On Thursday it was reported that the Trump Administration is considering "zeroing out" the refugee resettlement program. This would effectively put an end, at least temporarily, to the United States resettling those fleeing persecution from countries overseas.
Most Reverend Joe S Vásquez, Bishop of Austin, Texas, Chair of the of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Migrati...
Bishop Silvio José Báez, OCD, the Auxiliary Bishop of Managua, Nicaragua, has made himself one of the voices who have been most critical of President Daniel Ortega's Sandinista regime. During a recent stay in Mallorca, he issued a call to build a Church "at the service of human fulfillment", a Church that is more "prophetic and less diplomatic". We present a translation of his interview w...
The World Council of Churches invites all people of good will to observe a Sunday of Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula on 11 August.
Each year, Christians are invited to join in a prayer for peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula. Prepared by the National Council of Churches in Korea and the Korean Christian Federation, the prayer is traditionally used...
Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, has commented on the tragic illness and circumstances of five-year-old Tafida Raqeeb.
Tafida has been in a coma since 9 February, after she suffered from a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which resulted in cardiac and respiratory arrest and a traumatic brain injury. Doct...
Gospel of 22nd July 2019 - John 20:1-2,11-18
It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb' she said 'and we don't know where they have put him.'
Meanwhi...
Sycamore has launched! Visit the website on the link below to see how you could use the resources in your parish, school, chaplaincy or prison. Please share this post with anyone you think might be interested, especially priests, chaplains, catechists, teachers, evangelisation coordinators, youth leaders, etc.
Sycamore is an informal course about the Christian faith and its relevance for ...
At the General Assembly of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations, (WUCWO) held in Dakar, Senegal last October, delegates passed a resolution calling on its members "to recognize their collective responsibility, as participants in the human race, to care for the planet that God created and placed in our care and to take steps to reduce and reverse the damage already sustained."
Pope Francis sent a video message to participants in a course held in Mexico on the protection of minors, saying the Church must work tirelessly to prevent minors from being sexually abused.
In the middle of the third week of a month-long course held at the Pontifical University of Mexico on methods to prevent the sexual abuse of minors, Pope Francis sent a video message encouraging the...
Even before it has started, the up-coming Pan-Amazon Synod has generated theological heat in the Catholic Church. Its working document - or Instrumentum Laboris - has already been denounced in some circles as heretical. Others welcome it as a sign of hope for change in the Church.
The Instrumentum is too detailed to analyse here, but a few key points are worthy of mention. It focuses on t...
An exhibition of paintings by Victoria Brenninkmeijer will take place at the Presbytery of Immaculate Conception Church in Mount Street, Mayfair, next month.
Victoria has had a lifelong interest in fine art. When she started Spiritual Direction a few years ago her mentors encouraged her to begin using art as a form of creative contemplation. After taking taking several short courses, V...
Bishop Michael Router was ordained as Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh on Sunday afternoon at St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh.
Among those attending the Mass was Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh; Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh; Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly of Cashel & Emly; Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland; Bishop Leo O'Reilly, Bishop Emeritus o...
There is renewed concern for the wellbeing of the legitimate leader the Eritrean Orthodox Church (EOC), Patriarch Antonios, following an attempt by pro-government bishops to excommunicate him.
A statement dated 17 July, ostensibly from six bishops but signed only by five, including the general secretary of the Holy Synod Bishop Lukas, accuses Abune Antonios of having committed "heresy," s...
July 21 2019
It's humbling to be cared for when it's unexpected! I'm in the midst of Directing Summer Schools, a real mixed blessing because with the joy and energy of connecting and looking after students and staff comes the immense responsibility of pastoral care, and that is draining. More so in this present age because people seem to want 'instant' solutions! So when one of last week'...
Gospel of 21st July 2019 - Luke 10: 38-42
Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.' But the...
