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 gave testimony to the House Financial Services Subcommittee 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
Pianist Gwilym Simcock to perform at Jesuit farewell concert A pianist described as 'one of the most outstanding composers of our time' will be performing alongside children from a Jesuit prep school this Saturday, 19 May, in a farewell concert for the outgoing Director of Jesuit Missions in Britain, Fr Tim Curtis. Gwilym Simcock, who regularly features on BBC Radio and in concert performances Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:38 pm
Pope Benedict XVI calls for new era of proclamation of the Gospel Pope Benedict XVI called for ‘a new era of proclamation of the Gospel’ as he addressed the Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies at their annual General Assembly Governing Council.... 'At the current time evangelisation, which is always a pressing task, requires the Church to work even more assiduously throughout the world in order to ensure that all mankind may come to know Christ.' Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:07 pm
Westminster: Night of Witness for persecuted Christians Aid to the Church in Need's 'Night of Witness' for persecuted Christians, takes place at Westminster Cathedral this Thursday, 17 May, from 4pm onwards. Pope Benedict XVI has said that "Religious freedom is the first of the human rights, for it expresses the most fundamental reality of the person". Such is the persecution of Christians in certain parts of the world, that we are now seeing the exodus of Christians Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 1:14 am
Church to host Paralympic conference and celebrations Catholic disability groups from across Britain are making history as they prepare for two important events ahead of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Faith and Light, HCPT the Pilgrimage Trust, the Kairos Forum, and disability agencies from the Archdioceses of Southwark and Westminster, along with the Diocese of Brentwood, Read More ... Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:51 am
London: French Church celebrates restored Cocteau murals A special Mass and reception took place at the Church of Notre Dame de France in Leicester Square - on Saturday, to celebrate the unveiling of the newly-restored Cocteau murals and the renovated organ. Organist Duncan Middleton played improvizations during the blessing of the organ and accompanied the special choir Read More ... Jo Siedlecka - Posted: Tuesday, May 15, 2012 12:34 am
Canada: bishops issue pastoral letter on freedom of conscience & religion The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) today released a pastoral letter on freedom of conscience and religion. Issued by the CCCB Permanent Council, the letter expresses concern about an “aggressive relativism” in Canada that seeks to relegate religion to the private sphere. “Legitimate secularity draws a distinction between Read More ... Posted: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:56 pm
Charity asks government to do more to help disabled people get jobs The national Christian disability charity Livability has warned that unless more investment and new innovative employment schemes are developed, disabled people will continue to be excluded from the workplace. As 34 Remploy factories are being closed and more than 1,500 disabled people are due to lose their jobs, the charity believes that a new strategy Read More ... Posted: Monday, May 14, 2012 11:44 pm
India: Jesuit school saves girls from temple prostitution ..Their mothers were dedicated or ‘married’ to the Hindu Godess Yellamma at a young age. They are not allowed to marry a mortal but once they reach puberty they are bound to give service to the temple. Ancient tradition requires them to serve the temple with song, music or dance but most of them are effectively temple prostitutes. Read More ... Fr Tim Byron SJ - Posted: Monday, May 14, 2012 4:25 pm
Eucharistic Bell rings out in north west of England The Eucharistic Congress Bell has begun to ring out through the north west of England, calling pilgrims to the 50th International Eucharistic Congress 2012 (IEC2012), which will be hosted in Dublin from 10 - 17 June. The Bell is the key symbol of this year's Congress and is the Catholic Church's version of the Olympic torch. Read More ... Posted: Monday, May 14, 2012 3:48 pm
US Bishops begin investigation of Girl Scouts The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has begun an investigation into the Girl Scouts movement. The Girl Scouts estimate that about a quarter of their 2.3 million youth members are Catholic, based in parishes. Groups are involved in many social, sports and pastoral activities. The inquiry, to be conducted by Read More ... Claire Bergin - Posted: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:16 am
Job vacancy: Columbans seek administrator The Columban Fathers are looking for an Experienced Office Administrator for their Cultural Exchange with China desk. The postholder will report to the Director. Office hours are 30 hours per week. The salary will be about £13-14 an hour, depending on qualifications and experience. Interest in World affairs including China an asset. Read More ... Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 11:16 pm
Personal Ordinariate to be established in Australia The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart, has announced that Pope Benedict XVI intends to establish a Personal Ordinariate for Former Anglicans in Australia. This new community will be known as the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross Read More ... Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 10:48 pm
Churches encouraged to pray with Olympic Torch Churches are being encouraged to join in a ‘cascade of prayer and praise’ during the 70 days of the Olympic Torch Relay that starts from Lands End on Saturday. More Than Gold, the agency helping churches respond to the 2012 Games, has launched ‘The 70-day Prayer Relay’, which tracks the same dates and venues as the official Torch Relay. Read More ... Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 10:33 pm
Catholic journalist killed in Philippines Nestor Libaton, a 40-year-old Catholic journalist working for the 'DXHM Radio' Catholic station in the town of Mati, near Davao, on the island of Mindanao, was killed last Tuesday, 8 May by three armed gunmen. Libaton is the third journalist killed in the Philippines in the past 15 days. 55 media workers have been killed Read More ... Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 6:06 pm
Catholics urged to 'shout out about government caps and cuts' Members of the National Justice and Peace Network of England and Wales (NJPN) were told on Saturday to “shout out about government caps and cuts”, which are harming low income families in Britain, by the Chairman of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust - an ecumenical charity addressing poverty issues caused by unfairness in the law, legal and benefits system. Read More ... Ellen Teague - Posted: Sunday, May 13, 2012 5:45 pm
Syria: Pope condemns bombings in Damascus Pope Benedict has condemned the latest bombings in in the Syrian capital Damascus on Thursday, which killed 55 people and injured more than 370. Vatican press office director Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, released the following communique yesterday morning. "Having witnessed yesterday's attacks which brought carnage Read More ... Posted: Saturday, May 12, 2012 11:17 pm
