For the Feast of the Annunciation (celebrated in 2016 on Monday 4 April), Dorian Llywelyn SJ surveys the history of artistic representations of Gabriel's visit to Mary. How are developments in theology and devotion reflected in these depictions, and how can they help us 'to discover our place in the mystery of the Annunciation?' Artists who seek to portray the Annunciation face many challenges: how to translate dense, revelatory words into visual terms;

St John's Hospice in St John's Wood, has been visited once a week by Therapaws over the last two years. Regular volunteers Zoe and Claire, from the Mayhew Animal Home, bring a specially-trained pug named Flora and two Jack Russels, Harley and Oscar on alternate weeks. This interaction is proving to have many benefits for patients, including stress reduction and lowering blood pressure. Visits can also unlock memories and emotions, especially from those suffering with dementia.

As the better weather sets in our thoughts turn to all our friends who are still without proper shelter in Northern France. Since the recent clearance of the southern part of the Calais 'jungle', many people are now in even worse conditions as they seek to survive crammed in to in the remaining part of the camp. The clearance has left the Eritrean Church 'high and dry' and no longer the focal point of the Eritrean community which it has been up to now.

The Jesuit Institute in Pretoria has welcomed a ruling by South Africa's highest court, that President Zuma violated the country's Constitution by refusing to pay back some of the millions of dollars in public funds spent on home improvements. These included a chicken coop, a cattle enclosure, an amphitheatre, a swimming pool, visitor centre and helipad. The Court said he flouted laws meant to safeguard the country's young democracy. The Constitutional Court delivered a judgment in the Nkandla Application on Thursday, 31st March.

A man returned to his car in the parking lot of a supermarket, to discover that the side had been badly dented by some other car. Naturally, he was very upset. He was somewhat relieved, however, to see that there was a note under one of the wipers. At least, whoever was responsible had owned up, and there was a chance that the other person's insurance would take care of the damage. He opened the piece of paper, and it read:

Pope Francis presided over Mass in St Peter's Square today, Divine Mercy Sunday, and encouraged the faithful to be "apostles of mercy" toward those in need."We are all called to become living writers of the Gospel, heralds of the Good News to all men and women today," the Pope told the crowds during his homily. "We do this by practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, which are the hallmarks of the Christian life.

The sun shone during our final day in Lourdes. Some groups spent their last morning visiting the City of the Poor, where accommodation and hospitality is offered to those pilgrims who cannot afford to stay in hotels. Situated on a hillside above the town, the Sheep Fold chapel of the City is modelled on the thatched barn in Bartres where Bernadette tended sheep as a little girl, and it is popular for HCPT Masses. The stools for seating are covered in sheepskins. It is an opportunity to remember poor communities

In a note to Clergy and parishes in the Diocese, the Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Rev Mark O'Toole, has said: "In response to my request, and after careful consultation and discernment in the Diocese, the Neo-catechumenal Way have taken up the invitation for a Missio ad gentes community to come to the diocese this summer. Many of you will know that the Neo-catechumenal Way is a worldwide ecclesial community originally founded in 1964 in the slums of Madrid by Kiko Argüello and Carmen Hernández.

Like you, I am one of those mentioned in the Gospel of John in the account of Thomas and the Risen Christ. On seeing Jesus, 'Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Time and time again I am wrestle with this statement. I continually ask myself, have I too seen the Risen Lord?

The Apostleship of Prayer has announced the intentions chosen by the Pope for April. The Holy Father's universal prayer intention is: "That small farmers may receive a just reward for their precious labour." His intention for evangelisation is: "That Christians in Africa may give witness to love and faith in Jesus Christ amid political-religious conflicts."

Of all the day trips away from Lourdes, the one to Gavarnie is the most popular with HCPT groups. Ours was the first coach to pull into the ski resort today after a journey this morning of just over an hour, carrying our Chiswick group and Group 50 from Liverpool. Soon, at least another eight groups were unloading their children, helpers, wheelchairs, packed lunches. The West Indies HCPT group pulled in at lunchtime and they brought their musical instruments with them as well, always ready to sing and entertain.

The Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism was conferred upon His Grace Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby, on 31 March 2016 at Lambeth Palace. The Lambeth Cross has been the highest honour bestowed by the Archbishop of Canterbury since 1939 and is conferred to distinguished hierarchs who have rendered exceptional services to the cause of Christian unity. Speaking directly to Bishop

Pakistan's government has succumbed to seven out of ten demands made by Mumtaz Qadri supporters, who have been protesting outside government buildings in Islamabad, including demands not to amend the country's blasphemy laws. Mumtaz Qadri was executed on 29 February. On 4 January 2011 he shot dead the former Governor of Punjab Province, Salman Taseer, an outspoken critic of the blasphemy laws who campaigned on behalf of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman currently on death row following a blasphemy conviction.

"This is a Christian country," David Cameron declared valiantly, during an Easter speech in 2015. Not, perhaps, for much longer. In 2001 40.1m Britons declared themselves Christian on the census form; in 2011, the figure was just 36.1m, or 59% of the population. Yet some places are resisting the tide of godlessness. According to a new analysis* of census data, Britain's bastions of Christianity tend to be urban ("but not too urban") and mostly in north-west England.

In response to the horror of the bombing of families in the park at Lahore, Pakistan on Easter Sunday. Bishop Declan will preside at Mass in St Nicholas of Tolentino Church in Easton, Bristol on Saturday, 2 April. The Mass for the victims, both deceased and injured, and for the persecuted Church in Pakistan takes place at 12noon. All are invited to stand in solidarity with the Pakistan Christian community both in Pakistan and here in Bristol. Bristol's Lord Mayor, Councilor Clare Campion-Smith will be present. The Mass will be in both Urdu and English,

Millions of pilgrims to Lourdes have agreed with French author Emile Zola, who said of the Lourdes baths in 1892 that "the water was not exactly inviting." (See link below*) However, the recent decision by the Lourdes authorities to heat the water to 37C, has shocked many visitors. "I've dreaded getting into the freezing water, but it was been an important penance to experience while visiting Lourdes" said Gerry Donnelly, a London pilgrim visiting the French shrine at Easter.

Pope Francis' highly-anticipated post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation, 'Amoris Laetitia' (The Joy of Love) on love in the family will be released at a press conference on Friday, 8 April, the Vatican has announced. The panel of speakers at the press conference will include: Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, general secretary of the Synod of Bishops; Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, OP, archbishop of Vienna, and Italian married couple: Professor Francesco Miano, and his wife, Professor Giuseppina De Simone in Miano,

This morning, all traffic in Lourdes led to the Underground Basilica. Groups in their distinctive colours and banners converged from all directions. Our Chiswick group rose particularly early and after breakfast gathered in a bedroom to have nails painted green and 144 marked on faces. It was a little hive of artistic activity until we set off at 9am for the 10am Mass, with excitement mounting. Despite drizzling rain, no group misses this annual Mass of the HCPT Trust.

As we come to the end of our time in El Paso and most of the group flies back to the UK today, it is time to reflect on our whole mission exposure here at the border. We have heard and seen a lot of different experiences over our 10 days here in El Paso and Juarez, which have left us feeling an array of emotions including happy, confused, scared, unsure, sad, shocked. All our experiences have left us feeling challenged and at times feeling uncomfortable about our thoughts, words and actions.

Victims of the Easter Sunday Pakistan bomb blast recovering in hospital have received a personal message of sympathy from the Pope. Archbishop Sebastian Shaw of Lahore described how he was going from bed to bed visiting the wounded when he received a call on his mobile phone from Vatican officials who said that they had received a message from Pope Francis who was anxious to send a greeting to those wounded and grieving. Latest reports say 72 people - 29 of them children - were killed and more than 340 were injured

On 1 April - April Fools' Day - entertainers from The Flying Seagull Project will embark on a two-month tour of Europe's refugee camps to spread love, light and laughter, if only for a fleeting moment, to children in need. According to UN statistics, 36% of those risking the treacherous sea crossing between Greece and Turkey are now children. The United in Laughter Tour will begin in France, at Dunkirk and Calais, and visit Belgium, Austria, Hungary and Croatia on the way to Greece and finally Turkey.

A small group of Columban contacts in Britain spent Holy Week 2016 on a Columban Exposure Visit to the US-Mexico border. Mark Brown, a teacher based in Dorset, shares his experience. The Way of the Cross.
 Today we woke early to join the community of Anapra, in Mexico as they followed the 'Way of the Cross'. Myself and Fr Bob began our journey at the chapel we had visited for Mass last night whilst the female members of our group joined Sai, a Columban lay missionary who had kindly hosted them the night before, at the

A Filipino seafarer is on the mend thanks to the Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) who attended to him following his recent injury. Doug Duncan, AoS Northeast Scotland port chaplain attended to fisherman Roy whose leg was badly damaged while working to support his family back home. Now the seafarer finds himself back in Shetland from where he was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, hopeful that he could return to work within the next few weeks.

A driver for Caritas has been killed in a road ambush near Uvira in South Kivu. The incident occurred on March 25, when a Caritas vehicle in Uvira, taking the salaries of teachers in the Fizi Territory, was blocked near Lubumba bridge about 40 km from Uvira. The bandits forced the driver to get out of the vehicle before killing him with a shot to the head. He died while he was being transported to hospital. The other passenger, the accounting officer of Caritas, was injured in the hand. She was then released by the bandits who stole 194 million

...Today we shall complete the catecheses on mercy in the Old Testament, and do so by meditating on Psalm 51[50], known as the Miserere. It is a penitential prayer in which the request for forgiveness is preceded by the confession of sins and in which the one praying allows himself to be purified by the Lord's love. Thus, he becomes a new creature, capable of obedience, steadfastness of spirit, and of sincere praise. The 'title' that the ancient Hebrew tradition gave to this Psalm refers to King David and his sin with Bathsheba, the wife of