Building upon Conference 2024 (Just Politics), which focused on democracy and political accountability, the 2025 NJPN Conference was centred around the enduring challenges of war, violence and conflict. Speakers and workshop leaders were able to fully explore both the spiritual and practical dimensions of peace-making and the many places that peace-making intersects with other areas of social justice.

A central theme throughout the weekend was community. The idea that peace is not and could never be a solitary pursuit, but rather a collective journey made by all people of good will. Sr Katrina Alton SSJP (National Chaplain for Pax Christi England & Wales) began her keynote talk by drawing upon her experience of growing up during The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Her reflections on Jesus’ “Third Way” highlighted that peace was a choice rooted in love and mutual respect for the inalienable dignity of each person. 

Workshops at the conference allowed attendees to deepen their understanding of peace and its connections to broader justice issues. One session, led by the Columbans and the London Mining Network, explored the (often overlooked) link between conflict and climate change – particularly the environmental and human toll of militarised extractive industries. Another, led by Operation Noah, encouraged participants to consider her Catholic Social Teaching can guide green investment strategies within Church communities. 

The conference invited all participants to consider the depth of what it means to be a peacemaker and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. One might question what we can do in our diocese to build peace, when we seem so far from conflict. However, events like the recent protests in Epping and the annual DSEI Arms Expo remind us that peace-making is desperately needed close to home and not just overseas. 

In a world that appears to be growing evermore divided and violent, it was certainly no accident that our new Pope’s first words were: “Peace be with all of you”. Using the first words spoken by Jesus after his resurrection, Pope Leo XIV referred to this as a peace that was “unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering”.  

We must understand that Christ’s peace is not just the absence of conflict, is it the abundance of love. Peace does not just end the violence, it restores what was left by it. 

Peace, ultimately, is the work of the Holy Spirit. This work is continuous and ongoing, and not something to be achieved. Peace is a daily choice that we must make each day. 

The question on how we see peace within our diocese becomes:

  • How can we show our love in abundance to others?  

  • How can we treat our encounters with people of different backgrounds and perspectives as opportunities to be peacemakers? 

I wish to thank the NJPN for building a conference that provides a place for reflection, inspiration and action. 

Recordings of general talks are available on the NJPN website

Michael Chambers

Caritas Development Officer: Diocese of Brentwood