There was plenty of tea, coffee, cake and scones with jam and clotted cream for everyone who attended the Coffee Morning in the Sisters of Mercy, Eltham.
Grateful thanks to all who helped, attended, and gave donations.
£1250.00 was raised, which will be split between Women@Well and Asha.
A good time was had by all.
Pope Leo invites us to Pray for Peace – 22 August 2025
Pope Leo encourages each one of us to make Friday 22 August a day of prayer and fasting for peace.
During his General Audience on Wednesday 20th August 2025 Pope Leo reminded us of “wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions of the world”, and called each of us to pray for peace on the day when we celebrate the memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Peace:
“I invite all the faithful to devote the day of 22 August to fasting and prayer, imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice, and to dry the tears of those who suffer as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts. Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path to peace.”
Sisters Standing in Solidarity
Sr Chris on the March
The 29th monthly protest march for Palestine in London on Saturday, August 9th, was supported by Sisters of Mercy from the Institute of Our Lady of Mercy. Sisters Chris and Geraldine joined the start of the march in Russell Square.
Over 300,000 people marched to Downing Street to show solidarity for the people of Palestine, a call for an end to the war in Gaza and for the British government to cease arming Israel and impose sanctions on Israel.
Over 300,00 People Joined the Protest
People of Different Faiths and Nationalities Joined the Protest from Various Parts of the Country
Speakers at the rally included Palestinian journalist Ahmed Alnaouq, Jack Polanski(Deputy of the Green Party) and Sam Winston, a spokesperson for the families of Holocaust survivors.
Holocaust Survivor at the Demonstration
Later, the Sisters visited the Community in Bermondsey to bring keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf, which the Sisters will wear to show their solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Sisters wearing their keffiyehs
Tuesday evening saw St Peter’s Square filled with over 100,000 young people for the opening Mass of the Jubilee of Youth.
The Jubilee of Youth 2025
Following the opening Mass, Pope Leo addressed the young pilgrims. During this time he shared with them:
“You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world!
And today your voices, your enthusiasm, your cries
all of them for Jesus Christ — will be heard to the ends of the earth!”
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-07/pope-jubilee-youth-voices-end-of-the-earth.html
March for Palestine
Over 80,000 people joined the March for Palestine in London on Saturday, 19th July 2025.
Husam Zolmot, Ambassador for Palestine on screen.
Speakers included the ambassador for Palestine Husam Zolmot(in photo on screen), Jeremy Corbyn, Leeds MP Richard Burgon who has tabled a bill in parliament to call for arms sanctions on Israel, a medic who has recently returned from Gaza, a spokesperson from Jews for Justice for Palestinians.
Torrential rain at the start deterred no-one. There was a call to keep up the global call for justice and peace. Jeremy Corbyn had just returned from a meeting in Colombia where the Hague group of 12 countries have agreed to sanctions on Israel.
Pope Leo speaking after the Angelus on Sunday 20th July, Pope Leo spoke of the situation in the Middle East:
Tragic news continues to arrive in these days from the Middle East, especially from Gaza.
I again call for an immediate halt to the barbarism of the war and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
As Sisters of Mercy, we have always worked with marginalised women and children. We pray for all who have and are being impacted by the ongoing situation in Gaza, praying for the release of hostages taken by Hamas on 7th October 2023, those killed and injured both in that attack and since and for all their loved ones.
You may find the following websites helpful in understanding this complex situation:
United Nations: https://www.undp.org/war-gaza
Pax Christi: https://paxchristi.org.uk
Rabbis for Human Rights: https://www.rhr.org.il/eng
The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories – B’Tselem:https://www.btselem.org
Sisters from St. Bernard’s Community, Newcastle under Lyme, joined with parishioners from all over North Staffordshire to participate in the North Staffordshire Eucharistic Congress held over three days from 10th -12th July. Over 500 people attended the opening and closing Masses, which were presided over by the Archbishop of Birmingham, Bernard Longley and Bishop Timothy Menzies. The final Mass was preceded by a Blessed Sacrament Procession.
Members of Religious Orders, were among 5000 people from around the UK who gathered in Westminster to meet with MP’s as part of the Act Now Change Forever Campaign.
In a video, the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said, “We’re hearing you loud and clear,”
(Photo is from Cafod – https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/mps-ed-miliband-westminster-parliament-square-jeremy-corbyn-b2785663.html)
Internet Blackout Appeal for GazaSILENCE FOR GAZA
Dr Ezzideen, a medical doctor in Gaza (who posts on X ), has asked that beginning this weekend, we share this call to action – A 30-minute silence for Gaza each day for one week. It’s the ultimate internet blackout.
Because something can be done: a daily digital break for 30 minutes every evening, from 21.00 (9pm) to 21.30 (9.30pm) local time in each country.
https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/52696
)
(Image created using Microsoft Copilot
