1.5 million people attend World Youth Day closing mass
Pope Francis has ended his five day visit to World Youth Day in Lisbon, with a mass for an estimated 1.5 million people, gathered in a park in scorching 40 degrees with no shade. He spoke off the cuff, ignoring his prepared speech explaining that young people had short attention spans and homilies “can sometimes be torture – bla, bla, bla”. He told the young people from all parts of the globe to shine, to listen and to be unafraid, sharing with them his dream of world peace. On Saturday, he visited the shrine of Fatima and raised eyebrows by not delivering a prayer for peace, which commentators suggested could have been politically sensitive as the shrine is associated with a prayer for the conversion of Russia after World War One, but the Vatican is now trying to maintain relations with Ukraine and Russia, to broker peace. On the plane home, the Pope, who is 86, said his recovery from abdominal surgery is going well and stressed that he ditched speeches to better communicate with young people. The next World Youth Day will be held in Seoul, South Korea in 2027.
Sinead O’Connor, proudly Irish and Muslim, buried tomorrow
The imam who supported Sinéad O’Connor through her conversion to Islam has given an interview to Hyphen Online, recalling his conversations with her and describing her attraction to Islam. Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, the chief imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland near Dublin, said the singer had studied religion but had a number of misconceptions about Islam. After conversations together, she accepted that Islam was the most reasonable religion for her. Dr Al-Qadri described her as a unique woman who was proudly Irish and Muslim. Sinead O’Connor died last month aged 56, and has been lauded for her musical talent and remembered for her social and political activism. Her funeral is to be held tomorrow with people being invited to line the seafront in Bray, south of Dublin, as the cortege passes to a private burial.
Soul Survivor chairman’s response under investigation
The Telegraph has a further update on the investigation into Soul Survivor, after its founder Mike Pilavachi resigned following allegations that he massaged and wrestled young men. As the investigation got underway, the remaining senior pastor, the Rev Andy Croft, and Assistant pastor Ali Martin, were suspended. The latest story concerns the response by Soul Survivor’s chairman the Rt Rev Graham Cray, to reports of abuse. Telegraph quotes a CofE spokesperson saying Bishop Graham will make no comment while the safeguarding investigation is underway.
Hindu Republican presidential candidate courts Christian right
The Associated Press has a profile of Vivek Ramaswamy, 37-year-old biotech entrepreneur and Republican presidential candidate, in third position behind Trump and Ron DeSantis. He is only the second Hindu to run for president in America and has been courting favour with the conservative evangelical block vote lining up in the campaign. He has said that his religion has much in common with Judeo-Christian values. He believes God is real, there are two genders, he supports capitalism and meritocracy, is anti-abortion and believes gender dysphoria is a mental illness. He has expressed support for the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “I’m an ardent defender of religious liberty,” he said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I will be an even more vocal and unapologetic defender of it precisely because no one is going to accuse me of being a Christian nationalist.” AP article is here
Cosmic dust busters home in on English Cathedrals
Scientists from the University of Kent are looking for cosmic dust on top of cathedrals. Dr Penny Wozniakiewicz told the Sunday programme on Radio 4 that they have collected dust from the top of Canterbury Cathedral which they are now examining to see if there is any evidence of particles from, for example, meteorites or comets. Cathedrals have been chosen because dust is relatively undisturbed and there are good records of changes or repairs which allows them to date the samples. Guardian story here
700 per cent rise in Sunday car park charges inflames Winchester
Winchester Cathedral worshippers face car park rises from £2.10 to £17 on Sundays – a rise of 700 per cent. The council says the aim is to reduce pollution by delivering its services in a carbon-neutral way by next year. But a 74 year old who attends services weekly, said she was incensed at the decision; a retired chef said it showed no common sense, and another described it as insane. Kelsie Learney, the council’s cabinet member for the climate emergency, is quoted saying: “Air quality doesn’t care what day of the week it is”. Local businesses are appealing for a re-think.
