Priest and Religious Sister arrested in Extinction Rebellion climate change protests

Fr Martin Newell, a Catholic priest from the Passionist Order in Birmingham and Sister Katrina Alton of the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace in Nottingham,  have both been arrested in recent days as part of the Extinction Rebellion protests in London.  Fr Newell, 52, was arrested for a second time on Sunday during a demonstration with members of Christian Climate Action, the Christian arm of Extinction Rebellion.   

They were both part of a group that had gathered outside Scotland Yard where people were urging police to return the vital equipment of disabled protesters which had been seized several days previously.   Fr Newell was arrested when he attempted to glue himself to the ground in solidarity with the disabled protesters. When asked why he was part of Extinction Rebellion he said: “I am here to help raise the alarm, to call for a profound ecological conversion. The life of God's creation is under threat, especially the lives of God's poor. I am here to help protect our common home, our mother, our sister which is among the most abused of our neighbours, as Pope Francis has said."

Sr Katrina with 83 year old Catholic protester Phil Kingston

Sr Katrina, who was arrested last Thursday at London City Airport, on suspicion of breaching the peace and obstruction of the highway,  said:  “Climate change is one of the big drives for forced migration. So in terms of climate justice, it’s already the poorest people in the poorest countries who are suffering the brunt of this climate emergency.”  She added: “I believe, as a Christian, who has power and privilege as a white, middle-aged, middle class woman that I have to pay my dues because it’s the poorest of the poor who are suffering. This is a tiny sacrifice for me to make compared to the devastation of life and livelihood that the poorest in the global south are already living.”

Sr Katrina called on the government to do more to tackle climate change: "What we want is for the UK Government to respond now to actually bring about legislation that will tackle this climate emergency in 2025. Because 2050 is too late."  Adding,  "We also want people's assemblies to be created so, together, everybody is invested in this process."

On Sunday members of Christian Climate Action also held a vigil outside Westminster Cathedral. The vigil took place as people were entering for morning Mass and included prayers and singing of hymns.

Sister Kate Midgley, a Columban,  was amongst those who took part:  "We have such a gift" she said.  "Our Pope wrote Laudato Si, which is such a wonderful document. As Catholics we really need to read it, take it to heart and put it into practice. As Christians we believe that creation is God's creation. We are realising as human beings we are destroying God's creation. As Christians we should be here to protect earth. The window in which we can act is so short as we know from all that the scientists are telling us. We urgently need to act."

“We held the vigil to highlight that this climate emergency is a spiritual emergency and one that the Church needs to take action to tackle” said Holly-Anna Petersen, 31, from East London.  “A core theme at the heart of the Christian faith is sacrifice. Jesus Christ sacrificed his life standing up against injustice and now we are called to sacrifice as well. Standing in the road in the rain may not be what we want to do with our weekend but as Christians we are called to be faithful. Our children and the poorest people around the world are pleading for us to act. The question is are we going to listen?”

Christian protesters, Trafalgar Square

After the vigil protestors  shared with members of the congregation a message of Pope Francis for the world day of prayer for creation. A section of this reads "This too is a season for undertaking prophetic actions. Many young people all over the world are making their voices heard and calling for courageous decisions. They feel let down by too many unfulfilled promises, by commitments made and then ignored for selfish interests or out of expediency. The young remind us that the earth is not a possession to be squandered, but an inheritance to be handed down. They remind us that hope for tomorrow is not a noble sentiment, but a task calling for concrete actions here and now. We owe them real answers, not empty words, actions not illusions. "

When asked why she was present at the Cathedral,  Melanie Nazareth, a 58-year-old lawyer from the capital said “We have lost our way and sometimes what we are doing to God in Creation fills me with despair. I am with Extinction Rebellion as an act of hope, a process of lived faith in which I give my trust and purpose to God. I see God’s courage and purpose in the commitment of the people of all the faiths that are alongside me. Our fellowship and love stands witness of the world we can build if we open ourselves to living in respectful relationship with each other and with the earth."

Further information can be sought by emailing: Christianclimateaction@gmail.com

Or if you are in London: christianclimateactionlondon@protonmail.com