Justice and Peace Commission’s Annual Assembly

The 2022 Annual Assembly of the Birmingham Catholic Justice and Peace Commission will take place online on three Monday evenings in late September/early October.

The first session, which will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 19 September, will focus on Tax Justice. The session will explore the role tax plays in our creation of a just and life-enhancing society and will look at how public opinions on tax are created and sustained, the social elements that tax enables, the values that it expresses and how faith speaks to the modern conversation that tax must always be reduced. The session will be facilitated by Sue Richardson, who worked for Christian Aid for 35 years and who has for the last decade been a Theological Adviser to the charity. Sue is Chair of Church Action for Tax Justice, a programme of the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility, which enables her to bring together her interests in economics and theology.

The second session, which will take place at 7.30pm on Monday 26 September, will focus on Asylum Seekers and Refugees. Facilitator Megan Knowles is the Communications and Development Manager at the Jesuit Refugee Service UK, leading a small team to accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of asylum seekers in the UK. Megan manages a team of staff and volunteers responsible for raising awareness and amplifying the voices and experiences of refugees which can lead to positive changes in their lives. Megan also leads on fundraising at JRS and her varied role takes her across the UK speaking to schools, parishes and communities about the work of JRS and the importance of welcoming refugees in our own communities.

The third session, which will take place at 7:30pm on Monday 3 October, will focus on poverty, energy prices and the rising cost of living. The session will look at the causes of poverty, tackling poverty as a movement and in partnership, working with communities for change. It will highlight initiatives such as ‘Your local pantry,’ the ‘Poverty Round Table,’ ‘Churches on the Margins,’ ‘Speaking truth to power’ and the ‘Challenge Poverty’ week. This session will be facilitated by Niall Cooper, who has been the Director of CAP for 25 years, playing a key role in the development of its work and campaigns. Niall has had extensive involvement in a wide range of work to raise awareness of and combat the causes of poverty.

Full information about the Annual Assembly can be found HERE. Register to attend HERE. The website of the Birmingham Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission is HERE.