St. Mary’s College, Middlesbrough hosts November Justice and Peace meeting.

Students from St. Mary’s College, Middlesbrough hosted the November meeting of the Justice and Peace Commission. This is the fourth of our meetings that has been facilitated by students from schools and colleges in the diocese. Again we were encouraged and inspired by the range of issues they presented.

Using audio and visual material four members of the Chaplaincy/CAFOD group –Alex Bailey, Elizabeth Russell, Lisa Williams and Sean O’Neill gave us an overview of activities they had undertaken and of campaigns they had been involved in. These included: inviting people seeking Asylum to the college and sharing their poetry and song; organising the CAUSE Christmas Hamper campaign and the shoe box appeal; organising a Hunger lunch to raise funds for CAFOD, promoting Fair Trade and attending Springboard 2007.
Inspired by the film ‘Blood Diamond’ they had taken part in CAFOD’s Unearth Justice campaign by creating a Gold Chain Petition which they presented to Argos. It was obvious that the group have a real sense of commitment to justice and peace issues and have creative ideas about possibilities for the future.

The second part of the morning was given over to a moving presentation from Francis Rowney and Sarah Walkington who had been part of the Holocaust Educational Trust visit to Auschwitz. We were made aware of the power of the place to affect those who visit. To be present at the site of such an atrocity and to experience the actual environment had indeed made a deep impression . Many of the pictures spoke louder than words – we must never forget – and we must continue to be aware of its message to us today.

We then moved to the library for the concluding liturgy created by Andrew Gardner and ably assisted by musicians – Elizabeth Jayasuriya, Christianne Lombard, Dominique Finn and Phil Gardner.

It was a superb morning and we are hopeful that it will enable closer co-operation between the Commission and the College. We are very grateful to all those who contributed to such a stimulating event and to Len Collings for co-ordinating the day.

Barbara Hungin

Chair J&P Commission.