Bishop Jim Curry, Lead Bishop for the Holy Land for the Bishops’ Conference, has described the UK government’s recognition of the State of Palestine as a “right and not a reward”. Read more.
When they met on Tuesday 16 September, the Bishops of England and Wales appointed Canon William Agley to serve as General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for a period of five years. Read more.
President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols has joined Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, and other Church leaders in calling for an end to the war in Gaza and the release of all hostages and prisoners after Israel launched its major ground offensive in Gaza City. Read more.
The Right Reverend Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham, joined the National Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope on its last day as pilgrims descended on his diocesan Cathedral Church of St Barnabas.
Bishop Patrick walked the final miles of ‘St John’s Way’ on Saturday, 13 September, braving torrential rain on the way to Nottingham Cathedral. Speaking to our Catholic News podcast channel, he shared his experiences. Listen here.
As the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being considered at length in the House of Lords, we reiterate our firm opposition to the bill in principle and in practice. Despite being described by proponents as the safest of its kind, the bill remains unworkable. It puts the safety of our healthcare institutions, professionals, and patients at risk. Read more.
The ‘World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation’, celebrated on 1 September, is the official start of the ‘Season of Creation’, a time of sustained prayer and action which lasts a month and four days. During this season we are encouraged to pray and engage in community events in order to deepen our relationship with God, our neighbour and the earth we share, being ever more attentive to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. This year also marks the ten-year anniversary of Pope Francis’s encyclical on care for creation, Laudato Si. Read more.
Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Chair of the International Affairs department of the Bishops’ Conference, has added his voice to those of Pope Leo, the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, and Caritas Internationalis on the situation in Gaza. “I add my voice to those of the Patriarchs in denouncing the Israeli government’s actions – that this approach is wrong; that it is impossible to justify the deliberate and forcible mass displacement of civilians. For, as the Patriarchs say, ‘There can be no future based on captivity, displacement of Palestinians or revenge.’” Visit this page for the full statement and suggested prayers.
Pope Leo XIV will officially declare Saint John Henry Newman, the most recently canonised saint from England and Wales, the 38th Doctor of the Church. Read more.
We have a useful section of articles explaining exactly what a ‘Doctor of the Church’ is and why Saint John Henry Newman’s teaching and wisdom not only resonated with his contemporaries, but still illuminates, instructs and inspires us today. Articles available:
What is a Doctor of the Church?, Faith, Reason, Conscience and Truth, Development of Doctrine, Sensus fidelium: Newman and the people of God, Education: Moral and intellectual ‘under one roof’, Scripture, the Fathers and Ecumenism, and Newman and Ecclesiology.
Pope Leo XIV highlights how migrants and refugees in a special way can become witnesses of hope and tenacity amidst adversity and calls for a future of peace and respect for human dignity, in his Message for the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, released on Friday, 25 July. Read more.
The Department for Social Justice of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has published a document on taxation called Render Unto Caesar. It offers perspectives on taxation from Catholic social thought and teaching. Read more.
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This section keeps at the forefront those iconic, important events that remain a little longer in our memories. Learn more
In this section you can find out more about the Pope, the Vatican and the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. Learn more
The Catholic Church in England and Wales is made up of 22 dioceses. Learn more