My Calendar
Week of Oct 15th
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Week of Prayer for Prisoners Week of Prayer for Prisoners
13/10/2019 – 19/10/2019Mission Statement Theme - Respecting and Embracing Diversity Mission Statement Theme - Respecting and Embracing Diversity
14/10/2019 -
Week of Prayer for Prisoners Week of Prayer for Prisoners
13/10/2019 – 19/10/2019International Day of Rural Women International Day of Rural Women
15/10/2019International Day of Rural Women
This day recognizes the role of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.
Rural women and girls play a significant role in agriculture, food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management and unpaid and domestic care work.
Women also collect firewood, process foodstuffs by hand, and collect water; 80% of households without piped water rely on women and girls for water collection. Rural women are at the front of the battle lines when natural resources and agriculture are threatened.
Just imagine not being able to go to school because you have to walk 5 miles to collect water for your family.
Just imagine being late every day for school because you have to scavenge for firewood in increasingly far distant places.
Just imagine not being able to do your homework because there is no lighting in your village.
Just imagine facing the prospect as a young girl of being denied education because you have to marry someone much older than you.
AN INVITATION TO PRAYER
You are invited to pray:
for rural women and girls - that helpful technology and infrastructure will help them in the daily tasks they undertake for their families;
for access to education where this is denied for whatever reason;
for attitudes towards equality to spread and develop that all people might benefit from the riches of this world.
We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
St. Julie: pray for us, protect us and bless us.
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Week of Prayer for Prisoners Week of Prayer for Prisoners
13/10/2019 – 19/10/2019World Food Day World Food Day
16/10/2019Food - the very stuff of life! Give us this day our daily bread! You are what you eat!
Here's what the Pope tweeted on 16th October 2019!
It's World Food Day and it's always uncomfortable to be reminded that children will go to sleep hungry to night!
Here are just a few statistics from the Food Aid Foundation:
- Some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life.
- The vast majority of the world's hungry people live in developing countries, where 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished.
- Asia is the continent with the most hungry people - two thirds of the total. The percentage in southern Asia has fallen in recent years but in western Asia it has increased slightly.
- Sub-Saharan Africa is the region with the highest prevalence (percentage of population) of hunger. One person in four there is undernourished.
- Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five - 3.1 million children each year.
- One out of six children -- roughly 100 million -- in developing countries is underweight.
- One in four of the world's children are stunted. In developing countries the proportion can rise to one in three.
- If women farmers had the same access to resources as men, the number of hungry in the world could be reduced by up to 150 million.
- 66 million primary school-age children attend classes hungry across the developing world, with 23 million in Africa alone.
Have a look at this 30 second clip:
It seems so big but we can do stuff. We can contribute to charities that work overseas. CAFOD springs to mind.
- Maybe, we could consider buying one of their World Gifts for someone this year - https://worldgifts.cafod.org.uk/
- Maybe we need to consider how much food we waste and re-align our behaviour.
- Maybe we could eat more healthily ourselves in appreciation of how fortunate we are.
Don't forget too that we can contribute to the local Micah Foodbank for our local people who go hungry - often unnoticed. You might think it's all too big a problem to make a difference but change starts with the individual and it's never a bad time to do a good thing!!!
God bless!
HERE'S A PRAYER VIDEO (1:15) FOR TODAY
Creator God,
We give thanks today for all who produce, prepare and serve food.
We give thanks for their diligence in ensuring that what we eat is safe to eat.
May they be rewarded fairly and feel appreciated for their efforts and expertise.
Guide us all in our food choices.
Help us to consider sustainability, animal welfare and the elimination of wasteful practices.
God who provided manna from heaven,
where there are hunger emergencies help us respond generously;
guide decision-makers in leading just and compassionate societies where all are looked after and no-one goes hungry.
We ask this in your Holy Name. AMEN
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Week of Prayer for Prisoners Week of Prayer for Prisoners
13/10/2019 – 19/10/2019International Day for the Eradication of Poverty International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
17/10/2019 -
Week of Prayer for Prisoners Week of Prayer for Prisoners
13/10/2019 – 19/10/2019Anti-Slavery Day Anti-Slavery Day
18/10/2019Click on this logo to find out more.
Which century are we living in?
Slavery didn’t end with abolition in the 19th century. It still exists today in every country in the world. There are estimated nearly 21 million people in slavery across the world. Modern slavery is the severe exploitation of people for personal or commercial gain. Victims are deceived or coerced into a situation which they cannot leave.
Slavery is closer than you think. It happens all over the world, including the UK and the rest of Europe.
In 2015, the government acknowledged that slavery was not a thing of the past and passed legislation:
Here are 10 things that you maybe didn't know about slavery in Britain:
Which do you find most concerning and why?
How might you recognise instances of slavery?
Someone in slavery might:
- appear to be under the control of someone else and reluctant to interact with others
- not have personal identification on them
- have few personal belongings, wear the same clothes every day or wear unsuitable clothes for work
- not be able to move around freely
- be reluctant to talk to strangers or the authorities
- appear frightened, withdrawn, or show signs of physical or psychological abuse
- dropped off and collected for work always in the same way, especially at unusual times, i.e. very early or late at night.
What to do if you spot the signs?
If you suspect that someone is in slavery, DO NOT confront them or cause a scene as this will likely lead to increased harm for them. Instead, inform relevant authorities or organisations working in the field.
If you are in the UK and suspect someone might be in slavery, you have several options:
- Call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or fill out an online form.
- Contact the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority to report concerns about the mistreatement of workers on 0800 432 0804, or by email intelligence@glaa.gsi.gov.uk
- Contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
- Contact the Police
- Contact Anti-Slavery International or other specialist anti-slavery organisations
A PRAYER FOR THIS DAY (available as video - 45 secs - by clicking here)
Loving God,
we place before you all who are living as slaves;
all who are exploited, manipulated and taken advantage of;
all who feel trapped with no hope of escape.
Give them strength and comfort,
Guide us to notice, speak up and act,
Help the authorities take the side of these your children
that they be liberated and healed.
We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
St. Julie: pray for us, protect us and bless us.
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Week of Prayer for Prisoners Week of Prayer for Prisoners
13/10/2019 – 19/10/2019 -
One World Week One World Week
20/10/2019 – 27/10/2019The theme for 2019 is:
CLIMATE CHANGES EVERYTHING - NOW IS THE TIME TO ACTThis is an 11 minute video of Greta Thunberg - this is well worth watching!
This is a 5 minute video featuring Greta Thunberg - again well worth listening to!
A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK (available HERE as a 0:45 video)
Lord of all creation
We thank you for all the wonders of the universe.
We give thanks for the opportunity to come together
in One World Week
as part of the family of all humankind.
May our prayers and actions help to build a just, more equal, inclusive
and peaceful world that safeguards environmental resources
now and for future generations.
We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
World Mission Day World Mission Day
20/10/2019This is the day in the Church Year when we are reminded to live out the final words of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. That's a pretty awesome challenge but we start in the here and now - where we are and who we're with simply by 'treating others as we'd like to be treated' and by helping them 'live life in all its fullness.' We take comfort from the promise that Jesus is with us always - to the end of time!
A PRAYER FOR WORLD MISSION SUNDAY
Loving God, you call us to proclaim your Good News.
Help us to respond with joy to this call.
Guide us and give us strength to follow you
in all our encounters with our fellow human beings
especially those at the margins of society
and those that suffer in mind and body.
Through our loving words and actions
may we continue to become messengers and co-creators of your Kingdom.
May the Holy Spirit inspire us
through the model of our Holy Father, Francis,
who shows us the way.
Amen