We are the Saint Joseph’s Justice and Peace parish group. Our aim is to work within the Justice and Peace structure to formulate a response to justice issues locally and globally. We aim to do this by encouraging parishioners to take action through prayer, letter writing and/or appropriate non-violent actions.
Within this framework we have recently formed a parish eco-committee and are presently recipients of the bronze eco-congregation award. We have formed a deanery group with Saint Bridget’s and Saint Cadoc’s and welcome parishioners from their parish to our meetings. Our aim is to encourage all to lead more environmentally friendly lives in a spiritual and practical way.
All are welcome.
Lives of Women and Girls in Rwanda: A Lenten Reflection
We would like to invite you to attend an upcoming event we are hosting alongside our friends at SCIAF on the work being done to stop gender-based violence in Rwanda. Join us online next Thursday 21st March, at lunchtime, to hear from SCIAF and Justice & Peace in Scotland and Rwanda about the work they do to support women and girls impacted by gender-based violence to rebuild their lives, change social attitudes, and build a better future for themselves and their families. Register to attend by clicking the above image or in the description link below. Justice and Peace Scotland
Dear Justice and Peace Scotland Supporter,
We would like to invite you to attend an upcoming event we are hosting alongside our friends at SCIAF on the work being done to stop gender-based violence in Rwanda.
In April 1994, 100 days of mass genocide began in Rwanda. Up to one million people are thought to have died in the violence, including an estimated 500,000 women and children who brutally lost their lives. Thirty years on and Rwanda and its people are still recovering from the genocide that ripped their country apart.
Join us online next Thursday 21st March, at lunchtime, to hear from SCIAF and Justice & Peace in Scotland and Rwanda about the work they do to support women and girls impacted by gender-based violence to rebuild their lives, change social attitudes, and build a better future for themselves and their families. The event will also include opportunities for prayer and reflection as we continue through the season of Lent.
Register to attend by clicking here, or alternatively the flyer above will also take you to the registration page.
We hope this will be the first of many education and reflection events aiming to bring together supporters of both Justice & Peace Scotland and SCIAF. Your support in attending and spreading the word about next Thursday’s gathering is invaluable to making this initial event a success!
With many thanks,
Justice and Peace Scotland (The National Commission for Justice and Peace).
About Justice and Peace Scotland
The Scottish Justice and Peace Commission was formed in 1979. Its function is to act as the bishops’ advisory body on issues of social justice, human rights, peace, development and integrity of creation. It also has the responsibility of raising awareness of these issues within the Catholic community in Scotland. It does this through networking and offering support to both existing and newly formed local Justice and Peace groups. Policy is formulated in the context of the tradition of Catholic Social Teaching under the supervision of the Bishops’ Conference.
The constituency of Justice and Peace is over a thousand people out of an active Catholic population in Scotland of slightly less than 200,00. Each of Scotland’s eight dioceses is entitled to send an official representative to the National Commission. There is also space for youth and ecumenical representatives as well as representation from religious, clergy and SCIAF.
There are several ongoing campaigns, including environment, human rights and social justice.
For more information on Justice and Peace and their campaigns, see justiceandpeacescotland.org.uk.
Saint Joseph’s Justice and Peace
The Saint Joseph’s Justice and Peace group was one of the first to be formed after the formation of the Justice and Peace commission.
We have had much success over the years, campaigning through letter writing and lobbying. We have also moved to hosting open evening talks on a range of topics. These are under the heading of Integrating Life and Faith.
Current campaigns
SCIAF
A SCIAF campaign appealing for spiritual and financial support for the people in Gaza and encouraging us to write to MPs condemning the violence, calling for an immediate ceasefire and asking for signatories to their petition.
To sign the petition and more details visit: What does 2024 have in store for Gaza? | SCIAF
Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC)
We are currently concerned about the proposed bill of introducing ‘Safe Access Zones’ around abortion clinics. This “buffer zone” law would be the most extreme of its kind in the world and anticipates criminalising ‘audible prayer‘ and ‘silent vigils‘ and will even criminalise certain actions within private homes.
We are encouraged to write to our local MSPs to show our opposition to this ban.
For more details visit: www.spuc.org.uk/Article/385516/Scottish-Bill-proposes-massive-fines-for-pro-life-vigils
or for an email/letter template:
Buffer Zones – Catholic Parliamentary Office
Eco-committee (deanery group)
The newly formed parish deanery group, with Saint Cadoc’s and Saint Bridget’s hopes to heighten awareness of environmental issues and respond by leading more environmentally friendly lives. We use references from the Holy Father encyclical “Laudato Si” and “Laudato Deum”. Working within the eco-congregation framework we are hoping to work our way to a silver award in the future.
More information about eco-congregation and its aims can be found here: ecocongregationscotland.org.
Current events
(More information soon.)
Meeting details and recent minutes
Our next meeting: Tuesday 26th March in Saint Joseph’s meeting room at 7:30pm.
Click Here to access the most recent minutes
Contact us
We welcome all new members, please contact John Seenan if you are interested.
Telephone: 01416442725.