UK & Ireland

In a forthcoming lecture, Dan Hitchens will address the advance of assisted suicide legislation and its potential to be a historical turning-point. Examining both secular and religious controversies about suicide throughout the centuries, he will ask what it means if a national suicide service becomes an answer to Britain's social problems. In 'Staying Human: Useful Lives', Dan Hitchens will put t... Read More

At the end of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales meeting in Leeds on Thursday, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and President of the Bishops' Conference offered a reflection on the discussions held over the week, describing it as "a time of encouragement and hope," as well as looking back at some of the extraordinary events which have taken place in the Church over the la... Read More

The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales gathered at Hinsley Hall in the Diocese of Leeds for their autumn plenary meeting from 10-13 November 2025. Statements were issued on assisted suicide and abortion, and environmental matters. A resolution was made on the Great Jubilee 2033. Video interviews are available on Life Issues (Archbishop John Sherrington), Prisons (Bishop Richard Moth), CAFOD's w... Read More

Pope Leo has designated St Mary's as the Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Dublin. Archbishop Dermot Farrell announced the news today at the 12pm Mass in the Cathedral where he was the chief celebrant. The Mass was concelebrated by clergy from the Metropolitan Province Archdiocese of Dublin. The Archbishop's full homily text follows: 200 years ago today, on the Feast of Saint Laurence O'Toole... Read More

Catherine Robinson from Right to Life UK writes: The Leadbeater Assisted Suicide Bill is having its first day of Committee Stage, its next major stage in the House of Lords on Friday. Committee Stage is when Peers examine the Bill line by line, debate proposed amendments, and can vote on them if needed. Incredibly, almost 1,000 amendments have been tabled to the Bill! This is already close to the ... Read More

Extensive conservation work has begun on one of the English Catholic Church's most unusual mausoleums. The tomb of Sir Richard Burton and his wife, Isabel, in the graveyard of St Mary Magdalen Church in Mortlake near Richmond, is shaped like a Bedouin tent. It is being fully renovated for the first time in more than three decades to prevent it from falling into disrepair. Sir Richard was one o... Read More

The Service of Commemoration for those who have died homeless in past year will take place at St Martin in the Fields, this Thursday , 13 November 11am -1pm. Once again this November, during remembrance week, we will gather to commemorate those whose lives have been shortened due to homelessness in London. The theme of this years' service is 'Refuge' and will recognise the fact that so many, ofte... Read More

On Saturday, 8th November, I attended the Gaza Day Conference: A Mental Health Conference for Palestine - Living Through the Unimaginable: Witnessing and Responding to the Genocide in Gaza. The event, organised by Psychoanalytic Voices for Palestine, took place at Birkbeck, University of London. We heard from Dr Yasser Abu Jamei, Director General of the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, who as... Read More

On Friday 7 November, a group of UK Christians spoke out against the Christian nationalist narrative they say is the antithesis of the values at the heart of their faith. Those speaking out include a former Archbishop of Canterbury, bishops, clergy and lay people. Ahead of Remembrance Sunday, a prayer walk was held around London's Hyde Park, stopping at several sites which signify how people born ... Read More

In a powerful show of unity amid rising global and local tensions, faith and belief leaders from across Glasgow's diverse communities gathered last night to launch the Glasgow 850 Interfaith Declaration - a unifying statement of shared values and commitments to build a more just, inclusive, and compassionate Glasgow. Signed by senior representatives from Glasgow's diverse faith and belief communit... Read More

The Bishops' Conference of Scotland has announced the launch of a new Office of Communications and Evangelisation, which will support the Church's mission to share the Gospel and highlight the positive impact of Catholic life across the country. The new office will manage and distribute official statements from the Catholic Church in Scotland, and will work closely with dioceses, parishes, schools... Read More

Papal biographer and journalist Dr Austen Ivereigh, was keynote speaker at The Tablet's 185th anniversary celebration in London on Tuesday evening. BBC broadcaster and presenter Ed Stourton joined for a discussion and Q&A after the lecture. Dr Philip Crispin writes: Austen Ivereigh, a good friend and celebrated biographer of the late Pope, delivered The Tablet's 185th Anniversary Lecture: From... Read More

Archbishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Bishops' Conference, has issued a statement on the Crime and Policing Bill which is currently going through Committee Stage in the House of Lords. He urges peers to support the amendment to overturn clause 191 which would decriminalise abortion and threaten the life of unborn children, and calls for compassionate support and legal pr... Read More

The Cardinal Hume Centre in Westminster is one of three organisations chosen from 58 applications nationally to set up a new Testing Hub funded by Justlife. The Hubs will trial community-led approaches to supporting people living in temporary accommodation. The Cardinal Hume Centre Hub will deliver a holistic, one-to-one model for households in emergency or non-self-contained temporary accommodati... Read More