It is no longer possible to keep up with justice and peace issues without access to the internet. For those who have a home computer and broadband access this is usually quite easy. Entire worlds can be opened up through the internet, bigger than libraries. Through networks, we find ourselves at the gateway to hundreds of other sites too. Search engines throw up millions of sites in under a second. All of this, without leaving our home.

For those who don’t have a personal computer, access (and often training) is readily available through the local public library.

Like most things that promise godlike knowledge of good and evil, however, there is a serpent lying in wait for the unwary. We are encouraged to make sure we have proper protection against viruses, hackers and spyware for our computer. We are less likely, however, to be protected against the content of websites. On the web, anything goes! Easy uploading means that anything, good and bad, can and usually does find its way on to the web.

It is important therefore to exercise discrimination and caution about believing everything that you find on the web.

Wherever possible, use links from reputable or known sites. Check against other sites. Even if you find things you agree with on a website, you aren’t required to buy into everything else you may find there. The appearance of the word Catholic is no guarantee of orthodoxy; more often it is merely wishful thinking. So it is that the appearance of a site in the following list does not imply that Justice and Peace Scotland agrees with or approves everything that may appear on it.

Scottish Justice and Peace Issues

Our own website is at Justice and Peace Scotland. It aims to provide regularly updated information on campaigns and relevant issues, with links to areas of current concern as well as resources and information on Catholic Social Teaching.

The Scottish Catholic Media Office links into all the recent press notices and related media material for Catholic Scotland. A wider range of contacts including diocesan and parish websites is also maintained.

The Roman Catholic Parliamentary Office gives a perspective on parliamentary proposals affecting social and moral issues. Politics in Scotland is well served at the Scottish Churches’ Parliamentary Office. A regular update supplies lists of upcoming reports and legislation as well as copies of responses to the proposals. There are also links to all the denominations in Scotland and to the major media. It is possible to navigate around the workings of government in Scotland and the Scottish Parliament. Westminster also offers a broad range of links. To find your MP.

Catholic Social Teaching

The Vatican agency for Justice and Peace is the Pontifical Council Justitia et Pax, whose new website holds a great deal of archive material. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, is now available online, a major resource for anyone wishing to find the various papal pronouncements over the years. Its great advantage is its thematic organisation and its extensive indices.

Much interesting material can also be found in The Social Agenda This was put together as an interim collection pending the publication of the Compendium.

One of the most interesting and well arranged sites on CST can be found at the St Paul Minnesota Archdiocesan Office of Social Justice. Here are all the major documents, in full, with quotable extracts and with a search facility. There is also a splendid downloadable Power Point presentation on CST, great for a starting talk to a parish. Further there is a useful set of relections on the Lectionary.

Another massive website is the Justice section of the Theology Library maintained by Gerald Darring. Catholic Social Teaching is well served, but there are also sections on Justice and Peace and individual social issues; as well as liturgy, scripture and many other resources.

A useful website to get oriented on social justice in the Catholic tradition is maintained by Professor Joseph Incandela. Meant to accompany a Religious Studies course, it contains lots of items on all the major issues of social justice, many with a US base, but largely reliable links, and includes useful links on Catholicism in general. Worth copying and pasting on to a plain background for the sake of your eyes.

For a list of social documents stretching back to 1226 (along with major American statements) there is a full catalogue by Robert Waldrop.

Other Justice and Peace Commissions

Justice and peace in England and Wales is well covered by the National Network, while ecumenical dimensions are served by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.

Justice Education in Catholic Schools - a sub-group of the the Catholic Commission for Justice, Development and Peace, Melbourne, Australia contains resources and links on international and national social justice issues and articles on social justice education.

Social Justice

A good starting point is Church Action on Poverty at In Scotland, it is possible to subscribe to the Poverty Alliance Newsletter and use their excellent resources. A mass of useful data also is available from the New Policy site.

For social analysis, the Hill Connections - provides a simple technique with useful cross references.

On homelessness, the best starting point is Scottish Churches Housing Action.

More government hypocrisy can be followed through at the National Coalition for Anti Deportation Campaigns. Not the snappiest of names, and in danger of closing down, but here you’ll find all the latest information and links on the issue of asylum. Excellent information and briefing papers can be found at the Scottish Refugee Council. For the problem of refugees worldwide, the Jesuit Refugee Service provides enormous resources.

Aid and Development

SCIAF’s new website outlines current campaigns and fund raising initiatives. CAFOD is the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development and the English and Welsh arm of Caritas Internationalis. Development and relief work cannot on its own change the systems which keep half the world poor. Christian Aid integrates practical activity on the ground with global education, advocacy and campaigning -. Oxfam GB is a development, relief, and campaigning organisation.

BOND (British Overseas NGOs for Development) is the United Kingdom's broadest network of voluntary organisations working in international development (often called non-governmental organisations, or NGOs). There is an excellent directory of links.

Issues change in importance across time, but the debt/trade justice issues remain as urgent as ever. To find out more, Jubilee UK and Jubilee Scotland are great starters. The World Development Movement, is also a trenchant and well briefed critic. The Trade Justice Movement provides information on current campaigns too. These organisations all produce periodical reports, as well as press briefings and reports about major meetings and summits.

Peace

Peace in the Catholic tradition is well covered at the Theology Library, a vast listing of reliable resources. Pax Christi in its national and international sites provides a prophetic base of action. For almost half a century, much anti war and anti nuclear protest has been organised by CND. Conventionally criticised as a place for 'wooly heads in wooly hats' it has produced far better arguments against nuclear weapons than were ever produced in favour. Scottish CND is no less effective, especially with its recent campaign and online pledge, Scotland's for Peace. For a glimpse of the lies and hypocrisy of government arms dealing, as well as reports and campaigns, see Campaign Against the Arms Trade. Statistics for casualties of war can be found in great detail at 'man made megadeaths'.

The International Crisis Group - is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, which produces updates on areas of conflict in the world. One of the best independent sites on the Israel Palestine situation is Gush Shalom. A series of recommended sites can be accessed at The Other Israel.

Ecology

The best starting point for ecology is probably the environment page of the Theology Library. Christian Ecology Link is a multi denominational UK Christian organisation for people concerned about the Environment. Eco-congregation Scotland at is an ecumenical programme to help congregations understand environmental issues and make appropriate practical and spiritual responses. It organises local workshops and has great resources of downloadable modules for parish ecology audits.

News and Current Affairs

For current affairs, the best sources are the BBC (with World, UK and Scottish pages too) not least for the links to external sites that come with stories. At the Guardian you can get an immediate taste of the main stories with internal links to background reports and related stories, as well as external links to useful organisations. And unlike most other media sites, it’s all free. The Herald (and its valuable Sunday sister) at, and the Scotsman at, provide immediate local news, but you may have to pay for archived articles.

For current editions online see the Independent; Telegraph; Times; Financial Times.

Access the online editions of British media, and Scottish editions (some fairly minimal, albeit local).

Keep yourself up to date with world media. A really useful update on world issues with essays by expert analysts and comment by almost anybody can be subscribed to (free) at openDemocracy.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has a range of resources including a searchable online copy of the New American Bible, The Catechism, daily readings and liturgical calendar, as well as information on Social Justice issues.

And Finally…

Using the web for prayer can be a valuable way of slowing down the infinite distraction. The Sacred Space is an interactive prayer site run by the Irish Jesuits.

Issues come and go, sites appear and disappear. Please notify us if you discover broken links. We try to keep temporary resources on the main Justice and Peace website for as long as they are required. Of course if you don't find something relevant here you can always use a search engine, although this can be, literally, hit or miss. Exercise a little spiritual discipline on the endless possibilities and don't forget to come back from cyberspace into the real world.