Two thousand years ago, a family took part in a census. Over the coming weeks in schools, churches, high streets, and venues across this country, the Christmas story that began with Mary and Joseph’s journey for a census will be enjoyed and celebrated by millions of people. But of what story are we a part? Read more
A change to police guidelines in England and Wales will enable badly injured victims of crime to receive the Last Rites. The change followed the murder of Catholic MP Sir David Amess, who didn’t receive the Last Rites before he died because police wouldn’t let the priest who would administer them into the crime scene. Read more
Catholic priest Fr David Palmer’s social media posts have seen the University of Nottingham decline to recognise him as a chaplain. “Our concern was not in relation to Fr. David’s views themselves, but the manner in which these views have been expressed in the context of our diverse community of people of many faiths,” the Read more
A Catholic safe house for women in London has been partly responsible for ensuring two sex traffickers are jailed. The Catholic Diocese of Westminster’s Caritas Bakhita House enabled the traffickers’ 20-year old victim to report their crimes to the police. The traffickers were sentenced to prison terms of 15 and 16 years. Their victim’s nightmare Read more
An English judge has freed a chemist charged with murdering his 85-year-old father who wished to die. The judge said, “Your acts of assistance were acts of pure compassion and mercy.” Read more
The rate of people attending Confession in England and Wales has increased “dramatically” during the Year of Mercy, Cardinal Vincent Nichols has said. Speaking during a press conference last week, the cardinal said: “Diocese by diocese, parish by parish”, the rate of people going to Confession had “increased dramatically during the past six months”. Continue Read more
The bishops of England and Wales have rejected a proposal to ordain married men to the priesthood. Bishop Seamus Cunningham of Hexham and Newcastle proposed the motion at the bishops’ plenary meeting last month. He did this on behalf of the Council of Priests in his diocese. The proposal was rejected after a “thoughtful discussion”, Read more
The bishops of England and Wales have discussed whether parishes might celebrate the Third Rite of Reconciliation during the Year of Mercy. But at their November meeting, the bishops did not approve the move, despite some lively discussion. Bishop Philip Egan of Portsmouth wrote that the bishops acknowledged that valid conditions required for general absolution Read more
Bishops in England and Wales are discouraging the reading of secular poems or non-biblical texts during marriage liturgies. A new translation of the Order of Celebrating Matrimony will be used in England and Wales from Easter Sunday, 2016. A new translation of the Order of Confirmation will also be introduced on that date. In their the summary of Read more
The unique experience of the Catholic Church in England and Wales could give weight to any case it might put for more married priests, a bishop says. Emeritus Bishop Thomas McMahon of Brentwood told The Tablet he thought it could be argued the Church in England and Wales was in a unique position to prompt Read more