Catholic priest receives guilty verdict for environment protests

indcatholicnews.com

Passionist priest Fr Martin Newell, 55, and Ben Buse, a Christian from Bristol, were among a group of nine environmental protesters found guilty on a charge of 'Public Nuisance' at a trial at Hove Crown Court last Friday. The nine were part of the Insulate Britain 2021 campaign of nonviolent civil resistance undertaken to demand the UK government insulate Britain's cold and leaky homes.

The defendants were found guilty by a jury, on a majority verdict of 10-2. on a charge of 'Public Nuisance'. In September 2021 they blocked a road at Dover Port bringing traffic to a standstill for over two hours.

This was the fifteenth Insulate Britain jury trial, a number of which have resulted in 'not guilty' verdicts by juries.

Sentencing will be on June 14th. Defendants in similar cases recently have had a range of sentences including substantial court costs, community service orders and suspended sentences. After saying they planned to do the same again, some were given immediate custodial sentences of a few weeks.

Fr Martin said: "Christians are called to live by the law of God's Kingdom above all, and God's laws at times lead us into conflict with human laws. The human court has decided we are 'guilty', but in the Kingdom of God there is a higher court. Pope Francis calls us to hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. I took part in Insulate Britain in an attempt to take that call seriously. Pope Francis said in Laudato Si that our common home which is the earth is among the most abused and neglected of our neighbours. I live and work with refugees and asylum seekers. So I am acutely aware of the increasing impact of extreme weather

Can you offer a Gift of Faith to Syria’s Christians?

displaced with at least 90 percent of the population living below the poverty line.

Syria’s suffering Christians need your prayers and support today. Yasser, a Christian father of four from Marmarita whose family is receiving help from ACN, told us: “Our situation is at rock bottom... We don’t have food, only bread, and we are struggling. The Catholic Church is the main caretaker of our family.” resulting from climate change, such as the floods in Congo that recently killed over 400 people from one region. Increasing inequality and fuel poverty within the UK is also a moral scandal that cries to heaven. The Gospel call to hear these urgent cries is what impelled me to take part in the Insulate Britain campaign."

With your help, ACN can provide Syria’s Christians with emergency aid and pastoral assistance. Your Gift of Faith can offer a lifeline to displaced Christian families in desperate need and help them keep the Faith alive.

Ben Buse said: "Science documents our warming world and the increases in extreme weather, as well as it's unequal impacts.

Christian Aid have reported the devastation already happening. It is a justice issue, a refugee issue, a biodiversity issue. Action is required at all levels. Dover Port was an iconic place to call for government action in the run up to COP 26 in Glasgow. 9,500 people also die of cold, uninsulated homes each winter in the

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The centre, based in Clayton-le-Moors, supports adults with a broad range of learning difficulties and mental health issues, and was delighted to welcome Harvey as a volunteer in his spare time.

Impressed by Harvey’s kindness and desire to help others, manager of Park View Resource Centre, John Grogan, emailed St Charles Primary to say: “On behalf of the staff team, we wanted to let you know what an absolutely charming young person Harvey is, and what a fantastic representation he is to your school. He has been polite, considerate, helpful and kind to some of the most vulnerable individuals within our local communities.”

Patrick Kennedy, headteacher at St Charles RC Primary School, was delighted to hear of Harvey’s efforts and the impact his kindness has made on the local community.

He said: “It was heartwarming to receive an email of this nature about a pupil at our school.

“Harvey is an amazing young man and deserved of this praise and the award. We try incredibly hard to instil our school values into all of our pupils and when we receive news like this, it can’t help but put a smile on your face.” Harvey was presented with the Caritas Catholic Social Teaching Award in recognition of his outstanding achievement during a school assembly, which his parents also attended.

UK. Christian faith requires us to tackle problems at the root. We need structural change, laying the foundations for a just, equitable and sustainable future. A future where creation can heal and be restored, anticipating the the time when all will be righted."

The group point out that the trial comes after a series of unprecedented floods, droughts and heat waves have wreaked havoc across the globe, some of which "would be almost impossible without climate change" according to the ;World Weather Attribution initiative' and the UN IPCC report in March warned that only swift and drastic action can avert irrevocable damage.

His mother, Julie, said: “I’m beyond proud of Harvey. As a family, we are extremely proud of him and he fully deserves the recognition for what he has done.”

The Caritas Catholic Social Teaching Award is an award to recognise pupils, families, and groups who have made an outstanding contribution to upholding the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching and putting love into action.

Harvey’s certificate read: “You have demonstrated Catholic Social Teachings by helping those who are vulnerable, showing solidarity for the common good and demonstrating the dignity of work.

“You should be incredibly proud of your actions and the impact you have made.”