Another massive world event for Catholic young people – Seoul, August 2027
Pope Leo XIV has announced that the next World Youth Day is to be held in Seoul, South Korea, from 3 – 8 August 2027. He made the announcement at the end of the Mass with one million young people in Rome, which was held as part of the Year of Jubilee. World Youth Days take place every two years – the last was in Portugal in 2023 – and attract hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims. The Pope said that the theme for the 2027 gathering will be: “Take courage, I have overcome the world.”
US Episcopalian missioner’s daughter detained in custody while renewing her visa
The Episcopal News Service tells the story of Yeonsoo Go, daughter of the Rev Kyrie Kim, the Asian Ministries missioner of the Diocese of New York, who was detained while applying to renew her visa, which is set to expire in December. She was transferred to a facility in Louisiana, and her next hearing is in October. She is accused of “overstaying her visa”. The Diocese of New York says her detention represents “a disturbing and unacceptable escalation of enforcement against individuals in good standing with pending immigration cases”. It organised a vigil calling for her immediate release and for broader accountability in how ICE is targeting immigrants, students, and family members.
Can the Sea of Faith Network navigate the undercurrents?
The Sea of Faith Network, which started in response to the Anglican philosopher Don Cupitt’s television series of the same name, held its 37th conference in London, with a programme aiming to celebrate its educational projects, while providing an opportunity to consider how it defines itself for the future. Don Cupitt died, aged 90, in January and the Sea of Faith Network has found itself reflecting on its past and redefining its place in a society which looks very different to the 1980s when it began. Last year, the membership voted by a majority of two, to change the organisation’s tag line, from “exploring and promoting religion as a human creation” to “exploring and promoting religion and worldviews as human creations for this life”, a change that is contested. At the conference, speakers outlined a new approach to RE, “Big Ideas for RE”, which the Network helps to fund. There were further talks on the hopefulness of Artificial Intelligence and the way teachers can adopt its use in the classroom. Article on our website here
Charity Commission opens statutory inquiry into the Abdullah Quilliam Society
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into the Abdullah Quilliam Society, based in Liverpool, which was set up to restore Britain’s first ever mosque, founded by the Victorian convert to Islam, Abdullah Quilliam. Its purposes are to promote Islam and to educate the public in the heritage of that faith. The Commission says the investigation was launched after the charity posted a video on social media, “whose contents may not have furthered the charity’s objects and could potentially be considered political, divisive and inflammatory. The video suggested that named senior members of the Westminster Government were acting improperly and had received donations from the “Israeli lobby” and that the Commission was also being unduly influenced to ‘silence’ trustees. The video appeared to be drawn from a sermon delivered at the charity’s premises on 27 June 2025 and has since been removed from the charity’s social media platforms”. The statement says it had already issued the charity with an official warning over the content of sermons and speeches and the inquiry will evaluate the charity’s general administration, management, and governance by its trustees. The full statement is here
Persistent suspicion for Muslims in France
The French writer and activist, Rokhaya Diallo, has described the persistent suspicion and hostility faced by Muslims in France, particularly in the wake of terrorist attacks. In an article in The Guardian, she says French Muslims remain scapegoated, seen as threats whether they assimilate or simply maintain their cultural identity. After the Charlie Hebdo massacre, she says she was asked, live on air, to “dissociate myself from the attackers”, as though she were under suspicion simply for being a Muslim, which she sees as a “racist perception of my identity. She argues that smears are used to silence Muslims who speak out against Islamophobia and she criticises the Interior Minister for claiming a report showed “a quiet form of Islamist infiltration”. No matter what level Muslims reach in French society, she says they “carry the suspicion of association with a radical and dangerous ideology: of being the enemy within”. Article is here
Liberals need coherent plan to shift the church out of same sex paralysis
The writer Theo Hobson writes that the Church of England’s “paralysing” crisis over sexuality is rooted in confusion within its liberal majority. He says liberals have not clearly articulated the reform they seek – not only same sex marriage, but a new understanding of the forbidden ‘sex outside marriage’, which is at the heart of the division. He offers this: “Instead they have to develop a new sexual morality in which marriage is not as central as the principle that sexual relationships should be permanent, faithful and stable”. He suggests this is in fact the new Anglican orthodoxy, but is never articulated by liberals for fear of being regarded as “selling out”. A proposal this year for separate conservative bishops to serve congregations opposed to same sex marriage, was rejected by both sides, with women particularly saying it would entrench division. His conclusion: “So liberal Anglicanism is a chimera, with the head of a poodle and the body of a mule. It is a funny mix of muddle, when it comes to articulating a coherent reformist vision on sexuality, and steely stubbornness, when it comes to keeping the Church together, this time. The first part of this beast must change, if the Church is to escape from its paralysis.”
The background and local response to the Tuam mother and bay home excavation
The Associated Press reports on the excavation underway at the mother and baby’s home in Tuam, in the west of Ireland, in an effort to find remains of 796 babies believed to be buried in a mass grave. A reporter spoke to the dig director Daniel MacSweeney, who previously worked for the International Committee of Red Cross to identify missing persons in conflict zones in Afghanistan and Lebanon. He said it was a “uniquely difficult undertaking”, with remains now jumbled so that everything had to be DNA tested to assemble the pieces and identify the children. Nearly 100 people, some from the US, Britain, Australia, and Canada, who believe their relatives may be buried there, have either provided DNA or been contacted about doing so. The article explains the story from when the graves were first discovered, the reaction from local people as teams of scientists sweep into the town and the shame and apology from the church. AP article is here Writer claims Muslims face persistent suspicion and hostility in France: ‘the enemy within’
Jewish comedian, cancelled by one Edinburgh fringe venue, finds new locations for her show
The Jewish comedian Rachel Creeger, whose Edinburgh Fringe show was abruptly cancelled by the Whistle Binkies venue last month citing security concerns, has found new locations for her cat. She said her show, “Ultimate Jewish Mother”, will be on at The Big Tent at Hoots, Nicolson Square Gardens, and in Dirty Martini at Le Monde. She said she was immensely grateful to the new venues for allowing her to retain the unticketed status of the show, allowing those who cannot afford to pay to see the show for free, and those who are able to pay to donate what they can afford. She added: “I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to everyone who has reached out over the past couple of weeks with support and offers of help. You have kept my heart warm through an otherwise dark and cold time.”
Kate Forbes, known for strict Christian views, is standing down from Holyrood
Kate Forbes, Scotland’s deputy first minister, has announced that she will stand down from Holyrood in order to spend more time with her family. She challenged the former first minister Humza Yousaf for the SNP leadership in 2023 and narrowly lost by a 52:48 percentage. She made no secret of her Christian faith and membership of the rule bound Scottish Free Church, with socially conservative views including against same sex marriage, having children outside marriage, abortion and trans rights. Her comments caused a political storm and she lost crucial support. However, at the age of 35, she was considered still to be a good communicator and to have a chance of standing again for the leadership, so her decision to stand down has surprised commentators.
New principal for CofE Ripon College, Cuddesdon
The Governors of the Church of England’s Ripon College, Cuddesdon, which trains men and women for ordination, have announced that the Rev Dr Harriet Harris MBE will be the next Principal of the college, taking up the role from 1 January 2026. She is currently the University Chaplain and Head of Chaplaincy Services at the University of Edinburgh, with the largest multi-faith and belief chaplaincy in the UK. Dr Harris has taught Theology at Oxford, Exeter and Edinburgh Universities, trained ordinands and lay readers, served on the Doctrine Committee of the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Faith and Order Advisory Board of the Church of England. She coaches leaders and is known internationally as a speaker and preacher. She was ordained in Diocese of Oxford and was Chaplain of Wadham College for ten years.
New CEO at Tearfund
The new CEO of the Christian charity Tearfund, is to be Silas Balraj, who has held senior roles with another Christian group, Compassion International. Tearfund was originally known as The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund, set up in 1968 in response to the Biafran war. It now partners with churches in over 50 countries, reaching 2.9 million people, with another 6.1 million impacted through its church-led community programmes.
