China frees blind lawyer Chen Guangcheng Blind Chinese human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng and his family are on their way to the US tonight after the authorities released them from Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing. Cheng had been kept there for three weeks after making a daring escape from his own house, where he had been imprisoned for 19 months by officials in China's north-eastern Read More ... Posted: Saturday, May 19, 2012 8:14 pm
Sunday Reflection with Fr Terry - 20 May 2012 Recently I was privileged to visit Crete, and on a brilliantly sunny day I was driven on snaking mountain roads to the north coast. We paused on a mountainside above a coastal plain. Below us the fishing port appeared tiny in comparison with the bright sky and the sparkling sea that surrounded all. You could just make out fields, houses Read More ... Posted: Friday, May 18, 2012 9:32 pm
Some of this week's Catholic blogs Mary, who lives in California, has some thoughts on what we should and should not include on our Facebook pages on Young and Catholic; Fr Stephen Wang writes of the joy of being read to; Fr Tim Byron SJ who is working in India talks about the transformative power of hope; Paul Donovan in London would like to see the renationalization of water Read More ... Posted: Friday, May 18, 2012 9:23 pm
Catholic campaigners outraged as water companies put profit before leaks Catholic aid agencies and environmentalists have reacted angrily to the news from regulator Ofwat that despite the recent drought, more than half the water firms in the country will not be required to reduce their leakages by a single drop before 2015. The reported details show that 11 of the 21 companies responsible for water supply Read More ... Paul Donovan - Posted: Friday, May 18, 2012 4:55 pm
Thankgiving Service for life of Lord St John of Fawsley Warm tributes were paid to The Rt Hon Lord St John of Fawsley, at a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate his life and work, in St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey yesterday. Representatives of the Royal Family, Parliamentarians, civic dignitaries, Church leaders and other clergy, family, friends and Read More ... Jo Siedlecka - Posted: Friday, May 18, 2012 4:17 pm
Healing Stone at Eucharistic Congress Organisers of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress have announced that a Healing Stone will be unveiled during the Opening Ceremony on 10 June as a means of acknowledging the abuse of children. The Healing Stone comprises a large, shaped piece of Wicklow granite engraved with a prayer composed by a survivor of clerical abuse. Read More ... Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 11:45 pm
Lancashire: a future Saint for St Helens? This coming Saturday, 19 May at 2.30 pm, a Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated in the church of St Anne and Blessed Dominic, Sutton, St Helens in Lancashire, in thanksgiving for the life and ministry of Elizabeth Prout, the Foundress of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. The Celebrant at the Mass will be Passionist Priest Father John Kearns Read More ... Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 11:23 pm
Campaign says: Osborne must stop Greek vultures This week the Greek government paid around 400 million Euros to vulture fund Dart Management, which has refused to take part in March's debt restructuring. Dart Management is likely to have bought the debt at a fraction of its value, and so made a large profit. The payment is the first of many which could be Read More ... Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 11:04 pm
Historic churches trust welcomes tax compensation plan with reservations The National Churches Trust has welcomed the Government's decision to provide a £30 million package to help churches hit by the planned imposition of VAT on alterations to historic buildings. It has however, warned that the compensation package is cash limited and only guaranteed for the duration of this Parliament. Read More ... Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 4:04 pm
Westminster: Christopher West speaks on Theology of the Body Nearly 20 years ago, Christopher West says, he came to the realization that as a victim of materialism, he was missing out on 'God’s banquet of love'. Now an expert on the Theology of the Body, West recently visited Vaughn House to discuss what he believes is at the heart of the New Evangelization. Introduced by Archbishop Nichols to a standing-room Read More ... Carolyn Wickware - Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 3:43 pm
Text: Cardinal Cormac on 'Christianity’s place in Modern Britain' Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor delivered the Far and Near Club Lecture at Leicester Cathedral yesterday evening. He explored three ways in which religion and, most particularly, Christianity relates to society in the public square. The Cardinal’s reflection focused on the centrality of the family, the dignity and importance Read More ... Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 3:23 pm
'Faith finding a voice' - Bishop Dunn Memorial lecture by Archbishop Nichols In the Bishop Dunn Memorial Lecture: 'Faith Finding a Voice' - given on Tuesday 15 May, at Ushaw College, Durham, the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, called on all Catholics to think about how best to express their faith in their lives today. Archbishop invited all people of faith to find the good in the other, Read More ... Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2012 12:20 am
Historic Olympic prayer relay ready to start A 70-day prayer relay, that mirrors the journey of the Olympic Torch through over 1,000 communities, is to be launched with a blessing ceremony in Cornwall tomorrow. With the arrival of the Olympic Torch at Lands End on Friday, 18 May, the Anglican Bishop of Truro the Right Rev Tim Thornton and Rev Steve Wild, Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 11:51 pm
Kent: Inauguration of St Augustine's Shrine Archbishop Peter Smith of Southwark will formally inaugurate the official shrine of St Augustine at Pugin’s personal church in Ramsgate in Kent this Sunday, to mark the beginning of St Augustine’s week – a week of Catholic history and culture. The inauguration will take place at St Augustine’s Church Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 11:32 pm
Parliament hears plight of Christian women in Pakistan & Egypt At a well-attended meeting in Parliament on Tuesday evening, chaired by Lord Alton of Liverpool, Peers and MPs heard first-hand accounts about the plight of the persecuted church in Pakistan and Egypt – and in particular about the plight of Christian women, whom Lord Alton said faced “double persecution – both on account of their beliefs and their gender.” Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 10:46 pm
Church joins call for change in American nuclear policy The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) joined representatives of various groups advocating nuclear arms reduction to present a petition with over 50,000 signatures to the White House. The petition urges President Obama to reduce the role and number of nuclear weapons as he makes a once-in-a-decade decision on the Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 10:17 pm
Bishop urges stricter control on mining in Congo Bishop Nicolas Djomo Lola, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Congo, has urged the US Congress to continue to support laws that promote transparency among companies that mine in the Congo and to “resist watering down SEC regulations to half measures that may save money, but cost lives.” Bishop Lola Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 9:52 pm
Archbishop of Canterbury on his favourite piece of Shakespeare As part of the BBC's 'Shakespeare Unlocked' season, Archbishop Rowan Williams was asked to speak about the piece of Shakespeare that has inspired him the most. The Archbishop chose a speech from Macbeth Act 3 Scene 2. Dr Williams said: "I've always found Macbeth a particularly challenging and engaging play. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 9:22 pm
Reflections on Feast of the Ascension The Feast of the Ascension strikes many Christians as the poor relative of the two rather bigger celebrations which top and tail the long and joyful season of Eastertide: Easter itself, and Pentecost. But Damian Howard SJ, writing in Thinking Faith, ascribes to this feast the utmost significance. What are we to make of the story of Jesus being taken up Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 8:29 pm
CAFOD takes Thirst For Change message to Downing Street after sunrise walk .. A delegation of CAFOD supporters delivered over 60,000 Thirst for change actions to No 10 Downing Street, calling on David Cameron to turn the tide on water poverty. The Prime Minister has a crucial opportunity at the G8 summit, to urge other world leaders to make clean water and safe sanitation a top priority. Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 11:45 pm
St Paul’s Cathedral welcomes Dalai Lama ..."We deeply admire the Dalai Lama’s tireless energy which ..has taught us all that the spiritual quest of humanity lies at the heart of who we are and deepens our human potential. He embodies a truth that lies deep in our own Christian faith – that the spiritual life is best translated in living a life of compassion in which we seek .. Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 11:22 pm
BBC's Head of Religion gives Communications Day lecture Aaqil Ahmed, the BBC's Head of Religion and Ethics, delivered this year's World Communications Day Lecture at the Mount Street Jesuit Centre in central London last night, 14 May, speaking on: 'The Future of Religious Broadcasting.' Ahmed, who began his career in Current Affairs, also worked on Religious programming Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 11:07 pm
Philippines: environmentalist leader killed, Bishops appeal for end to violence Margarito Cabal, an environmentalist leader has been killed in the province of Bukidnon, in Mindanao (southern Philippines). This is the third murder within two months after the murder of the tribal leader Jimmy Liguyon and the Catholic journalist Nestor Libaton. Cabal was shot dead by two unidentified men Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 4:45 pm
Thailand: Agape School - home to 300 children Agape’s Head Teacher, David Min Naing, is known as Pastor David. He had a good job in Rangoon, but gave it up to come to the Thai Burma border to help children. Agape – the Greek for unselfish love – is a school and a home. Some 300 children attend the school. A third have no parents and live in the boarding house. Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 3:17 pm
Benetton forced to withdraw illegal image of Pope from ad campaign Fashion group Benetton has withdrawn an unlawfully-used image of Pope Benedict from its 'Unhate' ad campaign, after a legal struggle. The company has expressed its regret for offending the Pope and believers, and promised not to use the image again. They have also promised to stop the use of the image by third parties, Vatican press officer Fr Lombardi writes Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 2:04 pm
