Posts Tagged ‘Wales’

Christianity is not in terminal decline in Britain, whatever the census might say

Monday, December 5th, 2022

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

Catholic school principals unite to oppose RE changes

Thursday, July 9th, 2020

All 84 Catholic school principals in Wales have written to the First Minister Mark Drakeford, about his Government’s proposed changes to religious education (RE). Their joint letter asks Drakeford to stop the proposed legislation on RE, which they say “specifically targets the Catholic ethos of their schools” and strikes at Catholic schools “very identity” and Read more

Momentum growing for married priests in England and Wales

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

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

All Catholic cathedrals in England to have a holy door

Friday, May 1st, 2015

Every cathedral should have a holy door as part of the year of mercy, the bishops of England and Wales have said. The bishops have welcomed Pope Francis’s initiatives for the Jubilee Year of Mercy which starts on December 8. Among these is installing a holy door at each cathedral and shrine. Holy doors, or Read more

Off shore confession growth yet to gain real momentum in NZ

Friday, September 13th, 2013

The “confession boom” reported to be hitting Roman Catholic parishes in England and Wales does not yet fully seem to have reached New Zealand. With the exception of the Auckland Cathedral, where the priests report an increase in young people attending the sacrament, a ring-around survey, yesterday, of several New Zealand parishes showed most  recorded no Read more

Vocations rise for third year in England and Wales

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Vocations to religious orders in England and Wales have risen for the third year in a row, and this year has seen a noticeable increase in the number of men joining. The rise in men and women entering religious orders is across a wide variety of different orders, some of which have not had novices Read more

British students want RE to remain compulsory

Friday, June 22nd, 2012

Some 63% of young people in Britain think that Religious Education should remain compulsory in state schools, reports the Tablet. The survey conducted in Britain also shows more than half of the adults questioned believe Religious Education lessons in schools are worthwhile with many favour making Religious Education (RE) compulsory. The poll comes as increasing numbers Read more

Number of women joining religious orders triples in three years

Friday, June 15th, 2012

The number of women joining religious orders in England and Wales has almost tripled in the last three years, according to bishops’ conference figures. In 2011 there were 17 new women recruits to orders across the country, up from six in 2009. Asked if this marked the beginning of a revival for women religious in Read more

Over 3,500 adults received into the Church in England and Wales

Thursday, April 12th, 2012

More than 3,500 adults were received into the Catholic Church in England and Wales last week. They included 1,397 catechumens, who had prepared to be baptised, and 1,843 candidates, who had already baptised in another Christian tradition. The largest numbers were in the dioceses of Westminster (734), Southwark (481), Brentwood (333), Birmingham (255) and Portsmouth Read more

No-show Catholics targeted in come-back campaign

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Five million no-show Catholics are the ‘target market’ of an outreach campaign by the Catholic Church in England and Wales. “Crossing the Threshold” is the name given to the the first stage of a national programme to help parishioners and priests reconnect friends and family. Around a million people regularly attend mass on Sundays, but church Read more