C4C

// contact information // E | [email protected] P | 07545 264 492

tackling child poverty from the beginning of life // inspiration //

Communities for Change is a community hub which extends the hand of Christ to the most vulnerable in society. // An expression of Catholic Social Teaching // In an authentic expression of Catholic Social Teaching (CST), Communities for Change exists to support children from the moment of conception, to help provide for families who have fallen on hard times and to be a sanctuary for the excluded and lonely. It is to be underpinned by the Catholic faith, supporting and involving the whole community without discrimination, following the example of Christ with the woman at the well.  In today’s society, the Church’s beautiful teaching on the innate dignity of every human person has been forgotten. Yet, it is only when the dignity of each individual is respected and protected, that society can truly flourish. Communities for Change is a radical, yet real, response to this challenge. By establishing a relationship of trust with local communities, we hope to bring them into an encounter with Jesus through the Church; for He is the only solution to sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness. Communities for Change aims to be an initiative that will unite parish life, support local communities and restore a culture of life to a society which has lost its purpose.   // Inspiration for the project: tackling poverty in all its forms // In the words of St Teresa of Calcutta, “the poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty”.  This is especially true of abortion and euthanasia. These social wounds cut to the heart of our Catholic faith and attack all aspects of Catholic Social Teaching.  Poverty, in all its forms, is at the core of abortion in the UK. Whether there is not enough money in a family’s pockets, or space in their hearts, the unborn are at risk through poverty.   Equally, euthanasia discriminates against the poor and marginalised, whose health care costs are seen by some as burdensome, compared to the “cost-effective” alternative of physician- assisted suicide. We see in countries such as the Netherlands, that loneliness and social isolation are a key motivation for the majority of people euthanised for psychiatric reasons. Communities for Change, therefore, will aim to tackle poverty at its root. In the child’s first 1,001 days and throughout the remaining years of one’s life. The intention is to create true community which will reflect the divine life in whose image we are made. // How do we achieve this? // From the very beginning, parents will be supported through pregnancy, birth and beyond. Toddler groups will take place alongside gardening groups for the elderly.    The charity super-store (the financial force behind the project) will provide an opportunity for the vulnerable and isolated to volunteer, creating a family atmosphere whilst bridging the age-gap. By evening, the store, with its community rooms and dedicated chapel, can act as a space to facilitate training, catechesis and evening prayer. 

// Prayer and formation // Communities for Change will be grounded in the prayer of the local parish community. At its heart, it will be a group of Christians living an authentic Christian life, who will become to each other, and the people they encounter, an icon of Christ through their words and actions.  Formation in evangelisation and Catholic Social Teaching will be central to Communities for Change. In particular, the teaching of St John-Paul II’s Theology of the Body will deepen participants’ understanding of the innate dignity of the human person.  It is proposed that a core group of supporters will be encouraged to embrace a life based on the Gospels, regular prayer through the Divine Office, attendance at Mass and the sacrament of confession. A sense of community could be established through Morning and Evening Prayer, regular shared meals, etc.   // The solution // The Catholic Church has the answer to the challenges faced in today’s world. The question is what do we do with this deposit of faith? Communities for Change aims to pour the overflowing love of the trinity into the heart of communities across the UK. inclusive sustainable resilient caring 1. EvG 1