FIFTEENTH MEETING OF THE JUSTICE AND PEACE GROUP AT ST JOSEPH’S SUNDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2006

The meeting opened with the Prayer for Peace

PRESENT: Bernadette Smith, Sandy McLaughlin, Maria Lawler, Heather and Mike Gerrard, Jeanette Baty, Soline Pearson, Pauline and Pat Hopkins.

APOLOGIES: Pat Neville, Monica Metcalfe, Jen Dickinson.

1 JUSTICE AND PEACE AGM BIRMINGHAM 2006 Sandy gave an informative review of the stimulating meeting that she, Heather, Bernadette and Frances attended. It was a day packed with addresses from Archbishop Vincent, author Gerry Hughes and the General Secretary of Pax Christi Pat Gaffney, followed by the opportunity to join one of several interests groups. Sandy summed up the message of the day as “God’s peace or Romans peace”

2 CAFOD FUNDRAISING EVENING IN ALCESTER 28 SEPTEMBER 2006 Mike gave an account of this event which was also attended by Heather, Bernadette, Sandy, Jen, Pauline and Pat. The CAFOD representative, Helen Moseley, spoke enthusiastically about her visit to Ethiopia with a group of young CAFOD volunteers to see the various projects initiated by CAFOD working with other agencies and the local people. £325 was raised for CAFOD on that evening.

3 CAFOD WORLD GIFTS The Christmas catalogues are available in our church porch. So many people find buying Christmas presents a heavy burden, perhaps we could encourage family and friends to give “Gifts that make a difference” to quote CAFOD’S slogan.

4 A COPY OF BIRMINGHAM CAFOD’S NEWSLETTER AND THE CAFOD 2005-2006 REVIEW were handed out to be circulated between J & P members.

5 2006 GREETINGS CARD CAMPAIGN We were very pleased to learn that Helen Berhane of Eritrea, who was featured last year in St Joseph’s Newsletter, has recently been released. However due to the harsh conditions and torture she experienced she is now confined to a wheelchair. For the 2006 Campaign the group decided to highlight two causes:

(a)(WOZA) WOMEN OF ZIMBABWE ARISE. This group of women vigorously campaign for human rights, and have repeatedly been arrested. In the current issue of The Tablet, page 34, Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo reports that an estimated 3,500 Zimbabweans die from a “unique convergence of malnutrition, poverty and Aids” each week. More people die in Zimbabwe than in Darfur.

(b)REVEREND BIENVENIDO SAMBA MOMESORI of Equatorial Guinea is a Protestant pastor who was arrested at his church in 2003, and has been held since without charge or trial. Amnesty International believes he was arrested solely because of his peaceful political opinions. Rev. Samba’s family visit about every five months and are able to take food or money for food and medicines, as the prison does not provide treatment for chronic illnesses, and food provision is inadequate in all prisons in the country. The family told Amnesty International they are very ‘impressed and thankful’ for the many cards they received through the Greetings Card campaign 2005, and would appreciate further messages.

Leaflets and Booklets were handed out at the meeting and will be available in Church.

6 PEACE SUNDAY 14 JANUARY 2007 A church collections will be taken for Pax Christi, which depends solely on money from collections and subscriptions

THE MEETING CLOSED WITH THE CAFOD PRAYER – LIVESIMPLY.

In the November 2006 issue of CATHOLIC TODAY Archbishop Vincent writes: I want to encourage you to take up the invitation of a LIVESIMPLY campaign being brought to us by a range of Catholic organisations. It is being launched on the Feast of Christ the King. It invites us to simplify our lifestyle so that there truly is room for Christ in our hearts, so that we become more aware of the needs of the poorest and so that we do not take too much of the goods of our fragile planet.