VERY BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY AND HOLY EASTER FROM ICN.
We are continuing to update the news online. The next e-mail newsletter will be on Thursday 24th April.
Read More ... Posted: Sunday, April 20, 2014 1:13 am
Easter Joy is for all, says Archbishop of Birmingham Yesterday’s Walk of Witness through the streets of Birmingham City Centre is not “a protest against commercial activities”, but rather a demonstration of the Christian belief that “our Lord gave His life on the cross for the salvation of all people, for the common good, and that our Easter joy is also meant for them,” said the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Reverend Bernard Longley. Yesterday, the Anglican Bishop of Birmingham, Bishop David Urquhart and Archbishop Longley walked behind the cross in the city to witness to this joy. Read More ... Posted: Sunday, April 20, 2014 1:01 am
Easter Sunday Reflection 2014 with Fr Robin Gibbons Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Eastern Christians all over the world will greet each other with these words from the liturgy all through the great season of Pascha. It is an expression of joy, of deep and profound faith, going beyond intellectual and scientific proof, that nothing can ever take away their experience of the risen Christ who is with them always. How do you experience the risen Lord? The scriptures tell us that there are so many different ways of finding him, Read More ... Posted: Saturday, April 19, 2014 12:52 pm
Vatican: Good Friday homily with Fr Raniero Cantalamessa In the divine-human history of the passion of Jesus, there are many minor stories about men and women who entered into the ray of its light or its shadow. The most tragic one is that of Judas Iscariot. It is one of the few events attested with equal emphasis by each of the four Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. The early Christian community reflected a great deal on this incident and we would be remiss to do otherwise. It has much to tell us. Read More ... Posted: Saturday, April 19, 2014 10:53 am
Syria: Patriarch appeals for help after fatal school bombing in Damascus The leader of Catholics in Syria has issued a desperate plea for international help, describing how one child was killed and 60 others were injured when a bomb landed on a school playground during a spate of attacks in Damascus. Melkite Greek-Catholic Patriarch Gregorios III reported that several children received "life-changing" injuries in the blast that took place while they were singing the Syrian National Anthem during early morning assembly at the Armenian Catholic School in Damascus' Old City. Read More ... John Pontifex - Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 10:22 pm
In an annual tradition, Thirteen Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have issued the following Easter message this year highlighting the importance of peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land: We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, bring joyous greetings in the name of our risen Lord from the city of the Resurrection. It is from the heart of this city that the first Easter proclamation was made. Christ is risen from the dead! It was also from the heights of Jerusalem that Jesus commissioned his disciples to take this good news to the very ends of the earth.
Read More ... Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 10:00 pm
Cardinal Vincent Nichols leads prayers and reflections on Good Friday On Good Friday, 18 April, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, reflected on the crucifixion of Jesus. Cardinal Nichols spoke on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day’ and at the annual performance of Jesus’ death in Trafalgar Square before celebrating the Solemn Liturgy of the Passion at Westminster Cathedral. In his homily for the Solemn Liturgy of the Passion at Westminster Cathedral, Cardinal Nichols reflected on the use of the words ‘glory, grace and truth’ in the day’s Gospel reading and considered how beauty can be seen in the Crucifixion, Read More ... Alexander Balzanella - Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 9:14 pm
Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum This evening, Good Friday, at 9.10pm local time, after the celebration of the Passion of Our Lord at St Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis will lead the Stations of the Cross, at the Colosseum in Rome. This year, the meditations, entitled 'the Face of Christ the Way of Man' were written by Mgr Giancarlo Maria Bregantini, Archbishop of Campobasso-Boiano. Read More ... Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 12:47 am
Pope Francis: 'Serve one another in love' In a gesture of humility and service, and in imitation of Christ, Pope Francis put on an apron and knelt down to wash the feet of 12 residents of the Santa Maria della Provvidenza care home for people with disabilities, during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, on Thursday evening. Visibly fatigued and requiring assistance to kneel and stand up again as he came close to the end of the rite, Pope Francis showed tenderness and concern for each person, as he washed their feet. The patients ranged in age from 16 to 86. Read More ... Posted: Friday, April 18, 2014 12:11 am
Cardinal Nichols washes feet of Chelsea Pensioners This evening - Maundy Thursday - Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Westminster Cathedral. The Mass remembers Christ’s washing of his disciple’s feet and his institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper; in commemoration of Jesus’s act Cardinal Vincent washed the feet of 12 Chelsea Pensioners as part of the service. In his homily Cardinal Vincent spoke about how this night marks the beginning of the Triduum and the events that led to the salvation of mankind; Read More ... Alexander Balzanella - Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2014 11:47 pm
Church leaders warn South Sudan on brink of humanitarian disaster Leading church leaders in South Sudan have called for greater urgency regarding delayed peace negotiations in Addis Ababa, as faith-based humanitarian agencies warn of an impending food crisis. In just four months, more than one million people have been displaced from their homes and an estimated 4.9 million are currently in need of humanitarian assistance, yet the crisis response plan is still only 36 per cent funded. In their latest pastoral statement, the ecumenical church leaders of South Sudan strongly condemn Read More ... Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2014 11:33 pm
Film: Calvary Opening with a shocking scene in the confessional plus a memorable quote from St Augustine, “Do not despair, one of the thieves was saved. Do not presume, one of the thieves was damned,” Calvary (written and directed by John Michael McDonagh) is a powerful tale of redemption and forgiveness. Through the Christ-like character of the parish priest in a small rural Irish community (a stunning performance from Brendan Gleeson) we experience his Via Dolorosa as he journeys towards certain death, Read More ... Anne O’Connor - Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2014 11:11 pm
Pope Francis at Chrism Mass on the joy of being a priest Pope Francis delivered the homily at the Chrism Mass of the Rome diocese this morning, in St Peter's Basilica. The theme of the Holy Father's homily was the joy of priestly service...In the eternal “today” of Holy Thursday, when Christ showed his love for us to the end (cf. Jn 13:1), we recall the happy day of the institution of the priesthood, as well as the day of our own priestly ordination. The Lord anointed us in Christ with the oil of gladness, and this anointing invites us to accept and appreciate this great gift: Read More ... Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2014 4:01 pm
Honduras: Human rights lawyer assassinated A worker at a Jesuit-run radio and social action centre in Honduras has been stabbed and killed in what is believed to have been a politically-motivated attack. CAFOD partner Carlos Mejia Orellana, a 35-year-old lawyer who worked for ERIC-RP was stabbed four times in the chest at his home in El Progreso. The Catholic aid agency vowed yesterday that the struggle for justice that he helped to lead will go on. Carlos and other colleagues at ERIC-RP had received repeated death threats in response to the organisation's Read More ... Posted: Thursday, April 17, 2014 1:33 pm
Bishop of Shrewsbury to open house of discernment for men considering vocation to priesthood The Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury has announced plans to open a house of discernment for men considering a vocation to the priesthood. The house at Shrewsbury Cathedral will open in September 2015 and will offer men a place where they will be able to carefully discern, over a period of a year, if they are being called by God to become priests. Bishop Davies made the announcement during the Chrism Mass, on Wednesday evening, 16 April, at St Anthony’s Church in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 11:45 pm
Pope sends Passover Greetings to Rome's Jewish community Pope Francis has written to the Chief Rabbi of Rome to wish the Eternal City’s Jewish community – and by extension the global community – a happy Pesach, or Passover. In Jerusalem, Church leaders also sent Pesach greetings to the Jewish people. Pope Francis' message reads: “As the great feast of Passover approaches I would like to extend my most cordial greetings of peace to you and all the Jewish Community of Rome. The memory of the liberation from oppression by the strong arm of the Lord inspires thoughts of mercy, reconciliation and Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 10:46 pm
The Great North Passion Thousands will gather in Bent's Park, South Shields at noon on Good Friday for BBC One's extraordinary spectacle, The Great North Passion. The one-hour live event and broadcast reveals a giant iconic installation in the shape of a cross and is a unique and innovative retelling of the story of the Passion. Fern Britton and singer Alexandra Burke join local community participants, ranging from dancers and graffiti artists to a massed choir, to tell the story of the last moments of Christ's life, from his trial and suffering to his eventual death. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 9:32 pm
Passion Play in Essex An ecumenical group is bringing the real story of the first Easter to life in Trinity Square, South Woodham Ferrers on Good Friday and Easter Saturday. The play tells the story of Holy Week, leading up to Easter, and the dramatic tale of the Last Supper, Judas’ betrayal, Jesus’ trial and his Crucifixion and Resurrection. Drawn straight from the original accounts in the Bible, the production tells the tale faithfully and accessibly, with modern language and realistic performances. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 9:11 pm
Crimea: Catholics face uncertain future In a message to the branch of Aid to the Church in Need, the Auxiliary Bishop of Odessa-Simferopol, Missionary Oblate Msgr Jacek Pyl described the sense of insecurity felt by Catholics in Crimea at the present time. “We are cut off from the rest of the country" he writes. “We communicate only by telephone and e-mail. Even the aid parcels are blocked at the border.” He explained that in spite of having very few resources, the Catholic Church, which has only about two thousand faithful, is taking care of many families in difficulty. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 8:58 pm
AoS increases support for seafarers over Easter Apostleship of the Sea port chaplains and ship visitors are increasing their efforts to support the lives of seafarers at Easter with practical help and also at this time the chance to celebrate their faith at the height of the liturgical year. The port chaplains and volunteers of the Apostleship of the Sea up and down Great Britain are aware that for seafarers any festive period is much like any other working day – the only difference being that their separation from family and friends and from their faith can be even more difficult to bear than usual. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 6:06 pm
Pope Francis: Jesus' pain on the Cross reflects the pain of humanity The suffering of Jesus on the Cross, that reflects the pain of humanity and represents the divine response to the mystery of the evil that is so difficult to understand, was the theme of Pope Francis' catechesis during the general audience held today, Holy Wednesday, in which the liturgy presents the story of Judas' betrayal and Christ, it emerges, has a price. “This dramatic act marks the beginning of the Passion of Christ, a painful path that He chooses with absolute freedom. He says this clearly Himself: 'I lay down my life. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 5:04 pm
Tax breaks for multinationals outstrip spending on schools and clinics in Sierra Leone A new report highlights the huge amount of revenue that one of the poorest countries in Africa loses each year through tax breaks for multinationals. In 2011, Sierra Leone spent more on tax give-aways than on its development priorities, with mining firms the biggest beneficiaries. The following year, the tax exemptions amounted to more than eight times Sierra Leone’s health budget and seven times its education budget. Read More ... Posted: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 12:05 am
Syria: Child killed, 61 people injured in attack on Catholic school One child died and 61 children, parents and teachers were injured when a missile hit the Armenian Catholic school in Damascus on Tuesday morning. The school is in the historic district of Bab Tuma, in the old town, where there are many churches and Christian schools. Father George Bahi, a priest of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate of Damascus said: "This morning, around 7.30am, a missile fell on the crowd of children, parents and teachers who were waiting for the school to open. Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 11:52 pm
Syrian army seizes ancient Christian town of Maaloula Syria's state news agency has said forces loyal to President Bashar Al Assad captured Maaloula on Monday. Sana reported that army units had to dismantle explosive devices planted in Maaloula by the rebels after recapturing areas they had occupied. The town is located 56 km to the northeast of Damascus, and built into the rugged mountainside. Maaloula has changed hands at least four times since December as government forces and rebels have launched attacks and counter-attacks, according to the Reuters news agency. Read More ... Robert Ewan - Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 11:32 pm
Westminster: More than 300 Priests join Cardinal to celebrate Chrism Mass His Eminence Vincent Nichols, Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, celebrated the Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Westminster at 12pm today (Tuesday 15 April). The Mass was concelebrated by HE Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Auxiliary Bishops John Arnold and John Sherrington and over 300 priests, with deacons, seminarians and parishioners from across the Diocese. In his homily, Cardinal Vincent spoke of the "overriding emotion’ of joy in the hearts of the priests gathered, from knowing Christ and ‘being heralds of the message of His unfailing love Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 4:02 pm
