The Commission strives in common with many agencies to seek out the path of justice and peace in all we do. Where there is justice, peace usually follows.

In common with the work of Pax Christi, CaFOD and other agencies we will strive to identify and remove injustice, to seek a peaceful path for conflict resolution and to help build a world free of the threat of nuclear weapons.

The news from Gaza changes every day. The media is full of distressing images, stories of injustice and the possibility of political solutions. What can we do to create change? Fortunately there are agencies like the UN who can help with humanitarian aid and politicians who will continue to strive for a resolution in the hope that they can bring about peace in this war torn area. It may seem that we can do very little to affect the outcome. The Bishops' Conference has sent out a press release from Archbishop Patrick Kelly.

On a positive note the most powerful and effective tool we have is prayer. The message from Church leaders is to join together to pray for peace. The following is a prayer from Ramani Leathard (Christian Aid)

Prayer for peace in the Holy Land:
Living Lord ignite in us a passion for justice and a yearning to right all wrong.
Strengthen us to work for peace in the land we call holy;
For peace among Jew, Christian and Muslim,
For reconciliation between communities,
For harmony between faiths.
Inspire us to act with the urgency of your quickening fire,
For blessed are the peacemakers, they shall be called the children of God.

Pax Christi have up-to-date news on the situation so visit the Gaza section of the Pax Christi site. You can also sign a petition to be sent to the UN to call a ceasefire in Gaza. To sign go to the AVAAZ website or click take action which will take you straight to the petition page.

This Bill seeks to extend the scope of scientific research on human embryos and even allow the creation of animal and human hybrids. It also removes provision with regard to a child knowing the identity of its biological father and there is every chance that it will be used as a vehicle to liberalise the abortion laws even further. This whole issue raises the deepest moral concerns which are shared by many people of all faiths.

This matter was the subject of a recent Pastoral Letter from Cardinal Cormack and has been tirelessly challenged by Bishop Thomas – most recently at the Pro-Life meeting in Westminster at the beginning of February. Now that the HFE Bill has passed through the House of Lords and awaits the Commons, it is important to pause to reflect.

It is vital that we act now to limit the provisions of this Bill. We ask you to write to or meet your MP and urge him or her to support the amendments which will limit this Bill, and to recognise the need for children to have knowledge of their biological fathers. We aim to encourage the introduction of measures that would reduce rather than increase the numbers of abortions.

In the previous readings all the key pro-life amendments were lost and all the controversial components of the Bill pushed through. One of the reasons for this failure is that the Government "whipped" its members to vote for the Bill and against pro-life amendments (with the exception of abortion amendments).

This is unusual for Bills of this kind. Normally highly controversial matters of conscience, e.g. matters relating to the status of the embryo, are made the subject of a free vote where MPs are allowed to vote freely according to their conscience. In 1990 when the first Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill went through Parliament the then Government granted free votes up until the third reading.

While we have heard that the Government has had a change of heart in allowing MPs a "free vote", it is clear that the issue is far from over. This move has been done on the understanding that there are sufficient supporters of the Bill to ensure that it is passed.

It is vital that you act now to write to and lobby your MP to find out how they intend to vote and to persuade them that this Bill contravenes the sanctity of life itself.

Please do sign the petition petitions.pm.gov.uk/embryovote.

The deadline for this is the 13th May 2008 – Don't delay!

'We welcome this afternoon's announcement from the prime minister who, having carefully considered the representations made to him by many people, has decided that there will be a free vote on three key areas of the HFE Bill. The free vote will be welcomed by people of all faiths or none who are concerned about the implications of this Bill that go to the heart of what it means to be human.'

Cardinal Cormack Murphy-O'Connor (25th March 2008)

In addition there are two other petitions which we urge you to sign at www.bmapetition.org.uk and www.aliveandkickingcampaign.org/petition/ to combat the ongoing destruction of the most vulnerable in our society and further liberalisation of the Abortion Laws.

Keep checking back for more information or contact CJSR.