Cafod is urging Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to take radical action to fight climate change and keep “1.5 alive” in response to the launch of the latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Neil Thorns, director of advocacy at Cafod, said: “How many crystal-clear red alerts on the climate crisis do we need before we take the urgent and meaningful action?” Sciaf said: “This landmark report shows 3 billion people are now highly vulnerable to climate impacts, and these are by and large in Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the Pacific.”
Christian leaders have joined more than 80 faith group representatives in calling the UK government to change course over a controversial policing bill. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill, now in the final stages before being passed into law. The letter, addressed to all members of parliament, refers to sections of the bill that turn trespass from a civil to a criminal offense as "a direct attack on Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities,” and asks politicians to support amendments moderating proposed changs. Signatories warn that changes like the introduction of a “noise limit” on protests would likely impact prayer vigils and public worship as well as demonstrations.
The Church in Scotland has called the Scottish Government’s proposed set of National Child Protection guidelines “morally bankrupt”. The new rules ask teachers, social work staff and police to “respect the privacy” of children aged 13, 14, and 15 who engage in “safe and mutually respectful” sexual relationships with peers of the same age. While recognising such behaviour is illegal, the guidelines state, professionals working with children should in general “maintain confidentiality” about such matters, including on whether to inform parents. Critics accuse the policy of “effectively lowering the age of consent” and a spokesperson for the Church stated that the change “fundamentally undermines child protection”.
A Catholic general has been appointed the new Chief of Defence Staff, the head of the British Army. General Sir Patrick Sanders will take over the role in June 2022. The general, who was educated at Worth and commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets in 1986, has extensive operational experience in Northern Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and has spoken candidly about the depression he suffered after his troops suffered heavy casualties during the withdrawal from Basra. He has praised the role of chaplains in the armed forces, and was the most senior British officer to attend the sixtieth International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes in 2018.
The Home Office has suggested that the UK immigration system “indirectly” discriminates against natives of predominantly-Catholic countries, although this is, an official report states, the result of language requirements rather than “direct” discrimination. In an “Equality impact assessment of the points-based immigration system,” published 23 February, the Home Office notes that nationalities with the “poorest levels of English” tend to be from “predominantly Catholic countries” like Poland, Portugal and Spain. A “points-based” immigration system that emphasises language skills, the report states, “may disproportionately disadvantage EEA citizens from predominantly Catholic countries,” and favour predominantly Protestant nations with higher levels of English-language literacy, such as Sweden or Norway.
Women’s protests against war and for action on climate change and injustice are mounting around International Women's Day on 8 March. Women in Black London, an international network of women against militarism and war, continue to focus on Ukraine and Russia in their weekly vigils on Wednesday evenings at the Edith Cavell statue in central London. Their message is, "No military solutions for Ukraine and Russia," according to Pat Gaffney, a former director of Pax Christi. She reports that included in this is reference to the neglected role of women's participation in conflict prevention and peace negotiations and the need to learn from and offer solidarity to the nonviolent resistance of people in Ukraine and Russia. The theme for International Women’s Day on 8 March 2022 is: “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.” Columban Sister Kate Midgley and Christian climate activist Melanie Nazarth are involved with a 24-hour prayer and fasting Vigil outside Parliament 6-20 March, organised by a new group, Beyond Fossil Fuels Together. It aims to pressure the UK government to end dependence on coal, oil and gas. The UK’s Laudato Si’ Movement animators are supporting this vigil. Meanwhile,the National Board of Catholic Women has launched its consultation on the synod, focusing on women in the Church, and asking a question about gender justice in the Church: “What obstacles stand in the way of you as a woman fully participating in the Church?”
William Nolan, formerly the Bishop of Galloway, was installed as Archbishop of Glasgow last Saturday. Archbishop Nolan was installed in the presence of Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, the Scottish Bishops and representatives of most of Glasgow’s parishes. Speaking prior to the installation, Archbishop Nolan said that he was “convinced that the flame of faith is very much alive in Glasgow, even among those who no longer practise their faith” and pledged himself to encourage and nurture that faith. In his homily the new Archbishop referred to the challenges that had faced the Church in recent years. He apologised to victims of sexual abuse, but thanked them for coming forward; and he praised the city’s clergy for their open-hearted handling of the pandemic. Long recognised as Scotland’s “justice and peace Bishop” he called on Catholics to “persevere with hope”, sounding a more measured note with his reference to the number of Catholics who had, through apathy or in response to Church scandals, lost the joy of being Catholic, something which he pledged himself to rekindle.
Ahead of Temperance Sunday, the Irish Bishops’ Drugs Initiative launched a new podcast to raise awareness of the impact gambling, drugs and alcohol addiction is having on young people’s lives. Episodes of the “Leave Your Mark” podcast feature sports stars and community leaders speaking about the challenges they faced, as well as professionals discussing the growing problem of addiction among young people. Two GAA sports stars, Conn Kilpatrick of Tyrone and Oisín McConville of Armagh, share their personal experiences of gambling addiction.“Addiction is a frightening aspect of life in Ireland today,” Bishop Michael Router of the IBDI said. Welcoming the new podcast series, he warned that gambling “is destroying lives and livelihoods” and is interwoven with popular sports events. “Across Ireland, the colocation of pubs and bookies exemplifies how people can be exposed to the influence of addiction,” Bishop Router said. He said he hoped that podcasts would provide guidance and hope to people that there is a way out of addiction and there are services to turn to. The podcasts will be used for schools and community groups as part of a healthy lifestyle programme offered by the initiative.
The Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain Ms Zara Mohammed, former Archbishop of Canterbury Revd Dr Rowan Williams, the Bishop of Dover, leading Rabbis and senior Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist representatives are among more than 1000 faith leaders who have written to the prime minister urging him to reconsider the Nationality and Borders Bill. The leaders, representing the six major faith groups in the UK, said they are “horrified and appalled about the potential repercussions” of the Bill and called on Boris Johnson to make urgent changes.
Green Christian, celebrating its fortieth birthday year, is calling on people to sow seeds for the future in its Lent Appeal, “rooted and grounded”. Supporters pledged to sow a seed on Ash Wednesday and sharing news about how plants are getting on throughout Lent.
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