‘Catholic hospices and homes may close’ if Assisted Dying bill becomes law
Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishop John Sherrington have warned that Catholic homes and hospices may close if the Assisted Dying bill passes its third reading on Friday. In a statement, they say amendments that would have allowed such institutions not to be involved in assisted suicide, have been rejected. “A right to assisted suicide given to individuals is highly likely to become a duty on care homes and hospices to facilitate it. We fear that this Bill will thereby seriously affect the provision of social care and palliative care across the country. Institutions whose mission has always been to provide compassionate care in sickness or old age, and to provide such care until the end of life, may have no choice, in the face of these demands, but to withdraw from the provision of such care”. They conclude that the risk can only be averted if the Commons rejects the bill.
Covid ‘accelerated trend towards secularisation’ says report
A global project to examine the changing role of religion in public life during the Covid pandemic has concluded that it accelerated secularisation, defined as levels of religious practices. Academics from Canada, Germany, Poland, Ireland and Northern Ireland, looked at the place of religion in health services including the vaccination programmes. liaison with governments over closure of places of worship and social care, and digital innovation where online worship and prayer transformed religious practices. They found a decline in religious practices among Christians, caused by the closure of places of worship, which had not rebounded after the pandemic. There was however no evidence of this amongst Muslims. New inter-religious dialogue between the government and faith groups took place in many countries, as governments gave advice, sought information and tried to ensure neutrality. Article here. View the briefing again here. The report, The Changing Role of Religion in Societies Emerging from Covid-19, is here.
Pope Leo XIV: War is always a defeat
Pope Leo XIV has reminded world leaders that “war is always a defeat” and “nothing is lost with peace; everything can be lost with war.” Speaking at the weekly General Audience, he warned that the “scientific weapons of all kinds” in modern warfare risks “leading combatants to a barbarism far greater than that of times past.” His words echo Pope Fracis who consistently. Vatican News story here
Bishops join politicians calling for more money to tackle violent conflict
Three bishops, Lords, politicians and senior public figures have signed an open letter to the Prime Minister urging the government to invest in development and diplomacy. They say “violent conflict is now a global crisis, impacting more countries than at any point since the Second World War”, with mass atrocities forcing families to flee for safety. The government should invest in initiatives that address the root causes of conflict, and they are “gravely concerned” that these may disappear amidst cuts to the aid budget. They want to see a commitment to address violent conflict within the upcoming National Security Strategy. The letter was coordinated by the APPG on Conflict Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding. Signatories include the Bishops of London, Southwell & Nottingham, Norwich and the bishop to the armed forces; Lord Evans of Weardale, chair of the Commission to appoint the next Archbishop of Canterbury; Imam Qari Asim, Tan Dhesi MP, Rory Stewart and Neil Kinnock.
Commons Education Committee told RE is vital for social cohesion
The chair of the Religious Education Council of England and Wales, Sarah Lane Cawte, has given evidence to a parliamentary committee, saying that RE is a vital part of the Government’s vision for education, contributing to societal cohesion and leaving children ready for life and work in modern Britain. Her evidence is part of a wider inquiry by the Education Committee into the curriculum, which seeks to ensure all pupils are represented within it and that it addresses diversity. Ms Cawte urged the government to introduce a National Plan and a National Content Standard for RE, ensuring that the subject is taught to all students, as required by law. She said one in six schools do not provide RE at year 11, the GCSE year, and the subject had been historically neglected. She also drew attention to SACREs providing locally agreed syllabuses, saying there was inconsistent funding and quality, however she wanted SACREs to be properly funded and remain. She hoped the committee would also address the crisis in teacher recruitment and retention for RE, as half of all teachers who deliver Religious Education lessons spend most of their time teaching another subject. The Education Select Committee session is here: Parliamentlive.tv – Education Committee
47 per cent of US adults have a connection to Catholicism
Latest Pew Research says nearly half of US adults claim some connection to the Catholic church, but only 20 per cent say they are Catholic when asked. The rest are nominal, former or connected through family members. Among the 20 per cent, half pray daily and a quarter attend mass. But a tenth never pray, worship or go to confession. The survey was of 9,544 adults, 1787 of whom were Catholic. When asked what it means to be a Catholic, 70 per cent said to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Survey is here.
Faith leaders in Los Angeles mobilise to support immigrants
The Guardian carries a report of how faith leaders in Los Angeles have led protests at the action of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to round up illegal immigrants in an operation that began two weeks ago. It describes how “clergy in their long robes, Quakers in Black felt hats, laymen and rabbis” have marched in demonstrations, held prayer vigils, and helped undocumented immigrants, saying it was their faith which led them to act in support of the vulnerable. The report tells the story of a United Methodist church minister, son of Korean immigrants, who urged members to “put up signs declaring ‘ICE activities not welcome’ on church grounds. They also procured walkie-talkies for church members to report Ice activities.” Guardian report is here
‘Miracle baby’ televangelist dies in Kenya road crash
Gilbert Deya, a televangelist in Kenya who claimed to cure infertility in women, has died in a car crash. The Associated Press says he was once a stonemason who later called himself a bishop and moved to the UK where he led the Gilbert Deya Ministries, with churches in cities including London and Manchester. His claim to produce “miracle babies” attracted infertile and menopausal women, but he was extradited to Kenya in 2017 to face charges of stealing five children between 1999 and 2004. Deya was acquitted of all charges in 2023.
