Social Justice Calendar: Sept - Dec 2024
A good way to integrate Catholic Social Teaching into the life of the school 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.
The list below is not exhaustive, but offers some of the key milestones from the liturgical calendar as well as UN and other international days. 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 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
1 September
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). For more information and inspiration, visit the Laudato Si Movement website: https://laudatosimovement.org/news/what-is-the-season-of-creation/
5 September
Feast of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 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.
8 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/schools/education-sunday
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. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091981_laborem-exercens.html
15 September
Evangelii Gaudium Day (Third Sunday in September). Pope Francis calls 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, issued by Pope Francis in 2013. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium.html
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
29 September
World Day of Migrants and Refugees (Last Sunday in September). The Church has been celebrating the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (WDMR) since 1914. It is always an occasion to express concern for different vulnerable people on the move; to pray for them as they face many challenges; and to increase awareness about the opportunities that migration offers. Pope Francis has chosen “God walks with his people” as the theme for this year,
*
3 October
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? https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20201003_enciclica-fratelli-tutti.html
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.
7-13 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://www.povertyalliance.org/cpw/
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. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-xxiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_15051961_mater.html
13 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 13-19 October 2024, at: https://www.prisonsweek.org/
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.
22 October
Feast of St Pope 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)
*
3 November
Feast of St Martin de Porres. St Martin is one of the three patron saints of Caritas Internationalis, along with St Mother Teresa of Calcutta and St Oscar Romero. For more information on all three and on the mission of Caritas, see: 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.”
17 November (33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)
World Day of the Poor. This is an ideal opportunity to convene all the work of social justice in a diocese for mutual support and inspiration. To read this year’s message from Pope Francis, visit: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/poveri/documents/20240613-messaggio-viii-giornatamondiale-poveri-2024.html
24 November (Solemnity of Christ the King)
World Youth Day. 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. For 2023 and 2024 the Youth Days will have the theme of Hope in preparation for Jubilee of Youth in 2025: https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/notizie/comunicati/2023/Giornate-mondiali-gioventu-Speranza.html#:~:text=The%20theme%20of%20the%2038th,(Isaiah%2040%3A31).
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
*
1 December (First Sunday in Advent)
Advent 2024 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. This Advent also sees the introduction of the new Lectionary, a new translation of the Bible which will be used in parishes in England, Wales and Scotland. For more information, visit: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/new-lectionary-to-be-launched-in-england-and-wales-for-advent-2024/
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: 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. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html
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. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_30121987_sollicitudo-rei-socialis.html