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30/06/2017

Seeking justice – and a future - for Zambia’s street children

Marian Pallister, Justice & Peace commissioner for the diocese of Argyll & the Isles and founder of the Argyll-based charity ZamScotEd (www.zamscoted.org.uk ) writes our new blog, a moving insight into the life of street children in Zambia.

Rose sang us a song. It was a gospel number - more Janice Joplin than Charlotte Church, despite her young age. Before pulling her scarf to her face and breathing deeply into the material stretched across her hand, she said she’d sung in her church choir.

After a few minutes in 14-year-old Rose’s company, my nose began to run. I felt nauseous and dizzy and remembering my days as a journalist investigating substance abuse some decades ago, I knew these were the classic symptoms of sniffing solvents. Rose’s ‘substance’ smelled like the cheapest of lighter fuels.

In Scotland, laws have prevented the sale of glue and butane gas to children for many years. But in Zambia in 2017, the economic downturn has increased the street children problem, and the substances available on the street have become more deadly. The children – some as young as eight, many in their early teens like Rose – use empty plastic bottles to concentrate the poison. Or like Rose, they simply pour it onto a piece of cloth that passes for a scarf or the cuff of a ragged sleeve. Then they breathe deeply to assuage their hunger and anaesthetise them into a disturbed sleep that helps pass the night.

One of Rose’s friends was heavily pregnant. It was difficult to judge how old the boys were - their bodies pre-pubescent because of the lack of nourishment. At other sites around Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city, we met boys huddled around braziers and children who swarmed around the gratings of supermarkets. The temperature in Zambia can sink as low as 5 degrees during the night at this time of year.

When Fr Renato Sesana, known as Fr Kizito, set up the Mthunzi Children’s Project in 2001, the street children problem was bad. I had attended a pan-African AIDS conference in Zambia at the end of the 1990s when it had been discussed as an outcome of the HIV-AIDS pandemic that would have to be addressed. I was introduced to the Mthunzi orphanage in 2002 and in the coming years set up a charity in Argyll to support the education of its residents. As our role changed, so did our name and we are now ZamScotEd, supporting education of vulnerable children in the wider community. Support in our diocese and beyond has been generous.

The first residents at Mthunzi had sniffed glue. But few of those children had been addicted and their progress (some now work in a range of jobs including social work, accountancy, journalism and nursing) was not impeded once they were well fed and nurtured at the orphanage.

The world economy, however, has intensified the effects of poverty in countries like Zambia. Jeremy Corbyn asked if it was right that so many people in the UK have no home and only a street to live in. Of course it isn’t. But with Nigel Farage calling for a curtailment of overseas aid, it is little children in countries like Zambia whose very lives are threatened .

Rose may die before anyone gives her the chance to sing in her church choir again. Meanwhile, Mthunzi outreach social worker Edward Kambole hopes 11-year-old Joseph can be admitted to Mthunzi before more harm befalls to him. Joseph had been beaten up the night we met him and was terrified.

Our chain of action offers rescue from the streets, rehabilitation, followed by education that can break the poverty cycle. But ZamScotEd can only spit against the rainy season. A decent overseas aid budget that seeks to address gender and poverty issues can affect real differences in terms of migration and peace. Meanwhile, we’re working for justice for Rose, Joseph, and all the Zambian kids whose bellies are empty.

23/06/2017

Dona Nobis Pacem - The 59th International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes

This week Fr Kevin Dow, Chaplain to the Forces and Justice & Peace Commissioner for the Archdiocese of St Andrews & Edinburgh writes our latest blog on his pilgrimage to Lourdes with 20,000 members of the armed forces.

It might seem strange to read a blog about anything military on the Justice and Peace website, but we must remember that the members of the Armed Forces are our brothers and sisters, in need of pastoral care and deserving of our love and respect as men and women created in the image and likeness of God .

Last month saw the 59th annual pilgrimage take place for the various Armed Forces throughout the world. The Pilgrimage, begun in 1958 as an act of reconciliation between French and German troops after WWII, is now an act of international fraternity and celebration, fostering camaraderie between soldiers, sailors and air personnel of the nations that take part. This year 41 countries participated, with around 20,000 pilgrims attending.

The theme was “Dona Nobis Pacem” (Grant us Peace), echoing Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Peace 2017. Lourdes is not a place to cure, but it is a place to heal. With this in mind it is fitting that each year the IMP takes place here, bringing together Catholics, non Catholic Christians and those of no faith at all. As Pope Francis says, “Whoever accepts the Good News of Jesus is able to acknowledge the violence within and be healed by God’s mercy, becoming in turn an instrument of reconciliation.’ And In the words of Saint Francis of Assisi: “As you announce peace with your mouth, make sure that you have greater peace in your hearts.”

Although ours is very much like any other pilgrimage in Lourdes, being military we march wherever we go - and that was no easy feat for me! On the first full day, we marched to St Joseph’s Chapel for a Penitential Service where we had a chance to go to confession or just have a chat with one of the padres. The chaplains then led their various groups around Lourdes, “in the footsteps of St Bernadette”.

Holy Mass was celebrated and after the compulsory photos in front of the Basilica we had the International Opening ceremony. All the pilgrims from the 41 different countries gathered and prayed for peace. In the evening, there was an opportunity to attend the blessing of the sick.

On the Saturday, we celebrated an early Mass at the Grotto, joining with the American, Canadian, Irish and Norwegian contingents. This was a truly moving experience, to stand below the spot where our Blessed Mother appeared to St Bernadette.

After Mass and breakfast, the pilgrims went with their chaplains to pray the Stations of the Cross. In the afternoon, a group attended the ceremony at the War Memorial in the centre of the town of Lourdes. This is one of the more serious occasions of the pilgrimage where those who died as a result of war are remembered and peace is prayed for.

After a display by the band of Rifles and the Irish Defence Force band, we took part in the torchlight procession. I’ve taken part many times, so I know the atmosphere and drama, but watching the faces of the young naval recruits I processed with was a blessing. Being part of such a gathering of people praying and singing hymns is indeed a moment of Grace.

Our final full day in Lourdes was marked with Holy Mass, followed by the blessing of candles and a prayer service with the lighting of the candles. We again reflected on Lourdes’ message of peace and offered prayers for our families, friends and those who were injured or gave their lives in pursuit of freedom and peace.

Each evening of the pilgrimage nearly everyone descends on the pubs and cafes to socialise with pilgrims from around the world. Anything from badges to full uniforms are swapped! This helps to break down barriers and fosters peace and good will, something which Our Lord and His Blessed Mother most certainly would wish for.

16/06/2017

Laudato Si'

On the second anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis' influential encyclical Laudato Si', Patricia Ferguson of SCIAF writes our latest blog in which she reflects on the papal message and on our collective responsibility to care for our common home.

Having chosen 'Francis ' as his papal name it should perhaps be no surprise to us that Pope Francis expressed his concerns about the Earth in an encyclical entitled 'Laudato Si''. Borrowing the title from the first line of his namesake,Saint Francis of Assisi's, famous, poetic prayer, the Canticle of the Sun.

Saint Francis is revered as a champion of the environment and on the second anniversary of the publication of 'Laudato Si''it is worth reflecting on our shared responsibility for 'our common home'.

The encyclical gives us the opportunity to think of and reflect on our world today and to respond to the issues and problems we see around us. We are asked to reject the 'throwaway' culture that surrounds us and to remember that God is present in all of creation.

We are asked to recognise that many of our brothers and sisters around the world are being pushed deeper into poverty by climate change. Pope Francis urges us to hear ''both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor ". He doesn't just want us to hear that cry he wants us to respond by taking action to make changes in our own lives and those of our communities.

But Pope Francis recognises that while climate change is vitally important it is part of a bigger problem about how we organise our common home.

"If we approach nature and the environment without this openness to awe and wonder, if we no longer speak the language of fraternity and beauty in our relationship with the world, our attitude will be that of, masters, consumers, ruthless exploiters, unable to set limits on their immediate needs. By contrast, if we feel intimately united with all that exists, then sobriety and care will well up spontaneously."

The Holy Father encourages us to bring our faith to bear when we consider these issues and to be respectful to the environment but also to ourselves, those around us and to sister earth who, like us, was created by God.

'Laudato Si''has been well received around the world and has been recognised as an extremely welcome and timely contribution to the debate. In the two years since its publication there has been an upsurge in interest about the environment and in action to respond to the Holy Father's concerns.

Two of the most popular publications produced by SCIAF in recent times have been a study guide produced to accompany reflection on the encyclical and a booklet 'Care for Our Common Home' which describes simple ways in which individuals and parishes can take action to reduce their carbon footprint and give back to their local communities. (copies of both publications are still available from SCIAF on 0141 354 5555).

Many parishes in Scotland have also signed up to 'Eco Congregation' (www.ecocongregationscotland.org) and have received awards in recognition of their work. But there is a lot more to do and the recent rejection of the Paris Climate Accord by President Trump demonstrates the scale of the task ahead of us if we are to break down the walls of indifference as Pope Francis suggests.

If you would like to know more about SCIAF's campaign work on the issue of climate justice please contact
ww.sciaf.org.uk/campaigns.

Living God,
have mercy on us,
for the times we forget
that we belong to each other.

You call us to be still,
to hear the whisper of our Sister Wind,
to feel the radiance of our Brother Sun,
to be nourished by our Mother Earth.

Renew us in your healing love.
Inspire us to water the earth,
and nurture one another,
so all may flourish.

Together as one family,
may we always sing your praise.
through Christ our Lord,
Amen

Prayer by Rachel McCarthy, CAFOD.

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