UK & Ireland

A former employee who stole almost £100,000 from the Diocese of Westminster, has avoided an immediate prison sentence when her case was heard on Friday, 6 February, at Southwark Crown Court. Mother of four, Francisca Yawson was given a suspended sentence of two years in prison, and ordered to pay £1,000, complete 150 hours of unpaid work, and undertake 15 hours of a rehabilitation requirement So... Read More

Bishop Michael Router Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh and chair of the Council for Healthcare of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. welcomes Pope Leo's XIV message for the 34th World Day of the Sick in the following statement: On Wednesday, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, we mark Pope Leo XIV's 2026 message for the 34th World Day of the Sick. This year the Church is invited to contemplate the... Read More

Pope Leo, speaking to young people last November said, "There's nothing that can replace true human presence, being with one another." The All Kinds of Catholic podcast community are gathering in person on Saturday 21st March. The podcast is created and hosted by Theresa Alessandro and is available on all the usual platforms. In each episode, Theresa is in conversation with a different Catholic gu... Read More

Radio Maria England has announced the launch of Catholic Celebs, a new monthly one-hour radio programme exploring the lives, faith, and personal journeys of well-known Catholics from the world of entertainment and public life. At a time when interest in faith and religious practice is growing, Catholic Celebs offers a fresh and engaging space for familiar voices to speak openly about the role of f... Read More

On Saturday, 7th February, the Emmanuel Centre in Westminster hosted the far-right political party Advance UK. The Emmanuel Centre is a well-known Christian venue, affiliated with Emmanuel Church. Last year, among other events, they hosted ecumenical prayers at the start of the March For Life. Advance UK, whose members include Tommy Robinson, said the event hosted in the building on Saturday was t... Read More

Following the Mass in Thanksgiving for Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Caritas Westminster reflects on his incredible leadership of Catholic social action during his time as Archbishop of Westminster - in our diocese and beyond. Spurred by Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the UK in 2010, Cardinal Nichols led the Bishops of England and Wales in discerning how best to encourage social action among the faithfu... Read More

St Benedict's School is hosting its first Women in Leadership Conference on Friday 13 March 2026. The one-day event is designed for women preparing for leadership, middle and senior leaders and anyone with the ambition to step into a leadership role. St Benedict's School, Ealing, will host its first Women in Leadership Conference on Friday 13 March 2026, marking a significant milestone in the sch... Read More

Bishop Bosco MacDonald, Bishop of Clifton and Lead Bishop for Marriage and Family Life for the Bishops' Conference, has praised the "ordinary heroism of married love, and the strength of family life" in a message to mark Marriage Week that runs from 7-14 February 2026. "Love has a purpose," says Bishop MacDonald. "Love is sustained by choice as well as by affection. It is a promise lived again eac... Read More

This week, during their annual spring retreat at the International Eucharistic and Marian Shrine in Knock, Co Mayo in the Archdiocese of Tuam, the Bishops of Ireland formally launched a new monstrance (pictured) at a special prayer gathering. This new Vocations Monstrance will be used to gather the faithful for prayerful Eucharistic adoration for vocations to the priesthood and to religious life.... Read More

Dear Readers, You may have noticed we had a technical problem recently which led to the website being down for a couple of days. It was worrying but everything is now up and running again - I'm glad to say. It was encouraging to receive so many messages from readers with good wishes and prayers. Thank you all very much! Jo Siedlecka Read More

A touching collaboration between two Roman Catholic institutions has brought together a monastic community in the United Kingdom and a rural school in Australia to restore a cherished statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus. Benedictine monks of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth responded generously when Michael Green, Principal of Mt Carmel School in Yass, New South Wales, sought help to repair his ... Read More

Students and staff at St John Bosco Arts College, Croxteth, recently came together to celebrate and honour its school's patron saint, St John Bosco. Founder of the Salesians, St John Bosco is the patron saint of young people known for his dedication to education and inspiring children by captivating their interests in a loving and kindly manner, building strong relationships through respect and un... Read More

Fragments of a medieval shrine dedicated to York's patron saint returned to York Minster yesterday, for the first time in almost 500 years in a landmark exhibition and cinematic experience. William of York's early career in the church was very successful. As a young man in 1130, he was appointed treasurer of York and chaplain to King Steven. He was known as a kind and good-natured person. When the... Read More

A 'extraordinary' young student from Manchester who died in 2018, could be on the path to sainthood. Church authorities are currently studying the life of Pedro Ballester and interviewing his relatives and friends, to ascertain whether he achieved a life of 'heroic virtue' - living a living a life of faith, hope and love surpassing ordinary human capabilities. One of three brothers, their Spanish ... Read More