Reflecting on Day of Reflection

13 May 2008

The ‘Quiet Place’ lives up to its name.  Situated just south of Stroud in the peaceful and secluded surroundings of the Cotswolds, this retreat and conference centre run by the Poor Clare Sisters was the perfect place for a day of reflection on a sunny Saturday for people interested in justice and peace in our diocese.  The gardens provided an ideal place to share lunch or simply to wander, and the sisters ensured that refreshments were available all day - including their homemade cake.

Seventeen of us gathered from around the diocese - Bristol, Cheltenham, Swindon, Stroud and Warminster - for time out together to look at the challenges that face society today and the basis of our response as followers of Christ.  We were led in this by Frank Regan, a former Columban missionary who has extensive experience of ministry in justice and peace, liberation theology and spirituality and adult formation.  Using short passages from both the Old and New Testaments, we were encouraged to look afresh at our beliefs and how they are translated into our relationships with all our brothers and sisters and with the planet.  

There was a short session towards the end of the day to review briefly the Justice and Peace Commission's response to the draft diocesan pastoral guidelines - Seeking the Face of Christ - and how we might tackle the proposals relevant to our work.  We plan to meet again in late June to discuss this in more detail.

If you would like to find out more about the Commission’s work or are interested in setting up a Justice and Peace group in your area, please contact us. Details of forthcoming justice and peace related events in the diocese are included in the monthly J&P Link.

Sue Ingham, Clifton Diocese Justice and Peace Commission