120 leading social justice thinkers and activists gathered today to honour the legacy of Fr Charles Plater at a CatholicSocial Teaching ‘on the streets’ conference at Campion Hall, Oxford.
The event, jointly hosted by the Catholic charity,The Charles Plater Trust (CPT) and Campion Hall, Oxford, took place on the 150th anniversary of the birth of Fr Charles Plater SJ. In his time, Charles Plater, inspired by the encyclical, Rerum Novarum, worked tirelessly to encourage action throughout the Church to tackle poverty and its causes. He was Master of Campion Hall during 1915-1921, and his work led to the establishment of the grant making charity, the CPT, that continues his legacy today by funding social justice through education projects across England and Wales.
Welcoming conference delegates, Trust chair, Bishop Richard Moth said: “We face profound social justice challenges as a society today. Marking the papacy of Pope Leo XIV and, also, with a relatively new government in place in this country, it is timely to discern the ways in which Catholic social teaching can contribute to a new vision for our society, where all belong and can flourish. I can’t think of a more fitting way to honour the memory of Fr Charles Plater SJ, who, were he alive today, would insist we address these challenges with vigour.”
Conference keynote speaker, Prof Anthony Reddie, the first Professor of Black Theology in Oxford University’s 900-year history, said: “There is acongruence between Black theology and the older tradition of Catholic Social Teaching. Both emphasise the necessity of solidarity and allyship, as we confront populist forms of White Christian nationalism that are threatening the civil life of many nations in Europe and beyond.”
The conference also saw 30 theologians and charity activists dialoguing to offer insights and solutions to some of the key fault-lines in UK society. Issues such as decent work, food banks, domestic violence, inclusion of disabled people and criminal justice, to name but a few contemporary social justice concerns, were discussed during the day-long conference.
Conference organiser, Dr Philomena Cullen, said: “We deliberately adopted an action-reflection methodology to explore key domestic social concerns, as for us, CST is not so much a theory, as a resource for action. We wanted to unleash CST as a positive force ‘on the streets’. To discern what new visions, values and praxis it can inspire today to deliver meaningful change with marginalised and excluded people and groups. The point of today was to generate fresh thinking and practice and to renew the Church’s social mission.”
Fifteen academic institutions were represented at the conference, along with more than seventy faith-based agencies. The conference ended with the launch of a new exhibition about the life of Charles Plater, including a display of never-seen-before undergraduate essays by him. It concluded with a garden party and performance by CPT’s charity partner, The Dovetail Orchestra, which uses music to provide a welcoming space for asylum seekers and refugees in a culture of encounter promoted by CST.
