'Youth and peace' Sunday

TO MARK Peace Sunday, Catholics in Britain have been called on to take part in Masses with a specially adapted liturgy built around the theme of peace.
They have been called on to pray for "those who are made to suffer because they hunger and thirst for reconciliation" and young people in particular have been advised as to how they can best act in the cause of peace.
The special Masses throughout the country come in a week which saw the trial begin of nine Catholics in London in connection with their demonstration against government defence policy outside the Ministry of Defence earlier this month.
Advice for services on Peace Sunday has come in the form of a pamphlet produced by the Committee for International Justice and Peace and distributed among all the parish priests in the country. The pamphlet stie,ses the joint theme of peace and youth established by the Pope in his New Year message. It urges parishes to "invite the youth group or young people in the parish to discuss the Pope's theme and message, prepare a parish vigil, run a bookstall, help with the liturgy and music, decorate the Church".
A day conference on peace studies in schools took place last weekend in North London. Professor James O'Connell, a Catholic and Professor of Peace Studies at Bradford University called for the integration of peace studies into History and English literature. But he stressed that children should not be indoctrinated.
In opposition, Baroness Cox argued that "schools are in loco parentis and they do not have a mandate from society to teach politics which are at variance with pupils' parents' beliefs and wishes". Baroness CON is
Chairwoman of the National Council for Educational Standards.
Meanwhile in Hammersmith and Fulham, priests and parish sisters of the London parish boroughs have released a statement calling on Catholics to recognise that as members of NATO "we are committed to using nuclear weapons even if the other side does not, that is to say we are committed to a first strike policy."
• Pentecost is to be celebrated on May 27 with "an act of worship in Trafalgar Square, followed by the encirclement of Whitehall and the Ministry of Defence using "a huge peace ribbon", it was announced by Christian CND this week. It was also revealed that on Ash Wednesday a "Christians against Trident" petition will be presented to the Prime Minister and a number of Lenten fasts will begin throughout the country.