Justice and peace activists discuss ‘active, practical hope’

Politicians and local community organisers were among 160 people gathered in Derbyshire last weekend for the 2024 annual weekend conference of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales.

Conference chair Sir John Battle, a former MP and a patron of NJPN, said at the start that the weekend was “about active, practical hope” coming so soon after the general election and with the theme, “just politics”. He constantly emphasised that the imperative of Catholic Social Teaching inspired vision and social action by Catholics.

The first speaker at the 46th annual conference was Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, Anglican Bishop of Chelmsford, who has served in the House of Lords for three years. She regretted that “trust in politics is at a 40-year low” and called for “a politics which serves every community”. She said politically-engaged Church groups are inspired by the Gospel message of Christ “which is inherently political” and affirmed Caritas groups and others who are already engaging with MPs. She herself has been active on such social issues as housing, immigration and asylum. She noted that the Trussell Trust is among those assisting poor families in the UK that are raising awareness of the imperative to tackle poverty at its sources as well as feeding the hungry through foodbanks.

Sir John Battle thanked Bishop Guli for being “a visionary example of political engagement, powerfully showing the need for a faith voice”.

Molly Scott Cato, professor emerita of green economics and former member of the European Parliament, called for more citizenship education, citizens’ assemblies and engaging with the democratic process.  Steve Whiting, former manager of the Quaker programme “turning the tide”, also underlined the importance of political lobbying on justice and peace issues. Many of them were highlighted on stalls including Palestinian goods and Fairtrade chocolate.

A team from Tyne and Wear Citizens, including Fr Chris Hughes of Hexham and Newcastle Diocese, led an action-planning session, after reporting on their own campaigns for a living wage, fair bus fares for students and park maintenance and development. Fr Hughes called for more dioceses to become “living wage employers”. Representatives from several dioceses pledged to lobby against the two-child cap on benefits, which has pushed many families into poverty. Pax Christi England and Wales expressed interest in community organising techniques for planning its autumn campaigning against arms fairs.

Cafod and SVP spoke about their “year of encounter” programme, following up on their successful mobilising of the Catholic voice in the general election in more than 300 parishes and 200 constituencies and during which, 123 parishes organised hustings. Caritas Social Action Network spoke about their “do justice” campaign and urged ongoing political engagement. Those present included justice and peace activists from 10 dioceses and four religious orders. Csan chief executive Raymond Friel said, “We can be something powerful when we work together for social justice.”

Eight young adults received a standing ovation after they spoke to delegates about their hopes and dreams for the future and dialogue with political and Church leaders. Michael Chambers of Million Minutes reported on research findings that just 47 per cent of young people felt the Church cared “a lot” about social justice.

Intolerant language towards refugees by politicians was singled out for criticism and also sexism in churches, such as the use of non-inclusive language.

The conference Mass was celebrated by Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, chair of Westminster Justice and Peace Commission. He urged the congregation “to pass on a message of great hope, proclaiming a kingdom of justice and peace”. Bidding prayers called for “just and caring politics” and for campaigners “to model a better way of living and being in our communities so that we can be an inspiration for a just politics”.

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