mblackmore, Author at CAFOD Blog

Discovering the Joy of Love

May 14, 2016

Rachel McCarthy works in CAFOD’s Theology Programme. She reflects on how our faith calls us to show mercy to the children, women and men searching for peace and refuge.

Love is a gift of God

“Love never gives up, even in the darkest hour” Pope Francis, *Amoris Laetitia* #118

I am blessed to know what love is. From the example of my parents and my grandparents, I know that love for another person is a self-sacrificial gift, a sharing in each other’s joys and sorrows, one that is ever willing to heal wounds and bring new life.

Reading Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, (the Joy of Love), the words leapt out at me, reminding me of this living stream of our faith. For love “trusts, it sets free”. Love “never gives up, even in the darkest hour”. Love “opens our eyes and enables us to see, beyond all else, the great worth of a human being”. Love “is always a gift of God”.

Based on biblical teaching and the experiences of the faithful worldwide, Amoris Laetitia reflects on the meaning of love and boldly addresses the complex issues which prevent human flourishing. It teaches us how to be loving in our relationships with our own families, but also inspires us to look outwards and to foster an attitude of global solidarity.

Pray for refugees

Continue reading “Discovering the Joy of Love”

Where are the Doors of Mercy?

May 6, 2016

Catherine Gorman from our Theology Programme reflects on the Doors of Mercy, where they can be seen in our world and how we can open them to others.

Refugees being directed at a barrier checkpoint, on their way to cross the Greek-Macedonian border. A couple of weeks’ ago I walked through the Door of Mercy at St George’s Cathedral, Southwark with CAFOD colleagues from all around the country. We were praying for refugees and migrants, forced to leave their homes in search of a better life. And as we heard the stories of our brothers and sisters from around the world, intertwined with Scripture, Catholic Social Teaching and prayers, we were moved – imagining ourselves in their shoes, and recognising the need for God’s mercy in our world.

Download our Year of Mercy refugee pilgrimage resources

As Pope Francis has said: “By crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us.” (Misericordiae Vultus #14)

As we passed through the door, I had a real sense that I and my colleagues were truly (re)committing ourselves to share God’s mercy with others, a sense that has stayed with me since.

Continue reading “Where are the Doors of Mercy?”

Parish energy audit winners: Small changes make a big difference

April 30, 2016

Last year, St Thomas More parish in Coventry won CAFOD’s energy audit competition. This offered one parish the chance to receive a free cost-cutting and carbon-cutting energy audit from energy experts B:SSEC. Six months later, parishioner Kris Pears reports back on what difference the audit has made.

CAFOD St Thomas More energy audit winners — Parishioners from St Thomas More now have a clear idea of the energy-saving changes they can make.

When we heard we’d won the competition, we were delighted. It couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m not sure the church has had any insulation since it was built in 1968 and the heating system is so ancient and inefficient with air blowers you can’t hear Mass sometimes at all.

I hoped that the audit would give us a clear idea what work needed to be done and the best options for the amount we had to spend. The report came back full of ideas for changes we could make.

At the moment, we can’t afford any big capital outlay, but there are plenty of smaller items in the report. Although these are minor improvements, added together they will make a reasonable difference.

Continue reading “Parish energy audit winners: Small changes make a big difference”

CAFOD campaigns: The accidental MP correspondent

April 29, 2016

Gillie Drinkall has been volunteering with CAFOD for nine years. About two years ago she started writing to her MP about CAFOD campaigns. Back then she joined a group of CAFOD supporters visiting parliament, and heard from Nick Hurd MP about the impact of our campaigning. Here she tells us that story.

I first joined CAFOD as an Education Volunteer. That decision was based as much on proximity to CAFOD’s headquarters as any spiritual calling. But, within weeks of me joining, CAFOD had moved from Brixton, near my home, slightly further afield to Romero House. Furthermore, as an Education Volunteer I found myself, unsurprisingly, in schools rather than the office.

Seven hugely enjoyable years later, I now, in addition to the schools volunteering, spend one day a week helping the Campaigns Team at Romero House. It was here that, slightly inadvertently, I became an MP Correspondent (MPC).

Find out how you could become an MP Correspondent

My first letter to my MP

I was asked to draft a letter about the World Humanitarian Summit for MP Correpondents to use. Having written the letter, I decided that I should actually send it to my MP and call myself an MPC too!

That was how, this week, I found myself attending the MP Correspondents’ annual parliamentary reception at the House of Commons. Here I heard first-hand why my action was, and continues to be, important. Continue reading “CAFOD campaigns: The accidental MP correspondent”

As Pope Francis visits Lesbos, refugee and displacement crises are not going to go away

April 15, 2016

Matthew Carter is CAFOD’s Humanitarian Director. On the eve of the Pope’s visit to Lesbos, Greece, he shares his concerns about the refugee agreement the EU recently signed with Turkey.

Waleed and son — Waleed and his four-year-old son reached safety in Lesbos

Waleed, his wife and 4-year-old son borrowed money to make the journey. The short sea crossing cost them $1,850 and they shared their journey with 70 other people. Half way through, the boat started to rock very dangerously in the sea. Everyone was crying. They were picked up by the Greek police who rescued them and took them to Lesbos where they were staying at the Caritas Greece run accommodation centre before continuing their onward journey to Western Europe.

This is Waleed’s story, but you will have seen, read and heard many just like his. In 2015, more than 850,000 people made the perilous journey across the water from Turkey to Greece. Waleed and thousands more were fleeing the brutal conflict in Syria. In the UK, images of dramatic boat rescues and life-jacket littered beaches filled our screens, accompanied by huge outpourings of compassion and generosity.

Please donate to our Refugee Crisis Appeal

But over the past few months we have seen attitudes harden and borders slam shut. Today, more than 51,000 people are stranded in Greece, staying in hastily built camps across the country, unable to continue their journey along the ‘Balkan route’. Over 13,000 refugees are stranded on the Greek-Macedonian border at Idomeni, living in dire conditions on a muddy wasteland, their route to northern Europe now closed.

Pope Francis’ visit

On Saturday 16 April, Pope Francis will travel to the Greek island of Lesbos. He will meet with refugees and migrants who have made the same treacherous sea journey as Waleed and his family.

Continue reading “As Pope Francis visits Lesbos, refugee and displacement crises are not going to go away”

My Lent Challenge: Going ‘tea’-total!

April 7, 2016

Tom, from CAFOD’s fundraising team, challenged himself to give up hot drinks for Lent. He tells us how he got on, and reflects on how the generosity of CAFOD supporters in the UK is helping people like those he met in Kenya.

CAFOD's Tom has his first cup of tea since the start of Lent — First brew and a slice of brack – Happy Easter!

This Lent, I took on a challenge very different to my usual no-sweet-things observance. In line with CAFOD’s aqua themed fundraising appeal, I decided to take up a water challenge and drink no hot drinks for 40 days and 40 nights.

There is still time to donate to CAFOD’s Lent appeal and help change lives

For some people this would be fairly straight forward. But I come from a long line of tea drinkers and would usually have at least 3 cups a day. A visit to my Nan’s is synonymous with having a brew, and if you were to turn one down you’d immediately be confronted with a “What’s wrong?!”

Continue reading “My Lent Challenge: Going ‘tea’-total!”

Virgin London Marathon 2016: Team CPL Aromas running for CAFOD!

April 6, 2016

Bright and early on the morning of Sunday, 24 April, eight runners from CAFOD corporate supporter CPL Aromas will be making their way to the start line of the 2016 Virgin London Marathon. Here three members of Team CPL tell us about the highs and lows of training, along with their motivations for taking on this huge challenge.

Chris Pickthall, Group CEO, CPL Aromas:

Chris-Pickthall-marathon-running-800x800 — Chris has completed 14 marathons and visited CAFOD projects in Kenya and Sudan

“When I heard that CAFOD had spaces for the London Marathon, we put a note on the CPL intranet asking if anyone would like to take part. Much to my surprise, we now have eight runners!

Sponsor Team CPL and support CAFOD’s work with vulnerable communities

Back in January, I completed the Dubai marathon. I’ve done 14 marathons and this was the most difficult. I found it really tough. We were running up and down one long road, which gets a bit monotonous. The atmosphere at the London Marathon is sensational and I am really looking forward to it.

Continue reading “Virgin London Marathon 2016: Team CPL Aromas running for CAFOD!”

Running for water: Unexpected challenges

April 5, 2016

Damian Conlin, from our fundraising team, took on a new challenge this Lent, one that mirrors the challenge faced by thousands of young girls around the world. With Lent over, he reflects on some of the difficulties he expected to face, and others that surprised him.

CAFOD Lent Appeal Damian at the river for his Lent challenge — Damian at the river he ran to every week in Lent

I’ve (just about) been keeping up with my Lent challenge of running to water once a week.

For the most part, the experience has been what I expected. That is, I knew I’d find it difficult. I’ve always enjoyed sports and still do exercise, but running has never really been my thing. 5km is not a particularly long way, but my body has always made it pretty clear it considers itself to have been built for running distances of 50-60 metres tops.

There is still time to donate to CAFOD’s Lent appeal and help change lives

So there’s been lots of wheezing and knee creaking. Observers would be forgiven for thinking my Lent challenge has been to perfect my impression of a man running backwards. But there have also been a couple of things I did not expect.

Continue reading “Running for water: Unexpected challenges”

Connect2: El Salvador: Renovating the Chapel in Puentecitos

March 17, 2016

chapel

In 2014 Fidel and Julia shared how the Connect2: El Salvador community were starting to renovate their chapel. Since then, lots of work has taken place, and the chapel in Puentecitos looks very different now. It is built of brick, rather than clay, which means it should be more resistant to earthquake damage, and it is also a lot bigger. Fidel says: “We got the walls and roof on in about five months. We had some help to buy some of the materials, and the rest we raised ourselves by holding raffles and other fundraising activities.”

DSCN3675 — Fidel outside the renovated chapel

There is still some work to be done: the floor is unfinished, and there is a bit of electrical wiring to finish too, but Fidel says, these are “finishing touches”. They also plan to put a tabernacle on a shelf behind the altar and display the mementoes that Connect2 parishes have sent them.

The community are now working to keep it clean and to cover the cost of water and electricity bills. On the wall of the chapel there is a rota for the year, sharing out these responsibilities amongst all the different families. Continue reading “Connect2: El Salvador: Renovating the Chapel in Puentecitos”

Father Rob’s water challenge: four years later

March 17, 2016

Father Rob Esdaile is parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes, Thames Ditton, Surrey. For our Lent 2012 Appeal he raised over £2,000 by living on ten litres of water a day for a week. Here is his update on how the challenge went, and how the experience changed him.

Our Lent Appeal aims to bring clean water to people living in poverty. Donate here

Four years ago…

Back in 2012, when talking to members of the parish Justice & Peace group someone produced details of a leaflet inviting CAFOD supporters to live for 24 hours on 10 litres of water, which is all that many people in developing countries have access to for all their needs. Continue reading “Father Rob’s water challenge: four years later”