'Act justly, Love tenderly, walk humbly with your God'
Micah 6.8
All posts by Stephen Cooke
John Marshall: Rest in Peace
It was with great sadness that NJPN members and supporters heard of the death of John Marshall.
Together with Audrey John has been a much loved and committed advocate for justice and peace and a great supporter as well as a good friend to many in NJPN.
We are lucky to have known and campaigned with John. Our thoughts and prayers are with Audrey and his family.
May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
The following tribute has been written by Liz Archibald of Hexham and Newcastle Justice and Peace Coordinating Council and is shared with Audrey’s permission.
John Marshall, who was for many years the chair of the Hexham and Newcastle Justice and Peace Co-ordinating Council died at around midnight last night. John had been in poor health for several years, lovingly cared for by his wife Audrey. Over the last month he had become increasingly frail.
John was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather but to many of us, along with his wife Audrey, he was the face of Justice and Peace in the diocese.
John, along with Audrey, has been a stalwart of the Justice and Peace Network since the 1970’s. Committed to Catholic Social Teaching, John lived his life advocating for the needs of the poor and marginalised. As well as being chair of our local Justice and Peace Council for many years, he also served for a period as chair of the National Justice and Peace Network.
Many of us know him as the inspiration behind the Justice and Peace Refugee Project which along with Audrey he helped set up in 2001 and which continues to support refugees and asylum seekers in the Newcastle area. John served as volunteer manager of the project until 2016, when due to ill health he had to retire.
John was a Labour councillor for many years and served a term as Lord Mayor of Newcastle. He won the respect of councillors from all parties for his integrity and commitment. He was very active in the accreditation of Newcastle as a Fairtrade city and never ceased to speak up and work for the needs of the people of Newcastle.
For his friends and colleagues, John has been an inspiration. For those who did not know him personally, we have all benefited from his work for Justice and Peace. I know people will want to pay tribute to him; perhaps the greatest tribute we can pay is to carry on his work, speaking out, serving, and campaigning for the marginalised in our society . I know we will remember John, his beloved Audrey, and the rest of the family in our prayers.
The mid November NW NJPN E Bulletin looks back at COP26, leading with an overview by Frank Regan plus the last of Ellen Teague’s COP26 blogs and an article by journalist Jonathan Cook making the links between defence spending and the climate crisis. Peter Kennard’s Art installation Code Red, created to coincide with the Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, continues to 19 December – we give a glimpse of his work alongside his press release for the show. Two more photo exhibitions on the theme of environmental damage are also highlighted plus short films from Church Action on Poverty and a film installation at Tate Liverpool inspired by a satire on Victorian society and the role of women. Pax Christi USA has issued a strong rebuttal to the criticism lobbied by Archbishop Gomez, Chair of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in which he condemns movements for social justice as “anti-Christian pseudo-religions”. Traidcraft are promoting an ‘Injustice Advent Calendar’ with opportunities to stand up for justice for the 24 days of Advent plus links to a series of talks from CAFOD for December available on Zoom. Finally, take time to read an in-depth article by Jenny Sinclair, founder director of Together for the Common Good.
In a packed edition the NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin for November 2021 focuses on COP26 with the first of a series of daily reports from Ellen Teague and Jo Siedlecka for Independent Catholic News – look out for on future reports at www.indcatholicnews.com. Other items include a challenging speech by Pope Francis to the World Meeting of Popular Movements, an inspiring story of love and friendship, a report on Prisons Week including a short video clip which is well-worth watching, white poppies for peace, book reviews and a packed diary. Please read and pass on.
‘2021: Life on Earth – moment of truth’ is the theme.
As climate changes, the biodiversity crisis and Covid-19 make clear, ecological conversion is becoming a matter of life and death. Decisions to be made this year at the COP26 climate summit and in the recovery from the pandemic are critical for salvaging a viable future. This is a year of opportunity the like of which we will never see again.
At Conference 2021 we will take inspiration from Laudato Si, Fratelli Tutti and secular thinking on integral ecology. We will seize this moment of grace for the changes and choices now confronting us.
Conference chair: Christine Allen, Director of CAFOD
Facilitators include:
Lorna Gold, Fr. Eamonn Mulcahy, Mark Rotherham, Bishop John Arnold, Colette Joyce, Lord Deben
There will be opportunities to take part in workshops and activities throughout the weekend as well a JUST FAIR consisting of more than 20 stalls from different agencies displaying goods and resources
There will be age-appropriate parallel programmes for young children and teens, as well as provision of a creche.
