Last year, in the Jubilee year, over 40 parishes in our archdiocese supported a global Church campaign to tackle the debt crisis. In the Jubilee Year, 35,000 people nationally signed CAFOD’s petition: let us build on this hope. But we need continued support to change the devastating impacts of debt on low-income countries.

All countries borrow money. But low-income countries need to borrow more and are pushed into deepening debt crisis, paying high interest rates to wealthy lenders. Often, they have paid their original debt back, but spiralling interest means they cannot break the cycle. Money that should be spent on food, healthcare, and education flows out of countries that can least afford it. Governments across the global south must choose between serving their people or paying creditors.

Wesley Chibamba, Caritas Africa’s Policy and Advocacy Officer, explained people are dying because they can’t access healthcare. Children cannot go to school. People go hungry because the governments have debt obligations. Governments don’t have the capacity to respond to humanitarian crisis, like floods or drought – they don’t have the funds.

Next year, our government is hosting the G20 – a crucial gathering of the world’s 20 most powerful economies. These leaders have power to fix the global debt system, to make it fair and sustainable for low-income countries.

This is why CAFOD is inviting parishes to sign a new petition this summer and to build on the momentum of 2025. Cardinal Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla of South Sudan has written a letter to parishioners in England and Wales to explain the impact the debt crisis is having on his country and this letter will be shared in parishes. To read more, please see cafod.org.uk/parishdebtresources.

CAFOD give a huge thanks to several parishes where this year’s petition has already been signed, including St Richard’s, Atherton and St Benedict’s, Hindley.

Read more in the latest edition of the Catholic Pic. Past editions can also be read here.