Every Campaign Action Changes Us
Pat Jones, Deputy Director of CAFOD came to the Clifton Diocese to speak
to the 130 people gathered in the Catholic Centre, Taunton on Saturday
27 March for Trade Rules, a campaign event organised by CAFOD South
West together with Christian Aid and Somerset Churches Together. The
event was chaired by Bishop Declan Lang.
Judith Kavanagh from Christian Aid also took part, and in her talk set out to be inspirational and encourage action for Social Justice.
Pat Jones explained the purpose of CAFOD’s Clean Up Your Computers campaign by recounting the story of Ramona. Ramona is a young single woman. She had been employed by agencies on one-month contracts at IBM for 4 years.
Nine days after she gave an interview to CAFOD researchers looking at working conditions in electronics factories in Guadalajara Ramona was sacked.
Pat asked us to consider how we related to Ramona’s story and to share any similar experiences. She took the responses given and, by skilfully unpacking Catholic Social Teaching, showed how they could all be found there, helping us to decide:
• “What is wrong here?”
• “How do we know it’s wrong?”
In faith, we recognise Ramona as our neighbour. Catholic Social Teaching helps us to find a way to work out what we should do to support her and why. We can decide that:
• IBM is responsible for the policy they adopt, to their workers.
• It is worth sending off an action card. It's an act of solidarity that challenges companies and it can make a difference.
• We are all inter connected. Sending a card can change us as well as a global system.
Pat remarked that computer giant Dell’s response to CAFOD’s report on the electronics industry was to adopt a new code of conduct to their workers proving that dialogue is effective.
Pat emphasised that taking action for change is effective and during a brief conversation with volunteer Catherine Hawkins, described how she saw the positive effects in Mozambique and Uganda of CAFOD's Debt campaign. In both those countries there is now more free teaching in schools and more free health care as a result.
The buzz from people during the course of the day was extremely positive and certain words like “inspirational” and “solidarity” kept cropping up.
Bishop Declan commented: "The poor are not a problem, they are our brothers and sisters."
The chance to deepen our faith was how one person described the effect of the day on her. "Giving is not only financial, it's deeper than that, it's an issue of justice.”
Tony Vassallo, CAFOD South West
Useful URL : http://www.cafod.org.uk
Judith Kavanagh from Christian Aid also took part, and in her talk set out to be inspirational and encourage action for Social Justice.
Pat Jones explained the purpose of CAFOD’s Clean Up Your Computers campaign by recounting the story of Ramona. Ramona is a young single woman. She had been employed by agencies on one-month contracts at IBM for 4 years.
Nine days after she gave an interview to CAFOD researchers looking at working conditions in electronics factories in Guadalajara Ramona was sacked.
Pat asked us to consider how we related to Ramona’s story and to share any similar experiences. She took the responses given and, by skilfully unpacking Catholic Social Teaching, showed how they could all be found there, helping us to decide:
• “What is wrong here?”
• “How do we know it’s wrong?”
In faith, we recognise Ramona as our neighbour. Catholic Social Teaching helps us to find a way to work out what we should do to support her and why. We can decide that:
• IBM is responsible for the policy they adopt, to their workers.
• It is worth sending off an action card. It's an act of solidarity that challenges companies and it can make a difference.
• We are all inter connected. Sending a card can change us as well as a global system.
Pat remarked that computer giant Dell’s response to CAFOD’s report on the electronics industry was to adopt a new code of conduct to their workers proving that dialogue is effective.
Pat emphasised that taking action for change is effective and during a brief conversation with volunteer Catherine Hawkins, described how she saw the positive effects in Mozambique and Uganda of CAFOD's Debt campaign. In both those countries there is now more free teaching in schools and more free health care as a result.
The buzz from people during the course of the day was extremely positive and certain words like “inspirational” and “solidarity” kept cropping up.
Bishop Declan commented: "The poor are not a problem, they are our brothers and sisters."
The chance to deepen our faith was how one person described the effect of the day on her. "Giving is not only financial, it's deeper than that, it's an issue of justice.”
Tony Vassallo, CAFOD South West
Useful URL : http://www.cafod.org.uk
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