Justice & Peace

Group Leader:

In Rotation

Contact Telephone Number:

0208 399 9550 (The parish office) or text 07904 104707

E-mail:

tolworth@rcaos.org.uk

When we meet:

2nd Monday of each month (except July, August and December)

Where do we meet?

7.45 – 9.0 pm prompt in the RDJ room

The group’s object / purpose:

We try to combine reflection on Gospel values with action towards building a just and peaceful society, as understood through Catholic Social Teaching.

Additional Information:

Who are we?

We are members of the parish, who undertake to put faith into action by promoting a  just peaceful society.

What is Justice & Peace all about?:

Pope Leo, in the 19th century,  pronounced in Rerum Novarum that the Church, employers and workers should all work together to build a just society.  This was known as the Workers’ Charter – a foundation for Catholic Social Teaching.  This has been followed by many other encyclicals concerned with social justice,including those mentioned on the next page.

What issues are we involved in?

We support Fair Trade using Fair Trade goods as far as possible.   We campaign against the persecution of Christians, human trafficking, and towards peace in the West Bank/Gaza and justice for all.  We have had four of our parishioners trained by the Quaker Peace and Social Justice Foundation, three of whom were J & P members, as a part of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme working in Palestine (EAPPI).

We lobby our M.P.s and M.E.P.s on various issues, e.g. the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T.T.I.P.) and other issues related to the integrity of creation.

We also undertake letter-writing to prisoners of conscience and to stay informed of other key issues, e.g. the arms trade.

How do I find out more?

Come along to a meeting

Speak to a group member

Send an Email and someone will contact you.  (info@olionline.co.uk)

For more information have a look at these various links:

Kingston Churches Action on Homelessness

Joel Community Services

Pope Benedict’s Encyclical ‘Caritas In Veritate’ – Reflecting on the centrality of Justice and the Common Good in Christian faith

Pope Francis’ encyclical Evangelii Gaudium – The Joy of the Gospel

Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si – care for our common home

CAFOD  – The catholic overseas development agency for England and Wales

Justice-and-Peace.org.uk – the national Justice and Peace network

Pax Christi – Pax Christi is an international Christian peacemaking movement, based on the gospel and inspired by faith

The Fairtrade Foundation – The organisation behind the Fairtrade logo

Church Action on Poverty –  Church Action on Poverty is a national  ecumenical campaigning body

Christian Ecology Link – Ecumenical organisation concerned with bio-diversity

Campaign Against Arms Trade – UK organisation working to end the international arms trade

Christian CND – organisation working for the permanent elimination of nuclear weapons according to a fixed timetable

Fellowship Of Reconciliation – spiritually-based movement committed to active nonviolence

Please support the Kingston Food Bank.  Coordinators at OLI actively collect every month, with details in the parish newsletter.