Catholic Social Justice

Catholic Children's Society

We had a visit from Emily Mundon from the Catholic Children's Society. She gave us some important information about the work that this charity does and how our support can help vulnerable people this Lent.

Creation and environment 

Who turned the wonderworld of the seas into underwater cemeteries bereft of colour and life?

Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, 1988

In the first pages of the Bible we read how God created the sun and the stars, the water and earth, and every creature. We believe Christ is the redeemer of all creation.

In 2015, Pope Francis brought together decades of Church teaching in the encyclical, Laudato Si’. In this deeply influential letter, Pope Francis invites everyone on the planet to consider how our actions are affecting the earth and the poorest people. Everything is interconnected, and all of creation praises God. It is our Christian vocation to care for creation.   

Laudato Si' Week May 2022

Laudato Si' encyclical from Pope Francis

Pope Francis' 2015 encyclical Laudato Si' remains a profound invitation to everyone on the planet to care for our common home.

Laudato Si' Week 2022, to be held May 22-29, will mark the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis' landmark encyclical on creation care. The theme for this year's week is “Listening and Journeying Together" and the week will be guided by Pope Francis’ words in Laudato Si’: “Bringing the human family together to protect our common home” (LS 13).

The Eco Leaders and School Chaplaincy Team will lead on activities and initiatives we can sustain in our effort to help God's Creation. We will create a school display and share photos of the week on our website shortly. 

Caritas Ambassadors - The Year 5 pupils have been working with Ms John to develop the Caritas Ambassadors. As a school we have been discussing the terrible tragedy that is happening in Ukraine and the Caritas Ambassadors wanted to do something to help. On Friday 8th April, the children and staff wore yellow and blue to symbolise their solidarity with the Ukrainian children and people suffering because of the ongoing war, raising money for the DEC. All the money will go to a good cause - DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee).Please find time to share the link below of an interview by children of the Prime Minister explaining why the children took part in the Ukraine day appeal, and the other activities.https://schools.firstnews.co.uk/ukraine/?dm_i=6XUK,4DME,15ZLFW,HSLY,1

CAFOD Family Fast Day Lent Appeal

Family Fast Day is next Friday 11 March, a day when we eat simply and give generously. We remember that
there are many people who need our love and
support all around the world, especially as we are
seeing now in Ukraine, families affected by
conflict. You can donate by visiting:
https://cafod.org.uk/Give/Donate-to-CAFOD/Lent-Appeal

Wrap Up London Campaign

Our St Anthony Class Caritas Ambassadors have been working to support Hands On London Charity with their Wrap Up London Project. This is a project to provide old coats to help the homeless, refugees, elderly and families in need, keep warm this winter. As we are in the heart of King's Cross where homelessness is particularly prevalent, this was a cause very close the the heart of our community. We are so thankful to all our families who donated their unused coats and jackets. We will continue to support this project and will update you in the coming months on how you can support our Caritas Ambassadors.

COP 26 - Climate Summit

Campaign for the climate

The destruction of our land, oceans and forests is threatening people's homes and their ability to earn a living.

In November, governments from across the world gather to discuss how to tackle the climate emergency at COP26. It’s vital for the Catholic community to demand that our leaders act now to protect our common home.

We will be launching our Sustainability week 15-19 November to support the cause and play our play our part in addressing the crisis. Details to follow.

Prayer for the COP26 climate summit

Loving God,
We praise your name with all you have created.

You are present in the whole universe,
and in the smallest of creatures.

We acknowledge the responsibilities you have placed upon us
as stewards of your creation.

May the Holy Spirit inspire all political leaders at COP26 as they
seek to embrace the changes needed to foster a more sustainable society.

Instil in them the courage and gentleness to implement fairer solutions
for the poorest and most vulnerable,
and commit their nations to the care of Our Common Home.

We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ your Son.

Amen

How can I be more sustainable? 

Everything we do in our lives can have an impact on the planet, but it's small changes which could help you to reduce your environmental impact and be more sustainable. Here are some tips and ideas on how to be more sustainable: 

• Save energy - there are many ways you can save energy - switching off standby appliances can make a big difference, turning your heating down or not using a tumble drier to dry clothes can also help!
• Recycle - make sure you recycle everything you can - from compostable waste to plastic bottles!
• Use reusable items - try to use reusable items instead of single-use items like plastic bottles, or plastic carrier bags. You can replace plastic bottles with metal bottles that can be used again and again!
• Grow your own food - not only is this fun, but it is also great for the environment to grow your own fruit and vegetables. 
• Save water - you can save water by getting a water butt in the garden - it will fill up when it rains and then this water can be used for gardening
• Drive less - try to walk, ride a bike or even use public transport - this will help reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Another option if you are going on a long journey is to car share, this is better than 2 cars driving to the same place. 
• Sustainable clothing - fast fashion is one of the biggest causes of pollution - buying more clothes from charity shops or sustainable and eco-friendly brands will lessen the impact of this industry on the planet. 
• Go paperless - lots of companies encouraging going paperless, such as getting electronic bank statements rather than letters. 
• Eat less meat - the production of meat is another big cause of pollution and climate change. By eating less meat you can help reduce the impact the industry has on the planet. 
• Use more eco-friendly cleaning products - some cleaning products may contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Using more eco-friendly products can help lessen the negative impact. Also, the cosmetic and makeup industry also has a negative impact on the environment, so you could try to use more eco-friendly and animal friendly products to reduce the impact.

Novena to Saint Francis

For a world under threat

Nine brief reflections asking St Francis of Assisi to pray for us and our world, based on his beautiful Canticle of the Sun. 

This novena is a song of penitence and praise, guiding us to care for the earth and for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers, especially the Amazon peoples. They are currently under grave risk from coronavirus, given their fragile situation, often in remote locations far from government services.

Communities with whom we work are reporting a sharp increase in predatory attacks on land. People smugglers are also active and those being trafficked are in more danger than ever, having no access to healthcare.

The pandemic shows us that “we have not heard the cry of the poor and our seriously ill planet” warns Pope Francis, describing this as "a time to choose what matters and what passes away". (Urbi et Orbi, 2020)

We will pray this Novena as a school community from Monday 8th November until Thursday 18th November. Please join us in this prayer - each day the prayer will be shared on the communication platforms and the website. 

Caritas Ambassadors is a programme for both primary and secondary schools created by Caritas Westminster. It aims to equip pupils with a strong understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and how we can put it into action in our daily lives. 

The programme runs through six key themes of Catholic Social Teaching and helps the trainee ambassadors to think about social justice issues in their local community, before taking them through responding by developing and running their own social action project. It also introduces them to the work of Caritas Westminster, offering practical examples of how Catholic Social Teaching influences their work. 

The Caritas Ambassadors become leaders of social action in their school and are responsible for sharing what they have learnt with those around them. They can share the work of Caritas Westminster with others, but especially share their increased understanding of the issues faced by their local community, and how they and their fellow pupils can address these to create a fairer society. 

The programme focuses on the group developing their own ideas, and taking responsibility for creating and running their social action projects themselves. It guides them to use the Give, Act, Share, Pray model to design their project, looking at how they can give their time and skills to act to support those in need, and sharing this work with others through awareness raising and prayer.  

Caritas Westminster also run assemblies in participating schools relating to Catholic Social Teaching, refugees, homelessness, food poverty, isolation, or a general overview of the work that Caritas does across the diocese.

Website: https://www.caritaswestminster.org.uk/

Twitter: @CaritasWestm