At Caritas Social Action Network, we’ve just launched our Do Justice campaign. You can find out more at:https://dojustice.co.uk/

The aim of the campaign is to encourage Catholic parishes and schools to discern the needs of their local communities in the light of the Gospel and to act with the skills and resources they have at their disposal to bring about a more just society.

We’ve produced a three-session resource for parishes as a guide to this process, which you’ll find attached. The sessions use the Conversations in the Spirit method of the synodal process, to make sure that everyone is heard, and the best ways forward can be discerned.

We would love to have a quick call with you or a member of your parish about how you could set up a Do Justice group in your parish to discern and act on the needs of your community.

Book a call with our team here

You’ll also find attached a poster for display in the parish. On the Do Justice website, you’ll be able to download a copy of the ‘core text’ of the campaign,Do Justice: A Vision for Spiritual and Civic Renewal in England and Wales.

This document might be a helpful introduction for parishes who want to engage with Do Justice. It’s a reminder of the scriptural roots of justice and the main principles of Catholic Social Teaching which guide our work for a better world.

If your parish is interested in engaging with Do Justice, we’d love to hear from you. We’re beginning to convenea number ofparish groups who are working on this so that we can offer support and learn from each other.

With our prayers and best wishes,
Raymond Friel OBE
CEO, Caritas Social Action Network

dojustice@csan.org.uk

www.dojustice.co.uk

www.csan.org.uk

Telephone: 020 7870 2210

“Caritas Social Action Network shares in the mission of the Catholic Church, committed to tackling the causes of poverty, promoting justice and restoring dignity, specifically by convening and animating alliances of member charities involved in the social mission of the Church, leading on the formation of those involved in social action, and raising a prophetic Catholic voice in the public arena.”

Office: Romero House, 55 Westminster Bridge Rd. London, SE1 7JB

Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) is an agency of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales and a member of Caritas Internationalis, Registered Charity No.01101431, and a company limited by guarantee (England) Company Reg. No. 4505111.

The information contained in this email message and any attachments is intended only for the named person, firm or company to whom it is addressed. Such information may be confidential and privileged and no mistake in transmission is intended to waive or compromise such privilege. If you have received this transmission in error please accept my apologies, notify me immediately, delete the message and any attachments from your system and do not copy or disclose the contents to any other party. Your co-operation is appreciated.

Too many ‘complicating factors’ to safely implement assisted suicide, says British public in new poll.

• 56% of those who express an opinion (71% of all those surveyed) support legalising assisted dying/assisted suicide (AD/AS) in principle but feel there are too many complicating factors to make it a practical and safe option to implement in Britain.
• A majority feel that if AD/AS is legalised in the UK, patients should have the legal right to choose to be treated by doctors and other health professionals who have opted out of participating in it.
• Legalising AD/AS is not a political priority for most people. Legalising AD/AS ranked 23 out of 24 issues needing attention, with “regulating AI” and “international trade deals” ranking higher. Only four per cent thought it should be a priority for politicians.
• 60% of those surveyed worried that legalizing AD/AS would fundamentally change the relationship between doctor and patient, including more than half (51%) of those who support AD/AS

Assisted dying/assisted suicide has too many “complicating factors” to be implemented safely, says the British public in a major new poll.

The poll, of more than 2,000 British adults, by British Polling Council member Whitestone Insight, finds that behind the headline figures of support for AD/AS, the public expressed ambivalence about its consequences and signalled serious doubts.

The poll, commissioned by the think tank Living & Dying Well (LDW) and released just ahead of a new attempt in the House of Lords to change the law, also found:

• Seven in 10 (70%) said that assistance in dying in countries like Canada and the Netherlands, where young people with no terminal illness are helped to die, has gone too far. This rose to more than eight in 10 (84%) when those who answered ‘don’t know’ were discounted.
• Young people reject AD/AS more than do any other age group. Fewer than half (44%) of 18–24-year-olds supported legalising AD/AS.
• A clear majority – 56% – voiced fears that legalising AD/AS would lead to a culture where suicide becomes more normalised than it is today. This rose to 67% when those who answered “don’t know” were omitted.
• Similarly, 43% fear that introducing AD/AS when the NHS and Social Care budget is under such pressure would inevitably place an incentive on health professionals to encourage some people to end their lives early.

Four in ten people (41%) are concerned that introducing AD/AS when the NHS is under such strain would “inevitably” risk funding for palliative care services.

The survey was conducted in the wake of comments made by a handful of politicians, who wrongly believe the public are broadly supportive of changing the law to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia. It is being released on the eve of the first reading of a new bill in the House of Lords. It pushes back against the narrative frequently promoted by those who say the public support a change in the law and highlights the serious concerns of ordinary people that need to be considered by parliamentarians ahead of any future discussion.

The poll shows that support for AD/AS suicide amongst the public changes when confronted with evidence of where it is legal. Nearly half (47%), for instance, worried that people in places where it is legal opt for AD/AS because they feel they are a burden. Of those expressing any opinion this concern rose to 59% of those who support AD/AS.

Half (50%) of those who supported it in principle think that the fact that Canada saves money with every patient euthanised was a strong argument against legalisation. A third (33%) of those who support AD/AS in practice thought that the revelation that rates in Oregon – the model for the current bill – went up by 260% was concerning. 40% of those who had supported legalisation reconsidered when confronted with the fact that young people suffering from mental illness were euthanised in Belgium and the Netherlands.

On conscientious objection, more than three quarters (77%) felt all doctors, healthcare workers, and hospices should have the right to opt out of the service. This rose to nine in 10 (89%) of those who expressed an opinion.

These results run in stark contrast to previous polls on the subject that frame the debate simplistically without asking people to consider what changing the law entails. The poll shows that the British people are increasingly suspicious of AD/AS as disturbing
evidence emerges from places like Canada.

Tanni, The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE, chair of LDW, said:

“This nationally representative poll conducted under British Polling Council guidelines gives a very different snapshot of ordinary peoples’ attitude towards assisted suicide than the glossy picture presented by pro-AD/AS organisations. It shows that, at best, people are ambivalent about the prospect. And the survey shows that the more people know about the issue, the more likely they are to reject this legislation.”

Source:LDW-Press-Release-July-2024-2.pdf (livinganddyingwell.org.uk)