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In Brian Friel's play 'The Enemy Within' the dramatized character Columba (the Irish Abbot of the Monastery at Iona) is pressured by his brother and nephew to return to Ireland to lead upto fifty armed-clansmen 'straining for bloodshed' in order to rescue his Christian grand-nephew and niece-in-law held captive by 'heathen Picts' in Antrim. The raid would also confirm the clan's power and dominanc... Read More

As the UK swelters amid soaring temperatures, a parish priest has begun a gruelling 108-mile walk through a heatwave he "never planned for" - to mark a historic anniversary and raise urgent funds for persecuted families. Father Arockiya Seelan, parish priest of the Sacred Heart and St Oswald in Peterborough, is undertaking a six-day pilgrimage to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of East Angl... Read More

Gospel of 22 June 2026 Matthew 24:4-13 At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, 'See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, "I am the Christ", and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, ... Read More

In a video message to a youth conference, Pope Leo XIV revealed 'the secret' of being able to face challenging circumstances with a smile, and reassured all participating that 'If we have the profound conviction that God cares for us as His beloved children, we will not be flustered or discouraged, even in difficult situations.' "Only the love of God can provide us with true and perfect joy,' told... Read More

Dr Karen Groves MBE, founded Queenscourt Hospice in Southport, Merseyside, over thirty years ago. It provides palliative care for people in Southport, Formby and West Lancashire. Dr Groves gave a presentation about her work at St Thomas More church in Manor House, North London, on Friday, 19 June. She began by clarifying what palliative care is. It is not the same as 'end of life care', and the m... Read More

Bishop Niall Coll, Bishop of Raphoe, delivered this homily at the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine of Knock in Ireland, for the Day for Life yesterday. "The Church does not proclaim the Gospel of Life in order to condemn. Christ always begins with mercy. There is no wound beyond His healing, no past beyond His forgiveness, no life beyond His love." My brothers and sisters, In today's G... Read More

The 48th National Justice and Peace Conference takes place at Swanwick from 24-26 July. The focus of this year's Conference is JUST TALK. Andy Burnham is listed as an invited keynote speaker, though his participation is noted as 'subject to availability'. The full list of speakers should be announced soon. The organisers say: "In a world of disinformation, sound bites and echo chambers, the confer... Read More

A fascinating illustrated talk in Walsingham has reignited debate over one of the greatest mysteries in English Catholic history: what really happened to the original statue of Our Lady of Walsingham? During the final week of May, a flyer appeared around the village featuring an image of the great Chelsea bonfire, where countless religious statues were destroyed on the orders of Thomas Cromwell ... Read More

The Religious Freedom Data Center reported a significant increase in Christian harassment cases throughout Israel, Judith Sudilovsky writes in OSV News. According to founder Yisca Harani: "more than 88 incidents have already been documented this year" as of early June 2026, with the trajectory suggesting the total will surpass the previous year's 181 cases. Incidents include spitting, verbal abuse... Read More

Forty one years of faithful presence and peacemaking was celebrated in Battersea Park on Saturday, 20 June, as people of all faiths and none gathered at the London Peace Pagoda. An initiative of the Nipponzan Myhoji Japanese Buddhist order, the Pagoda was completed in 1985 and since then Rev Gyoro Nagase, who helped to build it, has maintained it and organised many peace events in its shadow. Ther... Read More

Gospel of 21 June 2026 Matthew 10:26-33 At that time: Jesus instructed his Apostles: 'Have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both so... Read More

Usama Nicola writes in Bethlehem Updates: A few days ago, I participated in a discussion session about the mother-of-pearl craft in Bethlehem. I left with a completely different appreciation for this tradition, which I had often seen displayed in souvenir shops and on household shelves without fully understanding the history, skill, and identity hidden within each piece. The gathering was far more... Read More

The growth of secularism in the last century has resulted in the role of the Christian Churches in television coverage of history often being written out of the script. This is noticeable in otherwise well-made TV and radio documentaries, much less so thankfully in historical scholarship. The three episodes of James Rogan's Free Nelson Mandela, screened on Channel 4 in mid-June, provide a study of... Read More

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. 1. Jeremiah speaks for our time. What a relief it is to hear those clear words of the prophet Jeremiah telling us not to listen to the babble of dissonant religious voices. It fills me with a new energy, because far too much, and too often in out present social media world , all kinds of people are allowed to say the most outrageous things about faith, cite script... Read More