By Matty Maslen – Bradford/Glasgow UniversityOn the 22nd January last year, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force. The treaty is a comprehensive prohibition on the development, production, stockpiling and use – or threat of use – of nuclear weapons. In other words, it is a legally binding agreement that […]
Peace
25 Mar – Commemorating the Assassination of St Oscar Romero
The chapel where Romero was assassinatedArchbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated by paramilitaries on 24 March 1980 whilst in the middle of saying mass in the chapel at a hospital for cancer patients.On 25th March, the Commission held a presentation of a film about his assassination and the subsequent journey to him […]
Ukraine – What should we do?
Ukraine is an independent country of 44.7 million people with an elected government and President taking its place in the United Nations. Yet, as a result of Russian military invasion and bombing attacks, nearly 2 million (mainly women and children) have had to leave their homes and flee the country as refugees seeking help from […]
28 Jan – War & Climate Change
This was the title of our January webinar led by Tim Devereux, Chair of the Movement for the Abolition of War. Tim spoke for about half an hour and the rest of the time was used in questions. After a brief scene setting about Climate Change itself, Tim went on to explore the greenhouse gas […]
02 Jan – Still Rolling with the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative
By Pat Gaffney, Vice President of Pax Christi in England and WalesThis article first appeared in Peace News in November 2020I am a cup-half-full sort of person, not I hope naïve, but encouraged by the hope-filled actions around me. In the last year this includes the strengthening of the Black Lives Matter movement, the persistence […]
John Hume RIP
By John Battle, Commission Chair(adapted from John’s universe article)Sorting family papers this summer, my wife’s father’s family in Derry turned up a handwritten letter to her Uncle Eddie from John Hume written in 2001. It congratulated him on his 80th birthday and thanked him for his key role in establishing the Credit Union with him […]
28 Aug – Hiroshima & Nagasaki remembered
It’s easy to get into a social justice silo: ‘I’m a peace activist’ or ‘we must do more about Climate Change’. Well, if you need any convincing of the connectedness of these issues then try this quote by Bruce Kent, President of MAW(Movement for the Abolition of War), Vice President of CND“The elephant in the […]
16 Jul – Bishop Marcus signs up to Anti-Nuclear Weapons Statement
By Tim Devereux (St Joseph’s Pudsey & Leeds Pax Christi)Our Bishop, Marcus Stock, has signed Christian CND’s ecumenical statement by clergy for the 75th Hiroshima/Nagasaki anniversary (6th & 9th August); my Parish Priest Father Peter Kravos has signed it; and yes, I did ask them to, and they responded promptly and positively. The statement does […]
30 Apr – Revolution of the Heart: The Dorothy Day story
A review by Carol BurnsThis new documentary by Martin Doblemeier (who has made a number of films previously about people such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Reinhold Niebuhr), is an engaging watch. It’s just less than an hour which makes is suitable for showing in small groups and it will certainly spark discussion. You can see […]
28 Oct – Drones and Modern Warfare
This is a precis of the talk given by Chris Cole (Director of Drone Wars UK and Vice Chair of Pax Christi UK) when he spoke at the Yorkshire Sabeel meeting in September. Although this talk focussed on the use of drones, Chris stressed the importance of looking at alternative thinking; to challenge the idea […]
12 Jun – New Pax Christi Director visits Leeds Diocese
Theresa Alessandro, the new Director of Pax Christi UK, visited the Leeds Diocese on 10 June. Pax Christi UK is the UK part of an international Catholic peace movement.Theresa had agreed to time her visit so that it coincided with the quarterly meeting of the full J&P Commission. John Battle, Chair of the Commission had […]
09 Apr – Disturbing the Peace
About 30 people turned out on 09 April to a film viewing sponsored by the Commission that took place at Mill Hill Chapel, City Square, in central Leeds. It was a film called “Disturbing the Peace” and it was an event jointly organised with the Leeds Pax Christi group.The film was introduced by Tricia Griffin […]
27 Jan – Holocaust Memorial Day in Huddersfield
Walking with the ‘Weeping Sisters’. A reflective account of this event by John Duffy, Commission member from Huddersfield. We meet in the cold dark outside the Jug & Bottle, people shuffling round, nodding to old friends, nobody anxious to be seen to be too happy, because we are walking through town to mark Holocaust Memorial […]
13 Nov – Remembrance is not enough Service
Here are some of the key points made by our guest speaker at our service at Mill Hill Chapel on 10 November. Solidarity is one of the basic concepts in Catholic Social Teaching: “We are all one family in the world. Building a community that empowers everyone to attain their full potential through each of […]
10 Oct – World War 1 Centenary Liturgy Booklet
A new liturgy resource has been published by the Justice & Peace Commission in conjunction with the Leeds Pax Christi group. It has the title of ‘Remembrance is not enough’. Copies of this booklet have recently been sent to all parishes and to all high schools. As Bishop Marcus puts it in his Foreword, “The […]