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Gospel of 4 May 2026 Matthew 10:17-22 At that time: Jesus instructed his Apostles: 'Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say... Read More

During the Regina Caeli prayer on Sunday, with pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Pope Leo said that Jesus' words to us take on new meaning in the light of the Resurrection, much as they did for the early Church. "What once eluded or troubled the disciples now returns to their memory, warms their hearts, and gives them hope", the Pope said. Reflecting on the Gospel of the Last Supper in light of the R... Read More

A silent massacre of humanitarian workers is taking place around the world. Once considered the pride of international agencies, in a system that saw aid workers as the spearhead of collaboration between nations to combat hunger, drought, and war, today they are forced to pay a very high price in human lives. In 2025, at least 326 humanitarian workers were killed in 21 countries, bringing the numb... Read More

Sir John Battle is this year's speaker for the online Anthony Storey Memorial Lecture, entitled: 'Hope in Turbulent Times' on Wednesday, 13 May 7pm. John was MP for Leeds West for over twenty years until he retired in 2010. Since retirement he has remained totally committed to his Leeds area and has gone on to be an active part of a number of community projects in West Leeds. He is a leading ant... Read More

Cardinal Luis Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, has appointed Father Sean O'Leary, CSSp, Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in Taiwan for a five-year term (2026-2031). The new Director of the PMS was born in Ireland in 1967 and belongs to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, (Spiritans) and was ordained on June 8, 1997. In December 1997, he arrived in Taiwan, ... Read More

A series of events marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi will be held in the Kingdom of Bahrain during the 'Year of Isa Al Kabir,' declared by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in honour of Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa (known as Isa Al Kabir), regarded as the founder of the modern Bahraini state and a key figure in its institutional renewal. The announcement was made in ... Read More

Usama Nicola writes in Bethlehem Updates: Today marked the final session of the icon-writing course that began in January. While the city was busy with the noise and tension of local council elections, I stepped away into a different kind of space, one of silence, prayer, and attention. I spent five hours completing my icon, and we ended with prayers and blessings, for the icon and for each of us ... Read More

Gospel of 3 May 2026 John 14:1-12 At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the... Read More

The following joint Interfaith statement on the occasion of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was released this week. 109 organisations signed the document. We, as people of faith, join in solidarity with our voices to call upon the leaders of the world to rescue the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) from crisis and to honour its deepest commitment: ... Read More

Toine van Teeffelen writes from Bethlehem: On Sunday, Mary and I attend a memorial service, thirty days after the death of a family member. The setting is unusual: the lesser-known Armenian section of the Church of the Nativity. In a side space, wedged between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic sections, stand two Armenian altars. One commemorates the moment when Mary dismounted from the donkey... Read More

Fifth Sunday after Easter We all need reassurance sometimes, I don't think I have ever come across anybody who doesn't. Of course this is almost an art in itself, the human demonstration of care and support from one to another, may reveal itself in a variety of ways according to the situation, but it is most often in a gentle word or simple touch, which goes a long away to alleviating our worrie... Read More

Gospel of 2 May 2026 Matthew 10:22-25a At that time: Jesus instructed his Apostles: 'You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 'A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant abov... Read More

Bishop Jim Curry, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and lead bishop for the Holy Land, led an ecumenical service of evening prayer for peace in the Middle East on Thursday, 30 April. The service took place at Our Lady of Victories Church in Kensington, and was also attended by Mike Royal, General Secretary of Churches Together in England, and HG Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Apost... Read More

Catholic actor Kenneth Michaels is currently performing in a double-bill of hilarious political theatre by the award-winning Polish playwright, Slawomir Mrozek, at the Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell, from 21 April to 9 May. Presented by DRH Arts and Orsolya Nagy, these two satirical plays: Charlie and Striptease, from the Soviet era (in English translation) are described as "absurdly relevant ... Read More