JUSTICE & PEACE GROUP

The Justice and Peace Group from The Church of Our Saviour is a group of parishioners who meet together each month under the coordination of Hiroto Fujiwara. The aim is to pull together the outreach activities in the parish and to help maintain a common focus on why we are carrying out these charitable activities. We believe that it is very important for us to show solidarity as a parish in carrying out the will of God with the aim of making His world a better place for the many who are suffering needlessly.

New members are always welcome. The group meets at the church approximately once a month. Exact dates are in the bulletin and in the monthly calendar. Contact: Chris Khouw

• Switching to a renewable energy supplier. The Parish is now powered by renewable energy and carbon-offset gas. This means that the electricity we use is not produced using oil or gas (leaving more for the future), so we don't emit CO2 and contribute to climate change. Also, our supplier ‘Greenchoice’ pays to plant trees to re-absorb the CO2 emitted by the gas we burn for heating
• Installing low energy lights. The church building is now fitted with low energy lights that reduce our lighting consumption by some 30% while still producing the same amount of light. While the bulbs are more expensive, they last longer and cost less to run, so it makes economic sense. Good for the purse and good for the environment.
• Using Biodegradable products at Food Fair 2009. This year's disposable materials including plates, cutlery and even plastic bags and cups were made from bioplastics. This means that Food Fair didn't use up as much landfill for our waste as we did last year, and that the materials to make these products were grown sustainably rather than extracted from a limited resource. Next year we aim to improve the range of products, their quality and cost.
• Issuing a Sustainability Questionnaire. Many parishioners were interviewed by youth volunteers at the Food Fair about their use of sustainable solutions. This was very helpful to guide the Green Team initiatives for 2010. Anyone interested in the results of the questionnaire should contact the Green Team.
• Reducing paper use - The Parish Council decided to publish a bulletin every two weeks. On the weekends in-between we will publish any updates on the back of our ‘Sunday Plus’ page.

LET'S MAKE IT OUR MISSION!
THE WORLD MILLENNIUM GOALS

WHO MAKES UP THE JUSTICE & PEACE GROUP?

The groups which are represented include Amnesty International, Fair Trade, Charities Committee, Liturgy, MIcrofinance Group, St Egidio, Students. Any parish member who can spare time to contribute to ideas and their development is very welcome to join us -we need all the support we can get. However, you don't even have to be a member of the group to contribute -we can all find achievable ways to help (see examples later).

WHAT DOES THE GROUP DO?

There are many things which we can do to promote Justice and Peace in our society - some big, some small. When a good cause is identified, the group makes a plan of action and pulls together the necessary parties to help. Even very small actions can help contribute to alleviating some of the injustices which our world is suffering.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR US?

As Catholics, we believe that all God's people have the right to a just and peaceful life. However, there will always be occasions when these basic human rights are infringed by an erosion of justice and peace. Our fundamental desire to help with outreach activities is given maximum impact through the Justice and Peace group. Members pool their talents for the greater good of all.

WHEN DO WE ACT?

For the yearly Lenten and Advent campaigns, a special cause is identified and fundraising efforts planned. When opportunities to collaborate with other groups and organisations are seen, these are also taken (e.g. the campaign to inlfuence the 2005 G8 meeting to help Africa or our support for the St Egidio work with the homeless). When a member of the group identifies an issue then it is addressed in a timely way. We meet on the last Thursday of each month (from 8-10pm) usually in the Green Room at the church.

WHERE DO WE FOCUS OUR ACTIVITIES?

There are conflicts all around us -most of our activities relate to our immediate neighbourhood because it is too difficult to conquer problems in far off places. It is better to take a local problem that we can really solve than to try to do too much. However we keep ourselves aware of world issues and try to help where we can see a concrete action.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Choose a small action:

• Next time you log on to the Internet take 5 minutes to read one of the websites below. Keep yourself informed of world affairs and problems though the media and books
• Discuss with your friends and colleagues - help to make the world aware in your own small way
• Visit a 'Wereld Winkel' (Fair Trade shop) at least once a month - It's easy to do because on the first weekend of every month the Fair Trade shop at the church is open for you after Mass.
• Choose a product from Fair Trade and stick to it -it doesn't have to be coffee! Buy gifts for your family and friends from Fair Trade outlets
• Give your children pocket money to spend in the Wereld Winkel and explain why (recommended for senior school children)
• Discuss negative aspects of war and conflict with your children when they are old enough (seniors)
• Sign the Amnesty letters after Mass each month
• Come to Mass a bit earlier and help with setting up tables for Amnesty or Fair Trade

Take part in an outreach activity:

• Come to the Justice and Peace meetings.
• Volunteer to be on the team of Amnesty helpers after Mass
• Try to influence your place of work to move to Fair Trade coffee and tea

salt.claretianpubs.org
www.fairtrade.nl
www.amnesty.org
www.amnesty.nl

Above all, remember those who are suffering acts of injustice in your prayers - together we can make an impact.

CLOSING THOUGHTS ......

Dignity of the Human Person
All people are sacred, made in the image and likeness of God. People do not lose dignity because of disability, poverty, age, lack of success, or race. This emphasises people over things, being over having.

Community and the Common Good
The human person is both sacred and social. We realize our dignity and rights in relationship with others, in community. "We are one body; when one suffers, we all suffer." We are called to respect all of God's gifts of creation, to be good stewards of the earth and each other.

Rights and Responsibilities
People have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education and a fulfilling occupation. All people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to respect the rights of others in the wider society and to work for the common good.

Option for the Poor
The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation. We are called to look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect the poor.

Dignity of Work
People have a right to decent and productive work, fair wages, private property and economic initiative. The economy exists to serve people, not the other way around.

Solidarity
We are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice.

Care for God's Creation
The goods of the earth are gifts from God. We have a responsibility to care for these goods as stewards and trustees, not as mere consumers and users.

WEERAMANTRY INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR PEACE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

This is a Centre For The Promotion Of Peace Through Intercultural Understanding and the following two extracts from its Constitution highlight the basic need for us all to be aware of Justice and Peace issues.

• It is a matter of deep concern that, while current global forces are demolishing geographical barriers and moving the world towards a global economy, the cultural and other divisions between people tend to be strengthening, thereby alienating people from each other rather than bringing them together.
• This Centre takes as its fundamental premise the proposition that a major cause of these conflicts is a lack of understanding of each other's points of view and that this lack of understanding is itself based on a lack of understanding of each other's historical, cultural and economic backgrounds. Ancillary to this fundamental premise is the assumption that lack of understanding and its associated problems need to be urgently addressed by a concentrated program of research and education at all levels. It is the object of this Centre to playa significant role in addressing this much neglected task.