Social Justice Calendar: January - April 2025
A good way to integrate Catholic Social Teaching into the life of your community 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, parishes and charities could use liturgies, assemblies, INSET days, fundraising or advocacy campaigns for formation and education.
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 community, or themes of particular resonance for you.
In 2025, we’ll also be considering the key dates of the Jubilee Year, especially the events with a close connection with social justice. The General Calendar for all of the Church’s Jubilee events and celebrations can be found at: https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/pellegrinaggio/calendario-giubileo.html
The Papal Bull, in which Pope Francis explores the theme of hope and the ‘signs of hope’ the Church can bring to those who are in poverty, the young, the elderly, migrants and refugees can be found at: https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/giubileo-2025/bolla.html
The resources and reflections provided by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales can be found at: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/jubilee-2025/
1 January 2025
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 19 January. Pax Christi provides resources for parishes and families at: https://paxchristi.org.uk/
15 January 2025
Birthday of Martin Luther King Jnr, 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 in the face of systemic racial discrimination. https://thekingcenter.org/
18-25 January 2025
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Divisions between Christians is still sadly the cause of violence and division. 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/
24 January 2025
Jubilee for Schools launch. For more information on Jubilee for schools, led by three agencies of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales - Caritas Social Action Network, CAFOD and the Catholic Education Service - please visit: www.jubilee-schools.org.uk
27 January 2025
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 form. For resources and information visit: https://www.hmd.org.uk/
31 January 2025
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.
4 February 2025
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 2025
Feast of St Josephine Bakhita. International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking. Some 49 million people are 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 2025
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 2025
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/
20 February 2025
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
1 March 2025
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#/
5 March 2025
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).
8-9 March 2025
Jubilee of the World of Volunteering. This Jubilee event would be an ideal opportunity to celebrate the contributions of all those who volunteer in our parishes, charities, local communities and schools, very often ‘under the radar’, not seeking any recognition, but a thank you is always welcome.
14 March 2025
Lent Fast Day. Save the date and look out for more resources: https://cafod.org.uk/education/for-teachers/key-dates-for-school-planning
15 March 2025
Flame. Every two years CYMFed (Catholic Youth Ministry Federation) organises one of the biggest youth events in England and Wales. On 15 March 2025, it will be held at the OVO Arena Wembley, London. The theme, for the Jubilee Year, is fanning the flames of hope. For more information, visit: https://cymfed.org.uk/flame/
22 March 2025
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 2025
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 2025
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
7 April 2025
Feast of Jean Baptiste de le Salle, patron saint of teachers, 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 2025
Anniversary of the publication in 1963 of 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?
20 April 2025
Easter Sunday. The day the Church celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and the beginning of the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel to the world, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Raymond Friel’s latest book, Catholic Social Teaching: an introduction for schools, parishes and charities, is available from Redemptorist Publications. You can contact Raymond and order his books through his website: https://www.raymondfriel.com/