Bishop says Robert Jenrick is stoking division in comments about Handsworth
The Bishop of Birmingham, Michael Volland, has accused the Conservative MP Robert Jenrick of stoking division, for saying he “didn’t see another white face” during a visit to Handsworth earlier this year, and adding “that’s not the kind of country I want to live in.” The remarks were recorded at a dinner and published by The Guardian. Yesterday Mr Jenrick said he stood by his words. The Bishop wrote an open letter to Mr Jenrick saying the comments “have the potential to generate anxiety and stir up division. They can feed into a harmful narrative that provides fuel for a fire of toxic nationalism. It is deeply unhelpful for politicians to make such comments and I encourage you to think about how your rhetoric might contribute towards unity rather than stoking division”. Mr Jenrick had also said Handsworth was “one of the worst-integrated places”, but the Bishop said that comment was “entirely wrong”. He invited Mr Jenrick to visit again, when he would show him “a wide range of local residents who are entirely committed to the flourishing of their community and the wellbeing of its people”.
Heaton Park synagogue hero condemns pro-Palestine demonstration
Student led pro-Palestine demonstrations, which were held in several cities yesterday on the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack, were condemned by a 78 year old member of Heaton Park synagogue who helped to deter the attacker last week, when two people were killed. Ivor Rosenberg, 78, who called the police then pushed the doors shut, told The Telegraph the protests were “absolutely disgraceful”. The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, told The Guardian: “This is not who we are as a country. It’s un-British to have so little respect for others. And that’s before some of them decide to start chanting hatred towards Jewish people all over again.”
Pope’s first visit abroad will be to Turkey and Lebanon
Pope Leo’s first “apostolic journey” will be to Turkey on 27-30 November and 2 December in Lebanon. A Vatican spokesman said the visit to Turkey would include a pilgrimage to İznik to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. The Apostolic Vicar of Beirut, Bishop César Essayan, told Vatican News that the Pope’s visit to Lebanon would be “a great sign of hope” in a war-torn region, bringing “a breath of peace and a moment of renewal for us all”.
Sikhs threaten legal challenge to new Islamophobia definition
The Network of Sikh Organisations is preparing legal action against the government over a potential new definition of Islamophobia which may be put forward by a working group. It says it will seek a judicial review if the Communities Secretary, Steve Reed, goes ahead with recommendations for an official definition. The NSO says the existing legal framework provides protection for all faiths from discrimination, but a new definiton of Islamophobia would create “a hierarchy of religions in England and Wales” and put other faiths at a disadvantage. The working group on Islamophobia was scheduled to report back to the Communities Secretary by the end of September.
Bishops urge priests to offer ‘Mass of the Angels’ for pregnancy losses
Two Catholic bishops have issued a statement supporting Baby Loss Awareness week, from 9 – 15 October, encouraging parishes to make known that a funeral mass, a “mass of the angels”, or an appropriate memorial service can be offered for losses at any stage of pregnancy. Archbishop John Sherrington, lead bishop for life issues, and Bishop Bosco MacDonald, lead bishop for marriage and family life, say parents need compassion and support through their bereavement. But situations such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or ectopic pregnancy, are difficult to talk about and they acknowledge that the church has also found this difficult. They say compassionate care is a source of consolation and spiritual comfort for grieving parents.
‘Men outnumber women in US church attendance’, reversing decades of stats
Two faith organisations in the US have published research suggesting that men outnumber women in church attendance, with Gen Z and Millennial men driving this trend, while single parents remain the least regular church attenders. The research from the State of the Church initiative by Barna Group and Gloo, is based on 132,000 responses in online and phone interviews and the results reverse decades of the opposite trend. It found 43 per cent of people in church were men and 36 per cent were women. Daniel Copeland, from Barna research, says church leaders have questions to answer to ensure churches are places where women feel supported. Overall, younger adults, including men and women, are now the most regular churchgoers. Fewer single parents than married parents are regular church attendees.
Faith Invest launches guide to environmentally friendly investments
Faith Invest, which helps faith based groups invest in sustainable, environmentally friendly options, has published a guide to help organisations chart a course which protects their investments and the planet. Executive chair Dave Zellner says there has been a sharp rise of interest in faith compliant investing since they began in 2019. Faith Invest says faith based asset owners, such as churches and trusts, are the third largest economic power on earth and control trillions of pounds in assets. The guide covers how to discern and document faith values; how to integrate them in investment policies and guidelines; best practice governance structures; and essential tips for ongoing communication about, and reporting on, the investment programme.
Italy re-instates Feast of St Francis as national holiday on 4 October
Italy has reinstated the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October as a national holiday, nearly 50 years after it was dropped from the calendar. The law, passed with near-unanimous support in both houses of parliament, will take effect in 2026 — the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. The Catholic Herald reports that the prime minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the move as “a moment of unity”, calling St Francis “one of the most distinctive figures of our national identity”. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, welcomed it as a chance to rediscover “the patron saint of Italy, who profoundly shaped the nation’s character”. The holiday, removed in 1977 during economic reforms, will once again honour the 12th-century friar whose radical simplicity, love of creation and commitment to peace has inspired Italians across political and religious lines.
Harvest is celebrated in England’s cathedrals
St Edmundsbury Cathedral, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, has hosted the county harvest festival, with Suffolk punch horses, red poll cattle, Suffolk sheep, a tractor and combine harvester on display on the Green outside. Food was distributed to foodbanks and the sculpture “The Harvest Torch”, which has toured cathedrals and associated agricultural shows since 2014, took pride of place. The torch will travel to Westminster Abbey for the national harvest festival on Thursday 16 October. Similar events with agricultural displays and climate action presentations, are being held at cathedrals across England.
