Christian communities have been urged to listen to the voices of poverty, especially in the context of increasing food costs, energy prices and tax rises.
The ecumenical charity Church Action on Poverty spoke out as it prepares to launch its ten-year national strategy in the north east on 27 February in Durham.
Fr Chris Hughes, parish priest at St Cuthbert’s and St Joseph’s, North Shields in Hexham and Newcastle Diocese, and the co-chair of Tyne and Wear Citizens, urged Catholic institutions to implement the real living wage.
He said: “This is an important tool in fighting poverty and giving a people a life where they are included in society and able to spend time with loved ones and family.”
The Catholic Social Action Network, the SVP in Scotland, the Jesuits in Britain, St Cuthbert's Care, the Franciscan Missionaries of Divine Motherhood and the Catholic Education Service have all been accredited as Living Wage Employers.
Just six dioceses of England, Wales and Scotland are on the list of those accredited. Fr Hughes said: “I think many Catholics will be surprised to see that of the 22 dioceses of England and Wales and the eight dioceses of the Scottish Bishop’s Conference, according to the Living Wage website, only six of these 30 dioceses have been accredited as a living wage employer – just 20 per cent of dioceses in England, Scotland and Wales.”
The accredited dioceses are Birmingham, Westminster, Brentwood, Salford, Paisley and Hexham and Newcastle.
Fr Hughes said: “Hearing and responding to these cries, as the cost-of-living spirals, cannot be an optional extra for our mission of the Church in this country or for the synodal process.”
Poverty Action Sunday is on 27 February. On that day the ecumenical charity Church Action on Poverty will launch its ten-year national strategy in the North-East at the United Reformed Church in Durham. The National Co-Ordinator of Church Action on Poverty, Niall Copper, will speak, alongside input from communities in the North-East that have experience of poverty and injustice.
“As we proceed with the Synodal Process, I wonder if we will hear the voices of poverty that we know are out there.” says Fr Hughes; “Hearing and responding to these cries, as the cost-of-living spirals, cannot be an optional extra for our mission of the Church in this country or for the Synodal Process.”
Links:
Poverty Action Sunday: www.church-poverty.org.uk/sunday/
Real Living Wage: www.livingwage.org.uk/
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