CAFOD Archives - CAFOD Blog

The Feast of the Assumption: Mary, Mother of the Poor

August 15, 2019

On the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Linda Jones from our Theology team reflects on the different qualities of Our Lady, and how she can inspire us to have the strength and courage to act.

A couple of months ago, when I was walking along the Pointe du Raz cliffs in Brittany, I came across a beautiful statue of Our Lady. Here she is known as Our Lady of the Shipwrecked. She looks compassionately on a man reaching towards her in seeming despair.

As I walked on, I thought about the different ways we see Mary. I wondered about the many different titles that have been bestowed on her – Star of the Sea, Queen of Creation, Blessed Mother, and more. What qualities are we focusing on in each of them? There are so many aspects of her that inspire us at different times in our lives.

Saints Peter and Paul: For a Church walking together

June 28, 2019

The Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul falls on 29 June. Francis from our Theology team reflects on these two figureheads of the Church and their lessons for us as we approach the Synod on Amazonia this October.

Pope Francis’ words of hope for Our Common Home

May 27, 2019

Catherine from our Theology team reflects on the climate emergency facing the Earth, our common home, its impact on the lives of those who are poorest, and how Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ offers hope and inspiration for action.

This is a climate emergency

May 23, 2019

Mark Chamberlain, CAFOD Communications Officer, describes how people’s lives are changing around the world because of climate change.

Easter Sunday reflection: We rejoice and are glad

April 17, 2019

Reflecting on the gospel from Easter Day, in the final Lent calendar reflection, Catherine from our Theology team reflects on the good news of Christ’s resurrection and how all things have been made new.

Step into the Gap: Empowering a generation through youth work around the world

April 16, 2019

Sharon Weerasuriya is spending her year on CAFOD’s Step into the Gap programme. Earlier this year, she felt privileged when she was able to visit the Holy Land, where she met with CAFOD’s partners. Here, she shares her reflections from meeting young people when she visited, Sadaka Reut, a youth partnership organisation and one of CAFOD’s partners based in Jaffa, Israel.

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CAFOD – Empowering women from day one

March 26, 2019

Becky is the World Gifts manager at CAFOD. She tells us about the inspiration she gathers from our female founders and our new director, as well as the women she learns about through her research for World Gifts.

When I first looked at applying to CAFOD, one of the things that really struck me about them as a charity is the story of their founders. Back in 1960, Jackie Stuyt and Elspeth Orchard, alongside women from other Women’s Catholic unions, joined together to run the first Family Fast Day.

Lent: Making space for daily reflection

March 19, 2019

Nalini Nathan, who coordinates our work with supporters, reflects on the challenge of making time for daily reflection throughout Lent. This year she has been following the CAFOD online Lent calendar, and here she shares her thoughts.

Step into the Gap: Different cultures encountered in Uganda

February 4, 2019

Nicole Gillespie is a Step into the Gap volunteer who has recently returned from an overseas trip to Uganda. Here, she shares some of the things she noticed about culture while on her trip.

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Celebrating Human Rights Defenders in Brazil

December 10, 2018

Today is International Human Rights Day. Esther Gillingham, CAFOD’S Brazil Programme Officer explains how CAFOD’s partner, Justice on the Railway Tracks is empowering human rights defenders and changing lives in Brazil.

CAFOD are very proud to share the news that our Brazilian partner, Justice on the Railway Tracks was presented with the first ever Human Rights and Business Foundation Award presented at the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva on 27th November 2018.

They received the award for their work defending poor communities from the impacts of human rights and environmental abuses by mining companies in the Amazonian state of Maranhao in north-eastern Brazil.

This work included a 13-year long legal struggle which resulted in the landmark resettlement of the Piquia de Baixo community who have been adversely affected by a huge steel plant built right next to their community in the 1980s.

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