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UK & Ireland

News from United Kingdom & Ireland covering parishes, dioceses, religious orders, community groups, homelessness, moral & political issues and pilgrims. See our UK & Ireland Parishes Links page for relevant links.


Romero Service: Call for 'Prayerful and Prophetic Resilience' to Injustice

Dr Perrier at St Martin in the Fields.  Image ICN/JS

Red roses and lit candles were placed beside a bust of St Oscar Romero of El Salvador at St Martin in the Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, on Saturday for the annual ecumenical service to commemorate the 44th anniversary of his killing. The theme of the service was, 'Prayerful and Prophetic Resilience in the Face of Injustice - Archbishops Oscar Romero and Denis Hurley.' Organised by the Archbisho... Read More


Archbishop of Canterbury meets Anglican priest from West Bank

Fr Fadi Diab with Archbishop Justin Welby at Lambeth Palace today.

Archbishop Justin Welby today (16 March 2024) met with the Reverend Fadi Diab, Rector of St Andrew's Anglican Church in Ramallah, Palestine, in Lambeth Palace. After the meeting the Archbishop issued this statement: 'I was delighted to meet today with my brother in Christ, the Reverend Fadi Diab, the Anglican priest from St Andrew's Ramallah in Palestine. In listening to him I heard again how the ... Read More


Bishop writes to MPs to herald St Patrick and the Irish Catholic contribution to the Church

Image: CBCEW

On Thursday, 14 March, in Westminster Hall, MPs held a debate about St Patrick's Day and the contribution of the Irish diaspora to the UK. Rebecca Long Bailey, the Labour MP for Salford and Eccles, proposed the following motion: That this House has considered St Patrick's Day and the contribution of the Irish diaspora to the UK. Ahead of the debate, Bishop Paul McAleenan, who was born in Belfast a... Read More


St Patrick's Day 2024 message of Archbishop Eamon Martin

Archbishop Martin, St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh

On Saint Patrick's Day our thoughts and prayers naturally turn to our Irish emigrants abroad. Some left Ireland many years ago and have set down roots in other countries; others, including many thousands of our young people, have only recently gone in search of new places and opportunities. Wherever they are in the world - from Sydney to Toronto, from Manchester to Dubai - we wish them all a very ... Read More


Eucharistic Healing Service at St Dominic's Rosary Shrine

A Choral Eucharist Healing Service will take place at St Dominic's Rosary Shrine, Southampton Road, London NW5 4LB on Saturday, 16 March 2024 at 7.15pm. There will be prayers for healing from various afflictions, (spiritual, moral, physical) with individual blessings. Featuring Victoria's Tenebrae Responsories, with Gregorian and Dominican chant, as well as motets by Lotti, Lobo, Byrd and Durufle.... Read More


Bishop of Clifton retires, successor appointed

Bishop Declan Lang

Today, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, has accepted the resignation of the Right Reverend Declan Lang as Bishop of Clifton. Bishop Declan was ordained the ninth Bishop of Clifton on 28th March 2001 and has served the Diocese for 23 years as its bishop. The Holy Father has appointed Rev Canon Bosco MacDonald, a priest of the Diocese of Clifton, until now Dean of the Cathedral Church of St Peter and... Read More


Diocese publishes study on Catholics who no longer come to Church

The Diocese of Brentwood today, has published 'Believing, not Belonging', result of a research project into why so many Catholics no longer come to Church. Last summer, Bishop Alan Williams sm, the Bishop of Brentwood, invited Catholics who no longer regularly come to church to get in touch. Bishop Alan wanted to seriously listen to their stories and experiences to understand why so many Catholics... Read More


Bookings open for Catholic People's Week events

Bookings are open for a Catholic People's Weeks residential event this summer. For those who don't know CPW a big focus of the events is the community that is built up during the time together. Innovative liturgies that seek to include children of all ages play a big part and it's a chance for people to step back from the busyness of their everyday lives and focus on community, friendship and fait... Read More


Anglican Archbishops warn Government over new extremism definition

Lambeth Palace ICN/JS

In a joint statement, the Archbishop of Canterbury and Archbishop of York warn the Government that its new extremism definition risks "disproportionately targeting Muslim communities" and "driving us apart". They suggest labelling a multi-faceted problem as hateful extremism may "vilify the wrong people and risk yet more division". Warning that the new definition may threaten freedom of speech, ... Read More


Becoming a Welcoming Parish: 'Racial Justice and Radical Hospitality'

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

Becoming a Welcoming Parish: 'Racial Justice and Radical Hospitality' - this webinar takes place on Wednesday 13 March 7 - 8.30pm. Find out how we can include people of all cultures and backgrounds to our parishes. Guest speakers include: Jennie Taylor, Racial Justice Officer, Liverpool Diocese on 'Racial Justice and Radical Hospitality'. Jennie will be sharing how acts of radical hospitality can ... Read More


Irish referendum results: Best possible Mother's Day present

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

The results of the two referendums in Ireland were the best possible present ahead of Mother's Day yesterday. The Government asked voters to remove the word 'mother' from the Constitution and they answered with a resounding No. They also rejected by a huge margin the attempt to foist the extremely nebulous term "durable relationships" on the Constitution. A recent poll commissioned by The Iona Ins... Read More


Palestinian Anglican priest to visit north London parish + UPDATE

Father Fadi Diab

Father Fadi Diab, Rector of the Anglican Parish in Ramallah, is coming speak in the Parish Centre of Our Lady Help of Christians in Kentish Town on Saturday, 16 March, about the present situation in the Holy Land and its effect on Christian communities, and take questions. The event will last from 2-4pm. Light refreshments will be available. Born and educated in the West Bank, Fr Fadi is the Recto... Read More


Ordination of new Bishop of Galloway

The Episcopal Ordination Mass of Fr Frank Dougan as the ninth Bishop of Galloway will take place on Saturday 9th March at the parish of St Peter in Chains, Ardrossan at 11am. Fr Dougan was appointed on 22 December 2023, by Pope Francis as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Galloway. He succeeds Archbishop William Nolan who was Bishop of Galloway from 2014 to 2022 when he became Archbishop of Glasgo... Read More


Women's prayers in Kilkenny and Ukraine

Lent for me this year has been enriched beyond measure by two L'Arche prayer services: one in Kilkenny; the other, via Zoom, in Ukraine. I was pleased to hear at the start of Lent that 'The Golden Girls' would be having a daily prayer at 11am. Every day, that is, except for Tuesday which is their outing day! The Golden Girls is a sort of retirement group in L'Arche Kilkenny (just for women!), but ... Read More

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