To celebrate International Women’s Day next month, the University of Edinburgh’s School of Divinity is to hold a panel discussion about how women are often “translated out” of sacred texts, from Jesus’ female disciples to Paul’s companion Apostles. Panellists from New College, which is marking its 175th anniversary, include Professor Helen Bond and Dr Sara Parvis. The event, on 8 March, will be chaired by Professor John Barton, of the University of Oxford. That evening, The Tablet will host a panel event, asking: “Do women have a future in the Catholic Church?”
Independent Irish Senator Ro´na´n Mullen has criticised the Irish health service (HSE) for overlooking 7,000 elderly Religious in its Covid-19 vaccine rollout to nursing homes, which he said may have cost lives. Senator Mullen expressed his concern that elderly nuns and priests living in congregated settings were not prioritised for the vaccine. In Ireland, six elderly nuns died in one convent in Newbridge, Co Kildare, and 10 elderly Spiritan priests died in January, eight of whom had tested positive for Covid-19.
More than 2,000 healthcare professionals across Ireland have written to the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, expressing their opposition to the introduction of euthanasia/assisted suicide as proposed in the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020. The bill, sponsored by the People Before Profit politician, Gino Kenny, is currently before the Irish parliament. If it is passed, euthanising consenting terminally ill adults will become legal. The Royal College of Surgeons said the bill introduces “a fundamental reversal of a medical ethic that has sustained the welfare of patients for centuries”, and will do more harm than good.
Cafod’s new report, The distinctive role of the Catholic Church in development and humanitarian response, says the vital part played by the Church’s global Caritas network is too often overlooked by governments and international agencies such as the UN. “The Catholic Church is making a distinctive contribution: providing shelter and food for thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, peacebuilding in Colombia and helping to support free and fair elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” said its head of policy, Graham Gordon.
Fiona Bruce MP, the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, has received a petition calling for asylum to be granted to a 14- year-old Christian girl forcibly abducted, converted and married in Pakistan last April. Maira Shahbaz escaped in August and has been in hiding with her family after receiving death threats. The petition of more than 12,000 signatures was presented by Aid to the Church in Need. The asylum bid is supported by more than 30 MPs, peers, bishops and leaders of charities and human rights organisations.
The next annual conference of the National Justice and Peace Network will be held in Derbyshire on 23-25 July around the theme: 2021: Life on Earth – moment of truth. The conference will be chaired by Cafod’s director, Christine Allen.
Bishop of Lancaster Paul Swarbrick , the lead bishop for Africa in England and Wales, has urged the Government to do more to help people affected by violence in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and involve itself more in peace initiatives. “There is an urgent need to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups, especially women and girls,” the bishop said.
A Nigerian priest serving at English Martyrs Catholic Church in Wembley, north-west London, Fr Albert Ofere, has described the Covid-19 vaccine as “a gift from God” following his near-death experience after catching the virus last year. In a short video on the bishops’ conference website, he said: “There are outlandish materials on social media presenting so- called reasons for not being vaccinated. Look at the facts and speak to your GP ... Pray about it and then make an informed decision to have your vaccine.”
Loading ...
