It was with much sadness that I received the news that our friend and our brother had left us, but that’s normal. Yet, when I think of him and his life it is also a moment of joy. He was a great man who in spite of his small stature had a big heart for working men and women, and for all those who are victims of an unjust society.

I knew Jean-Marie for more than 30 years, when as chaplain to the World Movement of Christian Workers (WMCW) he came to England to help us develop our Movement and above all how we could improve the review of life. When Jean-Marie participated in a review of life with English activists, he would always listen attentively to what was being said and at the end of the sharing in a very humble way he would give his little reflection about what he had heard. Despite all the difficulties experienced by the activists Jean-Marie had the capacity to see the signs of hope, which are present in all the collective struggles and actions carried out for justice. Jean-Marie would always say, look here in this situation or in this action, you can see the resurrected Jesus Christ. He is with you in your daily struggles. Jesus came into this world and by his life and action he showed us that the leaders of the Temple of Israel had forgotten what God wants for the powerless, the poor, the worker, each person who has been marginalised which is to be set free and liberated from their oppression. This is what you are engaging in with your friends, believers and non believers, to build the Kingdom of God here today.

Ten days ago I had the privilege of eating with Jean-Marie after he had give an excellent presentation about the history of the working class in his neighbourhood of Moulin to the members of the International Council of the WMCW. We spoke together about our friends and about the economic and political crisis in France, Great Britain and of course in Europe. As usual he was very interested in what was happening in the world. What struck me was that despite his age and weak health, he was involved in some groups of reflection in the home where he lived with his brother priests on the documents of Vatican II. He said to me “Paul it is necessary that we as church rediscover the spirit that came out of this Council”.

Right up to the end of his life he was faithful to his conviction that we have to announce the Good News in our daily life and engagements in a language accessible to everyone. When I look at the Church today and indeed the modern world that is broken by the current crisis, I am convinced that the Church and the World needs priests like our dear brother Jean-Marie. 

In our world leadership is needed more than ever. Not just in Parliament or on the TV but in everyday circumstances, in our homes, at work and in the community.

The lack of leadership in everyday situations is quite marked. Often people’s opinions are swayed by the media or by those with the loudest voices. And when leadership is evident, it often comes from those who have had opportunities by virtue or their background, schooling and wealth.

Those with more ordinary backgrounds who often lack confidence need to be encouraged, assisted, trained and sustained in being leaders in their lives. This is exactly what the MCW does best.

As someone once said “leaders don’t grow on trees”, they have to be called and formed. This takes resources which means money, equipment, people, experience, skill and expertise.

This issue of our newsletter illustrates the fruits of the work of the Movement in the form of two articles about women activists trained by the Movement and active members of it. Mary is the current Chair of the Movement and is a Cabinet Member of Gateshead Council. Sabah is a member of the Movement in Egypt and has taken an active part in the momentous events which are changing the course of history in her country. Their actions speak volumes and justify the MCW both as a Movement of the Church and in the World.

Without leaders and in particular Christian Worker Leaders who understand the apostolic nature of their role in society, not only is society the poorer but also the Church is deprived of a profound part of its mission to the world.

We have received some interesting comments in response to a recent newsletter about the unique spirituality of our Movement. A number of readers said that the edition reinforced their belief in the on-going value of the Movement whilst another thanked us for reminding him about the value of the Movement’s Review of Life method. We hope to have a similar response to this newsletter.

Enclosed with this edition you will find an appeal letter asking you to support the development of our Movement in different ways, not least to make a further financial commitment. Times are hard and money is tight but it is hoped that this newsletter will inspire you to dig deep to support the work of the Movement.

Everyone agrees that we have just come through the hardest winter in many a long year with record temperature levels below minus 20ºC. But are we about to enter even harder economic times?

Recently, Mervyn King the Governor of the Bank of England noted, “that UK wages were stagnant, and coupled with high inflation-this led to the longest decline in the real value of take-home pay in the UK since the 1920s”.

The MCW has previously shown here how UK is a highly unequal society with the gap between the rich and the poor greater than at any time since the end of he Second World War.

All the national movements affiliated to the World Movement of Christian Workers have responded positively, quickly and with enormous generosity to the call from the International Council to launch a campaign of solidarity for the support of the Movement in Haiti. Members and supporters of the English and Welsh MCW have also responded to this call raising over £1,000. The aim of the solidarity campaign has been to enable the Movement of Christian Workers (ACO) of Haiti to have the means to rebuild itself. The money will provide a programme of education and training for leaders so that the reconstruction of Haiti is in the hands of Haitians themselves and not foreign leaders no matter how well meaning their intentions.

In September a small delegation of members of the movement in the Dominican Republic visited the leaders of the Haitian movement to make an assessment of the situation and to agree a plan of action for the reconstruction of the movement. Before Christmas a training session based on the review of life method will be held in the Dominican Republic for the current and new leaders of the Haitian ACO. It is thanks to the international solidarity campaign that this will be possible. The intention is to collaborate with the YCW in the Dominican Republic and Haiti in the education, formation and training of leaders. This will enable them to live their faith through a concrete engagement in the political and community groups that will need to take responsibility for the reconstruction of Haiti.

At a time of very significant public sector spending cuts it is interesting to note that research undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that these cuts are falling more heavily on those with low incomes than other groups. The IFS is Britain's leading independent institute on public finances and tax and has no party political affiliation. Further details can be found at http://www.ifs.org.uk

Another recent report entitled ‘Keeping the Plates Spinning' (http://consumerfocus.org.uk) on payday lending illustrates that those with few or no alternatives always pay more interest than those with greater means. Payday lending comprises of a small loan (£100 - £1,000) advanced until the next payday (usually a month). Charges are fixed at a fee per £100 and loans can generally be extended each month by paying this fee or can be repaid in full. According to Consumer Focus, which commissioned the report, the number of people using payday loans has quadrupled in the last four years to 1.2 million with £1 billion lent in 2009 alone by around seven major companies. It noted average annual percentage rates of 2,500%.

During three sunny days in Poitiers over the Pentecost weekend (22-24 May 2010) 750 delegates representing 15,000 members of the Action Catholique Ouvrière (ACO) of France exchanged their experiences of life. Confronted by their faith in the liberating message of Christ's gospel they committed themselves to continue to ‘Resist' the attacks on the poorest and most vulnerable members of French society in order to give hope to the world.

‘In a world where money is the king, where anything can be bought and sold, we have to listen to the cry of men and women, to the silence of the machines created by factory closures, to the voice of working people who are losing their jobs, to the migrant workers who are being ejected from our country. When we hear and listen to these cries, are they not the cries of love from Christ for the whole of humanity that is manifesting itself.'

Emma Goldman (1869-1940) a Lithuanian born American international anarchist is often credited with coining the above title phrase which Ken Livingston years later used for his book "If voting changed anything they'd abolish it" (1988).

This sentiment reflects a left wing critique of liberal parliamentary democratic systems. It argues that such systems do not bring about any real structural change in the distribution of income and wealth and as a consequence political power and influence continues to rest with an economic and political elite.

Recent global events would appear to give some credence to such a critique. The current economic system puts profits for a small elite before the collective need of the whole community especially the most disadvantaged members. In a report entitled ‘Unequal Britain'1 Professor Peter Hills shows in stark terms the outcome of the obsession with the free market; ‘Britain's richest 10% are now 100 times better off than the poorest'.