Our studio guest for this special 30-minute ‘Catholic News’ podcast is the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa. Born in northern Italy, the Patriarch, a Franciscan, has spent 35 years of his ministry in the Holy Land. In this time he has seen many episodes of war and tension. The current cycle of violence is particularly devastating.
However, it is the season of Advent and the eyes of the world slowly turn to Bethlehem. Hope prevails in the darkness, and the Patriarch clings to this when discussing the region’s Christians. Cardinal Pizzaballa talks about the intense and challenging situation facing the Catholics of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. We talk in particular about the small community sheltering at the compound of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza City.
Following the decision of MPs to vote in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at the Second Reading on Friday, 29 November, Bishop John Sherrington, Lead Bishop for Life Issues, issued a statement. Read More.
‘Remember Me’ is a new document on criminal justice by the Department for Social Justice of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, exploring contemporary issues of criminal justice in the light of Catholic social teaching. Read more.
Following the conclusion of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for the Environment, has voiced his disappointment about the inadequacy of the agreed climate finance deal. Read more.
Newly-appointed Episcopal Secretary of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Nicholas Hudson, has written an article for his diocesan website celebrating Blessed Carlo Acutis’ connection to Westminster. The millennial will be canonised – made a saint – on Sunday, 27 April 2025. Read more.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales continues to be seriously concerned about the implications of the current two-child policy on Universal Credit payments for vulnerable, larger families.
Introduced in 2017, the policy has been undermining the financial security of families with three or more children. Such families often have no choice but to make claims for Universal Credit as a result of common, but unpredictable, life events, such as job loss or the onset of disability. The majority of families affected by the two-child policy are working families. The UK Government is reviewing the cap as part of the work of the newly formed Child Poverty Taskforce. You can take action here.
A new edition of the Lectionary, the book which contains the readings which are proclaimed at Mass, will come into use in England and Wales on the First Sunday of Advent 2024.
For information and resources on the new Lectionary, visit the dedicated section in our What’s On area.
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