A CALL TO DEMONSTRATE OUTSIDE ROMAN CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The decision by the Catholic Education Service to exert political pressure on Roman Catholic Secondary School children to oppose gay marriage is reprehensible.

It shows that Michael Gove’s cynical encouragement of religious schools to provide more educational facilities in this country is ill judged. 

Richard Dawkins has argued cogently for the separation of education from religious influence and the government would do well to heed his advice. 

With Lord Carey’s petition and the letter issued by the Archbishops of Westminster and Southwark taking the Christian foreground, it is time for those Christians in support of gay marriage to speak out. 

If the Roman Catholic Church thinks that their schools are fair game for political campaigning, then I urge supporters of gay marriage to arrange demonstrations outside Roman Catholic Secondary Schools. 

Let us ensure that their pupils are not manipulated by their religious overseers into a blinkered understanding of the issues involved.

Call to demonstrate one's faith publicly

Lord Carey and Cardinal O'Brien are urging people to wear a cross and become more explicit about their faith.

Do they mean like those nailed to the cross in the Philippines on Good Friday?

http://thetim.es/Hoyfr7

Perhaps it is safer to keep the symbols of faith out of public life and to demonstrate faith in acts of love alone.

Meal of Unity - calling all Muslims....

http://youtu.be/hfI10oSAm0E

A Service to Unite the World

A truly inclusive Mass.

Muslims of the world, Hindus, Pagans, Wiccans and the indigenous
faiths; Buddhists and Jains, Zoroastrians and Sikhs, Jews,
Christians, Bahai’s and Shintoists; those of every faith and
persuasion; agnostics and atheists, all and everyone, please can we
share this meal of unity, friendship and hope.

Can we join our hearts and lives in common purpose to build a
better world. Can we turn our backs on the arguments and
conflicts of the past and join our hands and wills to protect, preserve
and perpetuate life in all its fullness.

We have offended our neighbours and ourselves
We have wounded love’s grace
We have fallen short of our best.
We are sorry and ashamed.
May we experience forgiveness
And may we strive anew
To walk as children of the light.
**
Glory to Love in the purest
And peace to all forms
of life
We praise
We bless
We adore
We glorify
We give thanks for all that is good
Love, justice, truth and peace
Kindness and mercy
Good people, from all ages, faiths and cultures
Our inspiration and our light
Who take away the wrongs of the world
Embolden us
Who take away the evil of the world
Guide us
Who are held in the greatest respect
Inspire us
For you are to be revered, honoured and remembered
Shining lights, urging goodness on through every generation.
**
We are alive. We are children of the earth. We lift our hearts in
thanks and praise.
We have discovered the grace of Love. We have seen acts of
kindness and goodness.
We have witnessed the inspiring and heroic actions of others.
We respect those who have played their part in seeking to
establish a world of justice and peace.
We bow our heads in honour of the brave and the true.
Praise, respect, glory and honour be to those who have
given their best and offered their all.

We give thanks for every good thing that we have received
For hope in times of despair

For light in seasons of darkness
For comfort in the valley of suffering
We give thanks for those who reach out to help and to rescue
The lost and the lonely
The poor and the homeless
The broken and the bereaved
As we gather together in the spirit of friendship and love
And pledge ourselves to work tirelessly for a better world
We remember all those who have suffered and suffer for the
cause of righteousness.
We remember all those who have opened wide their hearts
and sacrificed their lives, who have been tortured,
imprisoned and murdered for noble ends,
whose flesh has been torn and whose blood has been spilt
that others might taste a sweeter future and know a brighter end.
We remember all those who have gathered with their family and
friends before their ordeal unfolded; who broke bread and who
drank in affection and solidarity.
In taking the bread and tearing it; in lifting the red juice and
pouring it, we join with them, partaking of their plight, identifying
with their suffering, pledging our commitment to work to realise
their dreams, that their suffering may not be in vain.
In sharing together the bread and the juice we are nourished by
their example and become one with them in the struggle of all
people to change this world for the better.

Therefore with this bread and this juice we commemorate the suffering of the innocent.

May this meal of memories and this food and drink of love
open our eyes and set our hearts on fire to unite with everyone that right may prevail.
**
May Love be revered
May Unity come
Good will be done
That earth may evolve into heaven
May we work hard today for our daily bread
And may our sins be forgiven
As we forgive those who have sinned against us
And may we not fall into temptation
But be delivered from evil
For we believe in justice, truth and peace
For ever and ever

NOW PLEASE RECEIVE THE BREAD AND JUICE OF LIFE AND LOVE

Nothing need ever defeat us, discourage or deter us.
Strengthened by this meal, the solidarity of the suffering and the
friendship of all those involved in the quest to achieve
peace and justice, we will proceed with unlimited reserves of hope,
love and forgiveness to make the dream of universal happiness and
freedom come true and may all that is good come to our aid.