Clergy step up to offer advice to the royals
The story of Prince Harry’s inner torment is splashed on the front pages again today, as his book is published and interviews with selected journalists aired. The ferocious tirade of accusations has provoked concern from clergy of all faiths who deal with this kind of anguish for a living. A suggestion that prayers for the royal family at Lambeth Palace have been upped from one to three times a day, whether true or not, has been liked by bishops and clergy from around the world. And the Sunday programme on BBC Radio 4 ran a discussion on what practical steps could be taken to resolve this very public row. Rabbi Robyn Ashworth Steen, from the Manchester Reform synagogue said that in the Bible there were fewer examples of families getting on, than those who struggle and the stories guide the teaching. Judaism has a five-step process: naming and owning the harm, changing behaviour, offering restitution, making an apology and moving forward. Imam Qari Asim, chair of the Mosques and Imam Advisory Board said there was a huge emphasis in Islam on keeping family ties. The process involves recognising wrong, resolving to move forward, bring open to reconciliation and offering an exchange of words to bring an end to the conflict. On Sunday, King Charles attended church at Sandringham.
Dean of St George’s Windsor to retire
The dean of St George’s chapel Windsor, David Conner, has announced his intention to retire at the end of July 2023, at the age of 75 and after 25 years in the job. The dean of Windsor is traditionally seen as the closest chaplain to the monarch, providing a pastoral role. He has seen tumultuous years in royal history ending with the deaths of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. “Thinking Anglicans” reports that as Dean he holds the role of Register of the Order of the Garter and was also, from 2001 to 2009, Bishop to the Forces.
Patriarch Kirill’s Christmas message on hostilities in historical Rus‘
Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox church in Moscow and all Russia, who has publicly backed the war in Ukraine, has issued a message for the Orthodox Christmas this weekend, saying “we cannot but be troubled by the ongoing hostilities overshadowing the holy Christmas festivities, for, as St. Paul notes, whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it (1 Cor 12:26). In the midst of all the hardships that have befallen the peoples of the historical Rus’ it is of utmost importance for us to demonstrate in deeds our dedication to our Christian vocation and show love for one another”. His message was read out during the liturgy for the festival of the nativity at the Russian Orthodox Dormition Cathedral in London. It ended with the words: “May the Creator, Lover of mankind, the True Lord of history, show His mercy on the peoples of the Holy Rus’ and bless us all with peace”.
The tomb of Pope Benedict XVI has opened to the public
The Independent has produced a film of the final resting place of Pope Benedict XVI, whose funeral was held at the end of last week. His body was laid in three coffins and lowered into a chapel in the grottoes under St Peter’s Basilica, which is now open to the public for people to pay their respects. A simple inscription “Benedictus PP XVI” is etched on the white marble slab.
Buried precious items from Jewish homes in Poland uncovered during building work
The Associated Press reports that about 400 items from Jewish homes left empty in WWII have been uncovered buried in a yard, during renovation work in Lodz, central Poland. The location was just outside the perimeter of the Litzmannstadt Ghetto that held Jews from February 1940 until August 1944, most of whom died there or in concentration camps. The items will be handed to the city´s archaeology museum.
Survey suggests church attendance plummets in America post covid
A survey of around 9,000 people in the United States suggests that the number of people attending church has dropped after the covid pandemic. The study, by the American Enterprise Institute, says in spring 2022, 33 per cent of Americans reported they never attend religious services, compared to 25 per cent before the pandemic. The largest decline in attendance was among people under the age of 50, those with a college degree or less, Hispanic Catholics and white mainline Protestants. The largest increases were among people aged 30-40 with less than a college degree, and black Protestants.
Sikh footballer sent off after dispute ovder head covering
A Sikh semi-professional footballer was sent off after pushing a player from the other team who, he said, had tried to remove his patka – the Sikh head covering. Charan Basra, playing for Langford FC, a town in Bedfordshire, was given a second yellow card and sent off. In messages on Twitter, he said referees in a semi professional league should know about religious symbols. There was a similar incident he suffered in another match and he felt he had to take action this time. He said @UB1UB2: “Just want to raise awareness so refs and players are aware the patka is a religious symbol so the younger generation doesn’t have to deal with this and for any youngster who is racially targeted on the pitch to know to stand up to it or raise it”. The incident has been raised with the Football Association.
US lecturer who showed image of Prophet Mohammed is sacked
A university teacher in Minnesota who showed a 14th century painting of the Prophet Mohammed in a global art history class, has been fired after a complaint that it was an attack on Islam. The Religion News Service reports that the teacher, at the United Methodist Hamline university, gave verbal and written notice that the image would be shown. Many Muslims believe that any depiction of the Prophet Mohammed is prohibited. The sacking has caused an outcry for advocates of free speech but the university is quoted saying respect for the Muslim students “should have superseded academic freedom”.
