G7 and Being Conformed

We often hear the phrase “Being conformed to Christ.” Perhaps we could consider this and how it will be a reality in this world and not simply in the world to come. Christians and well meaning believers of all kinds strive to give food, drink, clothing, shelter, care, and a welcome to all in need. Christians perceive this as giving these things to the Lord who knocks at the door.

As I write this article the G7 are about to start their proceedings in Cornwall. They are an organisation of the world’s so-called advanced economies consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK. At the meeting of these economies we hope that all will hear the Lord knocking at the door of their meeting, directly or indirectly. When the G7 has finished and we are waiting to see its conclusions implemented will the Lord’s voice have been heard?

There is little doubt that peace will be achieved through the putting into effect of social and international justice. These include the practice of virtues which favour togetherness, and teach us to live in unity. We can then build in unity, by giving and receiving, a new society and a better world. My hope is that as the principal world leader President Joe Biden, who is currently seeking to heal America, will successfully influence the world bringing all parts together.

Can the meeting in Cornwall make progress with Global inequality and enhance the crucial role of aid and not reduce it in real terms? Are G7 economies themselves fuelling inequality at home and around the world? Are these governments the ones who should force the pharmaceutical companies to share their vaccine know-how? Perhaps a patent waiver may assist here? Of course the matters that need to be discussed go beyond social and international justice as the purpose of Cornwall is to discuss and sometimes act to help resolve all global problems with special focus on economic issues. Solidarity with fellow members is key here as since its inception in 1970 the group has discussed financial crises, monetary systems and major world crises such as oil shortages. Quite rightly climate and environment will play a leading role. Care for the environment represents a challenge for all of humanity. It is a matter of a common and universal duty to respect the common good.

Most Catholics accept that democracy supports the state but it does differ from secular beliefs. The member states attending G7 understand that their purpose is to promote the well-being of the person. Government and democracy are a means for human fulfilment. Is this really an end in itself? Christians take the view that government and democracy work in harmony with the divine.

Catholics are positive towards democracy and other forms of human solidarity. So let us hope that, as the Lord knocks our representatives in Cornwall, will have listened and wil; implement their agreements. Deacon John Mullin

POLITICS AND THE JOURNEY BACK TO FULL LIFE

As the Church moves forward to Pentecost with the receiving of The Holy Spirit

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who is President of the Catholic Bishops Conference

of England and Wales, in his Easter Diary commented that “This Easter will see

us making progress on the journey back to our full life. There is so much to

learn from these 12 months, perhaps mostly for our task of keeping in focus the

very core and essence of our faith, the sacraments, sharing and handing on

that gift of faith. We learned new ways of doing so, some marked by a greater

simplicity and sense of purpose, yet some impoverished by improvisation that

these times have required.” In passing I am very aware of the excellent

communication initiatives introduced by the East Vale Team.

As we journey back to full life, perhaps I could expand a little on my reflection

article “The Common Good after the Pandemic.” In 1996 the Bishops

conference of England and Wales declared that ‘nothing is beyond the scope of

faith.’ The logic here was that every aspect of our lives is subject to the

enlightenment of scrutiny and of religious faith. Nothing is off limits. Whenever

Christians are told that we should not interfere in this or that question, and

even some Christians themselves say this about politics, perhaps we should

realise that the truth has not been grasped. What is God telling us should

Christians and people of good intention continue to challenge the way this

crisis has been handled. Surely, as we can at the ballot box, play our part in

calling all responsible to account and perhaps we should not always be thrown

off the scent by calls for national unity. The ballot box responsibility will be

here soon in Wales on the 6th . May

Should we think deeply about ethical decisions about who should receive the

right medical care? What decisions have been made as we analyse the

decisions made over the last decade and longer as well as the last few months?

Are the ethics of resource allocation within the NHS fair? Within the national

economy, have they been, fair? Other questions include the relationship

between the crisis and the UK’s approach to good international relations and

continuity of being a world leading aid donor?

The Catholic Church supports The United Nations Organisation. Internationalism

is at the heart of our Church and we take the view that it is in the interests of

our common humanity that we learn to co-operate and share resources: the

virus has made this a more urgent priority.

Cardinal Nichols in his Easter Diary thinks of the “ women coming to the tomb

the next morning to be confronted by an earthquake and an angel telling them

of the Lord’ resurrection ‘ do not be afraid,’ said the angel. Indeed they were

not. They immediately sprang into action, to spread that news and put it into

practice.” Are we going to spring into action as we journey back to full life

making the common good our road map?

Deacon John Mullin

Faith and its Clash with Authority

As we enter the New Year with great hope of a worldwide delivery of the Covid

vaccine perhaps we could reflect on the conflicts that governments of all kinds

and tiers have with the backlash against public health decisions made with the

best of intentions. We should, I suggest, believe that authority must be guided

by the moral law and that it recognises, respects and promotes essential

human and moral values. So surely it is reasonable to expect authority to enact

just laws that correspond to the dignity of the human person and to what is

required by right reason.

We need, as a society, to be concerned with evidence that governments

around the world have suspended public faith practice on the grounds of

public health many of which are being legally challenged on grounds of

discrimination. In this country the government’s Scientific Advisory Group

(SAGE) has recently argued that church services were still “associated with

increased risk of acquiring respiratory infections.” This is perhaps because our

gatherings, although more restricted than normal, have a high level of physical

contact and sadly are disproportionately attended by higher age groups who

are at higher risk. Regrettably most of us who are regular church attendees are

over 65.

Perhaps these potential conflicts show us that this Christmas season we have

had to find new safe ways to celebrate our Saviour’s birth through the impact

of Covid-19. We could rely more heavily on the inspiration of the writers of the

New Testament along with faith artists, poets and composers.

Perhaps we should also give some thought to the difficulty many elected

representatives have as they discern on matters that relate to the common

good that may conflict with specific guidance given by the hierarchy of faith

leaders. I recall experiencing these conflicts in London as a councillor during

the 70’s and 80’s over simple matters like Sunday opening of shops. The USA’s

President elect Joe Biden has similar problems with the Democrat view on

abortion. He is a Roman Catholic. He may well say listen to the experts and do

what they tell you. The experts will value their conception of health over any

religious duty. It may well be thought that no matter how closely we follow the

recommendations of public health authorities we won’t be able to rid this

world of disease. Whilst there is campaigning and legislation on anti-racism will

we yet be able to rid our world of bigotry?

As usual in secular life and faith life we have to try to achieve the best balance

that we can. Please God in The New Year the new vaccines will make our Covid

choices much easier.

A Happy New Year to you all,

Deacon John Mullin

A Christmas Covid

I understand that, with some families, planning for the Christmas season starts

early. This year it looks as if there will be no pantomime nor visits to Santa’s

Grotto, lights being switched on nor Christmas Markets. Notwithstanding social

distancing, quarantine, isolation and the return of lockdown we may still be

able to enjoy some of these Christmas preliminaries but they will have to be

safe.

We clerics, preachers and catechists will feel the responsibility to reflect on

new ways in which millions of humans, through this pandemic, have shared in

the passion of Jesus. It may prompt some of us to reflect on suffering and the

close relationship between the presence of Calvary Christ’s birth in Bethlehem.

As we near the end of this pandemic year and hopefully Covid 19 starts to

come to the end does Calvary cast a shadow over thoughts of the nativity? For

example in Luke’s opening and closing chapters it is possible to catch the ways

in which the author joins the nativity with death and resurrection. There is the

shadow of death but also featured is the gift of divine peace. Matthew after

the Crucifixion shows how everything hopeless can be changed and good can

be victorious over evil as his theme recalls a central theme in the nativity story.

The point that many learned preachers and scholars make is that Jesus’ birth

and death were but one continual act, and his Christmas Day and Good Friday

are but one evening and the morning of the same day. How often have we

heard that Christians put too much emphasis on Christmas and not enough on

Easter? Consider this image that the babe in swaddling clothes comes with a

mission to fulfil. We sing carols for his birth and see him taken down from the

cross, wrapped in a clean linen cloth and laid in the tomb of a friend. The cloth

is left behind in the empty tomb on Easter morning.

It is considered that without the connection between Easter and Christmas we

have no reason for our joy and are merely celebrating a mid winter solstice as

the people have for hundreds of years. Some may consider that today’s

commercialisation of Christmas isolates it but fails, from a Christian

perspective, to make it stand on its own apart from Easter. It may well be that

this recipe will only add to the sadness that we are experiencing during this

pandemic. So perhaps a good Covid remedy, as we hopefully look forward to a

vaccine, should be to harness our Christmas spirit as we support our village’s

supreme food bank efforts, help for the homeless and other charitable

initiatives. Christmas represents the beginning and, if that was all we have,

wouldn’t we be fooling ourselves and missing the joy that is God’s gift to us?

Deacon John Mullin

Experts and Politics

As the world addresses its innumerable problems, not the least of which is the current pandemic, don’t we consistently see the tensions between the experts e.g. the medical profession together with the legal profession, we the people and our representatives the politicians and sometimes statesmen. A simple example being the economy, with its knock on effect on employment, and lockdown.

A recent article that I read on the religious liberalism of St. John Henry Newman concluded that “Evidence matters. Newman was not a Victorian truther. His protest was against the mind as machine. That which would shut out of the ‘I’ of ‘I believe’ also bars the ‘I’ of ’I think.’ Newman wants each of us to think. He will not allow anyone to put on another what belongs to their own dignity and responsibility to do. The only spiritual vaccine against a baleful family of spiritual contagions is to develop a philosophical habit of mind as far as we may. A habit which weighs, apportions, adjusts and balances. A habit which does not privilege clarity over truth. One that pierces through the long gathered gaze of assumptions about what evidence and experts can do to a wiser view of both.”

With that thought in mind this brings me to the controversy of a “Brexit” bill that has been criticised as a breach of international law. As I write this article the Government has unveiled plans that have shocked the speaker of the US House of Representatives, MP’s of the majority party at Westminster as well as the opposition and Brussels. The Government has admitted that the bill breaks international law caveating that it is the clarification of an agreement rushed through in January. A principal concern of many is that, apart from the United Kingdom’s valued reputation, it could undermine the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement. We may suspect that we will inevitably see an example of tension between the legal profession and the politicians of many countries.

The promotion of peace in the world is an integral part of the Church’s mission of continuing Christ’s work of redemption on earth. The Church is a sacrament or sign and instrument of peace in the world and for the world. Many think that the The Good Friday Agreement has taught us that true peace is made possible only through forgiveness and reconciliation.

Let us pray that the potential for tensions, perhaps embracing proceedings and challenges in International Law Courts can be avoided. The St John Henry Newman article suggests that “a habit can be applied that weighs, apportions, adjusts and balances.” Now surely that is food for thought?

Deacon John Mullin