Pope: Have a more humble Christmas and give what you save to Ukrainians
Pope Francis has called on people to celebrate a more humble Christmas, including smaller gifts, and send what has been saved to help Ukrainians. At the end of the general audience, he reminded the faithful to remember the “immense suffering the people of Ukraine are experiencing”. He said they “ desperately need assistance due to the extreme cold, illness, lack of doctors and medical facilities, and hunger”. He appealed to all to “renew their closeness to the battered Ukrainians” and to persevere in prayer “for these our brothers and sisters who are suffering so much.”
Church calls for reform of excessive executive pay
The Church of England Pensions Board has hosted a summit with investors, regulators, FTSE 100 remuneration committee chairs and others, to review excessive executive corporate pay. Adam Matthews, chief responsible investment officer at the Church of England pensions board, said the system was broken and investors knew it enabled and protected excess. Chairs of remuneration committees should be held accountable and investors needed a binding, rather than advisory, vote on the outcomes of pay policies, he suggested, adding that tension over excessive pay is made worse in a cost of living crisis.
Bishops inch towards decision on same sex marriage
Church of England bishops have met for three days to discuss same sex relationships and marriage, following a two-year consultation “Living in Love and Faith” among all church members. The issue has deeply divided the church for decades and is due to come to a point of decision in February when the church’s parliament, the general synod, votes on “a direction of travel” for future action. The bishops have been urged to continue united despite differences but there have been calls from conservative leaders for a different parallel structure of leadership if synod votes in favour of same sex marriage. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, told The Times last weekend that he would remain silent on the issue while he remained in office. After the bishops’ meeting he said they continued to pray for guidance “about God’s intention for human life in all its glory and joy”.
Jesuit artist and priest at centre of historic abuse allegations
The Associated Press reports an unravelling story about the famous Jesuit priest and mosaics artist, the Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik, who is facing allegations of abuse against women in a Jesuit community in his native Slovenia in the 1990s. AP says the case surfaced in a press briefing yesterday as questions were raised about action taken against him, including temporary excommunication, and restrictions on his ministry. AP says “The Jesuits initially responded with a statement Dec. 2 that confirmed a complaint had been received in 2021 but said the Vatican’s sex abuse office had determined that the allegations, dating from the 1990s in Slovenia, were too old to prosecute.”
Concern at “parliamentary inquiry” into BBC’s coverage of Jews and Israel
Jewish News reports reservations about a “parliamentary investigation” by six peers into the BBC’s reporting of issues around Jews and Israel. It says it has learned there is rising concern among legal experts, the community and Jewish BBC employees, fearing it is “part of a long-running politicised campaign to pit the Jewish community against the BBC”. The announcement of the investigation followed a petition initiated by the Jewish Chronicle into BBC impartiality on Jews and Israel. The Jewish News article quotes a BBC source saying dialogue is the best way to achieve change and denying the BBC is anti-Jewish. Jerry Lewis, a former senior BBC World Service press officer and a former Board of Deputies Vice President is quoted saying it is not an official parliamentary inquiry and people will be misled into believing this is something more than it is.
Sinister acts as dead cat and fox left at New Forest church
A dead cat hanging from a flagpole and a dead fox on the doorstep of a 12th century church in the New Forest, has led the vicar to warn of sinister goings on the village of Bramshaw, near Lyndhurst. The Rev David Bacon told his local paper that the cat was discovered by a cleaner and the fox had been deliberately placed at the door of his church, St Peter’s, Bramshaw – discoveries which were deeply upsetting. He told the paper: “Living where we do, the New Forest has always been known for witchcraft, but this seems a bit more sinister.” The article recounts previous stories from 2019 when vandals spray painted the church walls with phallic and Satanic symbols. And months later, sheep and cattle were found stabbed and sprayed with occult markings in the area. The vicar urged people to be vigilant.
Hate crime against Muslims in Manchester and Cornwall
Greater Manchester Police have arrested two men over a hate crime when a pig’s head was found on the roof of a mosque and community centre. The men aged 22 and 47 were arrested in raids in Stockport. The police say the arrests demonstrate that hate crime will never be tolerated
In Cornwall, police have taken no further action after a pig’s head was tied to the gate of a field belonging to a family where the father is a Muslim who grew up in the Middle East. Rema Ince, from Redruth, said the field which she owns has been tainted by the head and animal parts strewn across the land throughout the summer, and believes it was an attempt to intimidate the local Muslim community. The case was referred to the council as an environmental concern. Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed to Cornwall Live that no further action was taken against a suspect, but that decision is currently subject of the victim’s right to review.
Stormzy and Sir Cliff Richard bring Christianity into Christmas album charts
Two of the most identifiable popular Christian singers are vying for the top slot in the albums chart this Christmas with collections full of religious imagery and ideas. At one point only 600 sales separated Stormzy’s “This is What I Mean” from Cliff Richard’s “Christmas With Cliff”. James Hall, writing earlier in The Telegraph, says: “The irony is almost biblical. In the week when Christianity was confirmed as a minority religion in England and Wales for the first time, the battle for .. the number one slot in the album charts was being slugged out by two of the most high-profile Christians in the entertainment world”. Current rankings put Sir Cliff (aged 82) ahead at number 4, with Stormzy (aged 29) sinking to number 12. The Telegraph reports that Stormzy might be a reminder that younger people are still passionate about faith, but Sir Cliff insists that being Christian has been cool all along.
Do Telegraph readers link Christianity with Christmas?
The Telegraph is asking its readers to comment or fill out a form, explaining the link – if any – between Christmas and Christianity. It says that after the 2021 census discovered that the number of people identifying as Christian is 46 per cent, it wants to know what Christmas means to its readers and how Christianity impacts the festivities.
