Social Justice Calendar 2025-26
A good way to integrate Catholic Social Teaching into the life of the school or chaplaincy is to celebrate some of the exemplary witnesses in humanity’s long struggle for peace and justice, the key documents, or global observance days. Schools could make reference to these key dates in liturgies, assemblies, INSET days, fundraising or advocacy campaigns.
To help school and chaplaincies plan for the year ahead, I’ve drawn up a Social Justice Calendar which covers the academic year 2025/26, with some of the key milestones from the liturgical calendar, the remaining celebrations for the Jubilee Year, as well as UN and other international days.
This calendar is not exhaustive. It does not feature every feast, or international day, just the ones I think have particular relevance for social justice. You might want to add your own dates from the charism of your school community, or themes of particular resonance for you.
You will also find this calendar in instalments in the Pastoral Review, a quarterly periodical which a focus on ministry and leadership in the Church. To find out more, visit: https://www.thetablet.co.uk/pastoralreview/about
You’ll find all the papal social encyclicals referenced below at the Vatican website: www.vatican.va. If you enter an encyclical name into your search engines this website should come up as an option.
1 September 2025
World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation and the beginning of the Season of Creation, which ends on 4 October (see: Feast of St Francis of Assisi). The theme of Pope Leo XIV’s message for the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is Seeds of Peace and Hope. To read the full message, visit: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/creation/documents/20250630-messaggio-giornata-curacreato.html
5 September
Feast of Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa), one of the patron saints of Caritas Internationalis. Born in Albania in 1910, Mother Teresa founded the religious order the Missionaries of Charity which serves the poorest of the poor all over the world.
7 September
Pope Leo XIV will canonize two young saints, Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati. In Christus Vivit, Pope Francis said that Pier Giogio “wanted to return the love of Jesus that he received in Holy Communion by visiting and helping the poor” (#60). He also quoted Carlo Acutis who said that, “Everyone is born as an original, but many people end up dying as photocopies” (#106) and urged young people not to let that happen to them.
14 September
Education Day (Second Sunday in September). An ecumenical event to celebrate education which has been marked for over one hundred years in England and Wales. Each year there will be a different theme. For more details visit: https://www.catholiceducation.org.uk/
14 September
Anniversary of the publication in 1981 of Laborem Exercens by Pope John Paul II. Why not have a look at the end of section 15 and the proposals that workers should have more ownership of their workplace.
20 September
Jubilee of Social Justice, Liverpool. Caritas Social Action Network is hosting a celebration of social action for justice in England and Wales at the Met Cathedral in Liverpool on Saturday 20 September, beginning with Mass at 12 noon. All are welcome.
21 September
Evangelii Gaudium Sunday (Third Sunday in September). Pope Francis called on the Church to embark on a fundamental change of direction when it comes to evangelisation, no longer relying on past structures and actions but to read the signs of the times and act passionately in proclaiming the unique message of the Gospel that brings joy to all people who receive it with an open heart. A good day to re-read Evangelii Gaudium, to the memory of Pope Francis.
27 September
Feast of St Vincent de Paul. Born in 1581 in Gascony, Vincent studied for the priesthood and was ordained in 1600. In 1617, two events changed his life. After hearing the confession of a dying man, he resolved to preach the Good News of Christ’s promised redemption, and later that year after appealing for help for a poor sick family he saw many local people bringing them aid. This inspired him to found the Ladies of Charity (AIC), who were devoted to person-to person help. Many other Vincentian organisations followed. St Vincent died in 1660 and was canonised in 1737. For more information on his life and legacy, visit: https://www.svp.org.uk/our-history
Please note: every year the World Day of Migrants and Refugees is the last Sunday of September but this year, on the Jubilee of Migrants, the WDMR will be celebrated on 4 and 5 October.
3 October
Harvest Fast Day. For more information, visit: https://cafod.org.uk/fundraise/parishes/support-harvest-family-fast-day-in-your-parish
Anniversary of the publication in 2020 of Fratelli Tutti, by Pope Francis. A good day to re-visit some of the key message of this encyclical, perhaps in school assemblies or collective worship? There is so much to reflect on in this rich and inspiring encyclical, but why not have a look at paragraphs 215-221 on a new culture of dialogue and encounter?
4 October
Feast of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology, described by Pope Francis as the example “par excellence of care for the vulnerable and of an integral ecology, lived out joyfully and authentically” (Laudato Si, 10). Today marks the end of the Season of Creation, which started on 1 September.
4-5 October
Jubilee of Migrants and World Day of Migrants and Refugees. The message of Pope Leo XIV for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to coincide this year with the Jubilee of Migrants, can be found at: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/migration/documents/20250725-world-migrants-day-2025.html
11 October
Feast of St Pope John XXIII, who convened Vatican II and published key social encyclicals, such as Mater et Magistra in 1961. Why not have a look at the short paragraphs from 228-237 which deal with the importance of putting CST theory into practice.
12 October
Prisoners’ Sunday. On Prisoners’ Sunday, the Catholic Church encourages everyone to reflect on and pray for prisoners and their families. For information about Prisoners’ Sunday and PACT, the leading Catholic charity working in prisons, please visit: https://www.prisonadvice.org.uk/latest/events/prisoners-sunday/.
You may also be interested in looking at the resources for Prisons Week, from 12-18 October 2024, at: https://www.prisonsweek.org/
13-19 October
Challenge Poverty Week. You will find a range of resources and information about the extent and drivers of poverty in our country and how to challenge this unacceptable state of affairs at: https://challengepoverty.co.uk/. End Child Poverty Coalition. A good prompt for governors and leadership to lok at poverty-proofing the school day.
18 October
Feast of St Luke, evangelist. In St Luke’s gospel, perhaps more than any other, we find a message of liberation for the poor and warnings about the corrupting effects of wealth. In Chapter 1, Mary the Mother of God, sings of the power of God who has “lifted up the lowly” (1: 52). In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah that he has come to bring “good news to the poor” (4:18) and “proclaim the year of the Lord’ favour” (4: 19), the fulfilment of the ancient promises of the year of Jubilee, when the injustices in society were re-balanced and God’s will restored.
18 October
Anti-slavery day, with anti-slavery week, 13-19 October. For more information on the extent of human trafficking and modern slavery, how to raise awareness and bring it to an end, visit: https://hopeforjustice.org/anti-slavery-day/
22 October
Feast of St John Paul II, who was pope from 1978 until his death in 2005. In that time, he brought the Gospel to some 130 countries on his travels abroad and produced a rich body of teaching, including some of the milestone encyclicals in Catholic Social Teaching (see: 14 September and 30 December).
30 October – 2 November
Jubilee of World of Education. This could be a good opportunity to re-visit the vision and mission of the Catholic school. There are many documents from the Church to help with this, perhaps begin with Vatican II’s Declaration on Christian Education and have a look at the most recent document from the Vatican, The Identity of the Catholic School. All the documents from what was previously known as the Congregation for Catholic Education can be found at: https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/index.htm
3 November
The feast day of St Martin de Porres who, with St Oscar Romero and St Teresa of Calcutta, are the patron saints of Caritas Internationalis. Martin is regarded as the patron saint of social justice. To find out more about St Martin and Caritas, read: https://www.caritas.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ServingOutOfLove.pdf
8 November
Birthday of Dorothy Day in 1897 in New York, Catholic social activist and co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. For more information, visit: https://catholicworker.org/timeline-of-the-life-of-dorothy-day/.
11 November
Feast of St Martin of Tours, patron saint of chaplains. St Martin is perhaps best known for the story of cutting his military cloak in two to give half to a naked beggar. In a dream that same night, he saw Jesus dressed in the half of his cloak he had cut for the beggar. Jesus said, “Martin has covered me with his garment.”
16 November (33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Jubilee of the Poor. This is an ideal opportunity to convene all the work of social justice in a diocese for mutual support and inspiration. Pope Leo XIV’s Message for the 9th World Day of the Poor, which coincides with the Jubilee of the Poor, can be found at: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/poor/documents/20250613-messaggio-giornata-poveri.html
21 November
Jubilee for Schools Celebration Day and the beginning of World Youth Sunday celebrations, with a livestream for schools. You can add your pledge to the Jubilee Pledge Map here: https://cafod.org.uk/jubilee-schools/jubilee-pledge/jubilee-pledge-map
Groups can register for the livestream at: https://forms.office.com/e/UwrLdNa0Bt. Saturday 22 November is World Youth Social Saturday.
23 November (Solemnity of Christ the King)
World Youth Sunday. Pope Francis moved the celebration of World Youth Day, initiated by Pope John Paul II, from Palm Sunday to the Feast of Christ the King. Young people have a heart for social justice, but there are many temptations to think otherwise. Pope Leo XIV, in his address to young people on 2 August 2025 said, “Reflect on your way of living, and seek justice in order to build a more humane world.”
25 November
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This UN day also marks the launch of the UNiTE campaign (Nov 25-Dec 10), an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on International Human Rights Day on 10 December. This campaign, led by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women since 2008, aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions. For more information: https://www.un.org/en/observances/ending-violence-against-women-day
30 November (First Sunday in Advent)
Advent 2025 is a time to prepare for the great celebration of the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus, the love of God made visible among us, on Christmas Day. The readings for the Sundays in Advent urge us to be alert to what is going on around us so we can read the signs of the breaking in of the Kingdom of God and repent, or change our lives in readiness for the invitation of the Gospel.
1 December
World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who've died of the disease. World AIDS Day is one of the eleven official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO), https://www.who.int/. For more information on AIDS prevention and support in the UK, visit: https://caps-uk.org/.
7 December
Anniversary of the promulgation by Pope Paul VI in 1965 of Gaudium et Spes, the document of Vatican II which is most concerned with social issues. This is the Magisterium (teaching) of the Church at its highest level (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 96), hence it is the most significant document in Catholic Social Teaching. To recap on its teaching on the social order and the Gospel, why not have a look at paragraph 26. https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html
10 December
Human Rights Day, anniversary of the proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the first global declaration of human rights. For the full text of the Declaration: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
25 December
The Nativity of the Lord. The ultimate act of God’s solidarity with the human race. “And the Word became flesh and lived among us” (John 1:14).
25 December
Anniversary of the publication in 2005 of Deus Caritas Est, by Pope Benedict XVI. Why not have a look at paragraph 31.a which reflects on the importance of the formation of the heart.
30 December
Anniversary of the publication in 1987 of Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, by Pope John Paul II. Why not have a look at paragraphs 38-40 for an extended reflection on solidarity.
1 January 2026
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; World Day of Peace. An annual celebration by the Catholic Church, dedicated to universal peace, held on 1 January, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Pope Paul VI established it in 1967, being inspired by the encyclical Pacem in Terris of Pope John XXIII. Peace Sunday follows the international day and is celebrated in England and Wales on the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, this year on 18 January. Pax Christi provides resources for parishes anhttps://cafod.org.uk/jubilee-schools/jubilee-pledge/jubilee-pledge-mapd families at: https://paxchristi.org.uk/
6 January
The solemnity of the Epiphany. In 2026, the Epiphany falls on a Tuesday, an ideal opportunity for the celebration of Mass in school and to reflect on the themes of gift and gratitude. Today also marks the end of the Jubilee Year, so it’s an opportunity to reflect on what’s been done, perhaps on your Jubilee Pledge, and commit to making your pledge a permanent feature of your mission. You can still add you pledge to the Jubilee Pledge Map: https://cafod.org.uk/jubilee-schools/jubilee-pledge/jubilee-pledge-map
19 January
Martin Luther King Day, which falls on the third Monday of January, in honour of Dr King’s birthday on 15 January. Martin Luther King was the de facto leader of the civil rights movement in mid-20th century America. Inspired by his Christian faith, he was a prophetic witness to justice and nonviolence in the face of systemic racial discrimination. For more information: https://thekingcenter.org/
18-25 January
Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity. Division between Christians is still sadly the cause of violence and suspicion. We pray this week for unity among the followers of Christ. Visit the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland website for resources: https://ctbi.org.uk/
27 January
Feast of St Angela Merici, who founded the Company of St Ursula (the Ursulines) in Italy in 1535. At a time when one commentator described schools as “slaughterhouses” due to the extent of the use of corporal punishment, the schools founded by Angela’s religious order forbade all corporal punishment. She urged her sisters to be loving to the students, “Love all your daughters equally and do not show preferences for one more than another because they are all God’s children.” Today there are Ursuline schools all over the world.
27 January
Holocaust Memorial Day. We must never forget the horrors inflicted on the Jewish people by the Nazi regime. We commit ourselves anew to stand against anti-Semitism and racial discrimination in all its insidious forms. For resources and information visit: https://www.hmd.org.uk/
30 January
The anniversary of the death of Venerable Mary Ward in England in 1645. Like St Angela Merici, Mary was dedicated to the education of girls in an age when education was mostly denied to them. Living at a time in England of great danger for Catholics, Mary persevered with her vision and on her return to London in 1637 opened free schools for poor girls. She founded the Congregation of Jesus and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1615, better known as the Loreto Sisters. Like the Ursulines, Mary Ward or Loreto schools can be found today all over the world.
31 January
Feast of St John Bosco. Better known as Don Bosco, a 19th century Italian who dedicated his life to the street children in northern Italy who were suffering from the effects of industrialisation and urbanisation. He founded the Salesians of Don Bosco.
1 February
Racial Justice Day (3 Sundays before first Sunday of Lent). For information and resources, check: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/
4 February
International Day of Human Fraternity. In 2020, the United Nations declared 4 February as day to promote and celebrate greater cultural and religious tolerance. For more information visit: https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-fraternity
8 February
Feast of St Josephine Bakhita (falls on a Sunday in 2026). International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. Almost 50 million people are estimated to be in slavery today, more now than ever before. For more information and resources, visit the website of Bakhita House, a project of Caritas Westminster: https://www.caritaswestminster.org.uk/bakhita-house.php. For more information on the strategic approach to tackling human trafficking, visit the Santa Marta Group at: https://santamartagroup.org/
11 February
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, World Day of the Sick. This day was introduced by Pope John Paul II as a reminder for the Catholic community to pray for the sick and their caregivers. It is an opportunity to raise awareness of health services and the extent to which they are accessible by all.
12 February
Red Hand Day, or the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. Every year since 2002, this day has raised awareness of the use of child soldiers and urged politicians to commit to ending the use of anybody under the age of eighteen in military organisations. https://www.redhandday.org/en/
18 February
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. During Lent we are called to deepen our relationship with God (prayer), our neighbour (almsgiving) and our common home (fasting). See: Liturgy Office for pastoral notes: https://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Calendar/Info/background1.shtml#Lent
20 February
World Day of Social Justice. In 2007, the United Nations declared that a day to promote and celebrate social justice globally would be held on this day. For details of the theme for the year, visit the UN website: https://www.un.org/en/observances/social-justice-day
27 February
Lent Fast Day. For more information visit: https://cafod.org.uk/education/for-teachers/key-dates-for-school-planning
6 March
The World Day of Prayer is a global ecumenical movement led by Christian women who welcome you to join in prayer and action for peace and justice. More information can be found at: https://worlddayofprayer.net/index.html#/
22 March
World Water Day. An annual United Nations observance day since 1993 to celebrate water and raise awareness of the two billion people in the world without access to safe water. See UN website for more details: https://www.unwater.org/our-work/world-water-day
24 March
Feast of St Oscar Romero, one of the patron saints of Caritas Internationalis and patron saint of Caritas Social Action Network. Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of San Salvador, was assassinated while saying Mass on this day in 1980. He was a prophetic voice for justice and human dignity in El Salvador during the years of the military dictatorship. He embodies the preferential option for the poor. For more information and a bank of resources visit: http://www.romerotrust.org.uk/
26 March
Anniversary of the publication in 1967 of Populorum Progressio (“On the Development of Peoples”) by Pope Paul VI. A good day to re-visit this ground-breaking document in the school or parish and discuss some of its key passages. Why not try paragraph 21 on truly human conditions, or have a look at the radical vision for the common good in paragraph 24? You’ll find the text on the Vatican website: https://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_26031967_populorum.html
5 April
Easter Sunday the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead. In the Gospel reading from John, Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb on the first day of the week while it was still dark, heralding the new creation, which is made all the clearer when the Risen Lord breathes his Spirit into the disciples in the Upper Room and “a people of missionary disciples is born” (Synod, Final Document, #140)
7 April
Feast of St Jean Baptiste de le Salle, declared by Pope Pius XII in 1950 as the “Heavenly patron of all educators”, founder of all the Lasallian schools worldwide. Lasallian education centres on Catholic values and personal relationships, emphasising academic excellence, faith formation, inclusion, respect for the individual, service and social justice. https://www.lasalleigbm.org/
11 April
Anniversary of the publication in 1963 of the social encyclical, Pacem in Terris, by Pope John XXIII. Why not have a look at paragraphs 11-33 which outline the rights and duties of the human person?
21 April
The first anniversary of the death of Pope Francis, a good moment in school to commemorate his witness and teaching, especially his significant contribution to Catholic Social Teaching in Laudato Si and Fratelli Tutti.
23 April
Feast of St George, patron saint of England. This would be a good day to explore the history of England as a place which has welcomed the stranger and refugees throughout its long history. In an age when some are seeking to build walls not bridges, today is an opportunity to celebrate a vision of England as an inclusive, welcoming and tolerant country.
1 May
Feast of St Joseph the Worker. St Joseph has two feast days. On 19 March we celebrate St Joseph, the husband of Mary. On 1 May we celebrate St Joseph the Worker. Joseph, the father of Jesus, was a carpenter. We can only imagine the skills and values Jesus learned working with his father. This is a good day to highlight the dignity of workers and look more closely into the Living Wage campaign, the only UK wage rate based on living costs: https://www.livingwage.org.uk/
1 May
Anniversary of the publication in 1991 of the social encyclical Centesimus Annus, by Pope John Paul II. Why not have a look at paragraph 36 which reflects on the important distinction in the consumer age between ‘having’ and ‘being’.
9 May
Birthday of Peter Maurin in 1877, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. Biography can be found here: https://catholicworker.org/pm-biography-html/. Maurin was also known for his Easy Essays, his vision of a Christian social order written in short accessible free verse poems. To see some of them visit: https://catholicworker.org/easy-essays-html/
15 May
2026 marks the 135th anniversary of the publication in 1891 of the first of the Catholic Social Teaching encyclicals in the modern era, Rerum Novarum, by Pope Leo XIII (why not have a look at paragraph 3 to recall the powerful prophetic voice of this encyclical). With Pope Leo XIV signalling that his choice of the name Leo was a clear link to the social agenda of Pope Leo XIII, it is timely to re-visit this landmark encyclical and look out for the first encyclical by Pope Leo XIV.
21 May
Feast Day of Blessed Franz Jagerstatter. Born in St Radegund, Austria in 1907. Executed on 9th August 1943 at Brandenburg Prison for his conscientious objection to serving in Hitler’s army. On 26 October 2007, Franz was Beatified in his home Diocese of Linz in Austria. For more information on this courageous witness to peace, visit: https://paxchristi.org.uk/resources/peace-people-2/blessed-franz-jagerstatter/
22 May
Feast of St Rita (d. 1457) who was married at a young age despite her desire to be a nun. Her husband was ill-tempered and dissolute. He was killed by his enemies and Rita was eventually allowed to enter a convent where she remained until her death. At her canonization in 1900, she was bestowed the title, “Patroness of Impossible Causes”, while in many Catholic countries she came to be known as the patron saint of abused wives. Today is a good opportunity to explore the Church’s work to support victims of domestic abuse, such as the work of Safe in Faith, part of Caritas Westminster: https://caritaswestminster.org.uk/safe-in-faith/
24 May
Anniversary of the publication in 2015 of Laudato Si’ by Pope Francis. A good day to look again at some key passages in this ground-breaking encyclical. Why not have a look at paragraphs 222-227 on Joy and Peace and the Christian spirituality of integral ecology.
29 May
Feast day of St Pope Paul VI, the pope who saw the Second Vatican Council to a conclusion and produced some of the key social encyclicals of the 20th century.
31 May
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A good day to read St Luke’s account (1; 39-56) of Mary’s visit to her relative Elizabeth, who was also pregnant by a miracle of God. Mary’s Song of Praise, the Magnificat, is a prophetic vison of the reversal of the world’s values, when the powerful are brought down and the lowly lifted up.
15-21 June
Learning Disability Week. Each year in the third week of June is Learning Disability Week. The purpose is to make sure the world hears what life is like when you have a learning disability. To find out more about the theme for 2026, visit: https://www.mencap.org.uk/learningdisabilityweek
15-21 June
Refugee Week, a UK-wide festival to celebrate the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. The theme for 2026 will be announced around October/November 2025, with more details at: https://refugeeweek.org.uk/about/
20 June
World Refugee Day. International day organised by the United Nations to celebrate and honour refugees around the world; established in 2001, in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, of which the UK was a founding signatory. https://www.unhcr.org/uk/get-involved/take-action/world-refugee-day
21 June
Day for Life. In England and Wales, Day for Life is celebrated on the third Sunday of June each year. In 2026, this falls on 21 June. Day for Life is marked on the same day by the three Bishops’ Conferences of England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. For more information, visit: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/day-for-life
22 June
Feast day of Saints Thomas More and John Fisher, martyrs of the faith executed during the persecution of the Catholic Church in England in the 16th century. A good opportunity to reflect on conscience and taking a stand against injustice in the ruling authorities of the country. Because it is the law does not necessarily mean it is morally acceptable.
29 June
Anniversary of the publication in 2009 of Caritas in Veritate, by Pope Benedict XVI. So much to reflect on in this long and powerful encyclical following the financial crash of 2008. Why not have a look at paragraph 45 on the need for a people-centred, ethical economics.
11 July
Feast of St Benedict, patron of Europe. St Benedict of Nursia in Italy, who died in 547, is one of the patron saints of Europe and is regarded as the father of western monasticism. The communities of monks he found in Subiaco in Italy went on to become what we now know as Benedictine monastic communities, known for their motto, ora et labora, pray and work. St Benedict wrote his famous Rule of St Benedict as a guide for his monastic communities. It is characterised by balance and reasonableness, the topic it deals with at greatest length is humility.
12 July
Sea Sunday (Second Sunday in July). Every year churches around the world celebrate Sea Sunday. It is a day for people to come together to pray for seafarers and fishers, and thank them for the vital role they play in all of our lives. For resources and more information, visit the website of Stella Maris at: https://www.stellamaris.org.uk/seasunday/
15 July
Birthday of Cardinal Manning in 1808. Cardinal Manning was a key figure in the resolution of the London dock strike in 1889. Around 130,000 dockers went on strike for more reliable pay and better conditions. Find out more about Cardinal Manning and the London dock strike of 1889 in this article by Jenny Sinclair, the founding director of Together for the Common Good: https://togetherforthecommongood.co.uk/from-jenny-sinclair/to-live-a-decent-life-2
26 July
World day for Grandparents and the Elderly. In 2021, Pope Francis instituted a Church-wide celebration of a World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, to be held on the fourth Sunday of July, close to the liturgical memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus. This day helps us to remember that the elderly are a gift and we have a duty to ensure that they are looked after well in their final years. A message from Pope Leo XIV for the day will be published here: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/messages/grandparents.index.html
31 July
Feast of St Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) which in recent years has been closely associated with the preferential option for the poor. One of their ‘works’, the Jesuit Refugee Service, is dedicated to serving, accompanying and advocating on behalf of refugees. For more information visit: https://www.jrsuk.net/
1 August
Feast of St Alphonsus Mary de Liguori. In the 18th century, St Alphonsus founded the Redemptorist Order, with a charism for preaching clearly, with particular solidarity with the poor by promoting their rights to justice and freedom. For more information: https://www.redemptorists.co.uk/who-we-are/our-founder-st-alphonsus.html
8 August
Feast of St Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers, known also as the Dominicans. St Dominic lived at the end of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth century. He was ordained a priest as a young man and soon found his mission in preaching against the Albigensian heresy which was widespread in his day. He was known for his humility, patience, asceticism, and prayerfulness, with a particular devotion to the rosary.
9 August
Feast of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). Edith was a brilliant philosopher who stopped believing in God when she was 14, but she was so captivated by reading the autobiography of Teresa of Avila that she began a spiritual journey that led to her baptism in 1922. Twelve years later she imitated Saint Teresa by becoming a Carmelite, taking the name Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. After living for four years in the Cologne Carmel, Sister Teresa Benedicta moved to the Carmelite monastery in Echt, Netherlands, in 1938. The Nazis occupied that country in 1940. In retaliation for being denounced by the Dutch bishops, the Nazis arrested all Dutch Jews who had become Christians. Teresa Benedicta and her sister Rosa, also a Catholic, died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz on August 9, 1942.
14 August
Feast day of St Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan friar who spoke out against the Nazi regime, was arrested and sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. In an act of ultimate solidarity, he offered to take the place of one of the ten men, who was married with a child, who had been selected to die by starvation in retribution for the escape of some prisoners. He led the condemned men in their starvation cell in prayers until the end.
30 August
Saints Margaret Clitherow, Anne Line and Margaret Ward. These three women saints were martyred for their faith in England in the late 16th and very early 17th century. They held firm to their Catholic faith, often sheltering priests and supporting others in their faith. They are examples of great courage in the face of religious persecution.