Thousands of people in the UK are turning to prayer during lockdown, according to new research by Savanta ComRes1 on behalf of Tearfund, the Christian development agency. Almost a quarter of those polled said they have watched or listened to a religious service, a figure that jumps to 76 per cent among regular churchgoers. One in twenty of those who have taken part in a broadcast service say they have never been to church before. According to the poll, of 2,101 adults, 44 per cent say they pray, and among those who pray, 33 per cent say that they have prayed since lockdown began because they believe it makes a difference.
The lead bishop for migration and asylum has joined leaders from more than 20 organisations working with refugees and people with insecure immigration status to call on the Government to grant them “leave to remain” during the coronavirus crisis. This would help migrants and asylum seekers to socially distance and access healthcare, Bishop Paul McAleenan said. The Jesuit Refugee Service and Fatima House in Birmingham Archdiocese were also among those who signed a letter to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, last week saying “the hostile environment must end”.
New figures released by the Central Statistics Office shows that a Catholic church wedding is still the most popular choice for couples getting married in Ireland, with 8,863 couples or 45.1 per cent celebrating a traditional Catholic wedding last year. But that figure is down from 93.2 per cent in 1990, and the number of couples choosing non-religious ceremonies has risen to 41 per cent, just four per cent less than choose Catholic ceremonies. Statistics also show that couples are opting to marry later, with 34.8 years the average age for brides and 36.8 years for grooms.
God’s call to the priesthood could “easily lose its urgency and may even go unheard” in today’s culture, Archbishop Michael Neary has warned. In his pastoral letter for Vocations Sunday, the Archbishop of Tuam urged people to nurture and pray for those discerning a Religious vocation. He said recent years have been a difficult time for priests due to “scandals associated with some priests and bishops”, but said pastors and congregations must never become complacent but endeavour to maintain the highest standards of integrity in ministry “as we continue to keep victims in our thoughts and prayers”.
Christian peace groups are planning to mark International Conscientious Objectors Day on 15 May with an online event. In contrast to an event that usually attracts several hundred people to Tavistock Square, London, a single individual will place flowers on the memorial for conscientious objectors (COs) at midday and share a photo on social media. Valerie Flessati of Pax Christi suggested supporters make a poster to display in a window, featuring the names of conscientious objectors from across the centuries
The National Churches Trust has begun research into whether church buildings will still be needed after coronavirus, and how the pandemic will change the way they are used within communities. The NCT has launched a questionnaire for churches to complete, which can be found here, that asks whether churches will be more or less important after the pandemic, and what people are most looking forward to after lockdown, including religious services or visiting churches to connect with history and heritage.
Christian Aid Week, which is due to take place between 10 May and 16 May, will be held online for the first time this year because of the pandemic. Instead of its usual fundraising events, the charity will host daily quizzes, livestreamed worship, and circulate “e-envelopes” for donations to support its work.
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