of the Holy Land, Westminster's Commission is discerning how to make their witness for peace more effective? There will also be work on the 2025 Holy Year and it was noted that CAFOD and CSAN are currently working on resources. For the coming academic year, the Commission's focus is likely to be on 'Formation' and the growth in Justice and Peace Groups.

Fr Richard led a final prayer, "for a new kind of politics which serves the common good."

LINKS

Westminster Justice and Peace: www.westminsterjusticeandpeace.org

Parish, Chaplaincy and Organisation Justice & Peace Contacts at: https://westminsterjusticeandpeace.org/parish-contacts/