Author Archives: Anthony Brown

2015 WORLD PEACE DAY, SUNDAY 18 JANUARY: slaves no more, but brothers and sisters

The Bishops of England and Wales invite us to make today a day of prayer for world peace and to reflect on the theme chosen by Pope Francis for the annual World Day of Prayer for Peace (celebrated in Rome and elsewhere on January 1st): ‘Slaves no more, but brothers and sisters’.  Perhaps we thought that slavery was a thing of the past, ended in the British Empire through the efforts of William Wilberforce, and long-since driven from the plantations that supply our food and the factories that produce the goods we use.  But in recent years we have begun to recognise many new forms of slavery alongside the older ones – the child soldiers in many foreign wars, for instance, and (more shocking still) people trafficked for domestic service, for sexual exploitation and for the drugs trade hidden within our own communities.

What all those forms of slavery have in common is a lack of respect for the God-given dignity of each person.  And we are caught up in this violation of the rights of our brothers and sisters whenever we choose not to care – about how our goods were produced and at what cost to others.  At the beginning of our Celebration, let us acknowledge our fault; and let us turn to Christ who came that all might belong and live as brothers and sisters under the one God.

For the full text of the Pope’s message follow the link  http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/12/10/day_of_peace_message__%E2%80%9Cno_longer_slaves,_but_brothers/1114217

PARISH FORUM WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY: REFLECT ON THE GIFT OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE

Tomorrow’s Parish Forum meeting (Wednesday 14 January) in Sabden majors on the Call, the Journey and the Mission of Marriage and Family Life. Many of you will have already read the reflections referred to on the back page of the Parish Newsletter but in case you want to read more you can find it at:

http://www.catholicnews.org.uk/reflect-on-marriage-and-family-2015

You can download the PDF document:  The Call, the Journey and the Mission which gives excellent scope for reflection prior to the Forum.

RELIGIOUS LEADERS PLEDGE TO WORK TOGETHER TO END SLAVERY BY 2020

Pope Francis and leaders of other churches and religions signed a declaration pledging to work together to help end modern slavery in the world by 2020. He urged governments, businesses and all people of good will to join forces against this “crime against humanity.” Tens of millions of people are “in chains” because of human trafficking and forced labour, and it is leading to their “dehumanisation and humiliation,” the Pope said at the ceremony on 2 December, the U.N. Day for the Abolition of Slavery.  Every human person is born with the same dignity and freedom, and any form of discrimination that does not respect this truth “is a crime and very often an abhorrent crime,” the Pope said.

Inspired by their religious beliefs and a desire “to take practical action,” the Pope and 11 leaders representing the Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox, Anglican, Buddhist and Hindu faiths made a united commitment to help eradicate slavery worldwide. The leaders signed the joint declaration at the headquarters of Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican Gardens. The signatories included: Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury; Rabbi David Rosen, international director of interreligious affairs for the American Jewish Committee; Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi, an influential Shiite scholar; and representatives signing on behalf of Ahmad el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar University – a leading Sunni Muslim institution in Cairo – and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

The declaration recognised that any action that fails to respect every person’s freedom and dignity “is a crime against humanity.” “We pledge ourselves here today to do all in our power, within our faith communities and beyond, to work together for the freedom of all those who are enslaved and trafficked so that their future may be restored,” it said. “Today we have the opportunity, awareness, wisdom, innovation and technology to achieve this human and moral imperative,” said the joint declaration, which was read aloud in English by a man from Ghana and in Spanish a woman from Mexico, both of whom had been victims of human trafficking and forced labor.

The initiative was organized by the faith-based Global Freedom Network, which was launched in March after a joint agreement by  the Vatican, Al-Azhar University and the Anglican Communion. According to the 2014 Global Slavery Index, almost 36 million people are currently caught in some form of modern slavery; the International Labour Organisation estimates that organised crime networks reap about 150 billion dollars a year from trafficking in persons, about 80% of that from prostitution. http://ncronline.org/news/global/pope-religious-leaders-pledge-work-together-end-slavery-2020

Watch a short clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnns_ct5c7c

Sign the declaration: http://www.globalfreedomnetwork.org/declaration/

Pope Francis: Never Forget the Victims of Trafficking

http://livingriver.eu/?page_id=1279 PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release – 5 December 2014

Pope Francis’ message to delegates gathered in London for Santa Marta Conference on Human Trafficking- “We must never forget the suffering of so many men, women and children.”

http://city-made.com/2010/04/17/327 Full Message  

“I extend greetings to you and all the delegates gathered for the conference to discuss continued efforts in the fight against human trafficking. I am deeply grateful to all present for your resolve in combating this evil and for your commitment to carry on the work begun at the conference held in the Vatican in April of this year. Your labours to promote ongoing dialogue on the legal remedies to human trafficking and on the essential care of those who suffer this enslavement are especially important because of the hidden nature of this crime. We must never forget, nor may we ignore, the suffering of so many men, women and children whose human dignity is violated through this exploitation. I thank the Home Secretary of the British Government, the Metropolitan Commissioner of Police, and the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for organizing this event and the delegates who demonstrate anew their commitment by their participation in this initiative. In assuring you that the Church remains steadfast in her pledge to combat human trafficking and to care for the victims of this scourge, I offer the promise of my prayers that Almighty God may bless and guide your efforts.

 

Franciscus P.P.”

Traffik Jam Concert A Resounding Success

The Parish Hall was full to capacity at the Traffik Jam concert at the Parish Centre on 31st October.  The event raised £2,222.50 for the Medaille Trust.  You may have noticed that the figure keeps going up.  It isn’t too late to add to it.  The Medaille Trust is a charity that provides safe houses for people rescued from human trafficking.  Starting with the Garage Band who played English and Irish music with a fine blend of lyrical ballads, comedy and banter, the concert moved onto Nyima Murry’s haunting folk/blues and some of her own compositions.  The evening finished with the hall echoing to the sounds of over two hundred voices singing popular songs along with Clitheroe Ukulele Orchestra.  It was an evening of fun in aid of a serious issue, the music ranging from light hearted sing alongs to the searing reality of human trafficking.  Nyima Murry sang a trafficking song specially composed for the occasion.

Speaking at the concert Anthony Brown said that the Medaille Trust has 6 safe houses, 3 for sex victims and 3 for men plus a family unit and an Albanian Unit.  Government figures for referrals of potential victims of trafficking  for 2013 in the UK were 1746, of which approximately two thirds were female and two thirds were sexual exploitation.  Nearly one third were minors.  These figures are known cases and represent the tip of an iceberg.  Locally, we are working with the Police via parishioner Detective Chief Inspector Sion Hall.  In East Lancashire there has only been one prosecution in recent years but there is no room for complacency.  The trafficking industry is massive world wide and growing and the Police need the public’s eyes and ears.

A large number of people and organisations have been very generous with their support and particular mention should be made of Sign Design, Burnley for their large outdoor posters and Jenny Press for their large free advert.   Donations and raffle prizes have been many but notably from the Lancaster Foundation, Manchester Football Museum, Ultraframe, Carter Leisure, Sitting Pretty, Byrnes Wine Shop, Townsend Records, Booths and Sainsburys.  Thanks to generous raffle prizes the raffle alone made £354 and sponsorship and donations amounted to £663.50.