English author GK Chesterton, best known for his Father Brown stories, has begun the journey to Beatification and Canonisation with the blessing of the Pope.Bishop Peter Doyle of Northampton, the diocese in which Chesterton lived, has ordered an examination of the life of the Catholic writer.
The most senior Roman Catholic cleric in England and Wales, the Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, said: “It was with sadness that we heard the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher, who served this country for many years both as a Member of Parliament and as Prime Minster. "We pray for the repose of her soul and for the intentions of her family and all those who now mourn for her.”
I’m just back from the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin. Eighteen of us went to represent the seminary, and we had a fantastic week – despite the patchy weather. They talk about the rain in Ireland being ‘soft’, but for the two hours of the Mass for Reconciliation on Thursday afternoon it got distinctly hard.
On Friday night he opened the doors of his church, standing less than 100 meters from the port in Giglio, to about 400 survivors of the Costa Concordia who straggled up the steps to the entrance seeking shelter and food. "I pulled out all the food I had," he said. "I still had some panettone cakes from Christmas so I gave them that, and then the community brought more."
A study commission headed by the Claretian Missionary Father Michael presented a report to the assembly of Bishops and Major Superiors to take practical measures for the church presence in developmental activities. This joint initiative of Regional Bishops and Major Superiors is to be grounded in the poor areas of West Bengal which is traditional considered as Maoists stronghold.
A Spanish missionary activist priest and the US ambassador have praised President Benigno Aquino for showing restraint in dealing with recent alleged rebel attacks on troops in Basilan, Philippines. It will help to keep the peace talks alive.
In the mid-17th century Rembrandt and students at his Amsterdam studio painted a series of at least eight heads of Christ which set the liturgical art world on its ear.
New research released today from the University of Warwick’s Religions and Education Research Unit demonstrates that churchgoing young Christians give much more support to their Muslim peers, in comparison with young people who have no religious faith.
"Our parents and grandparents were suffering for so long because of war. They brought us independence and so I thank them and I thank God," secondary school student Sarah Keji told me. Expectations here are high and the wish list is as long as the Nile. "After independence, life will be better than before. We are going to see justice, prosperity and our country will develop."
Catholic priests face arrest and torture by Robert Mugabe’s secret police masquerading as Massgoers as the dictator’s instruments of repression turn their attention to the Church, branding it an enemy of the state.
Christian MP David Simpson has raised his concern over the treatment of Christians in the United Kingdom and around the world in a debate in the House of Commons this week. The DUP politician told ministers that if they wanted to see instances of Christian persecution they need not go to other countries but “simply look to our own back door”.
The Catholic Roadshow came to town on Wednesday 25th May. Cardinal Newman School was very proud to host the show. The day started with Mass being celebrated with Fr Stan Fortuna an American Catholic rapping priest and members of our school community including our Chaplain Fr Des.
"Our entire lives", concluded the Holy Father, "are like this long night of struggle and prayer, passed in the desire of and request for God's blessing, which cannot be ripped away or won over through our strength, but must be received with humility from Him as a gratuitous gift that allows us, finally, to recognize the face of the Lord.
The theme engages an urgent need in the world today: to listen to and enhance the important role of new generations in the realization of the common good, and in the affirmation of a just and peaceful social order where fundamental human rights can be fully expressed and realized.
They want to see fiscal reform that favours those on a low income, they demand dignified housing, and the ability to cancel mortgage debt if the property becomes embargoed. They want to see a single constituencies arranged proportionally to the number of votes in each area, ... They demand that financial rescues be directed at families facing eviction rather than at the banks.
Andy Jackson, 26, ran the gruelling distance in 71 days, running at an average of 22 miles a day, including the London Marathon on April 17, to raise money for the Children with Leukaemia charity.
Although Catholics are barred from the British throne, the Pope and the Catholic Church will be prominently represented at the ceremony. Also present will be Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster; and the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, will be there as Pope Benedict XVI's ambassador to the Court of St James.
William Grimm, Maryknoll priest and publisher of ucanews.com, describes his Easter Monday journey to Sendai, where he hopes to “to try to be useful”. Having celebrated the Sacred Triduum and Easter in Tokyo, I flew to Sendai today to begin working with the Caritas Japan disaster assistance program.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said politicians have now started to talk about happiness. The Archbishop of Canterbury has said in his Easter sermon that corporate prosperity without fulfilment is an "empty thing". "It seems that, just as we can't find fulfilment in just loving ourselves, so we can't just generate happiness for ourselves.
A St James's Palace spokesman said: "Catherine Middleton was confirmed by the Bishop of London at a private service at St James's Palace attended by her family and Prince William. "Miss Middleton, who was already baptised, decided to be confirmed as part of her marriage preparations."
