Chancellors’ Budget Statement, Autumn statement and the Queen’s Speech. A report, ‘Caritas Cares: the Impact of Welfare Changes’ drew together evidence from the network and recommendations for action. CSAN exists to put Catholic Social Teaching into action. Looking forward the quotation from Evangeli Gaudium at the start of these remarks strikes me as the essence of what CSAN is trying to do. Pope Francis comments that this means not only small daily acts to meet the needs we encounter but also working to eliminate the structural causes of poverty. I hope that during the current Year of Mercy CSAN will do all it can to respond to the cry for justice. Review of the year 2015: Public Affairs A strong Catholic voice on migration Refugee Crisis CSAN has worked extensively on the Refugee Crisis since August 2015. A key pillar of our work in this area has been coordinating a response to the crisis in Calais. CSAN has offered support and solidarity both to ‘seekingsanctury’, the local Kent based charity run by Ben Bano, and to Secours Catholique (Caritas France). CSAN has acted as a conduit for financial donations for the camp, and facilitated donations raised through the website and seekingsanctury. So far we have sent £7,000 for use for a new van for Secours Catholique – for moving people to medical appointments, and things to where they are needed. A CSAN led delegation visited the camp (commonly referred to as ‘the Jungle’) in Calais in September, to gather intelligence and develop an advocacy plan with Secours Catholique. Hosted by Secours Catholique, CSAN visited and spoke to many in the camp and at their day centre in Calais. A joint-statement, calling on urgent action from both the French and British government received coverage in almost all of the Catholic press. The three asks were: The immediate convention of talks between the UK and French governments to develop and implement an enduring solution to the crisis in Calais. The expansion of safe and pathways to the UK, so that refugees are not forced to undertake dangerous journeys in order to seek the sanctuary they require. The creation of a fair and just asylum system, ensures the maintenance of human dignity at every stage of the process. Detention
Love for society and commitment to the common good are outstanding expressions of a charity which affects not only relationships between individuals but also social, economic and political ones.” That is why the Church set before the world the ideal of a “civilization of love”. Social love is the key to authentic development. Pope Francis, Laudato Si (Praised Be), May 2015 Bringing Catholic social action together During 2015 CSAN has continued to work towards developing and facilitating Catholic social action at a local and diocesan level through mutually beneficial relationships, which involves the Caritas Roadshows. We organised a very successful Big Mile walk in partnership with St Vincent de Paul’s Society which took place in Shrewsbury and Cardiff. Also, we delivered a diocesan roadshow in Shrewsbury in September. The Big Mile Walk was jointly organised by CSAN and St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP). It involved supporters of Catholic charities walking one mile to show their solidarity in tackling poverty from England and Wales. 12 walks in the Cardiff and Shrewsbury dioceses were organised with 800 walkers taking part. The event raised £3,317 and the funds were divided between SVP projects, CSAN, Pact and Catholic Children’s Society of Shrewsbury. This event was a great accomplishment and we are looking to replicate this success in other Dioceses in England & Wales. The Shrewsbury Caritas Roadshow was held on 26 September 2015 and was attended by over one people. The event was organised jointly by CSAN and the Diocese of Shrewsbury in response to invitation of the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales to strengthen support and develop cohesive action based in faith and social justice. The programme touched on a number of critical issues facing England & Wales including alcohol and drug addiction, gender inequality, migrant crisis and rising poverty levels. The evaluation of the event demonstrated that the overwhelmingly majority of delegates rated the day as excellent/good. CSAN is working in partnership with CAFOD to develop an award for schools to recognise their contribution to living out Catholic Social Teaching and serving our neighbour. In February 2015, we