A statement from the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) on the government's new asylum bill, coming before Parliament this week, reiterated opposition to the “cruel and unworkable Rwanda plan, that will violate the rights of refugees”.
Along with other refugee groups, it urged the government to stop persisting with this plan, even after the Supreme Court found it unsafe, saying “the government should be processing asylum claims efficiently and fairly”.
JRSUK said: “Today marks the 75th anniversary of the Declaration of Universal Human Rights. Let us come together in prayer, aspiring for a more just, loving, and welcoming society where the rights and dignity of every individual are respected and upheld.”
The Catholic Social Action Network (CSAN) organised 16 days of activism from 25 November, the International Day for Ending Violence against Women and Girls, calling for support for victims of domestic violence and vulnerable groups, particularly migrant and disabled women.
Special daily tweets until 10 December highlighted the work of Caritas Bakhita House in the Archdiocese of Westminster and Father Hudson’s Care in the Archdiocese of Birmingham .
There were prayer suggestions and resources including the National Board of Catholic Women report on domestic abuse and the Caritas Westminster “Safe in Faith” project which supports survivors. One day offered the suggestion of speaking to parish priests to raise the issue of improving support for women in parishes.
Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo of East Timor visited the East Timorese community in Peterborough and Cambridge. Around 500 live there and the majority are Catholics. He was accompanied by the Ambassador of East Timor to the UK, João Paulo Rangel.
In a visit to St Peter and All Souls Parish and the St Thomas More Primary School in Peterborough, he told children about his journey to become the first cardinal of East Timor before leading prayers. Around 400 people attended a special Mass in the parish, where 13 people received Certificates of Recognition for their dedication to parish communities. The cardinal was presented with the Icon of Our Lady of La Salette. He also visited Peterborough Cathedral for a private tour.
In Cambridge, there was celebration of East Timor Sister Mary Gonçalves, who recently made her final vows with the Daughters of Divine Charity at the Church of Our Lady and English Martyrs. Many East Timorese parishioners are altar servers, readers, and special ministers of Holy Communion in the Cambridge area.
The Sisters of Bethany in Southsea, Hampshire, hosted an Advent Service on St Nicholas's Day last week to support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). St Nicholas is patron saint of seafarers and of Portsmouth, of which Southsea is part.
Roy Marsh of the local RNLI station thanked the Bethany community for their prayers which, he said, meant a great deal to all crews and support staff. RNLI volunteers were thanked and described as Good Samaritans, doing life-saving work out of generosity and a sense of shared humanity.
Broadcaster Pam Rhodes is encouraging people from across the UK to support Mary’s Meals’ new campaign, Double The Love. From 22 November 2023 to 22 January 2024, donations made to Mary’s Meals will be doubled by a group of generous supporters, up to £1 million. Funds raised will provide nutritious school meals for children in some of the world’s poorest countries including Haiti, Malawi and Syria.
John Studzinski, founder and chair of the Genesis Foundation, co-founder of The Passage and co-founder of the Arise Foundation, was presented with the Catholic Near East Welfare Association’s Faith and Culture Award by Cardinal Timothy Dolan at its annual Healing and Hope Gala Dinner at a private club in New York City.
“Remember, this is about saving lives, but most importantly, protecting and cherishing human dignity in the face of Christ,” Mr Studzinski said.
“As a devout Catholic, my faith has a fundamental influence on my daily life, whether it’s professional, personal or relating to a charitable initiative. It has taught me that to whom much has been given, much is expected. I also learned in my teens from Mother Teresa that you can only change the world one person at a time. My work is directed toward supporting human dignity and humanity.”
Nearly two-thirds of people surveyed in a new study say their physical or mental health was adversely affected by church closures during Covid-19 lockdown.
In the survey of nearly 1,000 people, the Catholic Union found that 62 per cent said their physical or mental health had been affected by church closures.
The survey also found that 90 per cent of people thought that places of worship should be treated as “essential” services alongside food shops and healthcare facilities in any future pandemic, meaning they would not be forced to close.
Ampleforth College has welcomed the report of a full inspection by Ofsted, published today, in which the school was rated “good”, compared an overall judgement from the last full inspection two years ago of “inadequate”.
In addition a separate Ofsted report of an education and boarding inspection found the school to meet all independent school standards with just one recommendation to help the school improve, covering leaders supporting teachers to assess how well the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils.
A Burton-on-Trent school has won a pioneering award for its outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision. Blessed Robert Sutton Catholic Voluntary Academy has been awarded Gold standard by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools.
The school provides a wide range of activities to boost the wellbeing of pupils and staff. These include rolling out a universal program of mental health support which means that every pupil has a one-to-one conversation about wellbeing each term. Form time takes place at the start and end of the day to allow for pastoral support during both sessions.
Farm Street Church began its 175th anniversary year on 8 December with a Solemn Mass for its patronal feast of the Immaculate Conception.
The apostolic nuncio Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia was the principal celebrant and gave the sermon, recalling his own education by the Jesuits in Spain, while the Farm Street choir sang from Lucca Uggias’ Mass for the Immaculate Conception, which was commissioned by the parish in 2020.
The church opened in 1849 on the feast of St Ignatius Loyola, 31 July, and a Jubilee Mass on that feast in 2024 will be the centrepiece of a year of celebrations for the anniversary.
The Archdiocese of Liverpool has won a Governance Project of the Year award for transitioning to a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation). According to the Chartered Governance Institute of the UK and Ireland website, the award recognises, “a transformational project, one that has left the organisation forever changed for the better.”
The archdiocese’s chief operating officer, Matt Miller, Helen McLoughlin, the archdiocesan compliance officer, and Canon John Poland, judicial vicar for the National Tribunal Service attended the award ceremony last week in London.
Mr Miller said: “It’s fantastic to receive such recognition from CGIUKI. A lot of hard work has gone into this transition. Everybody involved deserves this recognition.”
A Catholic has been appointed County Ecumenical Officer for Norfolk and Waveney Churches Together.
Dr Ian Watson who is based in Walsingham and Wells, said: “I am the type of progressive Roman Catholic who recognises the beauty and truth that exists in all the seven denominations that make up Norfolk and Waveney Churches Together. It will be a privilege to learn from these and to support the effort for greater visible unity whilst respecting and honouring our differences.”
A former Anglican, Watson described Church unity as “not merely an abstract concept but a powerful force for good in our communities and beyond.”
West Lancashire Council has approved plan to redevelop a Victorian villa that was formerly a convent into housing.
Lancaster House in the village of Parbold will be developed by the PJ Livesey Group into four large flats while a neighbouring cottage will be converted into a single property. The stable block on the 6.5-acre estate will be re-developed into five properties.
Built in 1845, the premises were acquired in 1947 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who resided at the site until 2021. The convent closed due to dwindling numbers. The developers plan to begin work in the Spring, with the first homes becoming available in 2025.
Trudy Kilcullen, the former chair of the Southwark Spirituality Commission has received an archdiocesan medal for exceptional service. Archbishop John Wilson gave Kilcullen the award in her home parish, Holy Apostles, Swanley.
She said: “I am accepting the medal on behalf of every single member of the commission – all who give freely of their time in order that people have opportunities to deepen their personal relationship with God”.
She had been inspired in the role by Pope Francis’s phrase “holiness is a journey” and the words of St Clare of Assisi: “We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.”
Assisted suicide does not simply affect the person who dies, but affects their family, their loved ones and society, representatives of the Irish bishops have warned.
In their presentation to the Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying, Petra Conroy and Dr Margaret Naughton said assisted suicide sends out a message to the terminally ill that they should consider whether their continued existence is an unbearable burden on themselves, their families, or the healthcare system.
They highlighted how assisted suicide, once legalised in limited cases, quickly expanded beyond the terminally ill to include those with poor health or physical or intellectual disability.
The Irish bishops have encouraged parishioners to support the St Vincent de Paul annual appeal which is focused on struggling parents who wonder how they will provide a happy Christmas for their families. Over the past decade, the SVP has provided over €332m in assistance to families and individuals across Ireland.
According to the charity, one-parent families, low income households, those depending on one-off supports and people with disabilities are especially vulnerable to food and fuel poverty.
The bishops also commended Catholic charities that work to support families throughout the year and especially at Christmas time, including Crosscare and the Capuchin Day Centre.
Dr Michael O’Sullivan SJ has been elected president of the International Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality (SSCS). The official inauguration took place in San Antonio, Texas, on 18 November 2023. He is the first Jesuit to be elected to this position. The membership of the SSCS is drawn from universities, seminaries, and higher education colleges in various countries, especially the United States. SMD
The Iona Institute has expressed concern over the upcoming March referenda in Ireland to provide for a wider concept of family and the domestic role of women in the constitution.
Speaking on Newstalk’s “The Hard Shoulder” programme, David Quinn, director of the Catholic think tank, said the referendum on Article 41 of the Constitution will further downgrade the importance of marriage to society. He said the second referendum on Article 41.2 removes the requirement that mothers not be forced out of the home because of economic necessity.
Any sensible society, Mr Quinn said, should want as many children as possible raised by the men and women who bring them into the world, as least as a first aim, and the government seems to have lost sight of this.
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