The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is due to conclude its investigation into the Church of England at a third and final hearing in July, and will consider issues relating to the seal of Confession, clergy discipline and a forthcoming House of Bishops document on gender and sexuality.
At a preliminary hearing last week, lead counsel to the investigation, Fiona Scolding QC (pictured), said that the hearing would “explore more generally the adequacy of the policies and practices of the Church of England and the Church in Wales in relation to safeguarding and child protection”.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis was accompanied by Cardinal Vincent Nichols at the funeral of six unknown Auschwitz victims at Bushey New Cemetery, Hertfordshire, last weekend. Also attending were survivors of the Holocaust and relatives of victims who were murdered by the Nazis.
During the service Rabbi Mirvis addressed the six victims, whose remains were donated to the Imperial War Museum in 1997, saying: “You were let down badly at the time and now your remains have somehow come to the UK. And we have the opportunity of granting you the dignity and honour of a funeral service.”
Charities that work with migrants stranded in Calais on their way to seek asylum in Britain have accused the government of creating a hostile environment there that puts lives at risk.
Organisations including Secours Catholique Caritas France said that the French government “bowed” to British demands for elaborate surveillance in Calais, and that this led to police violence and a climate that drove migrants to risk their lives on dangerous Channel crossings.
Barbara Kentish, a fieldworker for Westminster diocese Justice and Peace, said: “British money is fuelling an extremely hard border. It has turned Calais into a kind of prison.”
New abortion law ‘cruel’
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has warned that new abortion legislation in the Isle of Man represents a “cruel assault on babies”. SPUC said the Abortion Reform Act – which received Royal Assent last week – was in some ways more extreme than legislation in England and Wales because it allows abortion for any reason within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks where there are foetal anomalies or social reasons. It also provides for buffer zones around abortion clinics.
There is an urgent need to ease people’s fears about death and dying, the palliative care pioneer, Kathryn Mannix (pictured), told an audience in west London on 18 January. She was speaking at the first public event hosted by The Art of Dying Well, at St Mary’s University’s venue, The Exchange, in Twickenham.
Ms Mannix said that the NHS 10-year plan concentrates on saving lives with no mention of initiatives to help the dying to have a gentle, peaceful end. As well as widening access to palliative care, people need to be told about the process of dying.
“I would love to see an ordinary community palliative care scene in a soap opera. We can’t keep explaining what happens one family at a time,” Ms Mannix said.
Praise for prisons minister
The Bishop for Prisons, Richard Moth, has welcomed the initiative of prisons minister Rory Stewart to scrap jail sentences of fewer than six months. Speaking after Mr Stewart told The Daily Telegraph that short sentences were long enough to do damage, but too short to heal, Bishop Moth said: “To maintain a prison population of 83,450 in an estate that was built for far fewer is unsustainable, unsafe, and ineffective.” The bishop and the minister are due to meet to discuss prison reform in the near future.
Fr Daniel O’Leary, of Leeds diocese, has died aged 82. An author and retreat director, he was also a regular contributor to The Tablet.
Cardinal Nichols has presided at a Mass for LGBT people and their families at Farm Street Jesuit Church in London. In his homily at the Mass last week Cardinal Nichols referred to the radical identity that all Christians have by their Baptism, and said that identity transcends all others. He said that the community of the Church lives out its love in profound commitments of friendship, including marriage and family life. Cardinal Nichols also praised the group LGBT+ Catholics Westminster as a sign of welcome and inclusion within Westminster diocese.
Police are investigating death threats made against at least 15 Catholic churches in England. One example cited by The Times newspaper was St Mary’s, in High Green, Sheffield. On 4 January it received a handwritten letter threatening that it would be petrol bombed if it did not cease services. The letter also said: “Continue behind closed doors, your congregation members will be stabbed one by one. Blood on your hands. You have been warned.”
The Church in Scotland has called for a block on sales of “FTP” number plates, which have been marketed to Protestant supporters of Rangers football club, because the initials are a sectarian slur. The number S6 FTP, which had been on a minibus used by fans to travel to games, was recently offered for sale on the internet. A church spokesman said the initials, which stand for “F*** the Pope” are “offensive and intended as such”.
Britain is in an “amazing political mess” over Brexit, the Bishop of Portsmouth, Philip Egan (pictured), said on Twitter a day after the House of Commons rejected the EU withdrawal agreement proposal of Prime Minister Theresa May. He later told the Catholic News Service that he thought Catholics should pray for the unity of the nation.
Martin seeks feedback
Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, who is to represent the Irish Church at the Vatican summit on safeguarding in February, has asked Irish Catholics to send him feedback ahead of the gathering in Rome. In a letter to The Irish Catholic newspaper, the Primate of All Ireland said abuse was “a deep wound” on the Church. Responses to the request may be sent direct to Archbishop Martin in Armagh or emailed to feedback@aracoeli.com
Fr Owen Hardwicke, a former secretary of Pax Christi and CND Cymru, and retired priest of Wrexham diocese, died aged 94, on 7 January , after a short illness.
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