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Gospel in Art: Solemnity of All Saints

Adoration of the Trinity with Saints by Dürer  © Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Matthew 5:1-12a At that time: Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirs... Read More


Pope appoints two new Synod Office leaders

On Friday, Pope Leo XIV appointed two new Under-Secretaries of the General Secretariat of the Synod, for a five-year term. They are Father Giacomo Costa, SJ, from Genoa, formerly a Consultor of the General Secretariat and Special Secretary of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, and Sister Elena Massimi, FMA (Daughter of Mary Help of Christians - Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco... Read More


Women of the Middle East and Mediterranean come together to build bridges of peace

Image: WUCWO

'A society that excludes half of its wisdom cannot build a complete future.' The World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), in collaboration with Catholic Action Malta (Azzjoni Kattolika Maltija, AKM) and with the support of the Maltese Episcopal Conference, brought together 92 participants for its IV Meeting with Women of the Middle East and the Mediterranean: 'Women: A Safe Haven for... Read More


Sunday Reflection with Canon Robin Gibbons: November 1st 2026

Jan van Eyck - Adoration of the Lamb

All Saints - 'The power of gentleness and the gentleness of power' NT Wright We deserve to treat our spiritual lives better, we deserve to discover the gentleness and humility of Jesus by learning again and again to really listen to his presence in the 'Word', primarily in the Scriptures. I write this with a sense of almost desperation at the noise and almost truths spouted at us by Christians ... Read More

Gospel in Art: When you are invited, do not sit in a place of honour

The Magdalen at the House of the Pharisees,  by Jean Béraud, 1891 © Musée d'Orsay, Paris

Gospel of 31 October 2026 Luke 14:1, 7-11 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honour, saying to them, 'When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than... Read More


West Bank priest appeals for support as Christians are being driven out

Fr Fawadleh at press conference MMazur/CBCEW

Christians worldwide have been called on to support one of its oldest communities in the Holy Land to ensure its survival. On a visit to London this week, Parish Priest Fr Bashar Fawadleh warned that the beleaguered Christians of the historic West Bank village of Taybeh can not carry the responsibility of saving its Christian heritage alone. The Palestinian priest warned that sustained attacks on ... Read More


Ethiopian Orthodox church opens its forests to faith leaders

Church Forest Academy field visit. Photo: EOC-DICAC

In Ethiopia, much of what is left of the native highland forest stands around churches. Organizers of the new Church Forest Academy count about 35,000 church forests, from one hectare to 19,000 hectares in size. From 27 October to 3 November, faith leaders and practitioners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Nigeria are learning how these forests survived. They are also exploring how the ... Read More


South Sudan - the church is central to peace and development

Christians in South Sudan look to the United Kingdom to support their peacebuilding efforts and front-line aid work. British Parliamentarians heard a message of hope and resilience from representatives of faith groups and civil society at a meeting at Westminster this week. Churches remain central to civil society despite continuing conflict, climate shocks, and daunting humanitarian challenges. T... Read More


Pope Leo votes in US mid term elections

Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash

Pope Leo has voted in the US midterm elections. Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV requested a postal ballot to vote in the upcoming United States midterm elections. The Will County Clerk's Office in Illinois verified that the Chicago-born pontiff submitted a request for an absentee ballot on 3 October 2026. Pope Leo remains registered to vote in the Chicago suburb of New Lenox, Illinois, under h... Read More


Spirituality Squared - latest book by Mgr Vladimir Felzmann launched

Spirituality Squared - the latest book by Prof Mgr Vladimir Felzmann, was launched last night in an event at Our Lady of Victories Parish Hall, Kensington. In an exclusive article for ICN here - Fr Vlad writes. There are three motivators that have caused me to write this book: 'Spirituality Squared'. The first is a desire to clarify in my own mind what I really think about my relationships, my sp... Read More


Gospel in Art: When Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees...

The End of Dinner,  by Jules-Alexandre Grün,  1911 © Musée des Beaux-Arts de Tourcoing

Gospel of 30 October 2026 Luke 14:1-6 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?' But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said ... Read More


Pope Leo XIV mourns lives lost in Spanish train crash

Image ICN/JS

Pope Leo XIV has expressed his "deep sorrow" over the tragic railway accident that occurred in central Spain on Wednesday. He sent a message of condolence signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and addressed to Archbishop Francisco Cerro Chaves of Toledo. On Wednesday, at approximately 8:54 AM local time, two high-speed trains collided in the town of Urda, Toledo. The death toll stoo... Read More


US: Bishop Budde reflects on A Sacred Trust ahead of midterms

Bishop Mariann Budde.  Wiki Image

Bishop Mariann Budde, Episcopalian Bishop of Washington DC, has issued the following reflection, ahead of the US midterm elections which take place next Tuesday. A Sacred Trust - Our call to love God and neighbour does not change with any election result. As the midterm election draws near, the intensity of the campaigns is rising, along with real anxiety about what will happen on Election Day and... Read More


Ethiopia: Churches call for action after massacre of Christians

Orthodox Tewahedo worshippers at  Timkat festival, Lalibela © Ismael Martínez Sánchez/ACN

Ethiopia's Churches renewed urgent calls for the protection of civilians following the killing of more than 60 Orthodox believers in a wave of savage attacks. The massacres prompted an unprecedented intervention by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's Holy Synod, which demanded stronger government action to defend worshippers and provide "essential security until the problem is resolved". Acco... Read More

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